Many financial advisor websites are not designed to maximize their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) results. Why is that true? They have websites because all of their competitors have websites. But, that is the extent of their strategies. They have no expectations that their websites can be their best source for new leads, prospects, and clients.
This can be problematic for ranking on Google SERP's (Search Engine Result Pages), as well as an obstacle for the acquisition of new leads. SEO should be an integral component in financial advisor digital marketing strategies because it helps to increase website rankings, which then leads to more online visibility, traffic, and leads.
There are several SEO tips you can use in order to make sure your website ranks better on Google SERPs.
First, create high-quality content that is targeted to your ideal clients’ personas. This will give you a good SEO foundation because search engines reward websites that publish original, high-quality content that is viewed by their users.
In addition, use the right keywords throughout your content so they flow naturally with the content instead of being overwhelmingly obvious. Worst case they stick out like a sore thumb.
Keywords are words related to your website and services that investors use to find service providers and financial information on Google. Keywords are a critical part of SEO, but a critical element is using them naturally so they do not become intrusive or tacky.
Second, use SEO tools that will help you to measure the SEO performance of your website. These tools include Google Analytics or SEMrush. They can give you an accurate measurement of how SEO is impacting traffic flow on your website as well as their conversions from visitors to qualified leads.
These tools produce a lot of data, but the most important metric will always be the percentage of conversions from visitors to leads. This occurs when visitors contact you for appointments or register to receive information - for example, a free eBook that addresses a financial pain point.
Third, make sure you are using analytics tracking software on all the pages of your website. This will help you understand what is working and what isn't in SEO so that you can make enhancements that will improve your results.
You should not view your website as a source of static information about your firm and the professionals who work there. It is the front door to your firm and its role is to convert as many visitors as possible.
Fourth, create SEO titles and meta descriptions for the pages on your website. This will help to increase SEO performance because search engines place significant weight on these elements when determining where your content and website rank on SERPs.
It makes sense to optimize your website so it is more visible on the Internet. Said differently, the search engines know when your site is not optimized and this has a negative impact on their users’ experiences. You have to play by their rules to maximize your visibility on the Internet.
Fifth, make sure that all links are working properly and have a sufficient number of backlinks pointing towards them so they can be indexed by Google Search.
Sixth, make sure your social media is integrated into SEO. This will help to increase your SEO performance because it helps search engines understand the value of your website and how much traffic you are receiving from these sources. It also provides additional backlinks which can improve SEO rankings. The more channels you use for this purpose, the better the SEO results.
Finally, make sure all images have alt tags with keywords for SEO purposes. A good tool for finding relevant long-tail SEO keywords is the Google Trends tool. This will give you an idea of what people are searching for on a daily basis, and how those searches have been trending in the past several months and years.
SEO isn't as intimidating or difficult to implement into your digital marketing strategy if it's done properly from the beginning. SEO can be used by financial advisors and RIAs to increase website rankings, improve SEO visibility, and acquire targeted clients.
Improving SEO for financial advisor websites is no longer an option in today's digital world.
More and more consumers are looking online to find the best possible advice when it comes to their money, which is why having a top-notch website with high rankings on Google and the other major search engines has such a big impact on your results.
How to hire the best digital marketing agency!
Think of digital marketing as a poker game with substantial stakes. You gain a lot of new clients if you win. You throw a lot of money away if you lose.
Your first decision is to determine if you want to play in the game. Are you willing to commit some of your revenue to produce new clients? If the answer is yes, then the next question is whether you play in the game yourself or you hire professionals to play for you. If you don’t have the staff with the requisite skills you are better off hiring a digital marketing agency to play the game for you.
What should you look for when you hire a digital marketing agency?:
- Select an agency that employs a team of specialized professionals. No individual can have all of the knowledge that is required to produce digital marketing results. It is not a simple process because it is intensely competitive and dominated by search engines.
- Make sure the agency has years of experience working with RIAs and financial advisory firms. This experience should help them provide advice and services that are based on best practices.
- SEO for financial advisor websites is not just about increasing Internet visibility and website traffic. An important part of an SEO-optimized strategy is to figure out ways to engage these visitors by providing the information they are seeking and making it easy and safe to contact you.
- Your website has to be competitive with the websites of your primary competitors. Information and graphics are important, but they may not be enough to make you stand out. Financial advisor websites have to practice a certain level of disclosure and provide compelling reasons why investors should give up their anonymity and submit their contact information.
- Standing out in a crowded field is never easy, but that is exactly what you have to do to maximize your results.
