In today’s digital-first world, potential clients searching for financial advice, accountancy services, mortgages or insurance policies are increasingly turning to Google. For financial services organisations, being visible in these search results is more than a competitive advantage. It’s essential.
That’s where SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, comes in. But for many SMEs in financial services, SEO can seem confusing, overly technical, or simply out of reach. Our guide aims to demystify SEO, explaining what it is, why it matters, and how to get started effectively, without needing to be a tech expert.
What is SEO?
SEO is the process of enhancing your website so that it ranks higher on search engines like Google for relevant keywords, such as ‘independent mortgage advisor in Manchester’ or ‘pension planning advice for self-employed’.
Unlike paid ads, SEO focuses on organic traffic – the free clicks you get from people finding your site naturally. It’s particularly powerful in the financial services sector, where trust, authority, and visibility are key to client acquisition.
According to BrightEdge, organic search drives over 53% of all website traffic, making SEO the single most important channel for online visibility. For regulated sectors like financial services, where clients need detailed information before making a decision, this traffic is high-quality and conversion-friendly.
Below are our top tips for financial service companies looking to grow their organic rankings.
10 Essential SEO Tips for Financial Services SMEs
- Understand your ideal client and their search intent
Before you optimise anything, get crystal clear on who your clients are and what they’re searching for. Are they first-time buyers looking for mortgage advice? Small business owners needing tax support? Retirees planning pensions?
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, AnswerThePublic, and SEMrush to discover common search phrases. For example, ‘how much life insurance do I need UK’ or ‘IFA near me’.
The better you understand your client’s needs, the more relevant your content and keywords will be.
- Perform keyword research – but keep it niche
Generic terms like “financial advisor” are often too competitive. Instead, focus on long-tail keywords that show clear intent and are easier to rank for, like ‘financial advisor for teachers UK’ or ‘tax planning for freelancers’.
Prioritise keywords that are:
- Specific to your services
- Location-based (e.g. accountant in Leeds, business insurance in Surrey)
- Reflective of client pain points or questions
- You can integrate these into service pages, blog content, FAQs, and more.
- Structure your website clearly
Search engines (and users) favour sites that are easy to navigate. Your homepage should clearly link to core service pages (e.g. Mortgages, Insurance, Investments), and each of those pages should focus on one topic.
Create a clean menu and ensure each page is no more than 3 clicks from the homepage. Use internal links to guide users (and Google) to important content.
Also, submit a sitemap through Google Search Console to help search engines crawl your site effectively.
- Create high-quality, trustworthy content
In financial services, content is not just about SEO, it’s about building trust. Google places emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
Write blog posts that answer your clients’ questions, such as:
- What to consider before taking out income protection insurance
- 10 tax-saving tips for sole traders
- Fixed vs tracker mortgages: what’s the difference?
- Ensure your content is factual, up-to-date, and written or reviewed by qualified professionals.
- Optimise page titles, meta descriptions, and headings
Each page needs a unique title tag (ideally under 60 characters) and meta description (around 160 characters). This is what shows up in Google search results, so it must be clear, relevant, and include keywords. You can enter this information by using SEO plugins like Yoast.
For example:
Title: Pension Planning Advice | Independent Financial Advisors in Guildford
Meta: Expert pension advice for individuals and businesses. Speak to our Guildford-based IFAs for tailored retirement planning.
Use headings (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content and include your target keywords naturally.
- Ensure your website is mobile-friendly
More than 60% of Google searches are now done on mobile devices (Statista, 2023). Google also uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it ranks your site based on how it performs on mobile.
Test your site using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and ensure it:
- Loads quickly
- Has clear, tappable buttons
- Doesn’t require horizontal scrolling
In a sector where credibility matters, a poor mobile experience could cost you leads.
- Improve page speed
A slow site frustrates users and hurts rankings. According to Google, 53% of users abandon a mobile site that takes more than 3 seconds to load.
To improve speed:
- Compress images (use WebP format where possible)
- Enable browser caching
- Minimise the use of heavy scripts
- Choose a reliable hosting provider
- Run speed tests using Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.
- Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile
For local searches – e.g. ‘IFA in Bristol’ or ‘mortgage broker near me’ – your Google Business Profile (GBP) is critical.
Ensure your profile is:
- Fully completed with accurate contact details
- Updated with services, opening hours, and photos
- Collecting and responding to client reviews
Positive reviews not only boost local SEO but also reinforce trust in your services.
- Build authoritative backlinks
Backlinks from reputable sites (like industry bodies, local news outlets, or financial directories) act as trust signals to Google.
How to earn backlinks:
- Publish insightful content and share it with relevant blogs
- Contribute guest articles to industry websites
- Collaborate with professional networks or local chambers of commerce
- Submit your firm to financial services directories (like Unbiased, VouchedFor, or AdviserBook)
- Track results and adapt your strategy
Use Google Analytics 4 and Search Console to monitor:
- What pages attract the most traffic
- Which search terms you’re ranking for
- Where users drop off your site
Review this data monthly to refine your approach – improving content, identifying new keyword opportunities, and fixing underperforming pages.
Final Thoughts
SEO isn’t an overnight fix, but it’s a powerful long-term investment for financial services firms looking to grow online visibility, build trust, and generate qualified leads.
By starting with the basics – understanding your audience, creating valuable content, and following SEO best practices – you can begin to climb the rankings and stand out in a crowded digital marketplace.
At ACES Marketing, we specialise in helping financial service companies develop effective, compliant SEO strategies tailored to your sector. Whether you need support with content, local SEO, full-site optimisation, or marketing collateral, we’re here to help.
Contact us for a free SEO audit or consultation.
