Someone looking for financial advice might search Google for “financial planner for a business sale.” Someone else might ask an AI tool how to find a planner who understands special needs planning.
Getting an answer is easier than ever. Knowing whom to trust takes more work. In a 2025 CFP Board survey, 80% of respondents said they questioned the accuracy of online financial information at least once a month, and 93% said they verified financial information before acting on it.
The rebuilt FPA PlannerSearch® helps consumers take the next step. Developed by the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) with Snappy Kraken and The Smyth Group, it helps consumers explore CFP® professional members whose experience and approach may fit their needs. For planners, it provides another way to be found by people looking for the work they do.
A person preparing to sell a business, planning for a child with special needs or navigating new wealth may not know which planner to search for. They know what is happening in their life.
Traditional directories often begin with location. That can be useful, but consumers also want to know: “Does this person understand my situation?”
PlannerSearch lets consumers explore planners through their financial goals, life events, preferences and decision-making styles. It helps them move from a broad search to people they may want to learn more about.
Our State of Digital + AI 2026 report reinforces the growing importance of advisor websites. Across the Snappy Kraken website data analyzed, traffic increased 10.3%, while website form submissions rose 110%. Those findings underscore the website’s role in turning interest into action.
For the data behind these trends, download our State of Digital + AI 2026 report.
For the rest of 2026 and planning for 2027, the practical takeaway is clear: your website needs to help people understand your expertise, assess whether you’re the right fit and take the next step.
But that journey may begin elsewhere—with a Google search, an AI conversation or a recommendation from a friend. FPA PlannerSearch gives advisors another opportunity to be discovered, with a profile that explains whom they serve and what they help clients navigate.
It's less obvious, but increasingly important, value is validation.
A PlannerSearch profile gives prospective clients a public source beyond your own website where they can learn about your FPA affiliation, areas of focus and approach. They can then visit your website for a fuller picture of your practice.
Clear, consistent information across your profile and website helps people evaluate your relevance and gives search and AI systems information they can potentially use to describe your practice. A profile does not guarantee an AI recommendation, but it adds another place where your expertise can be understood.
As you plan for 2027, consider your profile and website together. Do both clearly explain whom you help, the situations you understand and how someone can start a conversation?
For more on how AI is changing advisor discovery—and why validation matters—download our AI & Visibility Guide.
Before contacting someone about a personal financial decision, consumers want to understand that person’s background and approach.
PlannerSearch gives them a place to explore potential fits and form better questions for an introductory conversation. Does this planner work with people in similar circumstances? Do their areas of focus align with my needs? What would working together look like?
A profile can help someone decide whom to contact. The conversation that follows helps both sides determine whether the relationship is a good fit.
Finding a planner is rarely a single-session decision. Someone may make an inquiry and still need time and information before they are ready to move forward.
FPA members can add paid Snappy Kraken lead nurturing to their PlannerSearch profiles, helping them stay connected with people who inquire through the platform.
At Snappy Kraken, we’re excited to partner with FPA and The Smyth Group on a platform built for both sides of that connection. As search changes, the goal remains human: help consumers find planners who understand their needs, and help those planners be found.
Explore FPA PlannerSearch—and review how your profile and website work together to help prospective clients find you, understand your expertise and connect.