FinTrust Solutions
Founded in 2019 by financial experts Sipho Mthembu and Claire van Wyk, FinTrust Solutions is a Pretoria-based B2B finance platform offering investment management tools, compliance solutions, and advisory services for South African small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and financial advisors.
FinTrust supports 10 financial sectors and has earned 150 positive client reviews by 2024.
The South African B2B finance market was valued at $994 in 2023, driven by SMBs seeking digital solutions for JSE compliance and investment growth.
FinTrust partnered with EcoSEO to enhance its organic visibility and lead generation. Below, we detail how we transformed FinTrust into a leading financial platform.
Lead Time: 6 Months
Sector: Financial Technology
Target Type: B2B
Demographic: Financial advisors and SMB owners, aged 30–60
Website Goal: Increase organic traffic and generate high-quality leads for financial solutions.
Services: Keyword Strategy, Content Optimization, Mobile Optimization, Local SEO Enhancement, Reporting Automation
80%
Boost In Organic Traffic
The Challenge
FinTrust had built a strong reputation, but organic traffic was stagnant at 2K monthly visits, per Semrush, limiting engagement with prospective clients.
The site struggled to rank for high-intent keywords like “South Africa investment tools” or “JSE compliance solutions.”
Key challenges included:
- Limited SEO resources, with the marketing team dedicating only 10 hours weekly to optimization.
- Content competing internally due to overlapping keyword targeting.
- Weak mobile optimization, impacting user experience and rankings on mobile-heavy searches.
- Limited local SEO focus, reducing visibility for South African-specific financial queries.
- Inefficient reporting, hindering data-driven content prioritization.
Sipho and Claire approached EcoSEO in May 2024 to boost FinTrust’s organic reach and drive qualified leads in a competitive financial market.
Optimizing Content & Keyword Analysis
EcoSEO crafted a tailored SEO strategy, informed by competitor analysis of South African and global financial platforms, to elevate FinTrust’s visibility and lead generation.
Using advanced tools, we implemented key tactics:
Targeting Strategic Keyword Groups
Using Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool, we identified high-intent keyword groups like “JSE compliance software” and “South Africa investment management.”
We created 25 distinct content pieces to avoid internal competition, guided by Yoast SEO for keyword differentiation. Google Analytics reported a 25% increase in traffic to these pages, with Google Search Console confirming rankings for 2K keywords.
Optimizing Content for Thought Leadership
We used Ahrefs’ Content Explorer to analyze top-performing financial content, creating 15 educational guides on topics like “Navigating JSE Regulations” and “Tax-Efficient Investing for SMBs.”
LinkedIn amplification increased content reach. Google Analytics showed a 20% engagement boost, establishing FinTrust as a thought leader.
Mobile Optimization & Local SEO
Enhancing Mobile Optimization
We audited mobile performance with Screaming Frog, identifying slow-loading pages and unresponsive designs.
We optimized images with TinyPNG and implemented responsive layouts, improving mobile page speed by 30%, per Google Search Console.
Google Analytics reported a 15% reduction in mobile bounce rates.
Boosting Local SEO for South African Audiences:
Using Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool, we targeted localized keywords like “Pretoria financial software” and “Cape Town investment tools.”
We optimized 10 location-specific landing pages and submitted local business listings via Google Search Console.
Google Analytics showed a 22% increase in South African traffic.
Streamlining On-Page SEO
We used Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker to optimize meta titles, descriptions, and H1 tags for product and guide pages, targeting terms like “South Africa financial solutions.”
Google Search Console reported a 10% uplift in click-through rates, as tracked by Google Analytics.
Automating Insights with Dashboards
Using Google Data Studio, we created weekly dashboards to track traffic, leads, and keyword rankings, saving 6 hours weekly for FinTrust’s team.
Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker monitored competitor performance, ensuring FinTrust stayed ahead for terms like “JSE compliance tools.”
The Results
In six months, EcoSEO’s strategies transformed FinTrust’s performance:
- Organic Traffic: Grew 80%, from 2K to 3.6K monthly visits.
- Net New Leads: Increased 150%, from 40 to 100 monthly leads.
- Keyword Rankings: FinTrust now ranks for 2K keywords, with 150 in position 1 (+30%), 200 in position 2 (+50%), and 300 in positions 5–10 (+60%).
- Lead-to-Meeting Conversion: Improved by 8%, per Google Analytics, reflecting higher-quality leads.
- Domain Authority: Rose from 20 to 25, driven by 6 new high-quality backlinks.
- Engagement: Bounce rate decreased by 12%, indicating better user experience.
FinTrust’s top-performing guide, “Navigating JSE Regulations for SMBs,” drives 500 monthly visits, fueled by targeted content and local SEO. Social media growth included 1.5K LinkedIn followers, 2K on Twitter, and 900 on Facebook, amplifying brand reach.
EcoSEO’s strategy aligned technical expertise with FinTrust’s mission to empower South African SMBs and advisors. By leveraging Semrush, Yoast SEO, and Google Data Studio, we optimized content, enhanced mobile and local SEO, and streamlined reporting.
FinTrust now attracts and converts more leads, solidifying its position in the B2B finance market.
Technical Tools:
Screaming Frog, Semrush, Yoast SEO, Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Google Data Studio, TinyPNG and Google Analytics
SEO Services
Keyword Strategy, Content Optimization, Mobile Optimization, Local SEO Enhancement, Reporting Automation
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