To increase your visibility in search engines and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, here’s an easy-to-follow task list organized by priority and strategic category:
PHASE 1: FOUNDATION – Google Indexing & Site Readiness
1. Ensure Google Can Crawl and Index Your Site
- Verify your site is not blocked by
robots.txt
or meta tags (noindex
) - Submit your sitemap.xml to Google Search Console
- Check for crawl errors or warnings in Search Console
2. Set Up Analytics & Webmaster Tools
- Set up Google Analytics 4
- Connect Google Search Console to monitor search performance
- Link GA4 and Search Console for full insights
3. Create & Submit a Business Profile
- Create a Google Business Profile
- Add high-quality business info: address, phone, hours, photos
- Add your business to Bing Places and Apple Business Connect
PHASE 2: ON-PAGE SEO
4. Optimize Website Content
- Make sure your homepage has the your full company name and location in:
<title>
tag<meta description>
<h1>
tag- First paragraph
- Add pages for each service (e.g., Investment Planning, Retirement, Tax Strategy)
- Include your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) in the site footer
- Add a FAQ page with rich keyword phrases (e.g., “How to choose a financial advisor in Emeryville”)
5. Optimize Technical SEO
- Use HTTPS (SSL)
- Ensure mobile responsiveness
- Improve page load speed
- Add alt text for all images
- Add structured data (schema.org) for:
- Local business
- Services
- Reviews (if available)
PHASE 3: OFF-PAGE SEO & BACKLINKS
6. Local Citations and Directory Listings
- Submit your business to:
- Yelp
- Yellow Pages
- Better Business Bureau
- Wealth management directories like SmartAsset, WiserAdvisor, etc.
7. Build High-Quality Backlinks
- Get listed in your local Chamber of Commerce
- Reach out to financial blogs or podcasts for interviews
- Guest post on personal finance blogs or write articles for Medium/LinkedIn
PHASE 4: CONTENT FOR SEO & LLMs
8. Publish High-Quality Content Regularly
- Create a blog with articles like:
- “How to plan for retirement in the Bay Area”
- “Top 5 tax strategies for small business owners in Emeryville”
- Include your name, city, services in each post for local relevance
- Use FAQs and headings with natural language phrasing for LLMs
9. Optimize for Featured Snippets
- Use bullet lists, tables, and direct answers in blog posts
- Structure FAQs using FAQ Schema
10. Create a Media Kit or About Page for LLMs
- Add bios of key team members with professional credentials
- Explain your values, process, and approach to wealth management
- Mention you’re based in Emeryville, California
PHASE 5: MONITORING & GROWTH
11. Track Rankings and Visibility
- Use free tools like Ubersuggest or Google Search Console to monitor rankings
- Check that a search for your company name shows your site
12. Encourage Reviews
- Ask satisfied clients for reviews on:
- Google Business Profile
- Yelp
PHASE 6: VISIBILITY IN LLMs (Like ChatGPT, Bing Copilot)
13. Get Mentioned in Reputable Sources
- Publish press releases about your launch via services like PRWeb or EIN Presswire
- Create or update your LinkedIn page for your business
- Create a Wikipedia page if your business meets notability standards
- Register your business with data aggregators like Data Axle, Factual, Yext
14. Be Transparent and Authoritative
- Use schema to denote person (advisor) profiles, certifications (e.g. CFP, CPA)
- Publish content that directly answers financial questions — these are more likely to be quoted by AI tools
Summary: Top 5 To-Do This Week
- Verify and submit your website in Google Search Console
- Create and verify your Google Business Profile
- Add your company name and location to your homepage title, H1, and meta
- Publish one blog post targeting a local financial topic
- List your business in 5 local and financial directories