Marketing

Yes, Financial Advisor Websites Can Now Display Testimonials. Here’s How to Get Started.

By  Brian Thorp

To make Wealthtender free for readers, we earn money from advertisers, including financial professionals and firms that pay to be featured. This creates a conflict of interest when we favor their promotion over others. Learn more. Wealthtender is not a client of these financial services providers.
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After 60 years of regulatory prohibition, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) now permits financial advisors to ask for testimonials and promote them as advertisements to attract new clients.

Of course, the devil is in the details and it’s important for advisors to understand how they can get started compliantly with testimonial marketing.

As the industry’s first financial advisor online review platform designed for SEC compliance, Wealthtender provides advisors with tools to compliantly display testimonials on their websites.

When advisors join Wealthtender, they have the option to activate one of the most popular benefits of the platform known as Certified Advisor Reviews.

Certified Advisor Reviews™ help consumers make smarter hiring decisions when choosing a financial advisor. Wealthtender is the first financial advisor review platform designed to be fully compliant with the SEC Marketing Rule. ➡️ Learn More

Financial Advisors Can Use Client Testimonials to Get Found Online

As financial advisors gather reviews from their clients and other acquaintances, these testimonials are displayed on their individual Wealthtender profile pages. Thousands of people who visit wealthtender.com each month can browse online directories featuring advisors with reviews. Prospective clients can then view advisor profile pages, read testimonials, and schedule introductory calls with advisors they’re thinking about hiring.

Next, search engines like Google and Bing check Wealthtender for updates multiple times each week to determine when advisors have received new reviews. Once an advisor has received around 5 reviews on their Wealthtender profile page, search engines begin to display a review summary and gold stars in search results.

These testimonials send positive trust signals to Google that can help advisors rank higher in search results and strengthen their SEO (search engine optimization). And positive reviews help advisors stand out online when prospective clients turn to Google to decide which advisors they will research further.

🔍 How Google Displays Advisor Testimonials

Multiple Ways Financial Advisors Can Display Testimonials on Their Websites

By collecting reviews on Wealthtender, advisors gain recognition in the leading find-an-advisor directory in the US, and also in Google search results.

Financial advisors can generate even greater ROI by displaying the testimonials they’ve earned on their websites.

To avoid the hassle of costly development work, Wealthtender offers a variety of easy-to-use widgets that advisors can use to embed and display testimonials directly on their websites. These widgets incorporate the clear and prominent disclosures required by the SEC to ensure regulatory compliance.

Let’s review four different Wealthtender widgets, including live examples, that advisors can use to publish testimonials on their websites.

1. Display Advisor Testimonials on Popular Pages and in Articles

An effective way to capture the attention of website visitors is to place useful information prominently on popular website pages and within articles. Wealthtender offers a widget for this purpose that advisors can use to display client testimonials in multiple places on their websites.

Beyond a dedicated testimonials page on an advisor’s website (discussed further below), this widget amplifies the reach of advisor testimonials by seamlessly inserting them into the pages and articles most visited by prospective clients.

Here’s an example demonstrating how an advisor can display their reviews within an article on their website (just like the article you’re reading on our website right now).

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
February 15, 2023

My wife and I engaged Kevin’s services in the winter of 2022. I thought I had a good grip on our finances until we met him. He was able to use visual aids to explain our current situation and what levers we can pull to alter our path. He shed light on some strategies that helped us make considerations on our financial future and encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone to consider ways to optimize my finances.

I’m thankful that he wasn’t afraid to have tough, yet enlightening, conversations to help give us a full picture of our strategy going forward. Be prepared to have open and honest conversations about spending, saving and retirement.

I would recommend Kevin to anyone who is serious about taking measurable steps forward in their retirement journey, and aren’t afraid of doing a little work in the process. Kevin is competent, patient, focused, and a deep thinker. He changed our lives for the better.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Eric Talbot
Eric Talbot

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
January 13, 2023

I started working with HCP Wealth Planning as a project based customer, meaning we paid a one time flat fee for a comprehensive analysis and plan of all our financial goals. I found Kevin through a referral made to my friend and I’m so grateful that he shared this information with me. I didn’t know Project based planners exist, and this is a phenomenal service for a flat fee. Unlike percent based or annual fee based planners, Kevin is incentivized to provide the best service and prop you up so that you’re self sufficient.

Working with Kevin is easy, not only is he extremely responsive by email, he has made himself available to meet on weekends and after work hours. He uses an electronic platform which allows you to easily visualize your financial plan, and see how your projections improve or change based on your selected changes to salary, expenses, market performance, etc. Kevin is also incredibly thorough and its worth all the information he requires you to dig up. He is also able to create multiple scenarios based on what your approach might be.

Whether you are financially savvy or a novice, having an expert set of eyes look at your current finances has a lot of potential for revealing possibilities you might be unaware of or not considered.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Nida Kazmi
Nida Kazmi

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
January 10, 2023

I was on the hunt for a financial advisor to find out if my husband and I can afford retirement. I sat down with various types of financial advisors, some even connected with the bald guy, and all of them are only interested in two things: the size of our portfolio (one of them requires a $1M portfolio), and all of them work using the AUM model, who gets paid based on the size of your portfolio, whether it earns or not.

We went with Kevin of HCP Wealth Planning and we’re so glad we did. Here’s what we got working with him:

1. He is a flat-fee financial advisor, meaning it doesn’t matter what the size of your portfolio is.

2. Great communication via email and virtual meetings. No question was left unanswered.

3. Clarity of our financial picture. We found our biggest money drain.

4. He will make you work by making you visualize and plan what you want to do from here on out, up to the time you retire, and during retirement.

5. His financial software and the cash flow analysis allowed us to see our net worth, and gave us the picture of our spending plan now and during retirement.

6. A withdrawal plan that will put more money in your pocket.

7. Various appointment schedules that will work with your work schedule.

8. Financial literacy. There are no stupid questions when it comes to your hard-earned money, and he answered them all patiently.

9. Peace of mind knowing that we can retire earlier than 65, even pay for health care coverage outside of our employment before Medicare kicks in, even long-term care services.

10. He is not a pushy salesman who makes you buy other financial stuff. He will not make you put your money into an IRA that other financial planners want you to do so they dip into your money (the AUM model).

I can go on and on. If you are looking for a financial planner who has your best interest at heart, you will not regret getting his services.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Shelly Navarro
Shelly Navarro

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
December 22, 2022

Kevin has been great to work with. If you are looking for a fee only advisor check him out.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Joanne Johnson
Joanne Johnson

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
July 24, 2022

I would highly recommend Kevin and have referred others to him for financial planning and advice. He is very thorough and makes recommendations based on his expertise but is also willing to be flexible based on my personal situation. Because of Kevin’s guidance, I feel confident in my financial future and have the tools needed to monitor my progress.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Lynn H
Lynn H

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
May 31, 2022

I would highly recommend and refer anybody to Kevin. He is very thorough. He educates and most importantly takes time to listen and understand your priorities.

Retirement is a big, complex decision. Kevin helps you understand and gives you a roadmap. There is not a single question he could not answer.

I really like the flat rate pricing and the ability to access my data even after our evaluation period ended. These are features you don’t get from others.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Josiah Pritchard
Josiah Pritchard

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
May 9, 2022

Kevin has both great knowledge and manner in offering financial planning advice. He showed interest in getting to know our family, understanding our goals, and expresses genuine care as he gives valuable, concrete financial advice. Kevin also has a good awareness about resources, such as budgeting, life insurance, and scholarships. I would absolutely recommend him.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Britt Gilmore
Britt Gilmore

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
May 9, 2022

We where delighted to have Kevin’s assistance and expertise in helping us work through finances with our international readjustment, college and retirement plans. Kevin took time to get to know us as a family, asking great questions, and was very warm and easy to be with. He responded quickly to any needs we had and was extremely helpful in guiding us with a great plan for the future. We would highly recommend Kevin’s work!

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Alison Gilmore
Alison Gilmore

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
April 30, 2022

Kevin was an absolute pleasure to work with he is a knowledgeable financial advisor and cares about his clients.

As a registered nurse I’m fortunate to have good income and knew I needed help to make my money work for me other than just saving it. I did a ton of research on financial advisors and found Kevin through an article on a nursing website, this was important to me as he had experience working with other medical professionals.

Kevin helped me gain an invaluable amount of knowledge on my personal finances and helped me set up many accounts such as IRAs, HYSA, and brokerage accounts.

I can’t say enough good things about Kevin. He is a down to earth guy which makes this process way easier. Communication is key and Kevin excels in this and answered every single question I had.

I would 100 percent recommend working with Kevin.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Erick Fernandez
Erick Fernandez

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
October 4, 2021

My fiancé and I were in desperate need of financial advice. Like most medical professionals and recent graduates, we were going through a unique transitional period with our finances. We reached out to several financial planners with hopes of finding someone to guide us towards the best possible financial outcome. Thankfully, we found Kevin. B at HCP Wealth Planning. I can honestly say that Kevin was everything we were looking for in a financial planner.

He had clear communication skills and the ability to deliver information in a manner that was easily understood. He helped us create a comprehensive plan for tackling our student loan debt, saving for our wedding/ honeymoon, new home, retirement, investments, etc. We were able to create a spending plan in the HCP financial portal that’s both realistic for our current needs as well as planning and saving for our future. We are pleased with our decision to work with Kevin and would highly recommend him.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Renee Mickens
Renee Mickens

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
September 24, 2021

I worked with Kevin on a flat-fee basis to put together a comprehensive financial plan. He was a pleasure to work with and he taught me way more than I was expecting. It’s clear he cares about his clients and is very knowledgeable.

He ensured that all of my questions were answered and that I understood all of his advice clearly before ending any of our meetings. He also put in extra effort to model many “what-if” scenarios so that I could see how that impacted my financial goals.

I highly recommend Kevin to anyone looking for a financial advisor. Unlike some other advisors that I considered, he does not pressure you to purchase any additional services or have him manage your money.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Jay Shafir
Jay Shafir

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
September 2, 2021

I worked with HCP Wealth Planning as a “by the gig” customer, meaning we paid a one time flat fee for a comprehensive analysis of all our financial goals, and the design of a financial plan to achieve them. Kevin is very responsive by email, and is available to meet on weekends and after work hours. In addition, Kevin’s approach to financial planning revolved around encouraging us to identify all our financial goals, no matter how crazy they seemed, and helped us realize those goals were not as crazy after all if you can stick to a simple saving plan and keep your cash flows under control. Kevin uses an intuitive electronic platform which allows you to easily visualize your financial plan, and see how your “chance of success” improve or decrease based on changes to salary, expenses, market performance, etc.

I wholeheartedly recommend working with Kevin, even if you’re already financially savvy; having an expert set of eyes look at your current finances will reveal a lot of possibilities you may have not considered.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Eliezer Encarnacion
Eliezer Encarnacion

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
August 10, 2021

Worked with Kevin for a “by the gig” review of our finances. We had several goals and points of clarity which were all answered. The electronic platform is easy to use. Kevin was responsive and had flexible hours to meet our schedule.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for A B
A B

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
July 16, 2021

Kevin is not just one of the best financial advisors I’ve ever worked with, he’s one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with.

He’s extremely knowledgeable, kind, flexible and honestly a joy to work with. He went above and beyond in terms of collecting data to help us make the right decisions as we prepare to buy our next house and I find myself looking for opportunities to recommend him to my friends.

If you’re looking for a financial advisor, definitely get in touch with Kevin.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Justin Wilcox
Justin Wilcox

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
July 7, 2021

Kevin with HCP Wealth Planning was an absolute pleasure to work with. We came in with a fairly complex situation with a lot of moving pieces to put together a financial plan for retirement. Kevin did a terrific job of organizing all of our information and building out all of the different scenarios we wanted to model. The software he uses is top-notch, and we came away with a solid retirement plan with all of our variables rolled in.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Donald Might
Donald Might

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
March 4, 2021

HCP Wealth Planning is great! I thought I had a decent understanding of my finances, and Kevin blew me away with his knowledge and specific insights for my family’s needs. My wife recently stopped working to stay home with our young son, and we engaged HCP to help us review our finances and create a budget and savings plan. I couldn’t be happier. Kevin not only helped us create a budget, he also recommended we consider a few other planning areas(will, college savings, life insurance, etc.) we should be considering. Kevin/HCP genuinely care about their customers and want to help them make great planning decisions.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Scott Sholtes
Scott Sholtes

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
February 4, 2021

I would absolutely recommend HCP Wealth Planning. Kevin is wonderful to work with. He takes the time to understand your financial goals and then uses his expertise to help guide you in the right direction to make those goals a reality. Kevin makes it easy to understand and walks you through step-by-step. In addition to Kevin’s wealth of knowledge, you gain access to his exceptional planning software. All around an amazing experience working with HCP Wealth Planning, and I would highly recommend.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Kyann McAllister
Kyann McAllister

5 Stars

✅ Wealthtender Certified Advisor Review™
Rated 5 out of 5
January 3, 2021

I appreciate that Kevin took the time to really understand my financial goals before jumping into planning. I also like that he focused on much more than just my investments, but also made sure we had a good understanding of my cash flow. That way he could help me figure out exactly how much I should be putting towards various goals and expenses. Getting all of my accounts linked up in one place and being able to track everything was very helpful. It saved timed downloading all my financial documents and sending them to him. If you are looking for a financial advisor who clearly cares about his clients and doesn’t try to sell you something; I recommend working with HCP Wealth Planning.

◼ Relationship to Financial Advisor:Former Client
◼ Compensation:This reviewer received no compensation for this review.
◼ Conflicts of Interest:There are no material conflicts of interest.
Avatar for Andrea Riddle
Andrea Riddle

For added flexibility, the height settings of this widget can be adjusted for optimal formatting preferences.

Each testimonial displayed within this widget includes the accompanying disclosures required by the SEC to indicate 1) if the review was written by a client or non-client, 2) if the person who wrote the review was compensated in any form, and 3) if there are any material conflicts of interest. In circumstances where additional disclosures are required for an individual review, these details will be displayed, too. Advisors can also add disclosures above or below this widget if requested by their compliance officer.

To view an actual example of this widget, visit the testimonials pages for this advisor:

Example: Next Mission Financial Planning – Mike Hunsberger

2. Create an Advisor Testimonials Page (Collect and Display)

In other professions where client testimonials haven’t been constrained by regulatory prohibitions, it’s generally considered best practice for websites to include a testimonials page that helps prospective clients learn about the experiences of current and former clients. Wealthtender offers multiple widgets that advisors can use to create a dedicated testimonials page.

This particular widget is designed with functionality that allows website visitors to write and submit testimonials, in addition to reading an advisor’s existing reviews. The top section of the widget includes the new review submission form. The bottom section displays the advisor’s approved testimonials.

When clients write and submit reviews within this widget, the testimonials are not immediately displayed publicly. Rather, because this widget is hosted by Wealthtender, details of the incoming review follow the same compliance-friendly workflow as reviews submitted on the advisor’s profile page on Wealthtender. Advisors receive a notification by email of the pending review with a link to a secure form where disclosures can be added. Once this certification process is completed, the testimonial will be displayed in each of the advisor’s widgets.

To view an actual example of this widget, visit the testimonials pages for this advisor:

Example: Arch Financial Planning – Cecil Staton Testimonials


3. Create an Advisor Testimonials Page (Display Only)

Another popular approach to building a testimonials page is to only display reviews already received. Unlike the advisor website featured above, a testimonials page using this widget doesn’t include an area for new reviews to be submitted. In this use case, new reviews are written and submitted on the advisor’s Wealthtender profile page, then displayed on Wealthtender, indexed by search engines like Google and Bing, and also displayed on the advisor’s testimonials page.

Similar to the widget above, testimonials are displayed in a single column with the most recent reviews displayed first. Displaying testimonials in this reverse chronological order helps advisors satisfy SEC compliance requirements that frown upon reviews being filtered to only show 5-star reviews, or to display the highest reviews first.

To view an actual example of this widget, visit the testimonials pages for this advisor:

Example: Wealthcare for Women: Russ Thornton Testimonials


4. Create a Gallery of Advisor Testimonials

Financial advisors can also display testimonials in a gallery format. Using this Wealthtender widget, an advisor can showcase up to three reviews side-by-side in a single row depending on the device and screen width used by the visitor to their website (e.g., laptop, iPad, mobile phone). Additional rows display the rest of an advisor’s reviews in reverse chronological order to satisfy compliance requirements.

To view an example of this widget, visit this page on Wealthtender displaying reviews of multiple advisors in a gallery format.


How Advisors Can Use Widget Embed Codes to Add Testimonials to Their Websites

Whether an advisor relies upon a website provider to maintain their website or chooses to manage their website on their own, it’s easy to use Wealthtender widgets to create a testimonials page or add a reviews widget to specific pages and articles.

When advisors who join Wealthtender activate their Certified Advisor Reviews benefit, they can sign into their account to access their toolkit displayed just above their Wealthtender profile page. Clicking on the Embed Codes tab displays the widget code options available that can easily be copied and shared with website developers or added directly to the advisor’s content management system.


Why Advisor Testimonials Matter

As a financial advisor, it’s important to understand how the new SEC Marketing Rule and the opportunity for advisors to collect and promote client testimonials could impact your business.

Even if you don’t plan to ask for reviews or include testimonials in your own marketing activities, you’ll need to be prepared to respond to questions from prospects and existing clients when they begin to see reviews appear online for other financial advisors.

Online reviews may be new to financial advisors, but an evaluation of their impact on local businesses and professionals in other industries demonstrates why it’s imperative for advisors to begin preparing for a future where consumers are empowered to voice their opinions about you and your services.

Understanding Consumer Views of Online Reviews and Testimonials

The importance of online reviews on local businesses can be seen in numerous research reports conducted each year. 

In the annual report prepared by BrightLocal based on a survey conducted in January 2023, 98% of consumers said they read online reviews for local businesses in 2020, up from 67% in 2010. The report indicated after reading a positive review for a local business, the next most likely actions are visiting the website of the business, searching for additional reviews to validate their choice, and visiting the business in person.

Financial advisors interested in growing their practice should take note of these additional findings regarding consumer behavior:

  • 85% said employee attitude is the leading motivation to leave a positive review
  • 58% of consumers said they would be willing to travel farther to a business with better reviews
  • 47% are willing to pay more at a business with higher reviews
  • Over 60% of consumers said they are likely to leave a review after a good experience with a local business when the business follows up with a link in an email asking for a review

As Emmy-winning writer David Pogue wrote about online review sites in Scientific American, “No longer are you on top of the mountain, blasting your marketing message down to the masses through your megaphone. All of a sudden, the masses are conversing with one another. If your service or product isn’t any good, they’ll out you.”

Get Started with Testimonial Marketing to Grow Your Business

If you’re ready to get started with online reviews and testimonial marketing to grow your business, our team at Wealthtender is ready to help.

Over 200 advisors have joined Wealthtender in the last year to take advantage of our essential digital marketing services to get found online and convert more prospects into clients.

Wealthtender is the industry’s first SEC-compliant online reviews platform and the #1 find-an-advisor directory not sponsored by a wealth management firm, credentialing organization, or industry association.

To learn more and get started, please visit this page and choose the plan best for you.

A headshot of Brian Thorp, the founder and CEO of Wealthtender

About the Author

Brian Thorp

Brian is CEO and founder of Wealthtender. He and his wife live in Texas, enjoying the diversity of Houston and the vibrancy of Austin.

With over 25 years in the financial services industry, Brian is applying his experience and passion at Wealthtender to help more people enjoy life with less money stress.

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

To make Wealthtender free for readers, we earn money from advertisers, including financial professionals and firms that pay to be featured. This creates a conflict of interest when we favor their promotion over others. Learn more. Wealthtender is not a client of these financial services providers.
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