Promote Your Insurance Agency Website

Recently married, I was ready to combine my financials with my new wife’s. Her auto and homeowner policy were with a captive agent; someone whom she had been with since she was 16 years old and mine were with an out-of-sate agent. Working in the insurance industry for over 8 years (company side and now agency side) I had plenty of questions about her existing policy and was ready to combine our policies hoping to save some money. My actions are pretty typical for this turning point in my life.

My job working with independent agents and designing their websites I was ready to shop with an independent agent. I found a local agent and long story short I transferred all of our policies to them. Throughout this process, I thought to myself where did her old agent go wrong? Why did he loose our business? There are a couple key points where he easily could have made contact with us and possibly kept our business.

Each premium increase (A letter from the company does not count as a contact)

When I was added to her existing insurance policy (A great time to discuss insurance options)

When I called to ask about her existing policy prior to shopping for new insurance (I called her agent up to find out what her premium, expiration date and coverage A was)

Annual Reviews – She has yet to receive an annual review

What web resources could have used to save this account?

Annual Review Wizard – With the click of a button agents can send an Annual Review to a customer. No paper needed!
More Information on annual reviews http://demo2.cfluent.com/annual-insurance-reviews-tutorial

Simple Email – When I called her prior agent to request her policy information the agent could have easily got my email address and sent me an email. Even something as simple and quick as: “Thanks for calling us today, if you would like to review your insurance needs just let us know…”

Sorry we lost your business form – We’re sorry to have lost you as a customer, and would like to learn if there are improvements we can make that will help us not to lose excellent customers like you in the future. Please take a few moments to answer the five questions below, or feel free to call or email me with comments or questions, my contact information is below. Try out the form.

Our friends over at SEOmoz posted a great video today on how to get “Awesome Links” on your website. These awesome links are the same type of links that we talk about here for Insurance Agencies.  I think the most “Awesome” links an Insurance Agent can get on their web site are links from their insurance companies they represent. They also mention getting links from Yahoo Local (Create a directory) and from the Librarians’ Internet Index.

Their Video:
SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday – How to Get Awesome Links from Scott Willoughby on Vimeo.

Over the last couple of weeks we have discussed more traditional types of search engines;
Google, Yahoo & MSN Live. This week we are going to talk about a not so traditional buy still very powerful online directory called DMOZ.

DMOZ (Owned by Netscape which is owned by AOL) is more of an online directory than a search engine. DMOZ is indexed by real people and not computer robots. Making the search results much more reliable.

The Open Directory Project is the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors. Source.

DMOZ has its benefits and it has its disadvantages. Since each site is reviewed by an editor (living, breathing human being) the quality of the search index is better than any other search engine.

The biggest disadvantage that I have noticed is it takes a long time (anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of months) to get a site added to their search index and sometimes your site submissions will be rejected for no apparent reason. I have also seen sites rejected due to poor website layout or invalid categorization.

Nonetheless, DMOZ can be a powerful search tool that separates your insurance agency website from the competition.

Have your insurance web site added to: http://www.dmoz.org/add.html

Just like Google and Yahoo, Microsoft has a live search where you can go and claim your business and enter in your own information.

To claim your business through Microsoft’s Live Search go to: http://maps.live.com/localsearch/YPDefault.aspx

Enter (search for) your insurance agency name and city.

Once you find your insurance agency name in the search results: (If you are unable to locate your insurance agency web site in the search results than you will need to submit your domain to MSN Live Search first.)

Select your agency from the list. (While you are there be sure to give yourself 5 stars!)

On the bottom right of the page under the map there is a link that reads: “Business owners edit listing” (The link may also read: “Change your business listing”)

Select that link and follow the instructions to update your information.

See also:

Google Local Search
Yahoo Local Search

Next week: DMOZ

Much like Google Local, Yahoo also has a very impressive and important local search. Signing up for Yahoo Local search is simple.

Go to: http://listings.local.yahoo.com/csubmit/index.php and complete the necessary information. It is important to complete the information to the best of your ability, use descriptive words that include your location or a major metropolitan area near your agency.

See also:

Google Local Search
Local Search – MSN (Live.com)

Next week: MSN Live local search

When it comes to search engines local search should be a top priority for your insurance agency website. Integrated with Google Maps and normal Google Search; Google local search does an excellent job displaying local companies. The best part about local listings is that it is free!

Doing a Google search for the key words: “insurance, Jacksonville” I am able to see a handful of insurance agencies listed next to a map above the normal search area. This is prime real estate for your insurance agency website.

How do you get your agency listed on the top?

Well that question is really only known by Google, but there are some things that you can do to help get noticed.

Own your business

Well, you may already own it, but let Google know that you do.

http://www.google.com/local/add/lookup?hl=en-US&gl=US

The above link allows you to enter information about your business. To make it even better, Google goes an extra step and will either call you or send you a postcard in the mail to verify that you are who you say you are. Once you have verified your business; Google allows you to enter hours of business, photos and more detailed information.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for importance, I would rate this as an 11. A must for every insurance agency.

See also:

Local Search – MSN (Live.com)
Yahoo Local Search

Next week: Yahoo local search