The guide
Families use both. In the Log my Care and Care England research, 55% of people arranging care used directories and 40% used online search, so most families draw on more than one source. Directories tend to build the shortlist and Google tends to check it, and each has a ceiling.
Updated October 2026
Neither one wins on its own. In brief:
Two routes
Google lets a family look at your home specifically, and it is where most people check a name they have already heard. Ofcom reports that 82% of UK adults use Google Search.
The ceiling is that Google shows whatever it finds: a thin profile, an out-of-date website or unanswered reviews all appear in front of the family.
The numbers
Directories are the single most-used route, with online search second and word of mouth close behind. The 2026 national report from Log my Care and Care England, based on 1,000 people responsible for arranging care for a family member, found 55% used directories, 40% used online search and 38% relied on word-of-mouth recommendations.
Those figures add up to more than 100%, which is the point: families combine routes. The same report found 97% said arranging care was difficult, so people lean on every source they can find. The Google figure is from Ofcom, December 2025.
The journey
Often, yes, but not always in that order. In our experience a directory is usually where a home is first shortlisted, and families then look for the home's own website and Google profile to check what it is really like.
Some start with Google and land on a directory page, and others hear a name from a friend and search it. What matters is that the picture is consistent and warm wherever they land. Our guide to why families may not be finding a home online covers what to check.
Side by side
| Route | When the family meets you | What it does well | The ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directory listing | Early, while comparing homes in an area | Reaches families already in the search; strong for shortlisting | Shared layout; you are one of many; little room for your own voice |
| Google search and Business Profile | When checking a name or searching locally | Shows the real home, address, photos and reviews | Only as good as the profile, reviews and website behind it |
| AI search answers | When a family asks a question in plain words | Summarises options in one place; Ofcom reports about 30% of searches now show an AI overview | Draws on sources it can already see, so a thin presence is skipped |
| Word of mouth | Often first, from a friend, a nurse or a social worker | Highest trust | Cannot be scaled or switched on |
For how directories compare with reaching families earlier, see Meta ads or directory listings.
What to do
Treat them as one journey, not two competing channels. Four steps, in this order.
Photos, a clear description, current availability, and a warm reply to every enquiry.
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile, and answer reviews kindly. See why it matters.
So a family who checks you finds the same warm, clear picture.
Retargeting on Meta keeps you in view while they decide. In our campaigns the primary audience is families already searching directories, retargeted on Meta.
Beyond directories, there are other routes too: see alternatives to care home directories.
Where to start
Start with whichever route families are already using to reach you. If enquiries arrive from a directory but do not turn into visits, the problem is usually the reply and the website behind the listing. If few arrive at all, a thin Google profile is the more common gap.
Fixing the basics shows up fastest: a complete profile and a quick, kind reply can change results within weeks, while building wider visibility, including in AI answers, takes months.
Directory listings are usually paid and a Google Business Profile is free, so the real cost is the time to keep both accurate. A website is the longer-term investment that both routes lead back to.
Common questions
Neither wins on its own. Directories put a home in front of families who are already comparing options, while Google lets families check the home itself and its reputation. Both work, each with a ceiling, and the strongest position is a complete listing, a complete Google profile and a website that answers the questions families bring from both.
Often, yes. A directory listing is usually where a home is first shortlisted, and many families then look for the home's own website and Google profile to check what it is really like. That is why the website needs to be clear, warm and quick to respond to an enquiry.
It adds a third route rather than replacing the first two. Ofcom reports that about 30% of searches now show an AI overview, and AI answers tend to draw on the same directories, reviews and websites families already see. A consistent, complete presence everywhere helps in all three.
Check the basics families see first: a complete directory profile, a complete and accurate Google Business Profile, and a prompt, kind reply to every enquiry. These cost little time and remove the most common reasons a family moves on.
