What are the key trends and strategies in Fintech SEO?

SEO in the fintech space comes with its own set of challenges. Unlike general SEO or SaaS-specific SEO, it operates within a high-stakes industry where accuracy, trust, and compliance are critical. Because finance is classified as a YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topic, Google applies stricter standards to content quality, authority, and trust.

The fintech buyer journey is also more complex. It typically involves multiple touchpoints and stakeholders, especially when targeting enterprise customers. In this landscape, SEO often plays a supporting role. It's less about direct lead generation and more about influencing the journey—particularly when integrated into broader strategies like ABM (Account-Based Marketing).

The effectiveness of SEO also varies by fintech type. For businesses targeting SMBs, SEO can be a crucial growth lever. But if your fintech company focuses solely on enterprise, SEO is more likely to build credibility than bring in immediate leads. This article explores how fintech brands can tailor their SEO efforts accordingly.

What are Key Strategies and Tactics in Fintech SEO?

1. Conversion Tracking Over Traffic

Traffic used to be the main success metric for SEO. Today, it's all about conversions. You should track how many users read your content and later fill out a form or complete a desired action. Tools like Google Analytics 4, Search Console, and HubSpot can help link content consumption to lead generation more effectively.

Read more: How to Measure the Impact of Content Marketing in a Fragmented SEO Landscape

2. Focus on Buying-Intent Keywords

Rather than chasing high-volume, generic terms, aim for high-intent, low-volume keywords—phrases that indicate a user is close to converting. Examples might include “open business bank account online” or “payment processing API.” These keywords may draw less traffic but tend to yield higher conversions.

3. Content Must Demonstrate Expertise

Because fintech falls under the YMYL umbrella, Google prioritizes content that demonstrates E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Make sure your content is either written by a subject matter expert or informed by expert interviews. Avoid overly simplistic articles for professional audiences—writing "What is payment processing?" for a Head of Payments won't cut it.

Why SEO Still Matters in Fintech

SEO supports both customer acquisition and brand awareness. For customer acquisition, it works best when your target audience already relies on Google to research solutions. If Google Ads performs well for your brand, SEO likely will too.

Even for enterprise fintech companies, SEO plays a vital role. It may not always lead to directly attributable leads, but it acts as a key trust-building touchpoint. For instance, if you're running an ABM campaign, prospects will likely Google your brand before engaging with sales. Ensuring you appear in those search results helps build credibility during the research phase.

The goal for enterprise SEO isn't to track direct lead generation. Instead, it's to measure SEO as one of many touchpoints in the buyer’s journey. While SEO alone may not bring in new enterprise leads, it significantly influences perception and decision-making.

Key Components of a Strong Fintech SEO Strategy

Technical SEO

This ensures your site is technically sound and crawlable. Focus areas include:

  • Site speed

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Security (HTTPS)

  • Indexing and crawlability

Unless your site has tens of thousands of pages, technical SEO is usually a smaller slice of the pie. An audit every six months is typically enough.

Content Marketing

SEO hinges on strong content. But in fintech, quality is even more critical. Your content should:

  • Reflect deep expertise

  • Match the knowledge level of your audience

  • Address real problems faced by your ICP (ideal customer profile)

Avoid generic explainers for high-level audiences.

Link Building

Links signal authority to Google. Without them, it’s harder to rank. Best practices include:

  • Publishing data-rich content like original reports or statistics

  • Guest posting on fintech-specific publications

  • Collaborating with analysts

  • Executing PR outreach campaigns

Keyword Strategy

Your keyword approach should cover three categories:

  • Informational (e.g., “what is PSD2?”)

  • Commercial or buying intent (e.g., “best SME accounting software”)

  • Branded (e.g., “[Your Brand] integrations”)

If conversions are your goal, prioritize buying-intent keywords.

Unique Challenges in Fintech SEO

SEO in fintech is tough, and here’s why:

  • Compliance: Legal reviews are often required before publishing content, especially when financial advice or claims are involved.

  • High Competition: In B2C, you’re often up against well-funded review sites or publishers with powerful SEO teams.

  • Trust and Accuracy: Google favors accurate, trustworthy content. Inaccuracies or poor-quality posts can damage both rankings and reputation.

Recommended SEO Tools for Fintech Teams

To execute your strategy effectively, consider using:

  • Ahrefs / SEMrush – for keyword research and competitive analysis

  • GA4 / Search Console – to measure traffic and performance

  • Looker Studio / BigQuery – for visualizing content-driven conversions

  • HubSpot / Salesforce – for tracking downstream conversion metrics

  • Clearscope – for optimizing content with semantic relevance

  • Hotjar – for monitoring how users engage with your pages

  • Screaming Frog – for in-depth technical audits

FAQs

What makes SEO different for fintech companies?

Fintech SEO is subject to higher regulatory scrutiny due to its classification as a YMYL industry. It also involves longer, more complex sales cycles—especially in enterprise contexts—so SEO acts more as a trust signal than a direct lead generator.

How do I know if SEO is right for my fintech company?

If your target audience includes SMBs or individuals actively searching for solutions online, SEO can be highly effective. For enterprise brands, SEO supports credibility and brand awareness rather than immediate lead generation.

What should fintech companies focus on when choosing keywords?

Focus on buying-intent and commercial keywords that closely align with your products or services. These may yield lower traffic but generate higher conversions.

Does SEO help with enterprise fintech sales?

Indirectly, yes. While SEO may not generate new leads by itself, it helps ensure your brand appears during research stages—making it a critical touchpoint in multi-stakeholder sales processes.

How often should we audit our fintech website for SEO?

For most fintech sites, a technical SEO audit every six months is sufficient unless there’s a major site overhaul or performance issue.