Boost Your Credit Union’s Online Visibility: SEO Strategies for Success

In today’s connected world, a robust online presence is crucial for any business, including credit unions. There is a perception that still permeates the general public that with a credit union you give up some ground on the tech stack in favor of better rates, etc. Which is why I believe CU’s still spend so much of their resources promoting table stakes items like mobile apps, mobile deposits, etc. It’s (been) time for CUs to step away from that and take steps forward to be more competitive in today’s banking environment. Credit unions not only have to compete with local and national financial institutions, but, also with pure digital FIs that use tech heavily in their favor to make banking easier. There are so many things CUs can/need to do to be competitive, but, I’m going to focus on search engine optimization (SEO).

CU’s that invest in content development will help themselves in the longterm through higher visibility, increased organic traffic and membership growth. With AI, this process changes and the pace of evolution is quite rapid. Yet, content remains at the core of SEO and AEO.

Why Is SEO Important for Credit Unions?

SEO is the process of optimizing your website and online content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This is important because the higher your website ranks, the more visible it is to potential members. According to a study by the Credit Union National Association, 81% of consumers research financial products and services online before making a decision. This means that if your credit union is not ranking well in search results, you could miss out on potential members.

• Increased website traffic: one of the main benefits of SEO is increased website traffic. By optimizing your website for relevant keywords and improving your search engine ranking, you can attract more visitors to your site. This can lead to more potential members learning about your credit union and potentially joining.
• Targeted Marketing: SEO allows you to target specific keywords and phrases that are relevant to your credit union and the services you offer. This means that when someone searches for those keywords, your website is more likely to appear in the search results. This targeted marketing can help attract potential members who are actively searching for financial services.
• Cost-Effective Marketing: Compared to traditional marketing methods, SEO is a cost-effective way to reach potential members. With SEO, you are not paying for ad space or clicks, but rather optimizing your website to appear in organic search results. This can save your credit union money while still reaching a targeted audience.

SEO Strategy for Credit Unions

Developing a comprehensive SEO strategy is key to longterm growth and success. Do all the necessary research, plan your path forward and it’ll be easier to get buy-in from the marketing team to invest in this process.

Keyword Research

The first step in any SEO strategy is keyword research. This involves identifying the keywords and phrases that your potential members are searching for. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to research relevant keywords and their search volume.

When conducting keyword research, keep the following in mind:

• The phrases you and your colleagues use to describe financial products and services may be different than what the general public may use. Analyze queries from sources like Google Search Console to identify what people are searching for. If you have site search set up on your GA4 property, use that to understand what people are searching for on your site.
• Target high-volume keywords that are higher up the funnel, as well as long-tail keywords that tend to live in the lower funnel. Higher volume keywords may be more competitive, but with a proper SEO strategy, you will find yourself pulling in more traffic. Long-tail keywords will have less volume, but should convert at a higher rate. Identify those phrases and build strong content to lock them up.
• Build a map of your site’s content and identify the current keyword focus of those pages. You’ll find areas where your keyword focus is strong and has ample content to support that focus. You’ll also find areas where focus isn’t strong, content is thin, and you’ll have something to work toward improving.

Optimize Your Website

The CU’s website needs to be as search engine friendly as possible. That means, code, architecture, content, etc. all need to be spot on. We’ve seen various CMS’ used by credit unions with varying degrees of success. Whichever platform you’re on, work with your IT team to get it in proper shape. Some basic things to address:

• Improve page load times
• Page titles
• Page URLs
• Navigation scheme
• Internal navigation scheme
• ALT tags

Create Quality Content

In addition to optimizing your website, creating quality content is crucial for SEO success. This includes blog posts, articles, and other resources that are relevant to your credit union and its services. By regularly publishing high-quality content, you create more opportunities to be found and potentially rank higher for target keywords.

Utilize Local SEO

As a credit union, your target audience is likely local, and this is where local SEO comes into play. Local SEO involves optimizing your website and online presence for local searches. This can include creating a Google My Business listing, ensuring your NAP (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all online platforms, and getting listed in local directories.

Utilize Social Media

Social media can also play a role in your credit union’s SEO strategy. By regularly posting and engaging with your followers on social media, you can drive more traffic to your website and improve your online visibility. Additionally, having a strong social media presence can also help with brand awareness and credibility.

Measuring Your SEO Success

It’s important to regularly track and measure the success of your SEO efforts. This can help you identify what is working and what may need to be adjusted. Some key metrics to track include website traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates.

• Google Analytics 4: GA4 is a free tool that can provide valuable insights into your website’s traffic and performance. By regularly reviewing your website’s analytics, you can see which pages are performing well and which may need improvement.
• Keyword Ranking Tools: there are also various tools available to track your keyword rankings. These tools can show you where your website ranks for specific keywords and how those rankings have changed over time. This can help you identify which keywords are driving the most traffic to your website and which may need more attention.

Backlinks

Quantity is not the name of the game here. Quality is supreme. Focus on getting high-quality backlinks (links pointing to your site from other sites) to improve your SEO. Some ideas on getting backlinks:

• Your local Chamber of Commerce (if you’re a member)
• Links on your SEG partners’ websites
• Charities that your CU contributes to
• Events your CU sponsors
• Social media posts

To put a wrapper on this, SEO is a very valuable initiative for credit unions to engage. Whether you do it in-house or get outside help, make sure you do it properly to get maximum benefit.