From Google to ChatGPT: How UK Financial Services Can Stay Visible in the Age of AI Search

For years, financial service providers in the UK have relied heavily on Google to reach new clients. Whether it's someone searching for “best ISA rates 2025” or “mortgage broker in Manchester,” high search visibility meant high-value leads.

But the game is changing.

More consumers — especially younger, digital-savvy users — are asking questions through AI tools like ChatGPT. These conversations don’t show ten blue links. They produce instant answers.

A user might ask:

• “What are the best investment options for a risk-averse investor in the UK?”
• “Fixed-rate vs tracker mortgage — which is better in 2025?”
• “How do I find a reliable IFA in my area?”
  
  

If your business isn’t part of ChatGPT’s answer, you’re invisible — even if your SEO is rock solid.

In this guide, we’ll explore how ChatGPT visibility works, how it differs from traditional Google SEO, and how UK financial services firms can future-proof their digital presence in both environments.

How Google SEO Works for Financial Services

Google rankings are based on algorithms that weigh factors like:

• Keyword targeting: e.g. “independent financial adviser London” or “help to buy ISA closing date”
  
  
• Backlinks: Links from news outlets, blogs, and finance directories
  
  
• User signals: Bounce rate, click-through rate, and time on page
  
  
• Site performance: Speed, security, and mobile optimisation
  
  
• Helpful, trustworthy content: Google's EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is especially critical in financial topics
  
  

With consistent effort and optimisation, Google still provides high-intent, measurable lead flow. But ChatGPT introduces a new layer of complexity — and opportunity.

How ChatGPT Responds to Finance Queries

ChatGPT doesn’t rank your website. Instead, it generates answers based on:

• Public data from finance articles, government websites (e.g. gov.uk, FCA), product comparison sites, and educational blogs
  
  
• Structured sources like Wikipedia, MoneySavingExpert, and financial forums
  
  
• Real-time plugins (e.g. web search tools or APIs — when enabled)
  
  

This means when someone asks about “the best pension options for self-employed people in the UK,” ChatGPT pulls from what it has already learned — often referencing trusted, visible brands or concepts it recognises.

So How Do You Show Up in ChatGPT?

You can’t “SEO” your way into ChatGPT answers — not directly. But you can influence whether the model knows about your firm or includes your advice by improving three core areas:

1. Prominence across trusted UK finance platforms

Your firm should appear on:

• MoneyHelper (from the Money & Pensions Service)
• Financial Conduct Authority Register
• Trustpilot, VouchedFor, or Yell
• High-authority sites like ThisIsMoney, MoneySavingExpert, or FT Adviser
• Relevant directories such as Unbiased.co.uk or Finder.com

Frequent appearances in structured, reviewable, and trusted sources increase your chance of being "known" to ChatGPT.

2. Structured data on your website

Use schema markup so AI models (and Google) can better understand:

• Your service offerings (e.g. pensions, ISAs, mortgages)
• Staff profiles (e.g. certified financial advisers)
• Customer reviews and ratings
• FAQs, events, and contact locations

For example, a mortgage broker in Bristol could use LocalBusiness and Service schema to help search engines and LLMs correctly categorise their site.

3. Clear, useful content that answers real UK financial questions

ChatGPT thrives on Q&A content. If your firm has pages that answer:

• “What’s the 2025 ISA allowance?”
• “When is the best time to remortgage in the UK?”
• “Should I use a LISA or SIPP for retirement savings?”

…you’re more likely to be included in AI responses — especially if this content gets shared, linked to, or referenced in public forums or articles.

Best Practices for Finance Firms Looking to Optimise for AI Discovery

1. Be reviewable and referenced

Encourage happy clients to review you on VouchedFor, Trustpilot, or Google Reviews. These reviews help both SEO and brand trust — and increase your online footprint in ways ChatGPT can “see.”

2. Build a thought leadership strategy

Write blog posts, whitepapers, or opinion pieces on trending financial topics like:

• “Will interest rates fall in late 2025?”
• “Alternatives to buy-to-let for UK property investors”
• “Pension consolidation: Pros and cons”

If your insights are cited by journalists or mentioned in forums, your visibility grows both organically and in AI-driven tools.

3. Join finance conversations online

Financial communities on Reddit (e.g. r/UKPersonalFinance), MoneySavingExpert forums, and Quora are full of questions ChatGPT is trained on.

By engaging authentically in these spaces, your firm may be referenced more often, and your brand may appear in AI outputs — even indirectly.

4. Use plain language

The FCA encourages clear, jargon-free communication. So does AI. The simpler and more accessible your content, the more likely it is to be picked up by language models — and to build trust with readers.

ChatGPT vs. Google: Side-by-Side for Financial Services

Why This Matters Now

The FCA's Consumer Duty standards push for greater transparency, clarity, and support in financial advice. AI search aligns with this — users want simple, relevant answers, not jargon or hard-sell tactics.

That’s why future-fit finance firms need to focus not only on how to rank in search, but how to be referenced in AI-generated conversations.

Whether it’s choosing a pension, getting a mortgage, or exploring ethical investing, UK consumers are increasingly expecting answers — fast.

Will yours be one of them?

Next Steps

If you’re ready to make your financial firm more discoverable by AI tools like ChatGPT:

• Review your online footprint
• Add structured data to your website
• Publish content that answers real questions
• Get listed, reviewed, and mentioned in trusted places
  
  

Need help assessing where your firm stands?

We offer free audits for UK financial firms looking to improve discoverability in both Google and AI channels.

Book a ChatGPT visibility audit today.