I’m a CFP running an independent RIA. When I ask ChatGPT or Perplexity questions about my specialty (retirement planning), I see the same sources every time:
My firm? Never mentioned.
We have:
But we’re invisible to AI.
The frustrating part:
When someone asks “Who should I talk to about retirement planning in [my city]?” - AI doesn’t know we exist.
What I’ve tried:
Questions for other financial professionals:
Feeling like the entire AI search space is owned by content aggregators.
The aggregator dominance is real, but there are strategies that work.
Why aggregators win:
Where independent advisors can win:
The key insight:
You can’t beat NerdWallet for generic queries. But you CAN beat them for specific queries about your niche and location.
I run a financial advisor directory and see this pattern constantly.
What works for AI visibility:
The directory effect:
AI systems cite directories because they aggregate and structure advisor information. When your profile is complete and consistent across directories, AI learns about your expertise.
Many advisors have incomplete or inconsistent profiles - easy fix with big impact.
We cracked this for our firm. Here’s what worked:
The pillar-cluster strategy:
Pillar page: “Comprehensive Guide to Retirement Planning for Healthcare Professionals”
Cluster pages:
Each cluster links back to the pillar.
Results after 8 months:
The niche is the key.
Generic = compete with aggregators. Specific = own the conversation.
Financial services is YMYL (Your Money or Your Life). AI applies extra scrutiny.
What YMYL means for AI visibility:
AI systems are trained to be cautious about financial advice. They prefer:
How to signal credibility:
The trust hierarchy:
For financial queries, AI prioritizes:
You need to signal you’re in category 4, not category 5.
The local angle changed everything for us.
Our approach:
We stopped trying to rank for “best financial advisor” (impossible).
Started focusing on:
Content strategy:
Created content specifically about local considerations:
Results:
The insight:
National aggregators don’t create local content. That’s your advantage.
I work in fintech, not traditional advisory, but the principles are similar.
Data consistency is critical:
Financial services AI visibility depends heavily on structured data:
If your website shows one fee, your ADV shows another, and your directory profile shows a third - AI gets confused and skips you.
The audit:
This basic data hygiene beats most SEO tactics for financial services AI visibility.
The content format matters as much as the content itself.
What AI can easily extract from financial content:
What AI struggles with:
Practical application:
Turn “We help clients with comprehensive retirement planning” into:
“What should a tech executive consider for retirement planning?
Step 1: Evaluate your stock options and RSUs… Step 2: Assess your 401(k) and Roth opportunities… Step 3: Consider [specific strategy]…”
The Q&A, step-by-step format is much more likely to be cited.
The format point is crucial.
Financial content template that works for AI:
H1: [Question format title]
TL;DR: [Direct answer in 2-3 sentences]
H2: What You Need to Know
[Key points in bullet format]
H2: Step-by-Step Guide
[Numbered steps with specifics]
H2: Common Questions
[FAQ format with direct answers]
Author Bio: [Credentials, experience, contact]
This structure gives AI multiple extraction points. It’s not about word count - it’s about extractability.
Quick compliance note: be careful with AI optimization.
What’s allowed:
What’s risky:
AI visibility strategies must still comply with SEC/FINRA marketing rules. Get your compliance team involved before publishing.
That said, compliant content can absolutely be AI-optimized. Just work with compliance, not around it.
This thread has given me a concrete plan. Summary:
What I was doing wrong:
New strategy:
Quick wins:
Tracking:
I can’t beat NerdWallet for generic queries. But I can own my niche + location.
Thanks everyone for the practical guidance.
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