Report
Care homes trends report: marketing trends autumn/winter 2026
Demand for care is growing and enquiries remain strong. But families are taking longer to research and compare care homes, often with help from AI, and paid search is costing more. The care home groups pulling ahead are the ones that know which channels lead to move-ins.
This report draws on anonymised marketing attribution and call tracking data from September 2025 to September 2026, plus conversations with senior care home marketers. It explores care seeker behaviour, channel performance, and what leading marketers are doing differently.
What’s inside:
- Why call volumes are up 11% year-on-year, and how to turn more enquiries into move-ins
- Why a 26% rise in website visitors hasn’t led to more calls
- The keywords delivering the best returns, including a 386% rise in calls from ‘dementia’ searches
- How Google pay-per-click (PPC), Bing organic, and Facebook compare as sources of calls
- How AI search and directories are shaping care seekers’ research
- Four practical actions for care home marketers heading into 2027
"There's no shortage of demand for care home places. The challenge for marketers is finding the best ways to turn interest into move-ins and prove which channels make it happen."
Michael Morrell, CEO, Mediahawk
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“Working with a call tracking provider that specialises in the care home sector has been invaluable, particularly for benchmarking performance against industry standards.”
– Ashley Toon, Digital Marketing Manager, MHA
“For my clients, Mediahawk has been instrumental in providing key data, allowing confident decision-making.”
– Anderlea Butters, Anderlea Butters Marketing Consultancy