How local SEO can benefit financial services

Local search has developed into one of the most effective marketing avenues for financial services companies. Whether you are a lender that specialises in supporting SMEs, an accountancy company that has a specific geographic area to work with, or a consultancy that has several offices throughout the UK, being visible at the local level can have a direct impact on trust, traffic, and revenue.

This guide will discuss what local SEO is, why it’s particularly significant for the financial services industry, and how you can achieve a strong, compliant local SEO strategy for your business in the UK.

What local SEO means for financial services

Local SEO is the practice of optimising your online presence so that your business appears prominently in location-based searches. These include searches with explicit local intent such as “business loan broker Manchester” as well as implicit local searches where Google determines location automatically.

Relevance and trust

With financial services, the key to local SEO is to be relevant, authoritative, and trustworthy. Google considers financial content to be Your Money or Your Life (YMYL), which means they have a higher standard when it comes to ranking such content. Companies that have both local signals and expertise are far more likely to rank in valuable search results.

Google itself states that proximity, relevance and prominence are the three core factors used to rank local results, including the local map pack.

Why local search matters more than ever in the UK

UK search behaviour clearly demonstrates local intent. According to Google, insights into consumer behaviour reveal that searches containing the phrase "near me" are increasing consistently year on year, and in particular, financial and professional services are seeing sustained growth.

This is particularly relevant for financial services, where, in many cases, urgency is a key factor in decision-making. A business owner looking for invoice finance or short-term finance is unlikely to be looking around for several weeks. They are looking for a trusted provider they can talk to quickly.

Trust is a key factor in the UK SME market. According to the British Business Bank, smaller businesses tend to prefer working with financial service providers they perceive as accessible and accountable, who have a clear UK presence, rather than faceless national brands.

Local SEO and trust in YMYL industries

Financial services sit firmly within Google’s YMYL category, meaning poor-quality or misleading content can cause real harm. As a result, Google applies stricter evaluation criteria when ranking financial websites.

Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines make it clear that expertise, experience, authority and trust (E-E-A-T) are critical ranking considerations for financial content. Local SEO supports these signals in several ways:

A verified Google Business Profile demonstrates legitimacy and real-world presence.

Consistent local citations reinforce accuracy and reliability.

High-quality local reviews provide independent trust signals.

Location-specific content shows genuine expertise in serving defined markets.

For a deeper look at how YMYL affects financial SEO strategy, Finnus explores this in detail in its guide on why YMYL is important for financial content.

How Google Business Profile drives visibility and enquiries

For most financial firms, the Google Business Profile is the cornerstone of local SEO. It is often the first thing a potential client sees when searching for your brand or services.

According to Google, businesses that have a full and correct profile are much more likely to be considered reputable by users. A profile that includes hours of operation, services offered, images, etc., tends to perform much better than a simple listing.

For financial services, the “services” and “description” sections are particularly important. These allow firms to clearly define offerings such as commercial finance, asset finance, accountancy, or advisory services.

Google’s own data shows that a substantial proportion of actions taken on Business Profiles result in direct calls, website visits or direction requests.

Reviews as a ranking and conversion factor

Online reviews play a dual role in local SEO. They influence rankings and directly affect conversion rates.

BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey shows that a strong majority of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Financial services show particularly high sensitivity to review quality.

From a ranking perspective, Google has confirmed that review volume, velocity and sentiment all contribute to local visibility. From a commercial perspective, reviews reduce perceived risk.

Local content that actually ranks in finance

One of the most overlooked aspects of local SEO for financial services is content localisation done properly. This is not about swapping city names into generic landing pages.

High-performing local financial content typically includes:

Clear explanations of how national regulations apply locally

Insights into regional economic conditions or sector trends

Case studies featuring businesses in specific areas

Local terminology and references that demonstrate familiarity

The Office for National Statistics publishes granular regional economic data, including business demographics and sector performance. Referencing this type of data within localised content strengthens topical relevance and authority.

Citations, consistency and credibility

Citations are mentions of your business name, address and phone number across the web. For financial services, consistency here is critical.

Inconsistent citations can greatly impact trust signals, especially in an industry where accuracy is vital. Citations are an important factor for Google to rate the legitimacy of a business, and inconsistencies can have a negative impact on local search engine rankings.

Key citation sources for financial businesses in the UK include Companies House, FCA Register, professional directories, and business listings.

Multi-location firms and local SEO at scale

Many financial services companies are national players, serving their customers locally through offices or financial advisers. Local SEO can help this business model thrive by allowing each office to establish its own presence without diluting the authority of the brand as a whole.

Well-structured location pages, Business Profiles, and content can help companies rank for many different areas while still being centrally compliant.

This type of business model works particularly well for brokers, accountancy networks, and lenders.

Getting started with local SEO

Local SEO begins with accurate foundations. Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile, ensure citation consistency, and publish location-relevant content that demonstrates expertise and compliance.

For firms operating in regulated environments, this work must align with broader SEO best practice. Finnus explores this further in its guide to SEO for financial services.

If you want to improve visibility in local search while maintaining trust, authority and compliance, Finnus can help. Speak to our team to develop a local SEO strategy designed specifically for financial services firms operating across the UK.