In the fast-evolving world of senior living marketing, clicks alone don’t tell the whole story. At the “Beyond the Click” panel, moderated by Tim Mullaney, VP and Editorial Director at Senior Housing News, industry leaders explored how to elevate digital advertising strategies to generate higher-quality leads—the kind that convert into move-ins rather than just website traffic.
Panelists Rich Gordon, Chief Strategy Officer of Sales and Marketing at AgeWell Solvere Living, and Matt Grant, Director of Partner Strategy at Markentum, shared insights on data-driven decision-making, digital advertising trends, and the importance of personalization in lead generation.
Rethinking Lead Quality: More Than Just Volume
Tim Mullaney kicked off the discussion with a crucial question: What defines a quality lead in senior living? While volume is important, Rich Gordon emphasized that success isn’t just about generating more inquiries—it’s about getting the right inquiries.
"We need to filter out the noise and focus on higher-quality leads that actually convert," said Rich. "It’s easy to turn on a lead spigot, but it’s harder to turn on a quality lead spigot."
The Digital Toolkit: Finding What Works
In today’s marketing landscape, technology is essential for tracking and refining lead generation efforts. Rich shared some of the tools AgeWell Solvere Living uses to optimize digital ads and lead quality:
- Google Analytics & Google Tag Manager – For tracking campaign performance.
- Microsoft Clarity – Heatmaps to analyze user behavior on websites.
- Active Demand & CRM Integration – Syncing digital ads with CRM data to assess conversions.
By monitoring how leads interact with digital campaigns, senior living operators can fine-tune their strategies and invest in channels that deliver the best results.
Why Search Advertising is the Foundation
According to Matt Grant, paid search (Google Ads) remains the most powerful tool for generating high-quality leads. However, he cautioned that not all Google spending goes toward actual search queries—many marketers mistakenly allocate budget to display ads or less targeted placements.
"You have to have your foundation built on search and the highest-value keywords," Matt explained.
When asked about Bing Ads, Matt noted that while Bing can be useful in some markets, it often generates too many spam leads—making Google the primary focus for most senior living marketers.
The Power of Tours & Retargeting
Both Rich Gordon and Matt Grant highlighted that getting prospects to schedule a tour is the ultimate goal.
"The moment a prospect walks through the door, their likelihood of moving in increases significantly," said Rich.
To reduce friction between a lead and a scheduled tour, AgeWell Solvere Living and its marketing partners focus on:
- Retargeting campaigns to keep communities top-of-mind.
- Self-scheduled tours via website integrations.
- Immediate alerts to sales teams when a tour is booked.
This strategy ensures that sales teams prioritize leads who are actively engaging with a community—rather than spending time on unqualified inquiries.
The Future of Senior Living Marketing: AI & Personalization
When discussing the next five years of lead generation, AI and big data emerged as key drivers of change.
Rich emphasized that AI-powered CRMs can help score leads, optimize follow-ups, and improve engagement tracking—ensuring that promising prospects don’t slip through the cracks.
Matt also highlighted that hyper-personalization will shape the future of digital marketing: “We’ll see campaigns becoming more community-specific—tailored to the unique needs and market conditions of each location.”
From custom landing pages to AI-driven ad targeting, the future of senior living marketing is about delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time.
Final Takeaway: Beyond the Click, It’s About Conversion
The “Beyond the Click” panel reinforced a critical message: Click-through rates alone won’t fill communities—but a data-driven, conversion-focused strategy will.
By prioritizing high-quality leads, leveraging advanced tracking tools, and optimizing for tours, AgeWell Solvere Living and its marketing partners are setting a new standard for senior living marketing success.
Looking to elevate your senior living marketing strategy? Contact AgeWell Solvere Living to learn how we help communities generate real results beyond the click.
AgeWell Solvere Living
AgeWell Solvere Living is a leading senior living management company operating more than 35 communities across nine states. Their commitment to innovation, engagement, and data-driven marketing strategies helps connect older adults with the right senior living options.
Markentum
Markentum is a digital marketing agency specializing in senior living. Their expertise in paid search, social media, website optimization, and data analytics helps senior living communities enhance their online presence and generate high-quality leads.
