Local SEO for Financial Planners:

10+ Effective Strategies

If you’re not leveraging local SEO for financial planners, your advisory firm could be missing out on valuable client opportunities. Potential clients actively search for financial advisory services online every day. Right now, some are likely typing “financial planner near me” into Google search!

Without a strong local SEO strategy, these opportunities go straight to your competitors.

But don’t worry! We’ll break down what local SEO for financial planners is and how you can use it to connect with prospective clients at the exact moment they’re searching for financial guidance.

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What Is Local SEO for Financial Planners?

Local SEO optimizes your online presence to attract potential clients in your specific geographic area.

When people search for “financial planner near me” or “wealth management services in Boston,” a well-optimized local presence helps your firm rank at the top of the search engine results pages.

Like traditional SEO, you’ll need to conduct keyword research and optimize your website with relevant keywords in key areas.

But local SEO for financial planners goes beyond just your website. You’ll also need to focus on factors like your Google Business Profile and other local SEO efforts that we’ll explore in this guide!

Traditional SEO vs Local SEO

You’ve likely heard about traditional SEO, but local SEO is a game-changer. It helps more people in your local community find your financial advisory services by improving your local search rankings and attracting potential clients nearby.

Traditional SEO

Local SEO focuses on improving visibility in location-based search results. For example, a blog post about “retirement planning strategies for small businesses” will target searches like “financial planner in Miami” or “retirement planning services in downtown Chicago.”

Traditional SEO is a great marketing strategy for financial planners. It helps you to:

Attract potential clients who need financial advisory services from across the country (or even globally, depending on your focus and goals).
Create valuable evergreen content that keeps driving traffic long-term.
Build your overall domain authority, which boosts all your SEO efforts.
Position your firm as a thought leader in specific financial planning niches.

If you want your website to appear high on Google search results, start with these SEO keywords for financial planners.

However, traditional SEO for financial planners is highly competitive and can take time to see meaningful results. You may also attract leads from areas where you don’t offer services or aren’t licensed.

Local SEO

Local SEO targets potential clients in your specific geographic area. Instead of competing for broad terms like “small business tax preparation,” local SEO focuses on location-based searches such as “small business tax preparation in Phoenix.”

Many financial advisory firms overlook local SEO in favor of broader strategies, but it can be a highly effective and lucrative approach when executed properly.

Research shows that 4 in 5 consumers use search engines to find local information, and 60% of mobile users have contacted a business directly from search results.

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What Is the Best Strategy for Local SEO?: 10+ Effective Strategies

Your website content should include local keywords that local clients use when searching online. Every search engine optimization strategy is unique, but if you want to improve search rankings for your financial planning firm, this typically means adding your city, neighborhood, or service area to your main keywords.

For example, instead of just “financial planner,” use “financial planner in Miami” or “retirement planning services in downtown Chicago.”

Here are a few key places to add local SEO keywords:

Page titles and headings
Meta descriptions
Image alt text
Service pages
Blog posts
Contact page

Focusing on the right local keywords will improve local search rankings, but avoid keyword stuffing. Use your targeted local keywords where they feel human and natural.

Google can lower your page rankings if you’re overusing keywords, so overdoing it can actually hurt your SEO performance.

What Is the Best Strategy for Local SEO?: 10+ Effective Strategies

1. Focus on Local Keywords

For example, instead of just “financial planner,” use “financial planner in Miami” or “retirement planning services in downtown Chicago.”

Here are a few key places to add local SEO keywords:

Page titles and headings
Meta descriptions
Image alt text
Service pages
Blog posts
Contact page

Focusing on the right local keywords will improve local search rankings, but avoid keyword stuffing. Use your targeted local keywords where they feel human and natural.

Google can lower your page rankings if you’re overusing keywords, so overdoing it can actually hurt your SEO performance.

2. Optimize Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is crucial for local SEO success. A complete, accurate profile helps you appear in Google Maps and local search results. Make sure to:

Fill out every section of your profile
Add high-quality photos of your office
Keep business hours up to date
List all your services
Post updates about your firm regularly
Choose accurate business categories
Add special attributes (like “women-owned” or “veteran-led” if applicable)

Here are examples of well-done Google Business Profiles for financial planners in New York City.

3. Create Location-Specific Pages

If your firm serves multiple areas, create dedicated pages for each location. For example, if your financial advisory firm has offices in both Philadelphia and Boston, create pages titled “Financial Planning Services in Philadelphia” and “Financial Planning Services in Boston.”

Each page should include detailed information about that specific office, such as your address and the services offered. To add value, include local content like area-specific resources, community events, or relevant financial advice for that location. This will improve your local SEO and make your site more helpful to potential local clients.

4. Get Local Reviews

Reviews from past clients significantly impact your local SEO rankings. When offboarding clients, always ask them to share their experiences and leave a review on Google.

Here are a few ways to leverage reviews for your financial advisory business:

Respond promptly to all reviews
Address negative feedback professionally
Make it easy for clients to leave reviews by providing direct links
Thank clients for taking the time to share their feedback

Online reviews serve two purposes: they boost your local SEO and help build trust with potential clients actively searching for financial guidance.

5. Maintain NAP Consistency

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. For local SEO and overall business success, it’s crucial that this information is consistent and accurate across all platforms.

Ensure your NAP details are correct on these key places:

Your website
Google Business Profile
Social media accounts
Business directories
Professional association profiles
Review sites

Even minor inconsistencies can harm your local SEO and cause you to miss out on leads who might struggle to reach you if the details are incorrect.

6. Create Local Content

Just like with traditional SEO, your local SEO can significantly benefit from starting a blog and publishing valuable, location-specific content regularly.

You can write detailed articles about topics like local tax strategies, state-specific financial planning regulations, retirement planning for residents in your area, and other subjects that your local audience might be searching for.

Aim for a balanced mix of traditional and local SEO content tailored to the needs of your financial planning clients. If you’re unsure where to start, explore our SEO blogging and content marketing services designed specifically for financial planners!

7. Optimize for Mobile

Most people use their phones to search online. In fact, statistics show that 64% of searches are carried out using mobile phones, compared to just 35% of desktop searches. For local SEO, ensuring that your website looks great and functions properly on mobile devices is essential for maintaining strong online visibility.

Many website builders adjust automatically for mobile view, but sometimes important details are lost in the process. To improve mobile SEO for your financial planning business, ensure that:

Your website layout adjusts to different screen sizes
Buttons are functional and easy to use
Business information is easy to find
All internal links are working properly
Load times are fast
Interactive maps are mobile-friendly

Remember, mobile optimization is crucial for a successful SEO strategy. Google may lower your rankings if your website doesn’t perform well on mobile, potentially costing you valuable leads.

8. Monitor Local Competitors

Understanding your local competition is essential for identifying opportunities to distinguish yourself. Analyze other financial advisory firms’ websites to see what services they highlight, how they present themselves, and which SEO keywords they rank for. Tools like Ahrefs can help you assess their search engine rankings.

Rather than mimicking your competitors, focus on finding gaps in their content that you can fill. For instance, if they aren’t addressing local tax rules or specific industry regulations in your area, this is your chance to become the trusted expert in those areas.

By targeting these local SEO opportunities, you can attract more qualified leads who are searching for relevant information.

9. Build Local Backlinks

A backlink is when another website links to yours, signaling to Google that your financial planning firm is credible and valuable.

Local backlinks are particularly important as they come from other businesses and organizations within your community. They demonstrate that you’re an active and respected part of the local business ecosystem.

Here are a few strategies to build local backlinks:

Join local business organizations and have them link to your website.
Participate in community events and include a link to your website in the event description.
Partner with local schools or libraries and have them mention your website.
Write guest posts for local business blogs or contribute to local news websites.
Create valuable content for community newsletters.

We can help you build local backlinks as part of our SEO services to improve your visibility in local search results.

10. Clean Up Your Technical SEO Foundations

Creating high-quality content is crucial, but technical SEO is what ensures Google can find, crawl, and rank your content. Without it, your website might not even make it to the search results.

Consider conducting a comprehensive SEO audit and check these key technical elements:

Proper title tags and meta descriptions
Short, readable URLs that include your target keywords
Working links (no broken or dead links)
Clear website structure and navigation
XML sitemap submission to search engines
No duplicate content issues
Image optimization (size and alt text)
Internal linking between pages

Technical SEO can be tricky, which is why many businesses choose to work with SEO experts to ensure everything is optimized properly.

11. Track & Analyze Your SEO Strategy

Your SEO journey will always evolve, so it’s crucial to monitor what’s working and what isn’t. Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and keyword research platforms like Ahrefs or Semrush to track performance. These tools help you identify opportunities for improvement, refine your strategy, and ensure you’re staying on top of the latest trends and algorithm changes.

Additional local seo Services We Offer For financial planners

In addition to these services, we offer:

Our Framework for local seo for financial planners

VISION

When you’re ready to have your financial brand grow through your content, we’re here to help you become more visible as an authority in your niche by creating your content backed by our three pillars below.

Our goals when implementing content marketing strategies for alternative lenders are to increase traffic, leads, and conversions for your organization. Allow us to operate in our areas of expertise by creating content that converts and optimizes your content with SEO.

When you take these two things off your plate, you can focus your time, energy, and resources on YOUR areas of expertise. It’s time to stop stressing and overburdening your internal team. Outsource this area of your business to us and get it right the first time. Because not only are we experts at content and SEO, we’re experts in the finance niche.

STRATEGY

You deserve to experience what it’s like to work with us because we understand the big picture. A piece of alternative lending content marketing is never one and done.

We create content that connects to your audience, your other content, and your overall sales and marketing goals.

EXECUTION

Allow us to implement your strategy by taking massive action with one or multiple of our packages.

It’s time for you to save hours spent researching, crafting, ideating, and guessing because when it comes to your content ranking, it’s not just about your great ideas. It’s about how you execute your ideas.

ANALYTICS

We constantly keep a pulse on what’s going on data-wise in the alternative lending industry and keep you informed too.

We do this by regularly monitoring analytics through Google Analytics and Google Search Console, sending reports to our clients, taking action based on the data, and keeping content fresh and updated over time.

We’d never claim to be experts, but we are aware of the strict compliance standards within the financial industry. Moreover, refreshing content is crucial since numbers, regulations, etc., change in the financial services industry sometimes yearly.

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How Long Does It Take for Local SEO to Work?

Local SEO is a long-term investment in your financial planning firm’s growth, not a quick fix. Our clients typically begin seeing meaningful results within 3-6 months, but the exact timeline depends on a few important factors:

Your starting point (whether you’re starting from scratch or improving existing SEO)
How competitive your local market is
The current state of your website and online presence
How many locations you’re targeting
The quality and frequency of your content updates
Your Google Business Profile’s completeness and activity
The number of reviews you collect
How consistently you implement SEO strategies

Some improvements, like updating your Google Business Profile, can show results within weeks. Other elements, like building local authority through backlinks and content, take longer to develop.

Get in touch with us, and we’ll give you a better estimate of what to expect!

Local SEO Services for Financial Planners: Are They Worth It?

You could potentially try handling your local SEO on your own, but working with an SEO expert gives you several advantages. SEO and especially local SEO for financial planners involves many moving parts, from technical optimizations to consistent content creation.

Professional SEO services help you avoid costly mistakes that could hurt your rankings and save the time you could spend serving clients.

Learn more about our local SEO services or browse the Resource Hub if you want to DIY!

Still Curious?

Frequently asked questions

Q: Do Financial Planners Need SEO?

A: Absolutely! Many potential clients search online for financial planning services. Without local SEO, your firm misses out on these connections. Even if you rely on referrals, local SEO boosts your online presence and helps clients validate their choices. Optimizing for local search makes it easier for clients in your area to find you, leading to more calls and clients.

Q: Is Doing Local SEO Worth It?

A: Absolutely! If you provide financial planning services in a specific area, local SEO helps you attract clients who prefer working with professionals familiar with local tax laws and financial regulations. When potential clients search for “financial planner near me” or “financial planning services in [city name],” local SEO ensures your firm appears in the results, bringing in a steady flow of qualified leads actively seeking your expertise.

Q: Do I Need a Website for Local SEO?

A: Absolutely! A website is crucial for local SEO. It serves as the foundation for your efforts, allowing you to create dedicated service pages for different locations and publish location-specific content to improve your rankings. In addition to your website, maintaining other local SEO components like your Google Business Profile is key to ensuring visibility in local searches and helping potential clients find your services.

Q: Is Local SEO Paid?

A: No, local SEO is not the same as paid search. Local SEO focuses on organic strategies to improve search visibility, earned through optimizing your website, Google Business Profile, and local content. Unlike Google Ads, where visibility is paid for, local SEO helps you rank naturally through consistent optimization.

Q: How Is Local SEO Different from SEO?

A: Local SEO focuses on improving visibility within a specific geographic area, such as targeting “financial planner in [city]” or “retirement planning services near me.” In contrast, traditional SEO targets broader searches without location-specific intent, like “investment strategies” or “financial planning tips.” Local SEO helps you connect with potential clients who are actively seeking services within your area.

Q: How to Rank High in Local SEO?

A: There are several key elements to focus on for effective local SEO, including optimizing your website with local keywords, setting up and maintaining a complete Google Business Profile, and showcasing positive client reviews. Additionally, regularly publish location-specific blog content and build local backlinks to enhance your online authority. Consistently applying these strategies will improve your visibility and rankings in local search results.

Hire an SEO Agency for Financial Planners

Local SEO can be a highly effective digital marketing strategy for financial planners.

SJDS Digital Solutions specializes in local search optimization and understands the unique needs of financial planning firms. Learn about our local SEO services or get in touch to boost your local online presence!