Tactical Plan for Increasing Inbound Calls to an Insurance Agency Using Google Business Listings and SEO

Increasing inbound calls is vital for any insurance agency looking to grow its client base.

By optimizing your Google Business Profile and implementing effective local SEO strategies, you can make your agency more visible to potential clients and boost the number of inquiries. Below is a tactical plan that outlines practical steps you can take to enhance your online presence and generate more inbound calls from prospective customers actively searching for insurance services.

Optimize Google Business Profile (GBP)

This is still low handing fruit in so many local markets, it’s hard to believe agency owners aren’t all over this!

A well-optimized Google Business Profile is essential for driving inbound calls, as it makes your agency more visible in local search results.

Complete Profile Information:

Ensure all business details, such as name, address, phone number (NAP), and hours of operation, are accurate and consistent across the web.
Add specific services your agency provides (e.g., Medicare, final expense insurance, health insurance).
Write a compelling business description using relevant keywords (discussed in SEO section) and showcase your unique selling points (USP).

Add Call to Action (CTA):

Include a CTA in the description and posts like “Call Now for a Free Consultation” to encourage users to take immediate action.

Enable the “Call” Feature:

Make sure the “Call” button is visible on your GBP, making it easy for mobile users to contact you instantly.

Regular Updates & Posts:

Use the posting feature to share relevant updates, offers, or educational content regularly.
Post weekly updates about new policies, discounts, or helpful insurance tips to engage visitors and increase visibility.

Tip – you can and should automate this!

Collect & Respond to Reviews:

Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews, as they are a significant trust factor. If you have a CRM, create a disposition based email that requests customer reviews for every sale you make.
Respond to all reviews (both positive and negative) to show engagement and professionalism.
Use keywords naturally in your review responses to help with SEO.

Local SEO Optimization

Leveraging local SEO ensures your agency ranks in searches related to your geographic area. Here’s how to make the most of local SEO:

Target Local Keywords:

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to find high-volume local keywords like “Medicare insurance agency in [your city]” or “life insurance agent near me.”
Integrate these keywords into your website’s pages (homepage, service pages, insurance blogs) and Google Business description.

Optimize for Google Maps:

Google Maps ranking is crucial for attracting local customers. Include relevant location-based keywords (e.g., “insurance agent in [your city]”) in your GBP and across your website.
Add photos of your agency, team members, and office to improve engagement in Maps listings.

Local Citations:

Build consistent name, address and phone number (NAP) citations across relevant directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and insurance directories. If you don’t know how to do this, Redbird can do it for you for a monthly fee and keep them updated.
Ensure every mention of your business on other websites has consistent information.

Create Location-Specific Landing Pages:

Create landing pages for each city or region you serve. These pages should include local insurance keywords, contact information, and services tailored to those specific areas.
Embed Google Maps on each location page to boost your visibility in local searches.

Backlinks from Local Websites:

Reach out to local businesses, organizations, or blogs to build relationships and earn backlinks to your website.
Sponsor local events, write guest posts, or collaborate on community projects to build your online authority and relevance.

Website & On-Page SEO Optimization

Your website needs to work in conjunction with Google Business to convert leads. By optimizing your site for SEO, you improve your overall visibility and generate more inbound calls.

Mobile Optimization:

Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, as most local searches are done via mobile.
Make sure the “Call Now” button is visible and functional on mobile devices for easy access.

Call-to-Action on Every Page:

Include prominent CTAs (e.g., “Get a Free Quote,” “Speak to an Agent Now”) on every page to make it easy for prospects to contact you.
Use phone number click-to-call features, especially for mobile users.

Optimize for Speed:

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to ensure your website loads quickly. Slow sites can deter visitors and harm your search rankings. An easy way to help page speed is compressing your images, and you can do that for free with companies like Tinypng.com.

Content Marketing with Targeted Keywords:

Develop blog posts or service pages targeting specific insurance queries. For example, write detailed guides like “How to Choose Medicare Plans in [your city]” or “Best Life Insurance Options in [your city].”
Include both short-tail and long-tail keywords in headers, meta descriptions, and content.

Schema Markup for Local Businesses:

Implement local business schema markup to help Google better understand your business details. This structured data improves your visibility in local search results and enhances your GBP listing.

SEO Tracking & Analysis:

Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track the performance of your local keywords and traffic sources. We use ahrefs, but the free tools from google are extremely useful if you don’t want to pay for a software.
Adjust your content strategy based on data insights, doubling down on what works best to generate more calls.

Leverage Google Ads for Insurance-Related Searches

If you want to increase calls quickly, using Google Ads targeted at high-intent, location-based keywords can give you a boost while you wait for organic SEO efforts to grow. Here’s a tip to consider, the higher the cost per click is an indicator that it’s a high converting keyword, keep that in mind before judging the cost per click.

Call-Only Ads:

Run Google Call-Only ads that make it easy for searchers to call your agency directly from the search results.
Target specific keywords such as “Medicare agent near me” or “life insurance agent in [your city]” with a strong call-to-action, such as “Speak to a Local Agent Now.”

Geo-Targeted Campaigns:

Create geo-targeted campaigns to focus on your service areas, ensuring your ads only show up for people searching within your city or region.

Track Conversions:

Set up call tracking within Google Ads to measure the success of your campaigns and determine how many calls come from ads.

Engage in Reputation Management & Social Proof

Reputation plays a significant role in driving inbound calls. By managing and amplifying your online presence, you can build trust with prospective customers.

Increase Positive Reviews:

Offer incentives for clients to leave Google reviews (e.g., a small gift card or raffle entry).
Ask satisfied clients immediately after policy sign-up to ensure fresh and frequent reviews. Again, this should be automated through your CRM so you never forget to do it.

Monitor Online Mentions:

Use tools like Google Alerts to monitor where your agency is mentioned online, ensuring you maintain a positive reputation.

Feature Testimonials & Case Studies:

Showcase testimonials and case studies of happy customers on your website and Google Business listing.
Highlight stories that resonate with your target audience (e.g., helping a client navigate Medicare).

Consistency & Monitoring

Increasing inbound calls via Google Business and SEO is a long-term strategy that requires ongoing monitoring and adjustments.

Update Google Business Listings Regularly:

Add new photos, services, or posts at least once a week. In a perfect world you really should be posting multiple times per day.
Update holiday hours or any changes in business operations to maintain accuracy.

Monitor Local Rankings & Adjust Strategy:

Use tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal to monitor your rankings in local search and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Regularly track phone call metrics and analyze trends to determine which efforts are driving the most calls.

Adapt Based on Feedback:

Collect feedback from customers who found you through Google. If certain terms, services, or strategies were particularly effective, lean into them in future updates.