As more and more people rely on their smartphones for everyday activities, local search has become increasingly important. In fact, according to Google, “near me” searches have increased by 500% over the past few years. Yet, many banks and mortgage lenders have failed to optimize their websites for these types of searches.
What Are “Near Me” Searches?
“Near me” searches are queries that include the phrase “near me” or “nearby” and are used to find local businesses or services. For example, if someone is looking for a bank in their area, they might search for “bank near me” or “banks nearby.
These types of searches are particularly important for banks and mortgage lenders, as people often want to find a local branch or loan officer to work with in person. However, many banks and lenders have not optimized their websites to appear in these types of search results.
Why Is Optimization Important?
Optimizing for “near me” searches can have a significant impact on a business’s visibility and ultimately, its bottom line. Local search results are often displayed at the top of the search engine results page (SERP), meaning that businesses that appear in these results are more likely to be clicked on.
Furthermore, Google and other search engines prioritize local results for users who have location services enabled on their mobile devices. This means that businesses that have not optimized for local search may be missing out on potential customers.
How Can Banks and Mortgage Lenders Optimize for “Near Me” Searches?
There are several steps that banks and mortgage lenders can take to optimize their websites for “near me” searches:
- Include location-specific keywords on your website, such as the name of your city or neighborhood.
- Create location-specific pages on your website, such as pages for each branch or loan officer location.
- Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing, which can help your business appear in local search results and on Google Maps.
- Encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing, which can improve your visibility in search results.
- Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly, as these are important factors in local search rankings.
Why Haven’t More Banks and Lenders Optimized for Local Search?
Despite the importance of local search, many banks and mortgage lenders have not yet optimized their websites for “near me” searches. There are several reasons for this:
- Lack of understanding: Some businesses may not fully understand the importance of local search or how to optimize for it.
- Lack of resources: Optimizing for local search can require time and resources that some businesses may not have.
- Assumption that customers will find them anyway: Some businesses may assume that customers will find them through other channels, such as referrals or traditional advertising.
The Bottom Line
Optimizing for “near me” searches is essential for banks and mortgage lenders that want to attract customers in their local area. By taking steps to optimize their websites and Google My Business listings, these businesses can improve their visibility in search results and ultimately, grow their customer base.
If you’re a bank or mortgage lender that hasn’t yet optimized your website for local search, now is the time to start. With more and more people relying on their smartphones for everyday activities, local search is only going to become more important in the years to come.