When it comes to SEO, the finance sector has its own unique challenges. One of the most significant factors to consider is that finance falls under the category of YMYL topics—which stands for “Your Money, Your Life.” This means that websites dealing with financial information can significantly impact users’ happiness, health, finances, or safety.
Understanding YMYL
Google takes YMYL topics very seriously. If a site provides inaccurate or misleading information, it could lead to serious consequences for users, not to mention potential legal issues for Google itself. As a result, YMYL content is subject to extra scrutiny, meaning that factors like:
- Expertise
- Accuracy
- Experience
- Authoritativeness
are crucial for ranking well in search results. Websites that deal with YMYL topics must meet the highest standards of safety and trustworthiness to achieve good rankings. This creates a challenging environment for SEO in sectors like finance and healthcare.
In this case study, we will explore how we managed to increase a trust company’s organic traffic by 50% in just six months. The results have been impressive, with the company now ranking for over 1,000 keywords and continuing to see growth.
The Client: A Professional Trust Company
Our client is a professional trust company that has been serving estate planners, attorneys, and families for over 25 years. While their reputation for providing excellent service was well established, their online presence was lacking.
Despite having a well-designed website that offered a great user experience, they struggled to attract visitors. Before partnering with us, they were generating less than 50 visitors per month, which meant they were missing out on potential business opportunities.
Realising they were being outranked by less experienced competitors, they reached out to us for help after reading our blogs and testimonials. They were eager to generate more leads and sales through their website and wanted to see positive results as soon as possible.
The SEO Audit: Assessing the Situation
To kick off our collaboration, we conducted a comprehensive SEO audit, which is a standard procedure for every Clout campaign. This audit allowed us to analyse the client’s current performance on search engines and assess important user experience factors like navigation ease and loading speeds.
The goals of the audit were threefold:
- Evaluate Current Performance: Understand where the client’s site currently stands.
- Identify Errors: Locate and rectify any significant issues.
- Discover Easy-Win Keywords: Find keywords the client was already ranking for but not in the top positions.
We requested access to the client’s Google Search Console and Google Analytics accounts to review their:
- Current keyword rankings
- Organic traffic numbers
- Index Coverage Report
- Audience demographics
The Index Coverage Report is particularly important as it shows whether the client’s web pages have been properly indexed by Google. If the pages aren’t indexed, they won’t appear in search results, which is a critical issue.
After completing the audit, we identified several “easy-win” keywords—those keywords where the client was already ranking but not in the top three positions. This insight was key to the significant boost in traffic that followed.
The Strategy: Building Links and Updating Content
Our primary strategy involved building high-quality backlinks. Why focus on backlinks? During our audit, we discovered a substantial backlink gap between the client’s site and their competitors. This meant that competing sites had more quality backlinks, and we were determined to close this gap.
Our approach included:
- Link Building: We concentrated on acquiring links to the client’s priority service pages, which were crucial for generating business.
- Outreach and Brand Mentions: We employed outreach methods and brand mentions to secure powerful backlinks.
Additionally, we found that the client’s website contained outdated content, which is particularly detrimental for YMYL pages. Since YMYL content receives extra scrutiny from Google, it’s essential to keep it accurate and up-to-date. We collaborated with a content reseller to refresh the outdated copy, which ultimately contributed to improved rankings.
The Results: Traffic Surge and Keyword Rankings
It didn’t take long for the results to materialise. By targeting those easy-win keywords associated with the client’s service pages, we witnessed an impressive 50% increase in traffic.
As of June 2024, the trust company is now averaging over 400 visitors per month, a remarkable leap from their previous average of fewer than 50 visitors. They are also ranking for over 1,000 keywords, with 14 of those keywords now appearing in the top three search results.
The upward trend in traffic is evident in the data we’ve gathered, showcasing a steady rise. The foundation we established will continue to generate traffic, leads, and sales for the client for the foreseeable future.
Achieving Similar Success
Are you looking to achieve similar results for your finance company? Partnering with Clout can help you elevate your online presence and drive organic traffic to your website. Our comprehensive SEO strategies are designed to cater to the unique challenges of YMYL topics, ensuring that your content is not only authoritative but also trustworthy.
By focusing on effective link building, optimising your web copy, and utilising data-driven strategies, we can help your business thrive in the competitive finance sector. Don’t let your competitors outrank you—reach out to Clout today and take the first step towards transforming your online visibility!
