Sixty-nine percent of prospects start their insurance search online, which is why it’s so important you make sure your insurance agency comes up at the top of local search results. And once a prospect is on your website, make a positive first impression by having a beautiful, clean site that’s unique and easy to navigate. Your website should help you sell more policies and improve your workflows. Here are 10 things to check to help your insurance agency stand out online.
1. Check your local search ranking
People searching for insurance online will rarely click beyond the first page of Google’s search results. One of the best ways to improve your SEO (search engine optimization) is by collecting 1-2 quality reviews consistently each month. If you collect too many at once, it can look like you’re paying for reviews which is against Google’s terms of use. Google may penalize your agency in the search rankings as a result.
2. Make sure your business information is accurate and consistent
Every few months, check the sites where your business is listed to make sure all the information is correct. You don’t want someone to find you on Bing and request a quote from an email that’s no longer active. Having your listings consistent across the internet is another way to climb your local search rankings. There are several resources that can help you find where your agency is listed online and flag inconsistencies.
3. Provide several ways for website visitors to get in touch
There are many options for insurance out there—so if it’s difficult for a prospect to get in touch with you, they’ll likely choose a different agency over yours. Make it easy for people to get in touch in a way they prefer by having your contact information clearly listed on Google and on your website. Provide web chat options on your website, Google and Facebook so people can reach out and get answers in real time. Add a form for prospects to fill out to get a quick quote or prepare for their renewal discussion.
4. Use forms to collect information
It’s time-consuming to follow up with customers and prospects to get the information you need. Instead of playing phone or email tag, give people a clear way to provide all the information you need directly on your website. Create simple questionnaires for renewals so you can easily compare options and offer additional coverage to clients who need it. Collect all the information you need from prospects via a custom form to provide them with an accurate quote quickly.
5. Follow up in a timely fashion
As an insurance agent, you could use a few more hours in your day. Don’t let a warm lead slip through the cracks because you didn’t have time to reach out. Have a system in place where once you have the information you need, you can send prospects or clients an email or a text right away with the information they need.
6. Automate what you can
Proactively reaching out to clients and prospects eats up a lot of time. Your website should help you automate prospecting, renewals and cross-sell campaigns. If someone requests a homeowners quote, for example, you should have a way to automatically follow up with them via text or email for the next couple of weeks to see if they’ve reviewed it. Make sure your website and your CRM work together to automate as many of your workflows as possible.
7. Avoid using generic content on your website
Many insurance websites look the same and have the same generic copy. Stand out from your competitors with unique content and a website design that matches your agency’s brand. Your site can still be functional without getting lost in the slew of boring insurance websites. Having unique content will also help you improve your SEO.
8. Tailor the experience
While a client or prospect is on your website, you want to display information that’s relevant to them. Create custom landing pages based on how they answer questions on your website or which pages they click on. Keep them engaged with interesting, relevant content.
9. Start a blog
Showcase your expertise by starting a blog on your website. It may feel like this will take up more time than it’s worth, but you already answer questions from clients and prospects daily. Instead of typing out the same response to each person, turn your answers to common questions into a blog you can link to in emails or texts. Not only will this save you time, but it will also impress people visiting your website. Hosting unique content, such as blog posts, on your website improves SEO and increases the likelihood prospects will find you online.
10. Highlight what your customers are saying
People visiting your website want to hear from your existing customers. Post glowing client testimonials directly on your website. Customers will feel special when they see their name on your website, which helps with retention. And prospects will feel good about choosing you as their agent after seeing positive feedback from others.