Local SEO is one of the most effective ways to grow your Financial Planning or Independent RIA practice outside of referrals.
Pop quiz.
Which keywords listed below typically drive more qualified website leads for financial advisors?
“financial advisor near me”
“retirement planning [city]”
“personal savings rate united states”
“what is the savings rate in america”
If you chose the first two sets of keywords, you’re either a marketing expert or someone who believes that local SEO contributes to inbound website leads for Financial Advisors — and you would be correct.
The third and fourth sets of keywords are considered general SEO and typically come with informational intent.
Why are we so focused on search performance, not simply website design and brand?
It’s not only because we like to see people win.
It’s because a well-designed website without a well-executed local SEO strategy is similar to having a Ferrari that sits on the showroom floor — no one is having fun.
Over the years, we’ve started to uncover a trend in Financial Advisor marketing — firms were investing anywhere from $900 to $2,000 per month on ‘Do It For You’ marketing programs without seeing a steady increase in website leads.
The problem?
Advisors have not been told the whole truth.
SEO and Local SEO are not the same.
Ranking for general SEO keywords instead of local SEO keywords in the wealth management space is a classic example of busy versus productive — it feels good to post articles from a content library easily, but it’s not actually putting you where you need to be.
Let’s quickly review the difference between general SEO and local SEO.
What is General SEO?
General SEO for financial advisors includes strategies to optimize a website’s overall visibility in search engine results, aiming to attract a broad audience through relevant keywords and content.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO focuses on optimizing a business’s online presence to appear prominently in local search results, targeting potential clients within a specific geographic area. The most common financial-related search term is “Financial Advisor Near Me”, according to Michael Kitces.
Why is Local SEO more valuable for Financial Advisor Lead Generation?
Local SEO is more valuable for financial advisors because it directly connects them with nearby individuals actively seeking their services, leading to higher-intent, more qualified leads.
Which one of these advisors do you think receives the most website leads?
If you chose the Financial Advisor ranking in the top 10 for localized search terms, you are correct.
Alright, let’s take a look at some of the best and how they are appearing for local, financial–related searches in their market.
Top 10 Best Performing Financial Advisor Websites
Here are 10 Financial Advisors that we found dominating local search:
10. Capstone Financial Advisors – Chicago, Illinois
Financial Advisor in Chicago, Illinois
9. Olde Raleigh Financial Group – Raleigh, North Carolina
Financial Advisor in Raleigh, North Carolina
8. Toberman Becker Wealth St. Louis Missouri
Financial Services in St. Louis Missouri
7. Cornerstone Wealth – Charlotte, North Carolina
Financial Services in Charlotte, North Carolina
6. Guerra Wealth Advisors – Miami, Florida
Financial Services in Miami, Florida
5. Stenger Family Office – Naperville, Illinois
Financial Services in Naperville, Illinois
4. Oak Harvest Financial Group – Houston, Texas
Financial Services in Houston, Texas
3. The Welch Group – Birmingham, Alabama
Financial Services in Birmingham, Alabama
2. Homrich Berg Wealth Management – Atlanta, Georgia
Financial Services in Atlanta, Georgia
1. Denver Wealth Management – Denver, Colorado
Financial Services in Denver, Colorado
Conclusion
Hopefully, this blog has inspired you to understand how your website is ranking for local, financial-related searches. Even if marketing is toward the bottom of your priority list — you can request this information from your current partner or a digital marketing professional. Most marketing professionals would provide you with this information at no additional cost.
Once you have visibility to your local search position amongst other financial advisors in your market, you can start to craft a plan to close the gap and even overtake the top spots.
If you’re spending between $900 to $2,000 and not receiving quality website leads, send us a note, and we will share a complimentary benchmark report so you know where you stand.
