Most financial advisors are well aware of the fact that including specific keywords, key phrases and localized information in their online content will boost their search engine optimization (SEO). However, it is also possible to enhance financial advisor firm website SEO through video content. A strategically made video accompanied by the proper text-based description, title, and other supporting information really will help those in need of financial advisor services find your firm's website or another component of your online footprint with ease.
Google’s Search Algorithms Take Note of Video
When it comes to SEO, financial advisor firms should care about what Google cares about. Google ranks content based on several factors including the quality of content, the content’s relevance to the sleuth’s search terms, and the user experience with that content. Google’s algorithmic analysis extends well beyond website text to gauge the content quality and its relevance to search terms.
Google also looks for additional forms of media, such as video, to determine whether the content is relevant and of high quality. Websites with a combination of text and high-quality video make it clear the pages in question contain informative and diverse content, ultimately enhancing SEO.
Video Boosts Time Spent on Page
Search engines monitor the amount of time people remain on a website after their initial arrival. If a website has a considerable amount of incoming traffic yet these arrivals depart after merely spending a couple of seconds on the site, it is a sign the content is not of higher quality and interest. Those who spend a considerable amount of time on the website have found what they are looking for and have no need to venture to another website to find what they are looking for.
Video is essential to keeping people on webpages as long as possible. People are more inclined to watch online videos for several minutes or longer than they are to invest 10+ minutes reading over the entirety of written content. However, if the video is of low quality, the new arrivals will not spend much time on the page, instead they go to a competitor’s website to find the information they are seeking.
Financial advisor video marketing should focus on truly engaging video content that will reduce its bounce rate, making it clear to Google that the page should be highly ranked.
Video Generates Meaningful Online Traffic
Google considers the level of incoming traffic when ranking websites. A domain with a considerable number of visitors clearly has something people are looking for. This means others who conduct searches for similar words or phrases will also find the content to be intriguing.
Google is well aware of the fact that people are that much more inclined to visit a financial advisor firm’s website when watching a relevant video embedded on the group’s social media platforms or YouTube page. As long as your financial advisor firm’s video content is of high quality, it is in your best interest to generate a steady stream of video content to drive even more advisor and information seekers to your homepage and other components of your online footprint.
Engaged Viewers Will Link Others to Your Videos
Google’s search engine rankings are partially shaped by the number and quality of backlinks. More links to a domain and its content lead to a higher level of perceived authority and, subsequently, a better rank in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Adding videos to social media, a YouTube channel, or a VOD platform boosts referral traffic and also hikes quality traffic that significantly increases rankings.
Furthermore, there will be a helpful boost across the entirety of social media in the form of social shares. The more social shares your content generates, the better your financial advisor firm’s ranking will be on the search engines. Though this is not a direct impact, it still shapes SEO success as time progresses.
Mind the Text That Accompanies the Video
Do not make the mistake of creating a video, embedding it into your website or social media, and assuming that is all that needs to be done to engage your financial advisor firm’s target audience. Optimizing your video with accompanying text including a title, description, and keyword labels are also necessary steps. Add this information in text form and it will be that much easier for Google and other search engines to identify your video content as relevant to what people are searching for.
Be sure to add keywords, key phrases, and local identifiers to the text that accompanies your videos for SEO purposes. These keywords and phrases should be relevant to the video content as well as what your target clients are searching for on the web. The keywords should be added to the video file name, title, tags, and description.
In fact, adding a video transcript and captions of the audio within the video helps searchers find the video, making it that much more relevant in the context of online searches. Keep in mind most people start watching videos with the sound off. Many web surfers will leave the audio on mute while watching the entire video.
If captions are not included in the video, its message will be lost on much of the audience. Furthermore, adding captions helps search bots to index the video content thanks to the added text. A properly indexed video makes it that much easier for online video content to rank highly in the SERPs, ultimately generating that much more online traffic.
Google Views Video as Important Exclusive Content
Google’s search engines are designed to pinpoint unique content and rank it favorably in the SERPs. A financial advisory firm that lacks exclusive content will have a low ranking on the SERPs. Though your website’s text might be somewhat similar to that of the competition, you can separate your online footprint from the pages of other financial advisor firms with the addition of video to your homepage, service pages, social media, blog, etc.
The addition of video will help Google prioritize your website above the rest, hike your search ranking, and steer that many more locals in your direction. Fail to include video and you run the risk of Google viewing your online content as generic. Even the addition of one or two videos to your homepage makes it clear to Google that your financial advisor firm’s website contains unique content worthy of a high search engine ranking.
