How Senior Living Communities Can Reduce Dependence on A Place for Mom

If you operate a senior living community, chances are you have worked with A Place for Mom. For many communities, it becomes a primary source of tours and move-ins.

At first, it feels like a solution. Leads arrive. Census improves. Sales teams stay busy.

But over time, a pattern emerges. Commissions increase. Margins tighten. And leadership realizes something uncomfortable:

You do not control your own pipeline.

When a third-party platform controls your demand flow, it indirectly influences pricing power, competitive positioning, and long-term asset value.

A Place for Mom is a lead aggregator. It collects inquiries from families, distributes them to multiple communities, and earns commission when a placement is made. That model can generate short-term occupancy relief, but long-term reliance creates strategic risk.

Reducing dependence is not about cutting ties overnight. It is about regaining control of your visibility, brand equity, and occupancy growth.

Why Senior Living Communities Rely on Aggregators

There are practical reasons communities lean heavily on lead aggregators.

It provides immediate exposure.
It requires minimal internal marketing infrastructure.
It delivers a predictable volume of referrals.

For communities struggling with census, that predictability feels stabilizing.

But predictability is not the same as ownership.

When a high percentage of tours originate from a single aggregator, your occupancy becomes externally influenced. Pricing pressure increases. Lead quality varies. And you compete side-by-side with other communities inside the same distribution system.

That is not brand positioning. That is marketplace placement.

The Hidden Cost of Aggregator Dependency

The most obvious cost is commission. But the deeper costs are strategic.

In many markets, referral commissions range from 10 to 20 percent of first-year rent, making aggregator dependence one of the highest variable acquisition costs in senior living. According to reporting from the New York Times, some senior housing operators pay referral fees equal to a full month’s rent or more per move-in, significantly impacting net operating margins.

When families begin their journey through an aggregator:

• The platform owns the first impression
• The platform controls the comparison set
• The platform captures data and behavioral insights
• Your brand becomes one option among many

Even if you provide excellent care, the family often remembers the referral source more than your community.

That weakens long-term brand equity.

Communities that rely heavily on aggregated leads often experience:

• Higher cost per move-in
• Longer sales cycles
• Reduced differentiation
• Limited pricing flexibility
• Vulnerability if referral volume shifts

Occupancy becomes reactive instead of strategic.

What Reducing Dependence Actually Means

Reducing dependence does not mean eliminating third-party lead sources tomorrow.

It means shifting the percentage mix of where tours originate.

For example:

If 60 percent of your tours come from aggregator referrals, the goal might be to reduce that to 30–40 percent while increasing direct inquiries.

The objective is diversification and control.

When direct lead flow grows, aggregators become supplemental rather than foundational.

That is a healthier operating model.

Senior Living Marketing Strategy That Reduces Referral Commission Costs

Communities that successfully reduce aggregator reliance do one thing consistently:

They strengthen their direct visibility and credibility.

1. Dominate Local Search Visibility

Families search locally before they call anyone. If your community does not appear prominently in local search results, you default to aggregator discovery.

Your Google Business Profile is often the first real impression families see.

Profiles that are incomplete, outdated, or poorly reviewed push families back toward third-party platforms.

Communities that invest in consistent profile management, accurate information, high-quality photos, and review strategy increase direct inquiry volume significantly.

Visibility reduces dependence.

2. Build Trust Signals Before the Tour

Senior living decisions are high-risk and emotionally loaded.

Families validate before they contact.

They read reviews.
They examine photos.
They compare messaging.
They look for signs of activity and responsiveness.

When your digital presence feels strong and current, families contact you directly rather than relying on an aggregator to guide them.

Trust reduces comparison shopping.

3. Align Paid Ads With Profile Credibility

When executed properly, paid ads accelerate independence from aggregators like A Place for Mom.

Ads amplify exposure.
Profiles convert interest.

If you run paid search campaigns targeting high-intent terms like “assisted living near me,” but your Google Business Profile lacks strong reviews or recent updates, your conversions suffer.

When ads and profile credibility work together, direct inquiries increase. Aggregator reliance decreases.

This is not an either/or decision. It is a coordination strategy.

4. Track Referral Mix Intentionally

Many communities cannot clearly state what percentage of tours originate from:

• Aggregators
• Direct search
• Website inquiries
• Organic local discovery
• Paid campaigns

If you do not measure referral mix, you cannot strategically reduce dependence.

Communities that intentionally monitor lead sources often discover that modest improvements in local visibility significantly shift the mix within months.

Can the Transition Be Accelerated?

Yes. Reducing aggregator dependence does not require years.

Communities can continue receiving referrals while building direct visibility at the same time. In the first few months, strengthen your Google Business Profile, improve reviews, refresh photos, and align messaging. Then layer in targeted paid search to capture high-intent local traffic.

As visibility and credibility compound, referral mix begins to shift. Many communities see measurable movement within 6 to 9 months when execution is focused and consistent.

What Happens When You Regain Control

As direct inquiries increase, leverage returns.

Commission pressure eases.
Lead quality improves.
Pricing confidence strengthens.
Occupancy becomes more predictable.

Aggregators can remain part of the mix, but they no longer control your growth.

Why This Matters Now

Families research extensively before scheduling tours. If your strategy relies primarily on aggregated platforms, you are competing on someone else’s terms.

Communities that invest in direct visibility, strong reviews, and aligned advertising build an occupancy engine they own.

Conclusion

A Place for Mom is a powerful lead aggregator. But it should not be your only growth engine.

Communities that reduce dependence regain control of margins, brand positioning, and census stability.

Visibility compounds. Credibility converts. Ownership stabilizes.

If your community relies heavily on aggregator referrals and you want more control over occupancy growth, contact us today.

We help senior living communities strengthen direct visibility, increase qualified inquiries, and reduce reliance on third-party lead platforms.

Visit
https://realtystreamliners.com/senior-living-marketing-services

Let’s build a marketing engine your community actually owns.

A Place for Mom is a registered trademark of its respective owner. This article is for educational and strategic marketing purposes only and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.