Senior dwelling operators are holding regular with social media methods in 2025 regardless of shifting traits for the way folks share data on-line.
In 2025, social media firms equivalent to Meta, the corporate behind Fb, Instagram and Threads, and TikTok developer ByteDance are below scrutiny from lawmakers and the general public. TikTok is topic to a possible ban beginning this month within the U.S. that’s being weighed by the Supreme Courtroom, whereas Meta is dealing with scrutiny over its plans to get rid of fact-checking and latest modifications to its moderation insurance policies that single out LGBTQ folks. On the similar time, platforms equivalent to BlueSky are serving as new rivals to firms like X, previously often called Twitter.
Though social media is quickly altering, senior dwelling operators are sticking with most of the similar methods they’ve embraced for years. Movies showcasing communities and engagement on platforms like Fb stay the highest approach operators are advertising their communities on-line in 2025, whilst some firms experiment with different platforms equivalent to TikTok.
Operators nonetheless specializing in Fb, exploring different platforms
Among the many huge questions operators have relating to social media is the place to showcase their companies and communities to the broader world. Latest knowledge from AARP exhibits most individuals 50 and older use a number of social media platforms. Fb and YouTube are the top-two platforms they use, and that’s nonetheless primarily the place senior dwelling operators focus their efforts in 2025.
That’s the reason senior dwelling operators together with FellowshipLife, Watermark Retirement Communities, Precedence Life Care and others deal with platforms together with Fb and YouTube to be able to attain older adults utilizing them.
“For a very long time, we’ve watched what the grownup kids do, as a result of the grownup kids have been on social media,” mentioned Elizabeth Fandel, chief advertising and innovation officer for Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based FellowshipLife. “However the boomer is on social media, they usually’re watching they usually’re listening.”
Fb particularly is usually a highly effective software for advertising, however it carries its personal share of challenges and dangers. That’s no shock to operators, however it’s nonetheless a fragile stability for them in 2025.
Senior dwelling firms have particularly grappled with how a lot management communities ought to have over their social media presence, how usually they need to put up, what they need to be posting and who to focus on – all in service of crafting the simplest messaging attainable.
Tucson, Arizona-based Watermark has a devoted social media supervisor who focuses solely on that sort of messaging. The corporate’s in-house media crew has created requirements, pointers and “tons of coaching” for efficient on-line posting that appeals to prospects.
In 2024, the operator’s social media technique centered on extra clever imagery via higher high quality pictures and movies and bringing extra element to the textual content in posts for “higher emotional impression,” based on Troy Hollar nationwide director of selling and gross sales for Watermark Retirement Communities. That technique garnered a 27.4% improve in put up reactions and likes, a 40.8% improve in put up feedback and replies and a 21.4% improve in followers in 2024 in contrast with 2023.
Nonetheless, making a compelling advertising message over platforms like Fb is usually a “big problem,” based on Hollar.
Different firms, together with Bloomfield, New Jersey-based Juniper Communities, have even posted hiring advertisements on Fb to some success. In 2022, the corporate constructed a touchdown web page for fast purposes and started monitoring which Fb customers went from seeing a Juniper commercial on Fb to filling out an internet software.
Senior dwelling firms have lately additionally sought to look past platforms like Fb, equivalent to TikTok, X competitor BlueSky and Threads, though not many have grown their presence in a giant approach on them.
Nonetheless, firms together with Precedence Life Care are utilizing platforms like TikTok and weighing the demographics of customers there for attainable advertising expansions. Up to now, the corporate has constructed a small presence on websites like BlueSky and Threads if solely to plant its flag for now.
“We’re it, dipping our toe into it, however probably not placing out numerous content material till we all know it’s value our effort,” Precedence Life Care VP of Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Jill Document advised Senior Housing Information.
Fandel added FellowshipLife at the moment doesn’t have a presence on websites like Threads as a result of lack of a target market being there. However the firm is protecting its eye on whether or not that modifications sooner or later, even because it stays arduous to navigate the entire completely different platforms it may well use.
“I’m attempting to see … what will be the subsequent huge factor that we’ll wish to be part of early on, and have content material up and have ourselves established on that platform,” she mentioned.
Content material advertising, video stay high methods
Previously, senior dwelling operators have marketed their companies via informational posts, additionally known as content material advertising, and movies. In 2025, many firms are doubling down on that technique.
Watermark in 2025 is experimenting with each natural and paid posts on platforms equivalent to Fb, Instagram and Youtube, with plans to showcase communities in movies.
“In 2025, content material advertising goes to change into an more and more necessary piece of how we market our communities,” Hollar mentioned.
FellowshipLife is at the moment posting short-form video “reels” on Instagram, based on Director of Digital Advertising and marketing Molly Fandel. The operator makes use of the movies to assist inform resident tales and spotlight strengths, and Fandel mentioned they carry out higher than written content material with photographs.
Precedence Life Care additionally posts movies on TikTok. In reality, one put up showcasing the corporate’s Lake Meadows neighborhood in Fishers, Indiana, garnered greater than 1.4 million views and over 1,200 feedback on the platform. Document mentioned viewers are drawn to movies that showcase residents dwelling properly and having enjoyable.
“We’re seeing video content material be … more practical than earlier than, so we’re persevering with to get into video and animated content material,” Document mentioned.
Document added the group additionally makes use of TikTok for promoting functions too, notably by way of recruiting, together with showcasing the corporate’s experience in senior dwelling.
“We attempt to have our advertising have extra expert-related posts, [with] completely different blogs that they’ve on their [community] web sites, ensuring that individuals perceive that we’re the specialists in what we do, and we’re right here to information folks via their journey of senior dwelling,” she mentioned.
Moreover, the corporate takes a grassroots strategy by permitting particular person communities run their very own social media, specializing in “telling tales for family and friends members,” based on Document. Group entrepreneurs are additionally using academic content material from blogs and advertising toolkits to be able to construct a fame of being a useful resource.
Nevertheless, regardless of the general power and rising emphasis on video content material, operators are seemingly going to be unaffected by the upcoming TikTok ban, with Watermark and FellowshipLife noting they’re unlikely to shift their present methods as a consequence of not being energetic on the platform. As an alternative, the main target is probably going going to be on constructing out content material for YouTube or having video content material out there on firm web sites.
