There is perhaps nothing worse than working hard on something, only for it to never be seen by the intended audience. For financial advisory firms that aren’t prioritizing their digital content getting noticed, this could be exactly what happens to their financial advisor website. But this begs the question … who (or what) am I trying to get to notice my financial advisor website, and how do I get them to notice it? Keep reading to learn how to get your financial advisor noticed.
Rethink Your “First” Target Audience
If asked what the target audience of your financial advisory firm looks like, you may give a description or persona that fits your target or ideal client type. And while no one knows this information more than you, it’s still not the correct answer. The correct answer in terms of “who” is the target audience that needs to notice and approve your financial advisor website content first? Google. This is because if Google doesn’t notice (i.e. index) your financial advisor website, there is little to no chance that your target audience of prospects /potential clients will ever see your website in the search results
Create a Seamless User Experience from Start to Finish
There are many ways someone can search online, including phones, tablets, watches, smart speakers, desktops, laptops, appliances, and even some vehicles. With so many ways to search online, it can seem like an impossible task to deliver an online experience that integrates with how the user is searching. And while it’s impossible to be everything to everyone all the time, having a mobile first approach to your financial advisor website’s architecture is a great place to start.
Pro Tip: while the terms “mobile-friendly” and “mobile-first” might sound similar, there is an important distinction: Mobile-friendly is an outdated approach to website design that meant creating a user experience that essentially just “worked” on a mobile device, while still prioritizing the desktop experience. This was popular as mobile devices were a novelty, not a necessity. A mobile-first approach to website design considers the mobile experience above all else, including what’s known as responsive design, which can adjust and optimize for the screen size and resolution of popular mobile devices.
Content Wins, Every Time
Google may be tight-lipped on the recipe for their search algorithm’s “secret sauce,” they have been very clear on the importance of accurate, relevant, unique and timely content. And while content quality has always been important, it is becoming ever more so as generative AI content is becoming more prevalent online. And while AI-generated content isn’t inherently bad, there is a lot of junk AI-generated content that Google wants to keep out of search results. This puts even greater importance on unique financial advisor content. This is because AI-generated content isn’t generating anything new, per se. In fact, a chatbot is pulling information from millions of online sources and simply presenting it in a way that mimics human conversation. It doesn’t create anything new or unique that Google hasn’t seen before. In fact, only a human can do that. Think about this when creating new financial advisor website content — especially long-form content that can be gated with a lead form and help grow your prospect list sales funnel.
Clearly outline your financial advisor value proposition
Your financial advisor website should explain who and what your financial advisory firm us about, and most important, how you can help the prospects viewing your website achieve their financial goals. This can be stated implicitly on the “about” page of your financial advisor website, and within the content and branding elements used throughout the website.
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Images in Search Results
If you’ve only ever thought of the images on your financial advisor website an ancillary role to break up text on a page, you’re not alone. But the images on your financial advisor website can serve an important role in getting your financial advisor website noticed. The key is to use alt and image tags to incorporate key words and phrases that can be read by web crawlers. Pro Tip: Looking for a quick win? Perform an audit of the images on your financial advisor website and check for any with missing, incorrect or irrelevant tags and descriptions and update them to be SEO-friendly.
Social Media as a Search Engine?
While Google reigns supreme in the search universe, there are an increasing number of social media users who conduct most of their online activity within social platforms — without the use of an external search engine or even a separate browser. For financial advisory firms with minimal or no social media activity and visibility, this can be a roadblock to reaching critical audiences of younger consumers who are poised to be the next generation of investors. But as important as it is to reach this vital demographic, social media content creation isn’t for everyone. If the thought of making a viral TikTok dance video or Instagram reel gives you pause, then it’s time to call for reinforcements. The truth is, you can be on social media in a way that represents your financial advisory firm’s qualifications and experience, while also resonating with the intended audience. These reinforcements can come in the form of adding a social media professional to the team, or partnering with a digital marketing team with social media experts on board.
Don’t “Set It and Forget It”
Your financial advisor website is never done. The internet itself is constantly evolving, as are the tools we use to access it. Because of this, what gets your financial advisor website noticed now may look completely different in a relatively short amount of time. It’s vital to remain vigilant and stay on top of emerging website and search best practices to keep up.
If this sounds like one more hat you don’t have the bandwidth to wear, help can come from a digital marketing partner. By leaning on the digital marketing pros, you can keep your financial advisor website in front of the right audience, while also serving your current clients.
