In a previous blog, you learned the fundamentals of how to do search engine optimization (SEO) for banks and credit unions. Now that you understand the basics, here are some helpful hints to improve your SEO to help current customers find the information they need and attract potential customers to the information they want. You can bump your bank to the top of search engine result pages by following five guidelines:
Research Keywords
Keywords are the foundation of SEO for banks. They’re the key that opens the door to your site when people perform an online search. Although some keywords are obvious, you find terms and phrases specific to your bank with research.
For instance, by studying customer behavior you can observe how they navigate to and through your site. You can look at your competitors’ sites to uncover relevant terms they aren’t using.
You can also use keyword research tools, like Google Search Console and Soovle, for ideas. Search algorithms change often, so review your bank’s SEO strategy monthly and adjust as necessary.
Use Local SEO
Local SEO helps people find your bank at a community level if you’re a brick-and-mortar business. Web design and development company GO-Gulf reports 97% of search engine users are looking for a local business. Moreover, 86% of them use Google Maps to find a location. Using local SEO for banks is as simple as adding location identifiers, such as a city or region, to your keywords.
Also, create a dedicated page for each location If you have multiple branches. Each page should contain branch-specific information, including contact information and hours of operation. Adding all your locations to Google My Business, Bing Places, and Apple Maps Connect also builds your online presence on various search engines.
Include On-page SEO
With on-page SEO, you can improve individual page rankings in addition to your bank’s website as a whole. Along with keywords, the page content, title tags, and URL influence search engine results.
Page content goes beyond merely providing answers to users’ questions Rather than just saying something, engage the user. You can pique users’ interest by incorporate visuals, like infographics or multimedia. Including keywords in the alt image text makes visuals crawlable as well as ADA compliant. Think quality, not quantity. Every element and word on the page should serve a purpose.
The title tag is an HTML element of each page’s name that accurately describes its content. Title tags appear in search results and at the top of the browser. Google results only display the first 50 to 60 characters of the title tag, so keep them short.
Each page’s URL should be structured hierarchically and include a keyword. The structure must make sense to users as well as search engines. The URL allows the user to infer the page content and how it relates to the pages above it. A URL is limited to 2,083 characters to display correctly in browsers.
Linking to Other Pages
Linking to other pages brings credibility to your bank’s website, especially when you cite trustworthy sources. Links can be internal or external.
Internal links help users navigate through your site. By using internal links, you do the work for your user, saving them time and enhancing user experience. Internal linking also establishes information hierarchy and helps share ranking power throughout your website.
External links can be inbound or outbound. When websites link to each other, it helps users and search engines find your site.
Inbound linking happens when an external website links to your bank’s website. This boosts your ranking power because it’s considered a third-party vote for your site. But not all external links have the same value. Google’s PageRank algorithm uses several metrics to measure the value of external links, including the linking site’s trustworthiness, popularity, and content relevancy.
With outbound linking, your site links to an external website. Linking to an authoritative site gives you authority as well. Just make sure the content you’re linking to is relevant to your own and will benefit your users. Also, credit the website by citing it. Remember, your goal is to keep the user engaged on your sites, so limit outbound links to two or three per page.
Respond to Your Users
You’ve worked hard developing your bank’s SEO to draw users to your site; don’t ignore them! Whenever a user contacts you online, communicate with them so they know they’ve been heard. Communication is more than replying to a Contact Us submission. Post regularly to your blog and social media and respond to comments. Address both positive and negative customer reviews on Google or Yelp.
Listening to your current and potential customers not only builds relationships. It also provides vital marketing insight. You can use this information to build your bank’s SEO strategy in the future.
Final Words
By following these five SEO tips for banks and credit unions, you can drive more customers to your website. If you don’t have the manpower or resources to manage your SEO by yourself, BankSITE® Services has a team of SEO experts to help you develop a winning strategy to bump your website to the top of search engine result pages (SERPs). We’ll lay the groundwork so you can concentrate on the new business your site brings in.
