{"id":1469,"date":"2017-10-04T09:20:55","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T09:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/?p=1469"},"modified":"2017-11-16T10:58:58","modified_gmt":"2017-11-16T10:58:58","slug":"seo-tips-for-banks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/seo-tips-for-banks\/","title":{"rendered":"SEO Tips for Banks"},"content":{"rendered":"
The keyword \u201cbanks near me,\u201d receives anywhere from 30 to 70 thousand Google searches per month \u2013 and that\u2019s the best reason out there for why your bank needs SEO. SEO for banks is one important factor. That helps users who search this keyword near one of your locations are all potential customers. However, there are hundreds of banks in the search results that they can choose from.<\/span> Before you do anything else for your bank\u2019s website, you should do keyword research so that you know exactly what your potential customers are searching for.<\/span> There are few strategies more powerful than content creation in terms of SEO for your bank.<\/span> Although not technically an SEO strategy, one of the most important factors in ranking well in search results is having a site that is compatible with all devices. Today, many Internet users search for and access websites on smartphones and other devices \u2013 and if your site is difficult to navigate on them, it won\u2019t rank well in Google search results.<\/span> This means that when users enter your website on a smartphone or other device, the navigation bars, forms, and buttons are large enough that users can use them. They shouldn\u2019t have to zoom in on anything \u2013 the page elements should expand to fit their screen.<\/span> Info graphics are one of the best ways to get customers to your bank\u2019s website.<\/span> When you create content, another great SEO strategy is to link your content to other content on your website.<\/span> Online banking is great. Checking balances, paying bills, transferring money, even depositing checks; online banking has made it easy for people to manage their basic finances from the comfort of their home computer or mobile device.<\/span> Don\u2019t try to be everything to everyone. Identify what your bank does best and know what questions customers in your area have, then use that information to focus your SEO efforts on a small number of specific keywords.<\/span> Yes, ranking well for targeted keywords like \u201cmortgage rates\u201d or \u201cretirement planning\u201d is great for exposure, but you need to back up that ranking with quality content that provides usable information. You need to understand what questions your audience has, and provide them with answers that are both easy to find and easy to understand. Leave out the sales pitches and industry jargon. Most people won\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about, and they need to feel comfortable if they\u2019re going to trust you with their money.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Search engines will view your site as a more reliable source of information and reward you with a better SEO ranking if you support your site\u2019s content by linking to other reputable sources (outbound links), like the FDIC, Wall Street Journal, or Forbes.<\/span> Blogs add additional pages to your website that boost your SEO performance for given keywords. You can use your blog to go beyond the information provided on your website and provide more detailed information about specific topics, address concerns and misconceptions, or provide tips and tricks for first time investors or new homeowners.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Use your social networks to provide users with bite-size pieces of information that drive them to your website for the main course.<\/span> Why do banks need SEO? The keyword \u201cbanks near me,\u201d receives anywhere from 30 to 70 thousand Google searches per month \u2013 and that\u2019s the best reason out there for why your bank needs SEO. SEO for banks is one important factor. That helps users who search this keyword near…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,37,28,27],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1469"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tribelocal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWith SEO, you can improve your rankings in those search results, so that users can easily find you and click through to your bank\u2019s website.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nAfter all, the top-ranked site in Google\u2019s search results gets 33% of the page\u2019s clicks, while the top three results drive 61% of clicks. And only 10% of users even make it to the second page of results.<\/span>
\nThis mean that if your bank isn\u2019t among the top 10 results for the keywords your potential customers are searching, only 10% of them will find your site. This makes it crucial for your bank to show up on the first page.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nSEO strategies for banks<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Keyword Optimization<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nWhen you do your keyword research, you should look for keywords with high search volume (meaning that they\u2019re searched often) and low competition (meaning that not many other sites are trying to rank for them). Within this window, you\u2019ll find the keywords that you\u2019ll have the easiest time ranking for.<\/span>
\nAnother great way to find keywords that can help you earn new customers is to research your competitors\u2019 sites.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nContent Creation<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nIf you want to rank highly in search engine results, you need to have the information your potential customers are looking for. As a bank, you can write about any number of things, as long as the content is informative to your readers.<\/span>
\nFor example, you could start a blog on your bank\u2019s website and publish weekly posts with tips for finances.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nYou could also post articles that answer common questions, like the different kinds of bank accounts and who they work best for, strategies for saving money, and any other information that customers typically want to know.<\/span>
\nThe more pages on your bank\u2019s website, the more chances you have to rank in search engine results.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nMobile Responsiveness<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nPlus, many users may want to check their account balance while they\u2019re at the grocery store, a restaurant, or any number of other places.<\/span>
\nIf your bank doesn\u2019t have an app, but you offer online banking, it\u2019s crucial that your website is mobile friendly \u2013 and even if you do have an app, your site needs to be mobile-friendly to help them find it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nYou should also keep in mind the mobile-first index, in which Google indexes and looks at your site from a mobile user\u2019s perspective.<\/span>
\nThat means that the way your website looks on mobile devices is just as important to Google as how it looks on desktops.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nInfo graphics\/Multimedia<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\n65% of the world\u2019s population are visual learners, which makes it easy to understand why so many people are drawn to infographics.<\/span>
\nWhen you use info graphics to share information with your current and potential banking customers, you not only help them understand complex topics, but create an opportunity to gain more exposure online.<\/span>
\nInfo graphics can attract traffic to your site because they are extremely easy to share on social media. Plus, if another site owner likes your infographic, they may choose to share it with their readers \u2013 and the links to your site are extremely valuable for SEO.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nLinks within your site<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nWhen you do so, it helps Google to find more of your website\u2019s pages more quickly, which allows more of your pages to rank in SERPs.<\/span>
\nIn doing so, you can also help some of your deeper pages rank higher, since you are linking to them from more popular, or newer pages on your website.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nHow can Banks be benefited from SEO?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
\nBut what about more complicated financial activities like applying for home and auto loans, planning for retirement, savings investments, or managing small business expenses? The average person will have questions. They\u2019ll need information on how to start planning and who to trust with their money. And where does the average person begin their search for answers? That\u2019s right, online.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nKeyword strategy<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nShort tail and long tail keywords to expand your reach. To put it simply, short tail keywords are broad terms like \u201cBanking\u201d or \u201cAuto loans\u201d. These will help you reach a broad audience, but may not always reach the right<\/ audience. Long tail keywords are more specific terms that help narrow the search, like \u201cBanking services in Chicago\u201d or \u201cAuto loan refinancing\u201d. These types of keywords will help you hone in on a specific segment of your potential audience.<\/span>
\nShort tail keywords will maximize your exposure, while long tail keywords will help you reach the right audience and keep your costs down as the competition (and cost) for more specific keywords is far lower.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nProvide high-quality content<\/b><\/h5>\n
Include outbound links<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nYou can also double-dip by getting others to provide links (inbound links) to your site or blog, just be wary of link-building schemes, as these can damage your SEO rankings and reputation with customers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nLeverage social media and blogging<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nSocial media provides an SEO boost as well, especially Google+. Yes, believe it or not, Google\u2019s search algorithm significantly rewards those who actively post content to their social network, but they also scan Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe conversation will begin online, but the ultimate goal is to drive customers to your bank in order to complete the transaction.<\/span>
\nPart of the reason people love online banking is that it makes them feel comfortable by allowing them to be in control. By using your online presence to connect with them in a personal, approachable way, you\u2019ll bridge the gap that exists between the comfort of online banking and the uncertainty they may feel over making a larger financial decision.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n[vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” bg_color=”#00ba8f” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” top_padding=”40″ bottom_padding=”40″ overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”3\/4″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1506343768457{padding-left: 20px !important;}”]\nTribeLocal helps Local Businesses add 100+ Directories with a single click.<\/h1>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/4″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default”][nectar_btn size=”small” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” icon_family=”none” url=”https:\/\/app.tribelocal.com\/users\/sign_up?utm_source=Wordpress&utm_campaign=seo%20for%20banks” text=”Add 100+ directories with 0$ Subscription” margin_right=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"