Families looking for care homes or home care rarely pick up the phone or drive around to visit potential homes.
Instead, they open their phones or laptops and type in something like:
- ‘Care home near me’
- ‘Nursing home in [town]’
- ‘Dementia care home [area]’
If your home doesn’t appear near the top of those local results, you’re invisible to families who are actively searching for the services you provide.
For care homes, local search engine optimisation (SEO) is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to attract enquiries, increase occupancy, and strengthen community presence.
Let’s look at how home care SEO marketing can help you dominate the local search results and become the first choice in your area.
Want to learn more about local SEO and how it can put your care home on the map? Book a call with Care Connect today and let us help you build a marketing strategy for success.
1. Understand the Power of Local Search
When people search ‘care home near me’, their intent is immediate.
They’re not casually browsing, they’re looking for a trusted local provider, often for a loved one in need.
Your goal is to ensure your care home appears at the exact moment they’re searching, with clear, trustworthy, and reassuring information. This is why local SEO is vital, both for your website and your Google Business Profile, as it ensures that families can find you when it matters most.
2. Optimise Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is often the first impression that families get of your home. It’s the listing that appears in the Google Map Pack (the local three-pack that dominates mobile results).
Here’s how to make your profile shine:
- Claim and verify your listing. Each home should have its own verified profile.
- Ensure consistency. Your name, address, and phone number should exactly match your website.
- Add high-quality photos. Showcase the exterior, interior, residents enjoying activities, and your staff.
- Choose accurate categories. This could include ‘residential care home’, ‘nursing home’, or ‘dementia care facility’.
- Encourage reviews. Ask families and staff to share their experiences. Respond to every review, good or bad.
- Post regular updates. Use Google Posts to share open days, community events, or staff news.
A well-optimised Google Business Profile can make the difference between a casual glance and a booked tour.
3. Use Local Keywords Throughout Your Website
Your website needs to tell Google exactly where you are and what services you offer. Some ways to achieve this include:
- Include your town, county, and region naturally throughout your pages.
- Create individual location pages for each home (if you manage multiple sites). For example: ‘Rosewood Care Home – Dementia Care in Harrow, Greater London’.
- Write blogs that target local queries (such as ‘how to choose the right care home in Surrey’ or ‘what to expect from dementia care in Manchester’).
- Optimise meta titles and descriptions with both service and location keywords.
And always remember: most people search on mobile phones or tablets, so your website needs to be fast-loading, secure (HTTPS), and responsive.
4. Strengthen Local Citations and Directories
Google cross-checks your business information across the internet. If your details aren’t consistent, it can hurt your rankings.
- Make sure each home is listed in trusted care directions (such as NHS Choices and carehome.co.uk).
- Keep your name, address, and phone number consistent (even small differences like rd versus road can confuse Google).
- Seek backlinks from local community sites, news articles, charities, or sponsorships. These tell Google that your care home is a genuine part of the local area.
5. Manage Reviews and Reputation
In the care sector, trust is everything. Reviews don’t just improve your rankings; they directly influence decision-making.
- Ask for feedback from residents’ families at key touchpoints (such as move-in, reviews, and thank-you moments).
- Respond professionally to all reviews. This shows families that you care about their experience.
- Share testimonials on your website and social media to build credibility.
- Highlight local involvement (such as events, fundraisers, and community partnerships), which reinforces authenticity.
When it comes to local visibility, positive reviews are the backbone you didn’t know you needed. They’re also a deciding factor for families who are choosing a care home for their loved one.
6. Measure, Review, and Improve
Local SEO is ongoing, not a one-off project that you never need to think about again.
- Use tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and Google Business Profile Insights to track calls, form submissions, and direction links.
- Monitor your ranking for relevant keywords.
- Identify which locations or pages perform best and replicate that success across your network.
- Refresh photos, blogs, and posts every few months, as Google loves active listings.
Why Local Care Home SEO Matters More Than Ever
With more care homes competing for the same local audience, appearing in the top three Google results can be the difference between full occupancy and empty rooms.
Families expect accurate, up-to-date information and clear trust signals; if you’re not visible, they’ll choose someone who is.
At Care Connect Marketing, we help care homes take control of their online visibility, connect with local families, and turn ‘near me’ searches into new residents. Get in touch with us today to start improving your local presence.