Mediarun Search Marketing News

Google tries to drum up IFA search engine optimisation business

June 21st 2010

Search Engine Optimisation News

Google is hardly short of money, but with its search engine marketing business built on millions of micropayments, it is vitally important that it continues to expand its market base. Which is why the search engine giant has been highlighting the potentially lucrative business opportunity independent financial advisers are missing by not developing a strong search engine optimisation strategy.

According to Google, more than 50,000 searches were made for the term IFA in the first quarter of 2010, but many IFA's were failing to ensure that website optimisation and search engine optimisation were part of their overall marketing programme.

As a result the search engine specialist is launching free training and support to IFAs in the UK to ensure they make the most of their online presence.

Ian Morgan, head of finance at Google UK, said: "This market represents a real opportunity for financial planners online because queries in this sector have grown strongly over the last few years - yet the lack of advertising by IFAs to this market means that they are missing out on valuable leads.

"We want to offer more support to IFAs looking to grow their business through effective use of search marketing."

Speaking to the Financial Times Adviser, one IFA, Tina Weeks of Serenity Financial Planning, said it was astonishing that firms could manage to stay afloat without have a search engine optimisation strategy in place.

"It's now an essential part of our lives and the lives of our clients, so it's vital that we keep on top of all the different ways that it can be used and build value in our business while adding value to clients," she told the news provider.

And if it is their company's bottom line that IFAs are concerned about, they might be reassured that search engine optimisation has been dubbed the most cost effective marketing strategy by technology giant LG.

The firm claimed it is investing heavily in the medium to boost its global branding perception amongst consumers.

If on the other hand it is a lack of understanding that is preventing IFAs from taking advantage of search engine marketing, then appointing a dedicated SEO agency could be the best option.

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