Have you heard of Google+? You’d be forgiven for not having heard of this latest social network, but it could be a great tool for your financial planning business.
There was a time when Google was a simple – albeit very effective – search engine. Over the years it has evolved, and right now we are seeing some major changes in the way that search works.
Google is in the process of incorporating more into the search results, and a big part of that affects the way that local businesses appear in search results.
If you want to show up in the results for searches such as ‘financial adviser in your city’ then you need to start using Google+.
Google+ Explained
Google+ is basically Google’s version of Facebook. Right now it is fairly quiet in terms of Australian businesses and individuals, but it must be pointed out that its initial growth was actually faster than that of Facebook.
As with Facebook, Google+ allows individuals and businesses to set up their own pages. A business can add their contact details, information about their products and services, photos and status updates.
The Changing World of Search
What is really interesting for local financial advisory businesses is the way that Google+ can affect the way that people find local businesses.
There was a time when success in the Google search results came down to content and links, but with the introduction of Google+ and Local, you need to do more.
Google is now incorporating more factors into search, and many of those come from Google+ and Local. If you don’t have a strong presence on Google+ you will be at a major disadvantage to your local competitors who have moved first.
Benefits for Advisers
By creating a Google+ profile and adding your Local profile, you can help to boost your rankings for anyone searching Google for your services in your local area.
Right now is a great time to get started, as a quick search today reveals that only a small handful of financial advisers in Australia are active on Google+.
As Google continues to put more weighting towards businesses that are active on Google+ when formulating the search results (which they are already doing) these advisers will have a huge advantage.
Getting Started
The first step is to simply setup a business profile page on Google+ as well as a Local listing. By adding as much information as possible Google is more likely to rank you higher in the Google+ search results.
It is also a great idea to link your business website to your Google+ profile, as this is said to help the ranking of your own website as well.
Compliance Issues
Unfortunately most dealer groups are still frightened by social media and what it means for compliance.Setting up a profile on Google+ won’t cause any issues, but if you plan to post updates or allow other people to post on your page, then you’ll need to check with your dealer group on their policies.If you can get past the technology and compliance issues, getting onto Google+ before your local competitors will give you a great head start as the advice industry continues to move into the online world.
About Shane Moore…Shane has been in the financial services industry for over a decade. After selling his own advisory firm he now owns a portfolio of financial services websites providing leads to financial advisers and insurance brokers. Follow Shane Moore on Google+.
12 July 2012
