First Financial Sees 225% Increase in Site Search Usage with Yext Answers

By putting the customer experience first with Yext’s advanced search technology, the bank also saw a 27% click-through rate on its site search results.

Yext, Inc., the AI Search Company, today announced it has helped successfully transform the website of First Financial Bank (Nasdaq: FFBC), a Cincinnati, OH-based bank providing a full range of financial services solutions.

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First Financial’s switch from the outdated keyword search on its legacy website to Yext’s advanced natural language processing (NLP)-powered search allowed the bank to improve upon its site search experience for clients. Now, when clients use the site’s Answers search bar to discover advisors near them, banking center information, how to apply for the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more, they are served official, actionable answers instead of a list of blue links.

“Our website is the front gate to our digital experience — the ‘main branch’ that everybody can access,” said Joe Minham, Digital Product Manager at First Financial. “We want to provide everything that people need right there, so they can continue on that personal journey of discovery. Our site search, powered by Yext Answers, is one of the key differentiators that help our clients get what they need as fast as possible, while also increasing conversions and providing us with valuable consumer insights.”

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With Answers, First Financial gained higher visibility into its clients’ most frequent searches — especially important during the pandemic. For example, certificate of deposit (CD) rates were a popular search, prompting the bank to add that information to its website for a more helpful and seamless client experience.

After using Yext for five months, First Financial saw a 272% increase in site visits and a 225% increase in site search usage compared to the same period in the prior year. In the first year since launch, the bank has seen a 27% click-through rate on its site search results.

“The financial services industry has long understood the importance of the digital client experience, but, for many banks, just the thought of overhauling their website can be overwhelming,” said Shane Closser, Head of Industry for Financial Services at Yext. “First Financial’s success with Answers is evidence that by investing in better, faster, and cheaper search, banks can transform their client experience and see immediate results.”

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