SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is like the secret sauce for online visibility. SEO for financial service companies, is not just about being found; it’s about trust and credibility.

Think about it: people are entrusting their hard-earned money to these firms, so they need to appear reliable and authoritative.

Understanding the importance of YMYL and E-A-T

Unlike other industries where SEO might focus on product sales or brand awareness, for financial services, it’s all about expertise and reassurance. Your Money Your Life (YMYL) topics, like finance, demand a higher level of trust and expertise. That’s where E-A-T comes into play: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Financial service companies need to showcase their knowledge, authority, and reliability to gain the trust of both search engines and users.

But hey, challenges are just opportunities in disguise, right? With the right approach and a solid understanding of the intricacies of SEO in the financial services industry, companies can rise above the competition and establish themselves as trusted authorities in the digital realm. It’s a journey filled with twists and turns, but the view from the top is worth it.

Building a Winning SEO for Financial Services

Keyword Research and Content Clusters

Okay, let’s dive into keyword research and creating performing content clusters! Think of keyword research as the treasure map leading you to the hidden gems of internet traffic. It’s like being a detective, searching for those golden words and phrases that people type into search engines.

Pillar Pages

But it’s not just about finding any old keywords; you want the keywords with high intent behind them. These are the words that signal someone is actively looking for what you offer, whether it’s information, products, or services. So, armed with this knowledge, you set out to create pillar pages, your big, sturdy structures that stand tall and proud on the internet landscape. These pages are based on those high-intent keywords, serving as beacons to attract those eager searchers. They’re like the main stage at a concert, drawing in the crowd with their irresistible allure.

Content Clusters

But hold on, we’re not done yet. Enter content clusters, the supportive entourage to your pillar pages. These are the smaller, but no less important, pages that orbit around your pillar content. Picture them as satellites orbiting a planet, each one honing in on specific long-tail keywords.

By creating these supporting pages, you’re casting a wider net, capturing the attention of those who might be looking for something a bit more specialised.

Here is an example of how we created an SEO strategy for Financial Services firm JBR Capital. JBR Capital is the UK’s only independent finance lender dedicated solely to high-end vehicle finance, offering specialist classic, prestige, racing & supercar finance. Using each of these services as pillar content we can then look to create content clusters which sit underneath each of these urls.

Content Creation for Financial Services SEO

The key here is not just putting together any old blog post or infographic but crafting content that’s like a beacon of knowledge amidst the chaos. Create content about stuff that not only educates but also builds trust. Your aim when creating content should be to calmly explain the complex financial concepts in a way that even a 15 year old could understand.

That’s the sweet spot.

However, in todays ever growing competitive landscape, it takes an average of 8 touches to get an initial meeting with a new prospect. Its all about leading the prospect down the funnel, showing relevant optimised content at each stage.

You can’t just stick to one format and call it a day. You’ve got to mix it up like a chef experimenting with different ingredients.

Podcasts for those who love to listen on the go, white papers for the hardcore number crunchers, blog posts for the casual browsers, guides for the newbies and beginners, and infographics for the visually inclined.

It’s like building a menu of financial wisdom, catering to everyone’s tastes and preferences.

Link Building SEO for Financial Services

Link building is essential for SEO in the competitive landscape of financial services as it established E-A-T that we talked about earlier. In the age of AI-generated content, it is increasingly difficult to stand out and create great content online which Google recognizes. One thing Google will continue to rely on is backlinks as they send a message of trust from one authoritative site to another.  

Create quality link-worthy content

Financial service providers are rich in data and information that can provide unique insights into market trends, consumer behavior, and economic forecasts. These insights are invaluable assets that can be used to create content that resonates with the target audience and sets the provider apart from the competition.

Leverage unique insights to your advantage and become a source in the industry by consistently producing informative and insightful content. This is an organic whitehat SEO backlink generation method as you will start to build your backlink portfolio through natural mentions and references.