Profile Best Practices

Why Your Profile Matters

Your Riafin profile is often the first impression potential clients have of you. A well-crafted profile:

• Increases visibility in search results
• Builds trust before the first conversation
• Pre-qualifies prospects who match your expertise
• Differentiates you from other advisors

Profile Components

1. Professional Photo

Requirements:

• Accepts JPEG, PNG, GIF, or WebP format
• Maximum file size: 1MB
• Recommended: Square image, 400x400px minimum for best quality

Best Practices:

• Smile naturally and warmly
• Ensure good lighting (face clearly visible)
• Recent photo (within last 2 years)
• Professional attire
• Neutral or office background

Avoid:

• Selfies
• Sunglasses
• Busy backgrounds
• Group photos
• Outdated or low-quality images

2. Basic Information

Required Fields:

• Name: Your full legal name (required)
• Company Name: Your firm or practice name (required)
• Email: Professional email address (required)
• Phone: Contact phone number (required)
• Address: Office address (optional)
• Website: Your firm's website (optional)

Website Tips:

• Must be a valid URL (starts with http:// or https://)
• Link to your professional profile or firm website
• Ensure the website is mobile-friendly
• Keep content current and professional

3. Service Designation

These fields are pre-selected during registration and cannot be edited directly:

Service Type (Not User-Editable):

• Financial Advisor
• Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
• Estate Planner
• Retirement Adviser
• Debt Planner
• Wealth Advisory Firm
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Insurance Agent
• Chartered Accountant (CA)
• Tax Consultant
• Other

Pricing Type (Not User-Editable):

• Fee-only: Fixed fees, no commissions
• Fee-based: Hybrid fee structure
• AUM: Assets Under Management percentage-based
• Commission-based: Commission on products
• Other: Alternative pricing models

Service Options:

• Remote Advisor: Check if you provide virtual/online advisory services
• NRI Advisor: Check if you serve Non-Resident Indians

Note: To change your Service Type or Pricing Type, contact Riafin support at advisors@riafin.com

4. SEO & Intent Fields

These fields help search engines and clients understand exactly who you help and what problems you solve. Each field has a 1000 character limit.

Best Suited For

Who are your ideal clients?

This field describes your target client demographics. Be specific to attract the right prospects.

Good Examples:

• "Young professionals aged 25-40 earning ₹15L-50L annually"
• "Families with school-going children planning education expenses"
• "High-net-worth individuals (₹1Cr+ investable assets) seeking wealth preservation"
• "Business owners looking for succession planning and exit strategies"
• "Retirees needing income planning and wealth preservation"

Tips:

• Include age ranges, income levels, professions
• Mention life stages (retirement, starting family, etc.)
• Specify geographic focus if applicable
• Be specific but not too narrow

SEO Pro Tip: These three fields (Best Suited For, Problems Solved, Services Not Offered) are indexed by search engines. Use natural language that answers "who can help with..." questions for better voice search optimization.

What specific financial issues do you help with?

This describes your expertise and the challenges you address for clients.

Good Examples:

• "Investment portfolio optimization and rebalancing for long-term growth"
• "Tax-efficient retirement planning for salaried professionals"
• "Education fund planning with tax benefits (Section 80C, 529 alternatives)"
• "Wealth transfer and succession planning for family businesses"
• "Risk management and insurance planning for asset protection"
• "NRI investment strategies and repatriation planning"

Tips:

• Use action-oriented language
• Focus on client outcomes
• Include specific planning areas
• Mention tax and regulatory expertise

Services Not Offered

What services are outside your scope?

Being transparent about what you don't do builds trust and sets clear expectations.

Good Examples:

• "Day trading and intraday speculation strategies"
• "Cryptocurrency and digital asset trading"
• "Direct real estate property investments"
• "Complex derivative products trading"
• "Short-term speculation and momentum trading"

Tips:

• Be honest about your scope
• Helps avoid mismatched expectations
• Focus on long-term financial planning vs. short-term trading

5. Professional Bio

Your bio appears prominently on your profile. Use the rich text editor to create a compelling narrative.

Validation: Your bio cannot contain URLs, email addresses, or phone numbers. This ensures all client communication goes through Riafin's platform.

Writing Guidelines:

• Write in third person (use "the advisor" instead of "I", "the practice" instead of "my practice")
• Use professional but approachable language
• Focus on client benefits and outcomes

Structure Your Bio Effectively:

1. Lead with Credibility (First 2-3 sentences)

   • Years of experience
   • Key credentials and licenses
   • Your primary designation

2. Define Your Specialization (Next paragraph)

   • Who you help (refer to "Best Suited For")
   • What problems you solve (refer to "Problems Solved")
   • Your unique approach or philosophy

3. Your Process (Following paragraph)

   • How you work with clients
   • Planning methodology
   • Client experience and what to expect

4. Personal Touch (Final paragraph)

   • Brief personal background
   • Why you became a financial advisor
   • Community involvement or interests

Example Bio:

"A certified financial professional with over 12 years of experience helping Indian professionals and business owners achieve their financial goals. The practice focuses on creating comprehensive wealth strategies aligned with Indian tax laws and regulations.

Specialization includes working with young professionals aged 25-40, families planning for education expenses, and business owners seeking succession planning. The approach combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of each client's unique situation, goals, and concerns.

The process begins with discovery to understand your complete financial picture, then builds a customized roadmap that evolves as your life changes. Transparency, ongoing education, and proactive communication ensure you feel confident about your financial decisions.

As a fiduciary advisor, the advisor always puts clients' interests first. Fee-only advisory services are offered, ensuring incentives are always aligned. Based in Mumbai, the advisor serves clients across India through both in-person and virtual consultations. Outside of work, the advisor is an avid reader and volunteer with financial literacy programs for underserved communities."

6. Video URL (Paid Plans Only)

Available with: Bronze, Silver, and Gold subscriptions

Add a YouTube or Vimeo video to showcase your expertise and personality.

Best Practices:

• Keep it concise: 2-5 minutes
• Introduce yourself and your approach
• Explain your ideal client
• Share your philosophy
• Include a client testimonial if possible

Tips:

• Good lighting and audio quality
• Professional appearance
• Script your key points
• End with a clear call-to-action

Note: Video URL is only available with paid subscriptions (Bronze, Silver, or Gold). Upgrade your plan to add a video to your profile.

7. Service Locations

Add the cities or regions where you provide services. The number of locations is limited by your subscription plan:

How to Add:

• Select from predefined locations in the database
• Locations are displayed on your public profile
• Helps clients find advisors in their area

Best Practices:

• Add all cities where you have a physical office
• Include locations you serve virtually
• Consider your travel capacity for in-person meetings
• Update if you expand to new locations

8. Professional Licenses

Display your professional certifications and licenses. The number of licenses is limited by your subscription plan:

Required Information:

• License Type: SEBI RIA, FPSB CFP, CFA, CA, IRDA, etc.
• License Number: Your registration or certification number

Common License Types:

• SEBI Registered Investment Adviser (RIA)
• FPSB India Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Chartered Accountant (CA)
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA)
• AMFI Registered Mutual Fund Distributor
• Other professional certifications

Tips:

• Add all relevant licenses
• Ensure license numbers are accurate
• Keep licenses current
• Upload renewed licenses promptly

Profile Optimization Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure your profile is complete and effective:

Visual Elements:

• [ ] Professional headshot uploaded (JPEG/PNG/GIF/WebP, max 1MB)
• [ ] Photo is recent and high-quality

Basic Information:

• [ ] Name and company name complete
• [ ] Email and phone provided
• [ ] Address filled in
• [ ] Website link added (if available)

Service Designation:

• [ ] Remote advisor checkbox set correctly
• [ ] NRI advisor checkbox set correctly

SEO Fields (All under 1000 characters):

• [ ] Best suited for - describes ideal clients
• [ ] Problems solved - lists expertise areas
• [ ] Services not offered - sets boundaries

Bio & Media:

• [ ] Professional bio written (200+ words)
• [ ] Bio is structured and engaging
• [ ] Video URL added (paid plans)

Locations & Licenses:

• [ ] All service locations added
• [ ] All professional licenses listed
• [ ] License numbers verified for accuracy

Common Profile Mistakes to Avoid

1. Vague SEO Fields

❌ Bad: "I help everyone with everything" ✅ Good: "I help tech professionals optimize equity compensation and plan for early retirement"

2. Generic Bio

❌ Bad: "I'm passionate about helping clients and have years of experience." ✅ Good: "As a Certified Financial Planner with 12 years of experience, I specialize in helping tech professionals navigate RSU strategies, tax-efficient investing, and FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) planning."

3. Missing Information

❌ Bad: Empty or minimal "Best Suited For" section ✅ Good: "Young professionals 25-40 in tech sector, earning ₹20L-50L, planning for financial independence"

4. Outdated Licenses or Locations

❌ Bad: Old license number, expired location ✅ Good: Current license number, active service locations

5. Unprofessional Photo

❌ Bad: Selfie, casual attire, poor quality ✅ Good: Professional headshot, business attire, good lighting

Profile Updates

When to Update Your Profile

• Quarterly: Review and refresh SEO fields
• Credential Changes: Add new licenses or certifications
• Service Changes: Update service options (remote, NRI)
• Location Changes: Add or remove service locations
• Fee Changes: Contact support to update pricing type

A/B Testing Your Profile

Try different approaches to see what generates more inquiries:

• Test different wording in "Best Suited For"
• Experiment with different bio openings
• Adjust your "Problems Solved" focus
• Track which version attracts more qualified leads

Measuring Profile Success

Key Metrics (Available in Your Dashboard)

• Profile Views: How many times your profile was viewed
• Match Appearances: How often you appear in client matches
• Lead Inquiries: Number of prospects reaching out
• Conversion Rate: Percentage of inquiries that become clients

Benchmarks

• Active Advisors: 100+ profile views per month
• Inquiry Rate: 10-20% of views convert to inquiries
• Conversion Rate: 30-50% of inquiries become clients

Pro Tip: Regularly updating your profile keeps it fresh and can improve search rankings. Set a reminder to review your profile quarterly.