In 2024, your online marketing presence will be more important than ever. You can no longer rely on traditional marketing efforts, word-of-mouth, or referrals alone to create a sustainable business. Today’s consumers are used to finding and connecting with businesses online, so it is crucial to invest in your online presence and digital funeral home marketing strategies.
That starts with your website, but there are other areas you need to pay attention to as well.
Audit Your Website
Take a hard look at your website. Make sure it is easy for visitors to find the information they need. You want a modern design that showcases the breadth of your services. If people have to hunt for information or do not get their questions answered, they could look elsewhere.
Optimize for Search Engines
Your website needs to be constructed using search engine optimization (SEO). While people can find your funeral home by typing in the name, these are people who are already familiar with you. To grow your business, you need to capture people who do not know you yet. SEO techniques, such as using keywords for how people search, improve search engine rankings so you stand out.
Search rankings are not static, so if you have not applied SEO tactics to your website since it was first developed, you may be missing out on marketing opportunities. High-performing websites include regular additions to content. One of the best things you can do is develop content that answers the types of questions people have in a series of articles.
Google prioritizes relevant, educational, and valuable content.
Manage Your Google Business Profile
You can access and edit your Google Business Profile (GBP) for free, and it is important. Google uses the information in the GBP in its algorithm to determine which results to display. Conflicting or missing information can hurt your search ranking. One study showed that nearly half of business listings online had incorrect information.
Solicit Online Reviews
Choosing a funeral home is a highly personal choice. Families often have significant anxiety and stress when dealing with a loved one’s passing or with planning for the future. Online reviews can provide comfort that you will care for their loved ones properly. Real people, telling their experiences, are powerful.
Google also acknowledges it uses reviews in its decision on which businesses to highlight. Star ratings show up in the local search maps, so a poor showing here can hurt visibility and cause people to skip over your listing.
Consider Online Advertising
Consider online advertising to reach new audiences. You can target key demographic sectors and tailor your messages to match search intent. There are as many as one million monthly queries for “funeral home” or “funeral home near me,” so you need to make sure you show up when people search.
While there are other search engines available, Google has an 86.8% market share as of July 2023, so Google ads should be part of your marketing mix. When you place ads on Google, your listing can appear at the very top of the page, above the organic listings.
Besides search ads, you may also want to consider social media. Facebook still rules the roost, especially for Baby Boomers, and a funeral home marketing strategy on Facebook can help you stand out. Make sure your posts provide value. A good rule of thumb for funeral homes is to create content that educates or helps people make decisions rather than advertising your services.
Set Aside a Portion of Revenue for Marketing
While it can vary widely, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) reports that the median marketing expense for funeral homes is $12,000 annually. The Small Business Association (SBA) recommends small businesses spend seven to eight percent of gross revenue on marketing and advertising.
Building Your Funeral Home Business
Some of these tips may sound basic. However, without taking care of the basics, many more advanced funeral home marketing strategies will fall short. You need a solid foundation to build a sustainable business and stand out from your competition.
Once you have established your online presence, you can build upon the unique services you offer. Many funeral homes are adopting different ways of serving clients, highlighting green funerals, celebrations of life, unique memorials, and options such as whole body donation.
United Tissue Network (UTN) can help broaden your client base, allowing funeral homes to provide packages appealing to budget-minded families or those looking to gain comfort from knowing their loved one’s passing can contribute to medical science.
If you would like to know more about whole body donations, contact United Tissue Network today at 877-738-6111 or visit our website.