Get ready now for the online ‘ISA' search rush

With preparations under way for this year's ISA season, unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website, reveals there was an increase of over 120% in the number of online search engine enquiries for ‘ISAs' during last year's ISA season between February and March.

These stats reveal it is not just the finance sector which is preparing for ISA season, but so are consumers as last year saw a huge spike in online search engine enquiries for ‘ISAs' - increasing from over 673,000 searches in February to a high of over 1,500,000 in March.  This fell slightly to 1,220,000 searches in April before it returned to its standard search volumes of around 673,000 in May 2010.

With the start of this year's ISA season almost upon us, IFAs need to ensure they capitalise on this year's increase of consumer online search engine enquiries, by optimising their website accordingly.  Being specific on the type of advice they offer and what areas of expertise they have and using relevant keywords on their website can go along way to meet search engine demand.

Karen Barrett, Chief Executive of unbiased.co.uk comments: "Advisers are gearing themselves up for the start of ISA season which is traditionally the busiest time in the personal finance calendar. 

"In order to prepare for this years' spike in consumers searching online for ISA's, IFAs should ensure they list all of the product areas they specialise in on their website - and go as far as listing specific terms such as ISAs, and not just ,generic terms such as investment or tax.  They could also further optimise their website for this forthcoming ‘ISA' online traffic by adding a glossary of terminology or a blog explaining what the options are when investing through an ISA."

IFAs wishing to improve their touch points with consumers should ensure they list up to date details on their unbiased.co.uk profile.  By signing up to unbiased.co.uk's enhanced advertising package, IFAs benefit from an enhanced listing on the ‘find an IFA' consumer search with email and website enabled links, access to both the Professional Connections and ‘Bluebook' media IFA services, and now also a profile on the iPhone ‘find an IFA' application.