Written by: Case study showing how a financial advisory website recovered from Google de-indexing and poor organic visibility. The campaign focused on SEO recovery, dedicated service pages, local SEO, high-intent keyword targeting, authentic trust-building content, and improving website structure and user experience. Results included growth from fewer than two organic visitors per month to around 65 qualified monthly visitors.
I recently enjoyed sharing some rewarding results with a financial advisory client. This website had been significantly mistreated, taking a big hit when it was rebuilt from a 40-50 page site into a single page. This drastic change led to Google de-indexing all the pages, resulting in users hitting 404 errors. However, less than 12 months later, we’ve seen promising improvements.
The Journey to Recovery
The website needed a better SEO history when I took on this project. It was generating less than two visitors a month from Google organic results. Through strategic efforts, we’ve now reached 65 organic visitors per month. While this number might seem modest, it represents a significant improvement, especially considering these visitors are arriving through high-intent key terms like “financial advisor,” “financial planner,” “best financial advisor,” and “best financial planner.”
Humanizing the Website
One of the key strategies I implemented was humanizing the website. I stopped using stock images and focused on capturing real, authentic content. We recorded video testimonials, seminars, and client stories and plastered their faces all over the website. This approach made the site more relatable and built trust with potential clients. By showing real people and real experiences, we created a connection that stock images can’t achieve.
SEO Optimization
SEO optimization was at the heart of this transformation. I targeted high-intent key terms such as “financial advisor,” “financial planner,” and “retirement planner,” combined with location-specific searches. This strategy ensured that we attracted visitors actively seeking financial advice and planning services. By optimizing each page and creating content that addressed these specific searches, we significantly improved the site’s search engine rankings.
Creating Dedicated Landing Pages
To enhance the user experience and improve conversions, I created dedicated landing pages for each key service: retirement planning, financial advising, and financial planning. Each landing page featured videos, testimonials, and precise ad copy tailored to the service. This approach improved the site’s relevance and gave visitors the information they needed to make informed decisions.
Continuous Content Updates
Keeping the website updated with fresh, relevant content was crucial for maintaining and improving our search engine rankings. I regularly updated the site with new blog posts, articles, and videos. This constant flow of content kept the site relevant in the eyes of Google and provided visitors with valuable information. It also helped to establish the site as an authority in the financial advisory field.
Improving User Experience
A significant part of the recovery process involved improving the user experience. We enhanced the user journey by eliminating 404 errors and ensuring all backlinks pointed to live relevant pages. Any user that hits a 404 page has a poor experience, and Google punishes sites that provide a bad user experience. Fixing these issues was essential for regaining trust and improving our search engine rankings.
Building Trust with Potential Clients
Another crucial aspect of our strategy was building trust with potential clients. The presence of video testimonials, real client stories, and seminar recordings played a significant role in this. When someone is looking for a financial advisor, they want to see evidence that the advisor is knowledgeable, trustworthy, and experienced. By showcasing real testimonials and client stories, we proved that potential clients needed to feel confident in our services.
Effective Marketing Strategies
I also implemented effective marketing strategies to boost our results further. Local SEO was a key focus, ensuring that we captured traffic from users in the vicinity who were more likely to convert. Engaging content, such as videos and blogs, kept visitors on the site longer and encouraged them to take action. Consistency in our marketing efforts, including regular blog posts and social media updates, kept our audience engaged and informed.
Celebrating the Results
It was incredibly satisfying to share these results with the client. From a site generating less than two visitors a month, we’ve grown to 65 organic visitors per month, all coming from high-intent key terms. While 65 visitors might seem like little, these visitors are highly targeted and more likely to convert into clients. The journey from a poorly optimized site to a thriving online presence has been challenging but rewarding.
