The Unlock Team has been invaluable in helping us navigate this digital landscape. Their expertise and support have empowered us to elevate our online presence and stay ahead of the competition with confidence.

Aleksandra Stefanovic, MSIMC
Marketing Director, Promises Behavioral Health

Unlock Health Senior Living Marketing

About Unlock Health
Unlock Health is a full-service agency that makes great work easier through a combination of art and science. Our creativity fueled by data, insights, and deep expertise in the business of senior living marketing.

Hear us out

Ready to maximize your marketing strategy? Let's connect.

As I write this, my family is enjoying a sunny vacation in Florida. I’m sitting outside catching up on work while my wife’s grandmother, Grandma Betty, who’s in her late 80s, relaxes inside the condo watching Instagram reels. It’s a small, quiet moment, but one that speaks volumes about how dramatically senior living marketing is shifting right before our eyes. 

We’re halfway through 2025, and the pace of change has been nothing short of extraordinary. The way people discover, engage with, and make decisions about senior living options is evolving faster than ever. Grandma Betty, for example, continues to spend more time on social media, and she’s even started asking me questions about AI during this trip. 

At Unlock Health, we’ve embraced this transformation by launching The Move in Senior Living Marketing, a podcast dedicated to exploring the trends, tools, and thought leaders driving innovation in our space. It’s been incredibly rewarding to build this platform while simultaneously diving deep into the insights emerging from our 2025 Senior Living Marketing Report.

As we look toward the second half of the year, here’s a snapshot of where we are and what senior living marketing teams should prioritize moving forward: 

What we’ve learned so far in 2025:

1. Prospects are finding you before you know them.

In my recent podcast with Maggie Seibold, VP of Customer Insights at Welcome Home, we discussed how the discovery process has changed. Today’s prospects (and their adult children) aren’t waiting for a call back from your sales director; they’ve already researched you online. They’ve looked at your website, Google listing, social profiles, reviews, and maybe even your competitors. 

“Discovery isn’t something that starts with an inquiry anymore,” Maggie said. “It’s already happening, anonymously, online.” That means your digital footprint is now your first (and sometimes only) shot at connection. 

If your website doesn’t tell your story clearly, if your pricing is buried, or if your listings aren’t up to date, you’re likely being ruled out before you ever get the chance to follow up.

2. Marketing teams are getting smarter and more confident. 

Nearly half of our recent Unlock Health survey marketers say they feel “very confident” in their digital strategy this year, a big leap from 2024. That confidence shows up in how teams are investing: 57% are increasing budgets in 2025, with most of those dollars going to SEO, paid search, and content. 

We’re also seeing a shift away from heavy reliance on aggregators. In 2022, aggregators like A Place for Mom accounted for 45% of lead volume. This year, it's down to 38%. Communities are building their lead engines to offer more control, a better fit, and stronger conversion.

3. We’re not just selling apartments. We’re selling understanding.

Senior living is one of the most emotional decisions a family will ever make. While digital tools help, the most successful communities lead with empathy, not just algorithms. That means being proactive with communication, educating early, and making it easy for families to self-qualify or self-select out before they even book a tour. It also means preparing your teams to shift from transactional “lead follow-up” to intentional relationship-building. 

And increasingly, that relationship can start through the stories you tell online. Leveraging video and social media isn’t optional anymore; it’s essential. These platforms allow you to showcase authentic resident experiences, staff personalities, and the emotional heart of your community in a way no brochure or landing page ever could.

Planning for the second half of 2025:

1. Prepare for “Zero-Click Search.”

In another recent blog on the future of search, I shared how platforms like Google answer more questions directly on the results page, meaning fewer users click through to your website. 

If your Google Business Profile isn’t optimized, or your answers to “cost of assisted living near me” aren’t available at a glance, you may never even make it to the shortlist. In the months ahead, focus on optimizing your listings, using structured data (schema), and creating FAQ-style content that AI can easily “read” and serve up.

2. Use Q3 to refocus, not retreat.

Traditionally, summer is a softer period for inquiries and move-ins. But don’t hit pause. Instead, shift energy into building brand visibility, retargeting past prospects, and refining the resident experience (which often drives referrals). 

Now is the time to: 

• Refresh your website content and video library 
• Tighten your Google and social listings 
• Invest in staff training around sales planning and pre-tour prep 
• Tell resident stories through newsletters, blogs, and social posts

3. Stop guessing. Start personalizing.

Marketing today isn’t just about generating more leads; it’s about generating better-fit leads. Focus on using your CRM and sales data to identify what makes a lead likely to convert, and build more campaigns around that audience. 

This includes: 

• Segmenting by care level (IL, AL, Memory Care)
• Messaging for the adult child decision-maker (still the toughest audience to reach) 
• Sharing what differentiates your community beyond amenities (culture, continuity of care, purpose) 

What you should be doing now:

Action 1: Optimize your Google Business Profile.
Why It Matters: It’s often your first impression—and sometimes your only one. 

Action 2: Make your pricing accessible.
Why it matters: Prospects are searching for it. If they can’t find it, they’ll move on. 

Action 3: Train your teams on pre-tour personalization.
Why it matters: Planning improves conversion. Even 15 minutes makes a difference. 

Action 4: Use summer to build content & visibility.
Why it matters: Q3 is slow. Get ready now for the fall spike.

Action 5: Focus on retention & referrals.
Why it matters: Happy residents = your best marketers. 

Final thoughts:

Senior living marketing is human work.

Digital tools are powerful. AI is changing search. Budgets are growing. But none of that replaces what makes this space unique: human connection. 

We’re not marketing floor plans. We’re helping families make one of the most personal decisions of their lives. The communities that win in the second half of 2025 will be those that meet prospects with clarity, honesty, and heart—online and in person. 

So whether you're optimizing a campaign, hosting a tour, or publishing your next blog post, keep the human at the center of your strategy. 

Need help building your Q3-Q4 roadmap? Let’s talk. 

larry.williams@unlockhealthnow.com 

Mid-year marketing check-in

What’s working in 2025—and what comes next

SENIOR LIVING MARKETING BLOG

07/21/25

By Larry Williams, Director of Growth Solutions, Unlock Health

Podcast: The Move In

Host Larry Williams engages senior living industry experts in candid and insightful conversations.

Join Larry and his guests as they explore the latest marketing trends moving the industry forward.