How to rank your finance websites on Google by using SEO - a guide from personal experience

Intro

Hey, I'm Henrik Park, an SEO expert at Marketin.no, with extensive experience in the finance industry. I'm here today to share some insights and knowledge that we have gained from working with Norwegian finance startup sites. Both the do’s and the don’ts. Enjoy!

The challenge

It's no secret that the finance niche is one of the most competitive niches out there. With numerous established brands and countless new entrants jostling for position, it is an uphill battle for any new website to make headway in this niche. The reason why the competition is so high is that the stakes are enormous. In the finance niche, the margins are often high, and the potential rewards are significant. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your SEO strategy is on point and tailored to the needs of the finance industry.

The finance niche is incredibly diverse, covering a wide range of sub-niches, including credit cards, loans, insurance, investments, and many more. Each of these sub-niches has its own set of unique challenges, making it even harder for new websites to establish themselves. The competition in this niche is so high that even established players have to constantly adapt and refine their SEO strategies to maintain their positions.

One of the main challenges in the finance niche is trust. Consumers are understandably cautious when it comes to matters of finance, and they want to work with brands that they can trust. This means that your SEO strategy must focus on building trust and authority.

What my experience working with finance websites has taught me

I have worked with a range of finance websites, including Beste-kredittkort.no and Lånepenger.no. From these experiences, we have gained valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in the finance niche. One of the most important lessons we have learned is that SEO for finance websites is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each website has its unique set of challenges and opportunities, and it is essential to tailor your SEO strategy accordingly.

For example, when working with Beste-kredittkort.no and Lånepenger.no, we found that their audiences were vastly different. Beste-kredittkort.no caters to individuals looking for credit cards, while Lånepenger.no caters to those looking for loans. This meant that the SEO strategies for these two websites needed to be different, as the keywords, content, and link building strategies required for each were unique.

A lesson we have learned is the importance of staying on top of the latest SEO trends and updates. The SEO landscape is constantly changing, with search engines like Google continually updating their algorithms to provide better results for users. Therefore, it is crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and ensure that your SEO strategy is aligned with these changes. One example of this is the recent focus on user experience, which has become a significant ranking factor for search engines.

We have learned that SEO for finance websites requires a focus on value and trust. In the finance industry, consumers are looking for brands that they can trust and that provide value. Therefore, it is essential to create content that is authoritative, informative, and helpful.

The content must be tailored to your target audience's needs and provide them with solutions to their problems. Additionally, it is essential to focus on building trust with your audience by using secure and trustworthy payment gateways, having clear privacy policies, and providing transparent information about your products and services.

How to rank finance websites high on Google

With our vast experience working with finance websites, we have developed a guide that outlines the steps you need to take to rank your finance website high on Google. The guide is a step-by-step approach that is easy to follow and has been tested and proven to work. Our guide covers all finance niches, including financial planning, home financing, money management, and others, helping you rank high on Google regardless of your specific area in the industry.

First make sure your website is optimized for technical SEO

Optimizing your website for technical SEO is a critical step in improving your website's visibility and ranking on search engines. Technical SEO refers to the backend optimization of your website, which includes factors such as website structure, site speed, and mobile responsiveness, among others. Without proper technical SEO, it is challenging to rank your website high on search engines, and all other SEO efforts might be in vain.

One of the most effective ways to determine your website's technical SEO status is by using Ranktracker's website audit tool. This tool will analyze your website's technical SEO and provide you with a report of any issues that need to be addressed. The report will include information on areas such as website speed, mobile responsiveness, website structure, page load times, and many other important factors.

Find your keywords

After optimizing your website for technical SEO, the next step is to find the right keywords to target. Keywords are the terms that users type into search engines like Google when looking for information related to your website's topic or products. Targeting the right keywords is critical to the success of your SEO campaign as it determines whether or not your website appears in search results for those terms.

When it comes to finance websites, finding the right keywords is even more critical due to the highly competitive nature of the niche. You need to target keywords with high search volume and low competition to stand a chance of ranking high on Google. This is where Ranktracker's keyword research tool comes in handy.

Ranktracker's keyword research tool allows you to find the right keywords for your website by analyzing search volume, competition, and relevance. You can enter a seed keyword related to your website's topic or products, and the tool will generate a list of related keywords along with their search volume and competition level.

To find the best keywords for your finance website, you should look for keywords with high search volume and low competition. High search volume means that many users are searching for that term, while low competition means that there are not many websites targeting that keyword.

For example, if your website offers credit cards, you might start with a seed keyword like "best credit cards." The keyword research tool might then generate related keywords like "rewards credit cards," "travel credit cards," and "cashback credit cards." You can then analyze the search volume and competition level for each keyword and choose the ones that are most relevant to your website and have the best chance of ranking high on Google.

Finding the right keywords is a crucial step in any SEO campaign, especially for finance websites. By using Ranktracker's keyword research tool, you can identify keywords with high search volume and low competition, giving you the best chance of ranking high on Google and driving traffic to your website.

Write valuable and authoritative content based on the keywords you found

Once you have identified your keywords, the next step is to create valuable and authoritative content based on those keywords. However, it is essential to avoid keyword stuffing and keep the content natural. Google's algorithms are designed to identify keyword stuffing, and it can harm your rankings. Follow the rules below to stay in the clear!

Rules:

Use header tags:

Use header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize your content and make it easier for both users and search engines to understand the structure of your page.

Optimize meta tags:

Write compelling meta titles and descriptions that accurately describe your content and include your target keywords.

Write quality content:

Create high-quality, valuable, and engaging content that satisfies the user's search intent. Your content should be easy to read and provide actionable insights.

Optimize images and videos:

Optimize your images and videos by compressing them, using descriptive file names, and adding alt text that includes your target keywords.

Use internal linking:

Link to other relevant pages on your website using descriptive anchor text. This will help users and search engines navigate your website and understand the relationships between your pages.

Build high-quality backlinks:

Focus on building high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites in your niche. Avoid spammy and low-quality backlinks, as they can hurt your website's reputation and ranking.

Monitor and adjust:

Monitor your website's performance regularly and adjust your SEO strategy as needed. Stay up to date on the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates.

Find relevant websites that accept guest posting or paid placements.

Link building is an essential component of any successful SEO strategy. It is essential to find relevant websites that accept guest posting or paid placements. However, it is crucial to ensure that the websites you are linking from have actual authority. We recommend using Ranktracker's backlink checker to ensure that the websites you are linking from have actual authority. This will help you avoid any penalties from Google for low-quality backlinks.

Track and repeat

Track your progress using the rank tracker tool and stay updated on your results. The final step is to repeat the process with link building and content above several times. SEO is an ongoing process, and it requires patience and persistence. It may take some time before you start seeing results, but with the right approach, you will see your finance websites climb the rankings.

Now, your turn!

SEO for finance websites is a challenging but rewarding process. With the right approach and strategy, you can achieve great success in this niche. Remember to focus on technical SEO, keyword research, valuable content, and link building. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you will be well on your way to ranking your finance website high on Google. Good luck!