Optimizing Website Structure, Content, and Credibility Indicators
Read Time
15 minutes
Designed To
Get Found, Sell More
SEO for insurance agency websites can be easy.
It’s no surprise that most of us visit Google to find what we need. The same is true for your prospects, clients, and referral partners. So, if you’re like most insurance agencies, you want to show up when people are searching for insurance!
This article covers what search engine optimization (SEO) is, how it works, and what you can do to improve your chances of showing up higher in the search results.
The table of contents.
Here’s what we’ll cover throughout this resource on SEO for insurance agency websites.
Search engines 101.
In the United States, the three most popular search engines are Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Google leads the pack by a tremendous margin, with over 90% of searches. As a result, most SEO efforts tend to be focused on Google’s standards and suggestions for improving website rankings. But, if you’re doing well on Google, you’re likely doing well on the other search engines, too.
Creating a consistent SEO strategy.
Broadly speaking, SEO is the ongoing and consistent practice of doing things to improve where your website shows up in the search results. Google, for example, uses more than 200 factors to calculate its search rankings! Some are directly related to your website, but many are not.
Great SEO takes strategy and consistency.
Great SEO takes strategy and consistency.
It’s also important to realize that SEO does not have an on/off switch and it doesn’t happen overnight. The truth is that effective SEO takes consistency and patience.
Think of SEO as going to the gym. It doesn’t matter how hard you work out that first day, you’re not going to lose weight or get fit by the end of the session. But if you keep going and keep putting in the effort, eventually, the hard work will pay off. Set your expectations accordingly, and don’t give up too soon. SEO experts say it can take anywhere from six to twelve months to see positive results.
SEO takes time to build. Expect 6-12 months.
SEO takes time to build. Expect 6-12 months.
But here’s the good news. Most insurance agencies aren’t doing much in terms of proactive SEO, and that likely includes your competitors. So there’s your opportunity!
Also, some areas are more difficult to attract through search than others, depending on how many other agencies are vying for business. For example, if your target audience is spread across the country or in a large geographic area, it’s tougher. There’s more competition and Google will likely reward local insurance agencies over yours.
Establishing a unique niche for your agency is key, such as a specific service or coverage you focus on, the region you serve, or what sets your business apart.
SEO may or may not be an important part of your agency’s success.
Key SEO concepts.
Here are some important aspects of SEO to be aware of when it comes to your insurance agency and how you can increase results.
5-star agency reviews.
Consistently getting 5-star reviews on Google and other review sites shows Google and prospects that your insurance agency is credible and trustworthy. Our Reputation Management Add-On for Forge websites includes a proven form and process to help your agency collect 5-star reviews.
Ongoing SEO review and adjustments.
Just like everything else, SEO is always changing. We stay up-to-date on the latest trends and guidelines and regularly make adjustments to Forge. Here are some aspects of SEO to keep in mind and stay ahead of the curve.
Local SEO enhancements.
Insurance agencies are in a prime market to capitalize on local SEO. As local agencies that serve a specific region, you can reach more people by having your business information up-to-date and consistent across directory listings and your website. Forge’s Local Listings Add-On takes care of this for you.
Optimization for mobile searches.
More and more searches are conducted on mobile devices. Google and other search engines realize this and prioritize local results above others. And if you think about it, that makes sense. If someone is searching for insurance agencies, Google will show them businesses nearby. It’s important to let Google know where you’re located and that you’re a trusted, credible source of information.
Embracing generative search.
As search technology evolves, generative search is becoming a pivotal aspect of how users find information online. This advanced search capability leverages AI to generate more personalized and context-aware search results, offering users a richer and more intuitive search experience. For insurance agencies, embracing generative search means optimizing your content to align with these AI-driven algorithms. Focus on creating high-quality, comprehensive content that addresses questions that people might be asking about insurance, and be sure to provide valuable insights. By doing so, you can position your agency as a trusted source of information, enhancing visibility in these AI-generated search results.
Establishing SEO foundations.
Having the right foundation set for your website is important when it comes to SEO. Here are the key SEO elements that your website should have in place, regardless of who manages your website. Be sure to check with your website provider to see if these are covered.
By the way, our Forge insurance website platform is built from the ground up using Google’s best practices for SEO and includes everything we’re going to cover below. If you’re using Forge or are considering an upgrade, you’ll have powerful, fundamental SEO features and tools built into the system and will be hard at work without you needing to do a thing.
SEO-focused content.
Content, in general, is the cornerstone of SEO. Each page of your website should be using keywords, properly formatted titles, and code structure that Google is looking for and relates to your business. Your website pages should be strategically connected to one another via the menus, buttons, and links within the content.
Breadcrumbs.
Website breadcrumbs help site visitors know where they are on your site. Typically, they’ll look like this: Home > Personal Insurance > Home Insurance. Google loves them because they make site navigation clearer. When they appear in search results, users are more likely to click on that result.
Location-specific page titles and descriptions.
As mentioned above, Google and other search engines tend to prioritize local businesses. That’s why you should customize the titles and descriptions throughout your website so that Google knows where you and your target audience are located.
Location pages with schema.
Your website should include a page for each of your physical office locations and those pages need to have local business schema added. Schema is special text hidden within the code and it tells Google and other search engines exactly where your insurance agency is located, further helping SEO for local searches.
Code structure optimization.
The underlying HTML, CSS, and other code should all be created with SEO in mind. The goal is high quality and efficiency, giving the visitor a better website experience.
Image compression and optimization.
Google and other search engines like websites that load fast. That’s why your website needs to use images that are compressed and optimized across your site to cut down on loading times to instantly engage visitors as they browse the website.
Redirects from old website pages.
When launching a new website or if you are auditing your current website, you should redirect any old pages from your previous website so that Google knows where to find the new content. This is a best practice to ensure there are no 404 errors on your website, which can harm your SEO rankings.
XML sitemaps.
Sitemaps act as an index or table of contents of all the pages on your website. This helps search engines find and index (crawl) all of your content. Make sure that your website has an XML sitemap in place.
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).
Created by Google, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP pages) can greatly improve mobile website speed. Because Google prioritizes the mobile experience over desktop, AMP can boost SEO results. However, AMP disables some features and functionality, so it may not be suitable for every agency.
Mobile optimization.
With Google now using mobile-first indexing, it’s crucial to ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices. This means focusing on responsive design, fast loading times, and easy navigation to enhance the mobile user experience and improve your search rankings.
Security and HTTPS.
Ensure your website uses HTTPS to secure data and build trust with users. This not only protects your site but also positively impacts your search rankings, as Google considers HTTPS a ranking factor.
Proactive SEO strategies.
Generally speaking, there are three buckets to consider when thinking about proactive SEO for your insurance agency.
- Site structure and core content.
- Ongoing location-based content.
- Credibility indicators such as reviews, backlinks, social media activity, domain name registration length, years in business, and others.
Next steps with SEO: Structure, Content, Credibility.
Let’s take a look at each of these now.
Site structure and core content.
As mentioned, having the SEO foundations in place gives you a great jumpstart on both site structure and core content. Most agencies stop there and do quite well.
However, if you want to take your SEO even further, begin with the content you already have on your website and expand with blogs.
Remember, there’s more to your website than SEO. Equally important is how the website reflects your agency once prospects, clients, and referral partners get to it.
Today, insurance agency websites need to look great and offer useful content and other sales tools and features for prospects to get comfortable with your agency.
And, don’t forget about your existing clients. Offering online forms, live chat, and a Client Service Center help differentiate the agency and wow people in the process. All of this is part of the bigger picture, alongside SEO.
You’re the insurance expert, so it’s best to write the content yourself. Using Agency Revolution’s FirstDraft and AI tools make it easier than ever.
Ongoing location-based content.
Adding new content to your website is another important part of SEO for a number of reasons. The more information you have on a subject, the more likely you are to be viewed as an expert. Not only that, but adding content keeps the search engine indexing mechanisms coming back to your site, and maintaining relevance helps your site rank better.
Blog and Content Updates
Regularly updating your website content keeps it relevant and engaging, which can improve your search rankings. Consider posting blog articles on subjects that incorporate content using focus keywords and your service area.
On our Forge website platform, you can unlock the power of AI to elevate your agency’s online presence with our new SEO description generator for blogs. Our smart AI tool analyzes your content to create optimized descriptions that capture the essence of your posts, ensuring they stand out in search results.
Video Content
Incorporating video content into your SEO strategy can boost engagement and dwell time on your site. Videos are a powerful way to convey information and can enhance your visibility in search results.
Credibility indicators such as reviews, backlinks, social media activity, domain name registration length, years in business, and others.
Increasing your credibility is another important step to better SEO. The more you can prove yourself as the expert and show that others agree, the better. While some aspects are out of your control, there are many you have influence over.
- Increasing your credibility is another important step to better SEO. The more you can prove yourself as an expert and show that others agree, the better. While some aspects are out of your control, there are many you can.
- Having 5-star reviews is an easy way to let Google and everyone else know that you’re an expert in your field. Once you set up your insurance agency on Google My Business, you’re ready to go. If you need some statistics for an incentive, having a Google Business Profile listing accounts for 25% of your local SEO rankings. If you have 5-star reviews, increase that by another 15%. Forge’s Reputation Management Add-On comes equipped with a form to help you collect those reviews and a proven method to help you solicit them and get more 5-star reviews!
- Backlinks are links found on other websites that connect back to yours. They let people (and Google!) know that you are trustworthy, knowledgeable, and credible. As with just about everything else when it comes to SEO, there’s a strategy here, and having a bunch of random sites link to you is not it. If you specialize in home insurance, for example, consider asking a realtor you’re connected with to link to your site. If you specialize in restaurants, reach out to a local restaurant association’s website. Any time your agency participates in community events, see if you can get links to your agency included in their materials. You may also be able to write blog articles that can be posted on other websites (these are called guest posts). Just make sure they link back to your agency’s website.
- Social media is another credibility builder. Not only do some platforms have tools for recommendations, but they also offer you the opportunity to put what you know into the world. Publishing articles on LinkedIn or sharing your blogs on Facebook can widen your audience and indicate to Google that you’re an active business. Showing the human side of your agency, like behind-the-scenes photos of your team, gives clients and prospects a look at what your agency is all about. While social media activity isn’t a direct ranking factor, it can indirectly influence SEO. Sharing content on social platforms increases visibility and engagement, which can drive more traffic to your site. Our Social Media Add-On can help you keep up.
- Other factors that can affect your website’s SEO performance include your domain name, the length of time the domain’s been active, the number of years in business, the volume of competition in the area, and other factors. If your site is brand new, it may take some time to rank, and changing your domain name or website could also adversely affect SEO. When it’s time to renew your domain registration, consider renewing it for as long as possible, as this gives the indication you plan to stick around. While you can’t do much about how much competition is out there, you can take advantage of the fact that many other agencies aren’t focused on SEO and don’t have a website built to address basic SEO concepts.
Make sure your Google My Business page is set up and up to date!
Monitor SEO performance and adjust.
Determining where your website shows up in the search rankings is a little tricky. Remember, the search results are impacted by your location, device, browsing habits, paid ads, and a bunch of other factors. So, you can’t just type “home insurance” into the Google search box to know where you’ll show up when others are searching for you. It’s dynamic and always changing.
Instead, if you’re looking for more detail, Google Analytics is the place to go. Look at organic traffic trends and any increases or decreases over time. Keep in mind that good, sustainable SEO does require patience, however.
Look at organic traffic trends and any increases or decreases over time. Keep in mind that good, sustainable SEO does require patience, however.
Insurance agency SEO takes work and patience.
While SEO may seem complex and complicated, it doesn’t have to be. Google simply wants to show the best search results. Although it looks at more than 200 factors, not all of them are within your control, and some are just less important than others. The key is working on the factors that matter most. It does take a little work, consistency, and patience, but the payoff can be worth it.
If you’re using our Forge website platform, you already have a lot of powerful, fundamental SEO features and tools built in. For most agencies, that’s enough. But if you’re serious about SEO, follow the suggestions above, and you’ll be well on your way to search dominance.
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