30 SEO MARKETING TIPS FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES
THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED TO BE EFFECTIVE
SEO For Financial Firms
In the competitive world of the financial services industry, attracting high net-worth clients through organic search can be a game-changer for your business. While SEO may seem daunting, you don't have to over complicate things as there are plenty of straightforward SEO strategies you can start implementing today.
This comprehensive guide contains 40 effective SEO techniques tailored for wealth management firms, fintech companies, and related financial services looking to improve their online visibility and attract more clients through Google and other search engines.
1) Develop a Comprehensive Content Strategy
Creating a robust content strategy is crucial for financial services SEO. This involves planning, creating, and distributing valuable, relevant content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience – high net-worth individuals and businesses.
Start by identifying key topics and themes that resonate with your ideal clients. These might include wealth preservation strategies, industry news, market analysis reports, regulatory changes, or expert insights on investment opportunities. Develop detailed guides, white papers, and case studies that delve deep into complex financial topics.
In the financial services industry, demonstrating expertise is crucial, so you need to create authoritative content that showcases your knowledge and experience in managing wealth for high net-worth clients.
This can go a long way towards enhancing your site's authority and capturing a broader range of search terms while positioning your company as a thought leader in the financial sector. If you implement this correctly you'll attract more potential clients and earn backlinks from other reputable sites which will also help to boost your SEO.
2) Repurpose Your Content
More and more people are now digesting information in different ways including audio and video which is reported to have even higher retention and conversion rates than readable content.
Videos can be uploaded to Youtube and embedded in content to keep your users engaged while sending lower bounce rate signals to the search engines. You could add the option of audio to your posts or create a separate podcast on any given topic. Here are 6 tips to help with building a solid podcast seo strategy.
Regularly updating these pages with fresh content and new developments in the financial industry can further improve your search rankings and keep your audience engaged.
3) Leverage Long-Tail Keywords
Keywords are extremely valuable when it comes to SEO and getting more traffic, so you need to work out how relevant your web pages are to a user searching for those keywords.
Whilst broad financial terms are highly competitive, long-tail keywords can help you target more specific, high-intent searches. These are often used by individuals who are further along in their decision-making process and more likely to convert.
Conduct thorough keyword research to identify long-tail phrases relevant to your services. For example, instead of targeting "wealth management," you might focus on "sustainable wealth management for tech entrepreneurs" or "estate planning strategies for high net-worth families." Incorporate these phrases naturally into your content to attract more qualified leads.
4) Schedule A Consistent Writing Schedule
Setting up a regular posting schedule is also a good way to build authority in the financial services industry. The key here is quality over quantity but you'll still want to setup a consistent posting schedule. This will help demonstrate to your audience and search engines that your site is a reliable source of ongoing information, which can help to build trust and drive long-term traffic growth.
Consistent scheduling also ensures you're regularly providing value to your audience whilst also signalling to search engines that your site is actively maintained and relevant.
Remember to align your content calendar with key financial events, such as tax seasons or major economic reports, to capitalise on timely search trends and demonstrate your firm's proactive approach to financial management.
5) Create Social Media Accounts
If you haven’t already got social media accounts on some of the most popular platforms, you’re missing out. On Facebook and Twitter, there are approximately 1.3 billion users – imagine the amount of people that could be sharing your posts, liking your page, interacting with you! There are also platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. To get you started here’s a quick linkedIn tutorial for setting up your company page.
The best thing to do is work out where your target audience are most likely to be, and focus on those platforms. Post content regularly like you would your blog, and try to interact with your audience as much as possible by asking questions and replying to comments in a timely manner.
Remember, social media shouldn’t just be considered another way to promote yourself, it should be a place people can get to know your brand and interact with you, keeping you in the forefront of their minds by default. You can do things like host a question and answer session on Twitter, and run competitions for likes and shares on Facebook.
6) GET A Responsive Web Design
For financial services targeting high net-worth individuals, a responsive design is very important. These clients often lead busy lives and may access financial information on-the-go, using various devices. Your responsive design should cater to this by ensuring that complex financial data, interactive tools (like investment calculators or portfolio visualisations), and secure client portals are all fully functional and easy to use on mobile devices.
If your website has login functionality for clients, implementing features like fingerprint or facial recognition login for mobile apps will enhance user experience and also demonstrates your firm's commitment to leveraging technology for client convenience - a factor that can significantly influence the decision-making process of tech-savvy, affluent clients.
A responsive website will also help reduce bounce rates, as visitors are more likely to stay on a site that loads properly and looks good on all devices. If you integrate mobile-friendly features such as click-to-call buttons for immediate contact with advisors, you'll also improve the user experience further, potentially improve conversion rates, and send positive engagement signals to search engines.
7) Speed Up Your Website
The speed at which your website loads can have a serious impact on your rankings. Google actually found that when they listed slow sites towards the top of the listing pages, people had a poor user experience and decreased their use of Google as a result!
Just a tenth of a second can matter in this situation, as Amazon found out when they lost 1% of their revenue after their site slowed down – imagine how much that is for a billion dollar company? To improve your site's speed, start by optimising images and using next-gen formats like WebP. Compress large images and ensure they are the appropriate size for different devices. Implementing browser caching can also help, as it stores resources locally on users' devices, reducing load times for repeat visits.
Another effective method is to leverage Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) which distribute your site's content across multiple servers worldwide. This ensures that users access the content from a server geographically closer to them, drastically reducing load times. Additionally, consider minifying CSS, JavaScript, and HTML to eliminate unnecessary code, making your site lighter and faster. Regularly monitoring your site's performance with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix can help identify areas that need improvement and track the effectiveness of your speed optimisation efforts.
8) Guest Blog on Financial Sites
Don’t think that the only way to get more traffic is to write quality content for your own sites – you can also try guest blogging on the most authoritative sites you can muster to gain even more fans, followers and sharers. If you can network with relevant bloggers in the financial services industry and get the chance to write a guest blog for them, you’ll be exposed to all of their traffic. The other blogger may even write a post for your site, which can benefit you both!
So guest posting on related financial websites is a great way to reach a wider audiences, establish your expertise, and garner more backlinks which are still just as important as they were more than a decade ago.
9) Comment on Financial Blog Posts
Blog commenting may be one of those old SEO tactics you may think serves little purpose these days but it can still be a good way to engage with the financial community and provide valuable insights. Thoughtful comments can still drive traffic to your site and build relationships with other industry professionals. Also sharing your expertise can position you as a knowledgeable figure in the financial sector, increasing your visibility and attracting potential clients who appreciate your contributions.
Consistent engagement can also show that you are an active and invested member of the financial community, which can enhance your reputation and credibility. Regularly participating in discussions on high-authority financial blogs can also be a great research tool, helping you to stay updated on industry trends and challenges, and identify new opportunities for content creation and keyword targeting.
10) Add Meta Data To Your Pages and Posts
One aspect plenty of business owners overlook is the formulation of meta data for published posts and pages which is a huge mistake and wasted opportunity.
That's why it's recommended to include popular keywords with high relevance in the title and an enticing description with a strong call-to-action instead of leaving the search engines to auto-generate random text off the page.
As Google and other search engines use click-through data in their algorithm to measure relevance, it's obviously pays to have a higher click-through rate as this combined with increased dwell time can help to improve page rankings, and therefore increase the number of visitors coming to the website.
11) Implement Structured Data
Use structured data to help search engines better understand the content of your pages. Structured data can improve your visibility in search results by enabling rich snippets, which can lead to higher click-through rates and more traffic. For financial websites, this can include mark-up for events, reviews, and financial services. Implementing structured data for products like investment plans or financial calculators can provide users with quick, relevant information directly in search results, enhancing their search experience and drawing more targeted traffic to your site.
Structured data can also help highlight important financial information such as stock prices, interest rates, or market trends in search results. By making your data more accessible and understandable to search engines, you can improve the chances of your content appearing in prominent positions like Google’s Knowledge Graph, which can significantly boost your site's authority and traffic.
12) Optimise for Voice Search
As voice search becomes increasingly popular, optimising your content for this medium can give you an edge. High net-worth individuals, often busy executives, may use voice search to quickly find financial information or services.
Focus on natural language and question-based queries that potential clients might use when searching for financial services. For example, include content that answers common questions like "What are the best investment strategies for 2024?" or "How can I plan for retirement?" or "How can I diversify my investment portfolio to minimise risk?"
Make sure that your content is easily readable and structured with clear headings and concise answers to improve the chances of being featured in voice search results. This can help attract users who prefer quick, spoken answers, enhancing your visibility and engagement with tech-savvy clients.
13) Optimise for Image Search
With the growing popularity of visual search, optimising your images can open up new channels for attracting high net-worth clients. Use high-quality, relevant images in your content, such as charts illustrating investment strategies or photos of your team providing personalised service.
Optimise image file names, alt text, and surrounding content with relevant keywords. Consider creating infographics that summarise complex financial concepts, as these are highly shareable and can attract backlinks.
Implement structured data for images to help search engines understand the content and context of your visuals better.
This can enhance the visibility of your images in search results. Engage in image-sharing platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, where visually appealing and informative content can attract and engage high-net-worth individuals.
This can further extend your reach and drive more targeted traffic to your website.
14) Monitor Competitors
Use the competition to your advantage by analysing your competitors' SEO strategies to identify opportunities and stay ahead. Use tools to track their keywords, backlinks, and content performance.,/p>
Understanding their tactics can help you refine your own SEO strategy. Look for gaps in their content that you can fill, and observe their high-performing keywords to inform your own keyword strategy.
Also keep an eye on their social media activity and engagement levels to gauge what content resonates most with your shared audience. This competitive intelligence can help you adapt and enhance your marketing efforts to better meet the needs of your target market.
Regularly benchmarking your performance against competitors can also help you identify areas where you need improvement and stay updated on industry trends and innovations. Taking the time to see what your competition is doing will help you develop more effective campaigns and maintain a leading position in the financial market.
15) Develop a Link-Building Strategy
Backlinks are still a big part of any solid SEO strategy, Aim to acquire high-quality backlinks from reputable financial websites. A strong backlink profile can significantly improve your search engine rankings. Focus on building relationships with other financial websites and creating shareable, high-quality content that naturally attracts links.
Participate in industry events, webinars, and podcasts to network with other professionals and generate opportunities for guest posting and collaborative content. Additionally, create valuable resources such as whitepapers, research reports, or comprehensive guides that others in your industry will want to reference and link to.
Identify and submit your business to relevant financial services directories such as the Financial Planning Association directory or local chambers of commerce. Ensure your business information is consistent across all listings to avoid confusing search engines.
Also consider using tools like Ahrefs or Moz to identify your competitors' backlinks and explore opportunities to replicate their successful link-building efforts.
16) Create a Robust Internal Linking Structure
Internal linking is an often overlooked SEO strategy which can make a real difference, and while some backlink strategies can be quite difficult, internal linking is fairly straightforward.
Start by linking related financial content together to keep visitors on your site longer and help search engines understand the structure of your site. Strategically place internal links within your content to guide users to additional relevant articles, tools, or services on your site.
This will enhance user experience and help the search engines to crawl and index your pages more effectively.
Use descriptive anchor text for internal links that accurately reflect the content of the target page. This practice helps users and search engines understand what to expect when they click on a link, thereby improving the relevance and usability of your site.
It's also recommended to regularly review and update your internal links to ensure they are still relevant and beneficial to your overall SEO strategy as time goes on.
17) Leverage User-Generated Content
Encouraging and featuring user-generated content, such as client testimonials or success stories, can provide fresh, relevant content that search engines love. It also builds trust with potential high net-worth clients.
Create a dedicated section on your website for client testimonials and case studies. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing and other relevant platforms.
Aside from improving your local SEO, it also provides social proof that can influence potential clients.
18) Create an FAQ Section
An FAQ section can answer common questions, improve user experience, and attract traffic to your financial services business through long-tail keywords.
Providing clear and concise answers to frequently asked questions can enhance your site's value to visitors and help address their concerns quickly.
Structure your FAQ section with collapsible menus or searchable queries to make it user-friendly. Regularly update this section with new questions and answers based on client interactions and feedback, ensuring it remains a useful resource for your audience.
19) Create a Glossary of Financial Terms
A comprehensive glossary can help you rank for a wide range of financial terms whilst providing value to both potential clients and other websites that might link to you as a resource.
Develop an extensive glossary of financial terms relevant to high net-worth individuals. Include not just definitions, but also context and examples of how these terms apply to wealth management, investment strategies, and financial planning.
20) Optimise for E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
In the financial services industry, demonstrating E-A-T is crucial for SEO success, especially given Google's emphasis on these factors for "Your Money or Your Life" (YMYL) topics.
Showcase the credentials and expertise of your team members. Provide detailed "About Us" and individual bio pages.
Regularly update your content to reflect the latest financial regulations and market conditions. Obtain and prominently display relevant industry certifications and awards.
21) Create Pillar Pages and Topic Clusters
Organising your content into pillar pages and related topic clusters can boost your SEO by demonstrating depth and breadth of expertise on specific financial topics.
Develop comprehensive pillar pages on core topics like "Wealth Management for High Net-Worth Individuals" or "Investment Strategies for Retirement Planning" or perhaps “Alternative Investment Opportunities for Investors”.
Then, create clusters of related content that link back to these pillar pages, such as articles on specific wealth preservation techniques or specific investment strategies for different types of assets
Adding your content this way will build authority on any given topic you choose to write about and will also help to give a ranking boost for connected pages within the pillar-cluster structure.
21) Create Pillar Pages and Topic Clusters
Interactive content can increase engagement on your site, leading to longer dwell times and potentially improved search rankings. It also provides value to your high net-worth audience.
Develop interactive tools such as retirement calculators, investment return simulators, or risk assessment quizzes. These not only engage users but also position your firm as a helpful resource in the financial planning process.
Consider incorporating interactive infographics and data visualisations that allow users to explore financial trends and projections. These tools can make complex data more accessible and engaging, encouraging users to spend more time on your site.
Hosting webinars and live Q&A sessions can also provide an interactive platform for clients to engage directly with your financial experts, further establishing your credibility and fostering a community around your brand.
Integrating personalised financial planning tools that adapt to user inputs can enhance the user experience. For example, a personalised investment portfolio builder that provides tailored advice based on individual financial goals can significantly increase user engagement and trust.
By offering these interactive features, you can create a more dynamic and valuable experience for your high net-worth clients, ultimately driving more traffic and conversions.
23) Implement HTTPS
Although the secure protocol has been around for some time now there are still al lot of older financial related websites which haven't made the switch. Web browsers now show unsecure notices for websites using http:// and some anti-virus software applications even falsely identify websites as dangerous.
Avoid these issues by securing your website with HTTPS and protect user data. Google also favours secure sites in its rankings, and visitors are more likely to trust and engage with a secure site.
Implementing HTTPS can also prevent data breaches and protect sensitive financial information, enhancing your site’s credibility and reliability..
Ensure that all pages on your site, not just those requiring sensitive information, are secured with HTTPS. This universal application of HTTPS can help build trust with all visitors, encouraging them to explore more of your content and potentially convert into clients.
24) Optimise for Featured Snippets
Featured snippets can be used as a quick hack to get seen at the top of organic search results so it pays to spend a little time optimising your content to be in with a chance.
Aim to rank for featured snippets by providing clear, concise answers to common questions in your content. Use bullet points, numbered lists, and well-structured content to increase your chances of being featured at the top of search results
For financial websites, featured snippets can significantly boost visibility for queries related to investment advice, market trends, and financial planning.
Ensure your content is formatted in a way that makes it easy for search engines to extract and display as a snippet. This includes using headers for questions and providing straightforward, informative answers.
Optimising for featured snippets can position your content as an authoritative source and drive more organic traffic to your site.
25) Optimise for Local SEO
For financial services businesses with physical locations, local SEO is crucial. This helps you appear in location-based searches, which are often used by high net-worth individuals looking for local wealth management or financial advisory services.
Ensure your Google My Business listing is complete and up-to-date with accurate information about your firm including services, hours, and specific location.
Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews, as these can significantly boost your local search rankings, and create location-specific pages on your website for each of your office locations, optimising them with local keywords and information.
26) Add Meta Data To Your Pages and Posts
Perform regular SEO audits to identify and fix any issues that may be affecting your site's performance. Check for broken links, duplicate content, and other technical SEO issues that can impact your rankings.
During your audits, ensure that your financial services pages are optimised for the latest SEO standards and search engine algorithms.
Pay special attention to page speed, mobile-friendliness, and secure connections, as these factors significantly impact user experience and search rankings.
Audit your backlink profile to identify any low-quality or spammy links that could harm your site’s authority. Tools like Google Search Console and SEMrush can help you monitor and maintain a healthy backlink profile.
Regularly updating and refining your SEO strategy based on audit results can keep your site competitive in the ever-evolving financial market..
27) Optimise Your SEO Using Google Analytics
Track your website’s performance with Google Analytics, it's a very powerful application and free to use. Analyse traffic, user behaviour, and conversions to refine your SEO strategy. Understanding your audience's behaviour can help you make data-driven decisions to improve your site's performance.
Whilst not direct ranking factors, user behaviour signals like click-through rate, dwell time, and bounce rate can indirectly impact your SEO performance.
Improve your titles and meta descriptions to increase click-through rates. Enhance your content and site structure to keep users engaged and reduce bounce rates.
Consider implementing features like related articles or "You might also be interested in" sections to encourage users to explore more of your site. Use insights from Google Analytics to identify popular content, high-traffic sources, and areas for improvement.
Set up custom reports and goals to track specific metrics related to your financial services, such as lead generation forms or newsletter sign-ups.
28) Optimise Your URL Structure
A clean, logical URL structure helps both users and search engines understand the organisation of your website. For financial services, this can help potential clients quickly find the information they need.
Create a hierarchy that reflects your services and key topics. For example, use URLs like "/wealth-management/retirement-planning" or "/investment-strategies/high-net-worth". Keep URLs concise, descriptive, and keyword-rich without being spammy.
To improve user experience and help search engines understand the structure of your website further, implement clear breadcrumb navigation on your financial services website.
This is particularly useful for larger sites with multiple service categories or extensive educational resources.
29 Optimise for International SEO
If your financial services cater to an international clientele, implementing international SEO strategies is crucial. Consider creating separate, localised versions of your website for different countries or languages.
Use hreflang tags to indicate language variations to search engines. Tailor content to address specific financial concerns and regulations in different countries, particularly for topics like international tax planning or global investment strategies.
Make sure that your localised websites are hosted on servers located in the target countries to improve site speed and relevance for local users.
Engage with local financial communities and forums to build backlinks from regional sources, further enhancing your local search engine presence.
Also, consider translating your content accurately and culturally adapting it to resonate better with local audiences, which can significantly improve engagement and conversion rates.
30) Leverage Email Marketing
Drive traffic to your site by sharing your financial content with your email subscribers. Include links to your latest articles, blog posts, and updates.
Email marketing tactics including email automation can help you maintain engagement with your audience and drive repeat visits. Craft personalised emails that address the specific interests and needs of your subscribers, such as updates on market trends or exclusive financial tips.
Segment your email list to deliver targeted content to different groups, such as new investors versus experienced financial professionals. This tailored approach can improve open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement with your content.
Shane McEvoy is a seasoned SEO and inbound marketing expert with nearly 30 years of experience in advertising. He established Flycast Media, a specialist B2B digital agency, and is a published author of two well-received guides while contributing to several industry publications - read his complete profile here.
