People’s search for information has changed dramatically. A decade ago, someone might have Googled “best financial advisor near me” and clicked through a few websites.
Today, more than 60% of searches end without a single click. This is because answers appear instantly on search results or within AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, tools now used by over 700 million people.
This shift means the old “traffic-driven” model of digital marketing is fading. In fact, traffic from AI tools is often more valuable, converting higher than traditional search traffic. These platforms don’t just provide answers; they guide users with next-step questions, making them powerful tools for business discovery.
Enter Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). AEO ensures your business appears in AI-powered answers, summaries, and recommendations, even without a click.
For financial advisors, this might sound intimidating, but it’s actually an opportunity. Learning how to optimize your site for AI search will help you stand out and gain trust more quickly.
What Are People Searching For & Why
In the past, when we searched for something on Google, we weren’t always given the answer immediately. Instead, we had to sift through pages of results to find what we needed. We made sure our meta title and meta description were optimized so our website showed up on the first page of search results.
Now, you’re being shown an AI overview. AI-powered search engines now provide direct, relevant answers instantly, often anticipating follow-up questions. If you want to read more, Google will list out where it was sourced from as well.
Two-thirds of Google searches do not result in a click because we get the information, and we leave.
The same concept works for ChatGPT. Nowadays, we just ask the AI tool for a specific query and it gives us a specific answer immediately. As a result, your content and websites that feature your content have a much better chance of being seen.
So why are people using AI tools to find advisors? And not just to find, but to compare them to one another?
How Americans Select & Hire Financial Advisors Today
Wealthtender recently studied how Americans select and hire financial advisors, and here are the key findings:
Our latest survey reveals a key insight: even when a prospect is referred to you, the process doesn’t stop there. Almost every referral interview involves at least one other advisor, often two or more.
On top of that, 83% of referred prospects search online for reviews. A referral is just one trusted opinion, but people want multiple perspectives before deciding.
This makes one thing clear: referrals are no longer just offline. To win a referral, you need to stand out online.
Prospects are searching by your name, not necessarily your firm. Google Reviews often only appear when your firm is searched. They might not show up when someone asks ChatGPT or Gemini about you, even though Google owns Gemini.
Think about it: if you were referred to a doctor or lawyer, would you search for their firm or personal name? Most people look up the individual, and financial advisors are no different.
Your personal brand matters. You need to show up and look great on Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, and beyond.
The good news? Whether you use Google or not, Wealthtender can help ensure you show up everywhere it matters.
AEO: How Big a Focus It Should Be
What is AEO? And when it comes to our marketing strategy, how much should we focus on AEO versus traditional approaches?
AEO, short for Answer Engine Optimization, is the new way of search. It focuses on optimizing your online presence to provide direct, accurate answers to user queries. In contrast to traditional SEO, AEO targets specific questions and conversational search patterns. You’ll be able to get your content seen in voice searches, AI-generated results, and other modern search tools.
When talking about AEO, there are two types we recently coined: Onsite AEO and Offsite AEO.
- Onsite AEO refers to your website that contains structured content, including reviews, FAQs, and other necessary information your clients want to know about you.
- Offsite AEO refers to pages featuring you that also have reviews, FAQs, and structured content.
If you have both online and offline AEO presence, the AI tool will know that it’s a frequently asked question, that it’s a review, and that’s what’s going to feed AI. As a financial advisor, this combination enhances your visibility, especially when your information is uploaded to both Wealthtender and FMG.
Remember: Google Reviews alone won’t suffice, since ChatGPT and Gemini tend to ignore them (which is crazy, considering Gemini is owned by Google!).
“AI loves reviews—it’s social proof. People will want to follow and lean on what others say or do. It’s sentiment signaling.” — Diana Cabrices
If you have reviews on more than one website, the likelihood of getting noticed is higher. And with FMG’s all-in-one marketing platform, long-form articles, Q&As, FAQs, and schema markups will better help search engines and AI understand your content.
As a result, you’ll be found faster and more trusted when prospects search online.
Conclusion
Standing out online requires more than a website. Financial advisors need a three-part AEO approach to visibility and trust.
First, get reviews. Collect client testimonials and make sure they’re visible in more than one place—your website, Google, and trusted directories like Wealthtender. Reviews act as social proof and help you win business over competitors.
Second, build your reputation. Publish thought leadership content, appear on podcasts, secure media mentions, and apply for industry awards. Recognition from credible third parties makes you more discoverable and trusted by both people and AI.
Third, format AI content with FMG. Focus on long-form articles, Q&A and FAQ pages, and add schema markups to your site. Clear, structured answers make it easier for AI (and prospects) to find and understand you.
Combining reviews, reputation, and AI-friendly content can help you position yourself as the advisor prospects and search engines choose every time.
