Several months ago I decided to see how easy or difficult it might be to find an independent agent online. Several things sparked my interest: 1) emerging new evidence about the number of agencies; 2) conclusions about agent Web sites and industry locators drawn from Sounding Line research during our publishing hiatus; and 3) the burgeoning number of Web sites in general and the need to optimize Web sites so they can be found by people surfing the Net. Furthermore, Web site customers ask me from time to time about ways to enhance their site's visibility on the Internet. I like to provide answers and insight by being aware of trends and realities.
So, as an experiment, I decided to search for independent agents online in St. Louis, Missouri. Why St. Louis? Several reasons: it's located in middle America; it's a large city with sprawling suburbs, which means lots of people who need insurance; and though I've driven through St. Louis several times, I've never "visited" the city via the Internet. I was curious to see what I might learn.
On seven occasions over a two-month period I searched for independent agent Web sites in St. Louis. I typed in various search terms, studied the results and descriptions, followed links to more than 200 Web sites (hardly an exhaustive search for this area), and noted my findings. I used Google for most of my searches because Google is the most-widely used search engine. To a lesser extent I also used Yahoo and several others. I even tracked down agencies by visiting insurance company Web sites for agent locator pages, though the typical consumer probably wouldn't think to do that.
Being a consumer can be a trying experience
I tried to imagine myself as a typical insurance consumer. I simply typed in a few different likely search terms and hoped for the best. Customers looking for insurance wouldn't necessarily think in terms of an independent agent first, so my first search was based on the phrase "st. louis insurance agents" without the quote marks. As with most subsequent searches, various online quote services dominated the top several rankings of the first results page.
I did get lucky, though, with the third listing, "St. Louis Insurance Companies and Agents." My excitement was quickly dampened when I discovered that the link took me to a page called JumptoStLouis.com. The page was a business directory of sorts that included 13 links to life insurance companies, quote services, third-party administrators, and what appeared to be three P&C agencies. One life company's Web site, General Life, was no longer operating. Of the P&C agencies, the Crawford Agency site could not be found; the Sheller Insurance Agency site included several typographic errors, many forms but no security or privacy, and didn't inspire much confidence; and the Simpson agency site, with its 1997 copyright, appeared to be untouched for the six years since. All in all, this was not a promising start.
Continuing, the fifth listing, "St. Louis Insurance – St. Louis, Mo at America's Travel Network," caught my attention because of the connection between insurance and travel. But the description seemed informative enough, "…John Espenscheid Insurance Agency - Full service insurance agency for the St. Louis area with online quote forms for auto, homeowners, and life insurance…."
The link takes you to a page called America's Travel Network.com, but it lists several insurance agencies (go figure). The John Espenscheid Insurance Agency link is one of several links to other agencies whose Web sites are of questionable use and value.
The sixth-ranked listing, "Missouri: Get Quotes From Local Insurance Agents," links to the homepage of 1000Agents.com. I expected this page to be helpful, and for non-Internet users it probably is — there are no links. The page is merely a listing of cities in the metro St. Louis area, agency names, contact persons, and telephone numbers. Did I find an agent online? Yes, but I didn't find a link to a Web site, which is probably what most consumers would prefer. Besides, if all you want to do is call an agent, you can find one more quickly by using the Yellow Pages.
To summarize, these are only the first six listings of a Google search using st. louis insurance agents search criteria. Lest you think I'm being overly critical because I have a professional interest at stake, keep in mind the site visitors and customers, the people who are trying to find agents for their benefit. Should finding an independent agent online be so difficult and time-consuming? I don't think so.
What about finding "independent agents"?
Adding the words "independent agents" or similar phrases in combination with St. Louis and insurance does produce different results, but not a quantitative leap in ease of finding an agent or significantly more useful information. In fact, the search term, "independent insurance agents st. louis" (with quote marks) yields no results. That sure is telling about St. Louis agency Web sites, key words, and descriptions! (Tip to any astute St. Louis agency: add these words to your meta tags. Your site might actually be discovered!)
In searching for agency Web sites using variations that include "independent agent," actual agency listings do appear on the second results page. Despite their relatively high ranking, I have concerns about several sites from a customer's point of view.
For example, using "independent insurance agents st. louis" search criteria (without quote marks) the 15th ranked listing is Treutel Insurance Agency – Your Mississippi Independent Insurance…. Yes, the site is a correct listing because the agency is located in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Search engines do pick up things like that even though the consumer might not expect it.
The "CJThomas" listing at number 19 is not obvious. It would be better to be listed as "CJ Thomas Company – Full Service Insurance Agency." Though the description is adequate, people read the larger bolded listing before the smaller description below. Consumers who are searching for an agent could easily overlook this well-designed and useful agency Web site. Another weakness is the link between the search result and the site itself. Instead of being linked to the home page (as is expected), the link takes the visitor to a "Resources – Insurance Related" page.
Other searches and findings
In trying to find independent agents online in St. Louis I used about two dozen different combinations of search criteria — nothing esoteric, just simple words: insurance, auto insurance, agent, agents, agency, agencies, independent, st. louis, St. Louis, greater St. Louis, etc., etc. These words, plus several others perhaps, are obvious and what you'd expect consumers to type into a search request.
In general terms, I found more agency names deeper into the search results, usually starting at about the fourth and fifth pages. That means search engines are picking up key words and finding the Web sites to which those key words are connected.
Other agencies can be found in less obvious places — business directories and listings, associations, other Web sites, etc., but the typical consumer might not think to look in these locations. So, even though independent St. Louis agents can be found, it's not always easy or obvious, but generally time-consuming and as a result of a happy accident. Again, it shouldn't take long to find an independent agent Web site, but in St. Louis, at least, it takes too long.
What's more, many online directories are simply listings without links. That means you can use the Internet to find an agent, but not link to one. Other online directories, as with some company locators, offer a mixed bag — some agents with a link, others without, and still others with both a URL and an e-mail address. But as I also discovered, many online directories are inaccurate, out of date, and include non-functioning links or links to pages that cannot be found.
Company and association locators
It could be questionable whether or not a typical insurance consumer would think to go to a company or industry association Web site to find and use an agent locator. Even if they did, they might be unimpressed.
Since I was dissatisfied with what I was finding using the typical search engine approach, I decided to try the company and industry association locator option. I visited SAFECO, The Hartford, The Travelers, and the Big I. The usefulness, accuracy, and completeness of these four locator services appear to vary considerably.
In searching for St. Louis using the SAFECO locator, you won't find an agent. Instead, you have to type Saint Louis. This seems odd and is a time-wasting nuisance in that most people think to spell the city name as St. Louis. While I don't know how many SAFECO agents there really are in St. Louis, the list appears sizable and includes links to many agent Web sites.
Of The Hartford agency listings I checked, they all appear to link to a page that includes agency name, address, phone number, and a map, but no links to an agency Web site or e-mail address. This approach forces the consumer into direct contact when they may only want to engage in the anonymous online shopping experience.
The Travelers' locator is difficult to read (ALL CAPS). Furthermore, unless I overlooked something, you are forced to begin an agent search by typing in a ZIP code and radius. In my view, searches should begin with city names because most people only know a few ZIP codes.
The Big I locator, about which we've expressed our disappointment before, appears to languish from lack of interest and/or promotion. The locator lists only 18 agents for St. Louis, of which three include a link. Surely the industry can expect better from one of the driving forces behind the 1996 Internet bandwagon push.
Many St. Louis sites look alike
As I found independent agent sites in St. Louis, I noticed that I easily lost track of many of them because they all looked alike and were indistinguishable from one another. That's because a large number of sites were built using template site building services, notably from SAFECO, PIA, Z57, and several others. While do-it-yourself template services offer some advantages, many St. Louis agent sites seem to blend in with similar-looking sites and fail to attract visitors. More on this topic another time.
Conclusions
Based on other Web site observations and research, I doubt the situation I encountered in St. Louis is unique. In fact, the general state of insurance agency Web sites seems rather uniform nationwide. But despite the numerous opportunities for Web site improvement, the problem for every Web site owner, regardless of industry, is the same — recognition. From the lowliest, simplest, and cheapest Web site to the most professional, sophisticated, and expensive, all Web sites must be "findable" by search engines.
Sure, knowing the site's URL is fine for repeat visitors, but shoppers don't always know URLs; that's why they use search engines. That means site owners must write good, useful, meaningful, and appropriate key words and descriptions. Site usage and statistic programs are useful for identifying which key words are being used. If your key words are not effective, you can update them and keep working at it until your site's visibility improves.
When it's all said and done, a Web site can be an important asset in your agency's overall marketing scheme. But due to the inherent nature of Web sites residing in cyberspace where others can find them, it behooves site owners to optimize the potential of them being found. Like any other form of advertising, your site can't do its job until it's noticed.
From what I can tell, there's plenty of room for ambitious and Web savvy agents to stake out a commanding Internet presence in the St. Louis market.
Sure, knowing the site's URL is fine for repeat visitors, but shoppers don't always know URLs; that's why they use search engines.
© Copyright 2003 by Sound Internet Strategy. All rights reserved
Should finding an independent agent online be so difficult and time-consuming? I don't think so.
It could be questionable whether or not a typical insurance consumer would think to go to a company or industry association Web site to find and use an agent locator.