Get Found by Local Clients: The Financial Pro’s Guide to Winning with Local SEO

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Local SEO isn’t just about showing up on Google – it’s about showing up in front of the right people, at the right time, with the right message.

It’s incredibly effective, too. According to one recent study, about 7 out of every 10 consumers in the United States search for a local business online every week. Approximately 42% of millennials who perform a local search will quickly visit that business most of the time. They’re also 50% more likely to conduct those local searches while on-the-go, meaning that they’re using their smartphone or other mobile devices.

For financial services providers, this means becoming a trusted local authority that clients can easily find when they search for help with their taxes, retirement plans, loans, or insurance. Unlike national marketing strategies, local SEO puts your name in front of people within your own geographic footprint—the ones most likely to walk through your door, pick up the phone, or schedule a consultation. Here are the key best practices to make that happen.

When wielded properly, local SEO can be a powerful weapon – one that helps your financial services business attract clients in your area who have been searching for a provider like yours. This isn’t, however, something that will take care of itself automatically. If you really want to make sure your local SEO for financial services business is as strong as it can be, there are a number of key things you’ll want to keep in mind.

It All Begins With Your Google Business Profile

First and foremost, claim and optimize your Google Business Profile, also commonly referred to as your GBP for short.

Make no mistake: this is your digital storefront. It’s what shows up when someone Googles “financial advisor near me” or “tax help in [your city].”

Many people don’t realize that even today, Google still gets the majority of its money from advertising revenue. The longer you spend on their site, the more ads you see, the more money they make. The Google Business Profile was invented in large part as a way to keep people on the site as possible when looking for information about local businesses, and it’s working. Therefore, you need to pay close attention to this resource in the same way that you might your own website.

Make sure every detail is complete and accurate – your business name, address, phone number, website, hours, and services offered. Add high-quality photos of your office, your team, and even a snapshot of you giving a talk at a local event. Anything that you can do to that end will go a long way towards separating you from your competitors.

At the same time, you should regularly update your profile with posts about timely topics like tax deadlines, market changes, financial tips, and more. These posts not only provide value but signal to Google that your profile is active and authoritative.

Update All Major Directories

Beyond Google, you’ll want to ensure your business is listed consistently across all major directories – Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, the Better Business Bureau, and local chambers of commerce. These are just a few examples of the types of directories that you need to concern yourself with. Rest assured that there are many, many more.

This consistency across platforms (same name, address, and phone number) is a big deal for search engines and directly impacts your local rankings. If you’re listed as “Smith & Jones Wealth Management” in one place and “Smith and Jones Wealth Management” in another, Google may not be sure it’s the same business.

Likewise, if you make an update to anything – even your business hours – in one place, you’ll need to update it everywhere. This is another one of those things that you’ll need to be proactive about.

Create Local Content, and Lots Of It

At this point, you can start creating the type of locally-focused, location-based content that the people you’re trying to attract are going to be paying attention to. If you really want to make sure that you’re speaking to someone, you have to make sure you’re speaking their language.

Your website should speak directly to your community. Instead of generic service pages, create targeted ones like “Retirement Planning in Bethesda, MD” or “Small Business Tax Prep in Raleigh.” Write about local financial concerns, new state-level tax laws, or tips for first-time homebuyers in your area. Think about the types of questions they have, or concerns that they have that must be addressed. Then, put yourself in a position to meet these needs. Not only do you provide a genuine service, but you’re also establishing yourself as a voice of authority in one fell swoop.

Whether you’re talking about blogs that you’re writing for your website or general service pages, you should always mention local landmarks, neighborhoods, or events. Don’t take the effectiveness of this for granted or you’ll be disappointed. Absolutely anything that connects your services to where your clients live and work is something that you should bring up naturally whenever you have the opportunity.

Reviews Will Lead the Way

Finally, never let yourself forget that one of the most powerful (and, sadly, often underused) tools in the local SEO game has to do with online reviews. Think about it. If someone is looking for two financial services professionals who are similar in most ways, what will probably be the deciding factor? Whichever one is reviewed better.

For financial professionals, trust is everything, and prospective clients often comb through Google or Yelp reviews before reaching out. Ask satisfied clients to leave a review on your Google profile and make it easy for them by sending a direct link. Don’t ignore these reviews—respond to each one, whether it’s positive or critical, in a polite and professional tone. This not only boosts your credibility with search engines but shows potential clients that you care and are engaged.

Running a local business today, even a financial services business, means wearing a dozen hats – and marketing is by far one of the heaviest. It’s not just about putting your name out there anymore. It’s about showing up exactly where your customers are looking, saying the right thing, and saying it better than the competition. That’s a big ask, especially when your real passion lies in serving people, not managing search rankings or wrangling online listings.

Still, growth depends on visibility. No matter how good your service is, people need to find you first – and in a digital-first world, that means showing up online in the right ways, at the right times. It’s not just about having a website. It’s about being present, consistent, and compelling across platforms. And doing that effectively, without losing focus on your day-to-day operations, requires the right support.

Which, of course, is where Surefire Local enters the conversation.

Simplify Local SEO with Surefire Local

Surefire Local is a powerful all-in-one marketing platform purpose-built for businesses like yours – local, service-driven, and short on time in the fast-paced world of financial services. From one dashboard, you can manage everything from video and content marketing to location-based outreach, text message campaigns, and SEO keyword tracking. It’s designed to simplify your marketing, streamline your workflow, and amplify your reach – without the need for a marketing degree.

One of the biggest wins? Reputation management. Local businesses like financial services professionals live and die by reviews. Surefire Local helps you easily request, track, and respond to customer reviews – all from a single platform – boosting your credibility and improving your rankings on search engines like Google and Bing. The same goes for listings. Your business info stays accurate across more than 70 directories, updated in real-time, so you never miss a lead because of an old address or outdated hours.

And then there’s the data. With built-in analytics and reporting tools, you’ll get real, actionable insights into what’s working and what’s not. Track calls, monitor web traffic, measure your return on paid ads or social posts – it’s all there, easy for you to understand and even easier to act on. More importantly, it’s presented clearly so you can make confident decisions and adapt quickly, based on what your customers are actually doing.

Because here’s the truth – small business marketing isn’t optional, and it isn’t static. It’s not a checkbox you tick off. It’s a system you build, refine, and keep running.

Fall behind, and your competitors will gladly take your place.

But with a smart strategy and the right tools, you don’t have to outspend or out-hustle anyone. You just have to outsmart them.

Surefire Local gives you the platform to do exactly that – efficiently, intelligently, and with confidence.

If you’d like to find out more information about using local SEO for financial services to attract clients in your area, or if you have any additional questions that you’d like to go over with someone in a bit more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. You can also click here to schedule a Surefire Local demo so that you can get a better sense of exactly how much time you’ll be able to save by having such a powerful tool at your disposal.