hospice marketing tips | Marketing for Hospice Care Providers

When SEO Might Not Be the Right Fit for Your Business

August 4, 2025 by Hospice Care Marketing

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be a powerful tool for long-term growth. But it’s not for everyone and we believe in being honest about that.

If you’re considering SEO for your hospice or home health care business, here are a few reasons why it may not be the right investment right now.

You Need Immediate Leads. SEO takes time. Even with the right strategy, it can take 3 – 6 months (or longer) to see meaningful results in organic rankings, website traffic, and inbound calls. If your business is in a critical phase, like just getting started or needing admissions this week, you’ll likely benefit more from Google Ads or retargeting campaigns that can generate leads immediately. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. If you need a quick influx of leads, start with paid traffic.
You Don’t Have a Strong Website. If your website is outdated, slow, or hard to navigate, SEO won’t help much. Google prioritizes fast, secure, and user-friendly websites. Before investing in content or backlinks, it’s smart to fix the foundation; design, mobile responsiveness, clear call-to-actions, and speed. SEO without a solid website is like putting premium fuel in a car with a flat tire.
You Have No Capacity to Follow Up on Leads. More traffic only helps if you’re ready to convert it into admissions. We’ve seen providers generate form fills and calls but fail to follow up in time. If your team isn’t ready to respond quickly or nurture leads effectively, SEO won’t deliver the ROI you’re expecting. Before you grow visibility, make sure your operations and follow-up systems are ready.
You’re Not Ready to Create or Approve Content. SEO requires content; blog articles, landing pages, service descriptions, and more. While we handle the writing, we still need client input or approval. If your schedule is too tight to review content or provide guidance, you may be better off starting with managed ad campaigns instead. SEO is collaborative. We bring the strategy and execution but your voice matters, too.
You Expect It to “Fix Everything”. SEO is powerful, but it’s not a silver bullet. It won’t fix a poor reputation, untrained staff, or bad reviews. It works best as part of a comprehensive marketing strategy, alongside paid traffic, live chat, a well-built website, and review generation.

So, Who Is SEO Good For?

Established providers with stable operations
Businesses with some patience for long-term ROI
Owners who want to build sustainable, organic lead flow
Teams that are willing to collaborate on content

If that’s you, we’d love to help.

But if not, that’s okay too. We’ll guide you toward what will move the needle right now and help you revisit SEO when the time is right.

Is Your Website Designed to Keep Families Engaged and Informed?

July 23, 2025 by Hospice Care Marketing

When families are searching for hospice care, they often feel overwhelmed and uncertain. Your website should offer them clarity, comfort, and confidence in your care from the very first visit. If your site isn’t designed to guide and reassure families, you could be losing valuable opportunities to support them and grow your census.

At Hospice Care Marketing, we specialize in building websites that not only look beautiful but are also strategically built to engage families and drive results.

How to Design a Hospice Website That Engages Families and Builds Trust

Here are five ways to ensure your hospice website is working for you:

Clear Navigation for Emotional Situations. Families visiting your website are often navigating emotionally difficult decisions. A cluttered or confusing website can quickly cause frustration. Instead, your site should feature:
- Simple, intuitive menus
- Clear paths to key information (services, referrals, contact)
- Mobile-friendly design for caregivers on the go
Content That Answers Tough Questions. Families want answers. What is hospice care? When is it time to start? What can they expect? By creating compassionate, easy-to-understand content, you demonstrate empathy and build trust. At Hospice Care Marketing, we write informative blog posts and website content that speaks to families’ concerns while improving your SEO.
Highlight Reviews and Reputation. When families are choosing care providers, trust matters. Your website should prominently display:
- Authentic patient and family testimonials
- Star ratings and links to online reviews
- Badges, affiliations, and recognitions
  
  We help agencies collect and promote these reviews through our automated CRM platform and reputation marketing strategy.
Lead-Optimized Calls to Action. It’s not enough to provide good information, you must guide families to take action. Include:
- – “Call now” buttons that are easy to find on every page
- – Simple contact forms for consultations or referrals
- – Encouraging language that invites next steps
  
  We design every site around SEO and conversion, so visitors turn into inquiries.
Keep Content Fresh and Relevant. An outdated website feels neglected. We regularly update your site with:
- Monthly blog posts that educate and inform
- Updated service information and team highlights
- Visuals that reflect your staff and local community
  
  Your website is your most powerful marketing asset. Let’s make sure it’s sending the right message.

Compassionate, Conversion-Focused Hospice Website Design

At Hospice Care Marketing, we specialize in custom hospice websites that engage families and generate leads without relying on social media ads.

Ready to see if your site is doing its job? Call us at (877) 959-5849 or schedule a free consultation today.

The Ultimate Guide to Hospice Marketing: Strategies That Actually Grow Census

May 9, 2025 by Hospice Care Marketing

In today’s digital-first world, marketing isn’t optional for hospice providers, it’s essential. Whether you’re a brand-new agency or an established provider looking to grow, implementing the right hospice marketing strategies can directly impact your census, reputation, and reach.

But marketing hospice services isn’t like promoting a retail product or tech startup. It requires sensitivity, empathy, and precision. Families are in emotionally vulnerable moments, and your agency needs to show up in a way that builds immediate trust.

So, if you’re looking for ways to grow hospice census without compromising compassion, this guide is for you.

Why Hospice Marketing Matters More Than Ever

Guide To Hospice Marketing in San Diego CA

Families today turn to Google before making a call. Referrals from hospitals, physicians, and even competitors are no longer guaranteed. If your agency isn’t showing up online, you’re invisible to the people who need you most.

Effective hospice marketing not only drives awareness, but it also positions your agency as a trusted, caring, and capable option when families are searching for guidance.

Core Strategies That Grow Hospice Census

Let’s break down the hospice marketing strategies that consistently generate results.

Local SEO: Be Found When Families Are Searching. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most powerful tools to grow hospice census, especially local SEO. When someone searches “hospice care near me,” your agency should appear front and center.

To improve local SEO:
- Optimize your Google Business Profile with accurate service areas, categories, and photos
- Use city-specific keywords on your website (e.g., “Hospice Care in Dallas, TX”)
- Generate 5-star Google reviews with heartfelt testimonials
- Make sure your name, address, and phone number are consistent across the web
High-Converting Website Design. Your website isn’t just a brochure, it’s your 24/7 admissions tool. The best hospice websites are warm, easy to navigate, and built for conversion.

Key website elements that drive admissions:
- Clear call-to-action buttons (“Call Now,” “Get Hospice Help”)
- Trust-building elements like testimonials, credentials, and care team bios
- Mobile-optimized layout
- Fast load times and accessibility features
Google Ads and Retargeting Campaigns. Want faster results while your SEO builds over time? Google Ads let you show up at the top of search results instantly.

Successful hospice advertising campaigns:
- Use keyword targeting like “hospice care in [city]” or “end-of-life care near me”
- Link to a dedicated landing page, not your homepage
- Include emotional, supportive copy tailored to families in crisis
- Use retargeting ads to stay top-of-mind for visitors who didn’t take action the first time
Facebook Advertising for Community Awareness. Facebook ads can be a powerful tool for community outreach and caregiver engagement. While not as “bottom-of-funnel” as Google Ads, they help position your brand long before a family is in need.

What to post:
- Stories of compassionate care (with consent)
- Meet-the-team spotlights
- Educational content about when to consider hospice
- Support for caregivers and seniors
CRM & Lead Nurturing Systems. Even when families aren’t ready to make a decision today, staying in touch can pay off tomorrow. A good hospice marketing strategy includes lead capture and follow-up.

With the right CRM, you can:
- Capture website inquiries and phone calls in one place
- Automate nurturing emails to educate and support families
- Track referral sources and campaign performance
Physician & Referral Partner Outreach. Digital is critical, but don’t forget about offline hospice marketing strategies. Strengthen relationships with discharge planners, palliative care teams, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.

Some ideas include:
- Hosting in-service lunches
- Providing value-packed referral packets
- Sharing outcome data and patient satisfaction surveys

Consistency Is the Secret to Growth

The biggest mistake hospice agencies make with marketing? Starting and stopping. Successful hospice providers don’t wait until census is low to promote themselves, they invest in consistent, strategic marketing all year long.

Here’s a quick recap of the most effective hospice marketing strategies:

Build and maintain a strong local SEO presence
Create a website designed to convert visitors into patients
Use paid search ads to capture immediate demand
Engage your community through Facebook and education
Nurture leads with automation tools
Foster relationships with referral partners

Let’s Build a Marketing Strategy That Works for You

If your goal is to grow your hospice census, you don’t need more guesswork, you need a marketing partner who knows what works in this space.

At Hospice Care Marketing, we specialize exclusively in helping hospice providers grow with compassion and clarity. We’ve helped agencies across the U.S. double and even triple their census using a proven, data-backed approach.

Schedule a Free Strategy Call or give us a call at (877) 959-5849. We’d love to show you what’s working and how it could work for you.

Let’s grow your mission, one family at a time.