A Step-by-Step Playbook for Retargeting Senior Living Leads Like a Pro
- ElderBloom Marketing
- Apr 14
- 10 min read
Why Retargeting Is the Most Overlooked Growth Lever in Senior Living
Table of Contents (Full Series)
Most senior living communities don’t need more leads.
They need the leads they already have to show up for a tour.
And yet, across nearly every community we audit, one major issue stands out:
Ninety percent of interested families visit the website, poke around, and leave—without scheduling anything.
That’s not a sign of low interest. That’s a sign of distraction, stress, or simply too many choices.
Retargeting is how you re-engage them before they vanish.
This isn’t a luxury strategy. It’s the difference between:
Paying $142 per booked tour—or $27
Having an 80% no-show rate—or a 60% show-up increase
Running ads that burn your budget—or systems that compound it
In this first volume, we’ll break down why retargeting is no longer optional—and why ignoring it is silently draining occupancy month after month.
What Retargeting Actually Is (And What It Isn’t)
Retargeting refers to any message—ad, email, or text—delivered after someone interacts with your brand but doesn’t take action.
In senior living, this often means:
Website visitors who read your floor plans but never call
Facebook video viewers who watched 50% of a lifestyle reel
Landing page clicks from Google Ads that didn’t convert
These people already raised their hand. They just didn’t commit yet.
Most communities treat them like strangers.
Communities that win treat them like warm referrals—because that’s what they are.
Retargeting gives you a second (and third) chance to:
Build trust
Stay top of mind
Reframe urgency
Deliver emotional clarity
And in an industry where decisions are often made slowly, and emotionally, those follow-up moments aren’t just helpful—they’re essential.
The Real Problem: Most Communities Leak Warm Leads Daily
Let’s call it what it is: most communities have no retargeting in place. Or if they do, it’s outdated and ineffective.
Here’s what we’ve seen after auditing more than 40 communities:
Issue | Impact |
No retargeting at all | Visitors leave and never return |
One generic ad for all viewers | No relevance, no click-through |
7-day retargeting window | Too late—families already booked a tour somewhere else |
Poor quality ad creative | Instantly ignored or skipped |
Lack of segmentation | Wrong message to the wrong person at the wrong time |
If you’re spending thousands each month on SEO, Google Ads, and content—but not retargeting site visitors—then you’re paying to fill a funnel with no bottom.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Every single week that you delay building a retargeting system, here’s what you’re likely losing:
Families who were on the fence and just needed a little nudge
Adult children comparing 5+ communities who forgot your name
Warm, ready-to-tour leads who got distracted by work, caregiving, or life
And here’s the math most communities don’t run:
If 500 people visit your website monthly and only 10 convert…
That’s 490 missed opportunities.
Now imagine you recaptured just 5% of them through retargeting.
That’s 24 more tour opportunities. Per month.
Add a 25% tour-to-move-in conversion rate, and you’ve now added 6 new residents monthly—without increasing ad spend.
Retargeting doesn’t just recover leads. It compounds your existing investments. And done right, it gives your occupancy team a steady pipeline of warmed-up leads—ready to talk, not just curious.
Retargeting in Senior Living Is Different—Here’s Why
Most digital marketing advice isn’t made for senior living. You’re not selling shoes or SaaS. You’re guiding families through one of the most emotional and overwhelming decisions of their lives.
That changes everything.
The goal isn’t to chase people with urgency or discounts. It’s to reassure. Re-engage. Rebuild confidence.
The best retargeting strategies in this industry are:
Light-touch and empathetic
Based on real visitor behavior (not assumptions)
Driven by personalized journeys, not cookie-cutter ads
Designed to support the sales team, not just generate form fills
When a family sees your community pop up in their feed later that night with a simple reminder—“Private tours available this week. No pressure.”—that’s not marketing. That’s relationship building.
And it works.
How to Build a Retargeting Funnel That Converts Cold Clicks into Warm Tours
If your community’s website gets traffic but few tours, you don’t have a visibility problem—you have a conversion gap.
Retargeting closes that gap. But it’s not just about “running reminder ads. ”It’s about building a full system that intercepts families in the in-between: interested, but hesitant. Busy, but curious.
Most communities fail because they run one-size-fits-all ads to a generic audience and call it retargeting. Here’s how to do it right.
Step 1: Track Behavior That Signals Intent
Not every visitor is created equal. Someone who skims the homepage for 9 seconds isn’t as ready as someone who:
Watches 80% of a resident video
Clicks on a pricing or care level page
Fills out half a form but doesn’t hit “submit”
These are the people worth retargeting.
Set up tracking that distinguishes:
Time on site (60+ seconds = warm)
Scroll depth or video views
Clicks on decision-stage content (pricing, floor plans, amenities)
You’re not retargeting everyone. You’re retargeting buyers-in-progress.
Step 2: Segment Your Audiences
This is the difference between spam and strategy. Segment based on behavior, not just platform.
Examples:
Short visit (bounce) → Brand reminder, low-friction ad
Viewed pricing/floor plans → Personal invite to tour
Watched 50%+ of video → Emotional testimonial follow-up
Returned twice in one week → Urgency ad (“Spots available this week”)
Started a form but didn’t finish → Trust-based message, not pressure
Different actions = different intent. Your funnel should reflect that.
Step 3: Build a Timeline That Mirrors How People Decide
Senior living decisions are emotional and time-sensitive. But the moment of readiness isn’t immediate. That’s why a multi-touch retargeting window matters.
Here’s the framework we use:
0–2 hours: Text or SMS confirmation (via CRM)
1–3 days: Soft lifestyle reminder ad (Meta, Google Display)
4–7 days: Trust-building testimonial ad
8–14 days: Differentiator ad (“Here’s what makes us different”)
15–30 days: Nurture loop (educational blog post, value ad)
The mistake? Waiting a week before the first follow-up. By then, the family’s booked elsewhere.
Step 4: Map It to the Platforms That Work
Don’t waste money trying to be everywhere. Focus on where families actually respond.
Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Visual, emotional. Great for lifestyle reels and testimonials.
Google Display Network: Banner ads that follow them on news, weather, and local sites.
YouTube (optional): Ideal for longer consideration window—use sparingly.
Email/SMS: Not “retargeting” in the ad sense, but essential for CRM-based follow-up.
Each platform plays a role:
Meta for emotion
Google for frequency
CRM for directness
They must work in sync—not in silos.
Step 5: Automate Movement Between Stages
Once someone books a tour, they should be removed from top-of-funnel retargeting. If they no-show, they should be added to a separate sequence.
Sync your CRM (WelcomeHome, Enquire, HubSpot, etc.) with your ad platform to:
Pause retargeting when a tour is booked
Trigger different ads after no-shows
Reactivate lapsed leads at 30, 60, 90 days
This is how you stop over-marketing the wrong people and start reactivating the right ones.
Creative That Actually Converts — What to Show, Say, and Send
Most retargeting fails not because it’s set up wrong—but because it looks, sounds, and feels like every other ad families have already ignored.
If your creative doesn’t connect emotionally in the first 3 seconds, they scroll.If your message feels templated, they tune out.If your CTA adds pressure instead of clarity, they disappear.
This volume gives you the exact formats, visuals, and copy frameworks we use to turn warm-but-waiting families into booked tours.
Rule #1: It Must Feel Human—Not Promotional
Families are not clicking to “learn more.” They’re looking for peace of mind, answers, and clarity.So your creative needs to speak to what they’re feeling, not just what you’re offering.
Bad creative:
Stock photos
“Schedule a tour today!”
Corporate-sounding bullet points
Winning creative:
Real moments with residents or families
Soft, helpful language: “Private tours available this week—no pressure”
Emotional clarity: “Still searching? Let us help.”
Format 1: 15-Second Lifestyle Reels (for Meta)
These are the highest-performing retargeting assets in 2025.
Structure:
First 2 seconds: Emotional overlay text (bold white on darkened video)
10–12 seconds of peaceful, lifestyle-based footage
Last 1–2 seconds: Callout to tour, softly phrased
Visual Examples:
Residents painting, walking, laughing
Visiting family hugging loved ones
Chef plating food, musician playing in lobby
Overlay Text Examples:
“Still searching? Let us help.”
“This is more than a move—it’s a fresh start.”
“Private tours available this week. No pressure.”
“When care meets comfort, everything changes.”
No voiceover. No background music unless it's subtle. Silent-first is key.It should feel like a moment, not a commercial.
Format 2: Image-Based Testimonials (for Google Display + Meta)
Textbook retargeting asset. Not flashy—just emotional trust delivered simply.
Creative Layout:
Soft gradient or neutral background
Real quote in large type
Resident or family member name, if available
CTA in bottom corner: “Come see it for yourself.”
Examples:
“We toured five places. This was the only one that felt like home.”– Daughter of a resident
“They didn’t just care for my mom. They understood her.”– Son of a resident
Pair with a gentle follow-up:“Private visits available this week. No pressure. Just clarity.”
Don’t add logos. Don’t clutter. Let the words and tone carry the conversion.
Format 3: Tour Reminder Ads (Dynamic Retargeting)
Perfect for leads who clicked but didn’t schedule—or scheduled and ghosted.
Messaging Example:
“Still considering senior living? We have private tours available this week with no commitment required.”
Use photos of real spaces, not mockups. Dining areas, lobby seating, and garden areas tend to perform best—not empty hallways.
CTA should be soft:
“Take a look in person”
“Book a time that works for you”
“We’ll walk you through it—no pressure”
This kind of ad reintroduces a safe next step, not a sales pitch.
Format 4: Re-Engagement Email (CRM-Based Retargeting)
Subject line:
“Still exploring senior living options?”
Body:
You’re not alone—this decision is hard.If you’re still considering next steps for your loved one, we’re here to walk you through it.No pressure. Just clarity, and a chance to explore your options in person.
CTA:
[Schedule a Visit] or [Reply to this email and we’ll take care of the rest.]
Keep it light. Keep it personal. Use first names. Never push.
Closing Thought
The best creative doesn’t “convert” because it’s clever. It works because it removes friction. It acknowledges stress. It sounds like something a friend would say—not a brand.
Tour Show-Up Recovery — Using Retargeting to Rescue Cancellations and No-Shows
Your team schedules 10 tours. Only 4 show up.2 reschedule and vanish. The rest? Radio silence.
This is the norm at most communities. And it’s the most fixable problem in the pipeline.
Volume 4 is about turning “no response” into booked visits—and turning retargeting into your most reliable follow-up tool, especially when traditional methods (calls, emails, voicemails) stall.
Let’s fix what most communities silently lose.
Why They Don’t Show (It’s Not What You Think)
Families don’t skip tours because they’re rude or uninterested. They skip because:
The emotional weight of the decision hits
Guilt or resistance from parents kicks in
They feel overwhelmed and don’t want to “waste your time”
Another community followed up better
They simply forgot (and are embarrassed to rebook)
In each of these cases, retargeting creates a pressure-free opening to re-engage—without your sales team having to chase or guilt-trip.
Step 1: Build a No-Show Audience Immediately
If your CRM marks a lead as “Scheduled Tour” but not “Toured” within 72 hours, push them into a No-Show Retargeting Audience.
Target this group with:
Facebook Reels
Google Display banners
Short text-based emails
Light SMS (if previously opted in)
Your message isn’t “Hey, why didn’t you show up?”It’s:
“Still searching? We’re still here.”“No pressure—just let us know when you’re ready.”“We know timing is everything. Our doors are always open.”
You’re not restarting the conversation. You’re keeping it alive.
Step 2: Use Retargeting to Reactivate Cold Leads
If a lead hasn’t engaged in 30+ days, don’t delete them—re-sequence them.
Reactivation funnel examples:
Facebook ad with emotional testimonial:“We looked for months. This was the first place that felt like home.”
Display banner with lifestyle image:“Private tours available this week. We’re here when you’re ready.”
CRM email:Subject: “Still exploring options for your loved one?”Body: Short message + soft tour invite
This works especially well after the 60–90 day mark—right around when families restart their search.
Step 3: Recover Form Abandoners
Form abandonment is silent rejection—and a goldmine if you retarget fast.
Create a segment for anyone who:
Visited a landing page
Clicked a CTA like “Schedule a Tour”
But didn’t submit
Retarget with credibility and comfort:
“Take a peek inside our community—no email required.”“Get a look before you book. No pressure, just clarity.”“Not ready to schedule? We totally get it. Here’s a helpful guide to start with.”
Offer value before asking again. That’s the only way to earn the second click.
Step 4: Integrate Your Retargeting With CRM Automations
The most powerful move you can make: sync CRM stages with your ad platform.
Here’s what that looks like:
“No Show” tag → triggers Facebook/Google retargeting
“Cold Lead” after 30 days → triggers nurture ad loop
“Engaged, No Tour” → triggers testimonial or lifestyle ads
“Second Tour Booked” → pauses ads to avoid fatigue
This keeps your brand in front of leads without your team manually doing a thing—and ensures your follow-up is consistent, human, and scalable.
Final Word
You can’t prevent every no-show. You can’t force families to decide faster.
But you can build a system that quietly catches them when they fall off—without pressure, without chasing, and without depending on perfect timing.
That’s what a smart retargeting system does. And now you have the playbook.
Retargeting FAQ
What is retargeting in senior living?
Retargeting is a marketing strategy that shows follow-up ads or sends messages to people who’ve already interacted with your community—such as visiting the website or clicking an ad—but didn’t convert. It's used to stay top-of-mind and drive second-chance engagement.
What platforms work best for retargeting senior living leads?
Facebook and Instagram are ideal for emotional storytelling. Google Display is effective for banner-based reminders. Email and SMS work best when integrated through CRM automation.
Can retargeting really recover no-show tours?
Yes. When used properly, retargeting can re-engage no-shows through soft, trust-based messaging—often resulting in rebooked tours without manual outreach.
How long should retargeting last?
Most effective retargeting campaigns run for 7 to 30 days after the initial interaction. Timing should depend on the user’s behavior and lead stage.
Is retargeting expensive?
No. Retargeting costs are significantly lower than cold outreach—because you’re only showing ads to people who’ve already shown interest. It typically offers the highest ROI per dollar spent in digital campaigns.
Final Takeaway: Retargeting Fixes What Follow-Up Misses
If you’re getting leads but tours aren’t showing up—it’s not a lead problem. It’s a conversion problem.
Retargeting solves that. Quietly. Automatically. Affordably.
You don’t need more traffic. You need to convert the families who already raised their hand.
We’ll build the system for you—done-for-you retargeting that actually gets results.
Book a call → No pressure. Just a strategy built to fill rooms.
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