Host of The Insurance Dream Podcast, Abe Boling, recently invited Spencer Breidenbach, BrightFire Manager of Strategic Partnerships, onto the show to discuss common SEO mistakes that can negatively impact an insurance agency’s online performance.
Get a summary of the podcast episode below, or listen to the full podcast episode from The Insurance Dream here.
Podcast Episode Summary
In this episode of The Insurance Dream Podcast, Abe interviews Spencer from BrightFire to discuss common SEO mistakes that can negatively impact an insurance agency’s online performance. They detail the most frequent pitfalls—from neglecting keyword research to allowing a website to stagnate—and provide actionable solutions. Listeners will learn the significance of off-site SEO, the importance of headlines, the role of alt text for visuals, and how internal linking and well-written meta descriptions can boost visibility. This episode serves as a guide for both new and established independent agencies, helping them convert missed opportunities into measurable growth.
Key Points from the Podcast
Some things that can negatively impact an insurance agency’s online performance, include:
- Skipping Keyword Research
- Why this matters: In order to connect with consumers searching for insurance products, you need to use language that they use.
- The Fix: Determine how consumers are actually searching for insurance products. Use those common phrases instead of complex industry jargon used by underwriters.
- Tips:
- If you are managing SEO solo, utilize available online tools.
- Focus on ranking for a small, manageable number of keywords (e.g., no more than six) to avoid diluting your effort.
- Ignoring Offsite SEO
- Why this matters: Search engines recognize insurance as a local business category, so neglecting offsite SEO means missing out on “near me” and zip code searches.
- The Fix: Ensure your citations and local listings are consistent across the web (Name, Address, Phone number, Website). Update any old addresses immediately. Also, focus on cultivating a steady stream of customer reviews. An agency with more positive reviews is often favored.
- Letting Your Website Stagnate
- Why this matters: Site updates signal to search algorithms that your website is being maintained and your business is active.
- The Fix: Continuously update your site, rather than putting in a lot of effort at the start and then stopping.
- Not Using Attention-Grabbing Headlines
- Why this matters: A compelling headline is the first thing a user sees and is crucial for encouraging a click-through from a search result or social media post to your content.
- The Fix: Craft catchy headlines that are highly relevant to the content. This means creating quality, relevant titles, not “clickbait.”
- Improperly Using Alt-Text with Images
- The Fix: Write descriptive alt-text for every image.
- Dual Purpose: This text provides a brief, written explanation for ADA compliance (for users who cannot see the image), and it is also read by SEO crawlers to understand the image’s content.
- Neglecting Internal Linking
- Why this matters: The time a user spends on your site is a metric algorithms use to gauge website quality. This strategy encourages visitors to stay on your site longer, go deeper into your content, and maximize your existing content.
- The Fix: Link to related blog posts or pages within your content.
- Not Writing Keyword-Rich Meta Descriptions
- Why this matters: A meta description is a piece of code used by search engines to determine what the page is about. It often displays under the page title in search results.
- The Fix: Write a compelling description of your page’s content that includes target keywords.
- Tip: Keep the description concise, as only about 160 characters will display.
See What’s Possible
To see what BrightFire can do for your insurance agency, schedule a consultation with a Sales Advisor.