FPA redesigns search platform to increase planners' online visibility

The Financial Planning Association has redesigned its online search website to highlight more of a planner's online personality. The organization launched Tuesday the latest version of its FPA PlannerSearch, which allows investors to find FPA members who are certified financial planners. The refurbished site is meant to be more than a search engine to generate new business. It's supposed to enhance a planner's online presence, according to FPA President Pamela Sandy. For instance, it will incorporate FPA members' blog posts and social media activity. “It's going to allow the consumer to have a more interactive relationship and raise the profile of the planner,” Ms. Sandy, chief executive and founder of Confiance, said in an interview. The FPA said in a statement that the search site will utilize “best practices of search engine optimization, social sharing and structured data” so that CFP members of FPA “can be found more often and in more places across the web.” The new site also is designed to make it easier for consumers to research and contact planners. “It's about driving findability for the planners, which in turn should drive business growth,” Ms. Sandy said. “It's connecting the consuming public with advisers who are going to meet their needs.” The FPA has more than 24,000 members, approximately 17,000 of whom hold the CFP mark. Of the CFPs in the organization, about 8,000 participate in FPA PlannerSearch. Ms. Sandy herself has had referrals from the website, which she says is now more attractive and useful than previous iterations. “I believe it's going to be a top benefit” of membership, she said.