Be found when people look for someone to trust with their money.

Promises of returns, testimonials, the SEBI logo and anything that could mislead. SEBI's 2023 advertisement code for investment advisers and research analysts bars promises of assured or risk-free returns (SEBI IA and RA advertisement code, 2023), misleading or deceptive testimonials, and use of the SEBI logo. It also requires the standard warning "Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing." in at least 10-point font, and a statement that SEBI registration, BASL membership and NISM certification in no way guarantee performance or assure returns. (SEBI IA and RA advertisement code, 2023)

From early April 2027, the Common Advertisement Code applies. (NSE circular on the SEBI Common Advertisement Code, 2026) It goes further on testimonials, banning any testimonials, not just misleading ones. It also bars indicative returns, exaggerated or vague claims such as "high returns", past performance except as SEBI specifies, and incentives to invest. Every advertisement must show your name and registration number.

Also avoid:

• Wording that blurs advice with product distribution.
• Stock tips or model portfolios on public pages.
• Calling AI tools or software "advisers" in ways that blur who gives the advice.

Informative pages work better for search anyway: your process, fees, registration and who you help. Ask your compliance officer and supervisory body to confirm specifics.

Searches that combine your city, your client types and the needs you serve: "sebi registered investment adviser in Pune", "fee only financial planner", "retirement planning advisor", "nri investment advisor india", "financial planner for doctors", "wealth management for business owners".

Registered advisers are scarce, which helps those who are easy to find. SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said in March 2026 that India has about one thousand registered investment advisers. (News On AIR, 2026) Many people searching for help find distributors, platforms or unregistered influencers first.

Build your list in three groups:

1. Registration searches: "sebi registered investment adviser" plus your city. People who type this are already cautious and well informed.
2. Need searches: retirement, tax planning, NRI investing, ESOP and RSU planning, inheritance.
3. Client-type searches: doctors, IT professionals, business owners, NRIs in a particular country.

Add a few AI questions, such as "how do I find a fee only adviser in Bangalore" or "is my distributor the same as an investment adviser", and see who is named.

Avoid treating "best adviser" style searches as goals; a claim to be best would sit badly with the rules against exaggerated content, so a page built to rank there is hard to write well. Google Visibility checks each search weekly by city.

For advertisements, yes until the new code applies; for genuine educational content, generally not under the new code. SEBI's 2023 code requires prior approval for advertisements from a SEBI-recognised supervisory body, such as BASL for investment advisers, before issue. (SEBI IA and RA advertisement code, 2023)

From early April 2027, the Common Advertisement Code removes mandatory prior approval except for advertisements with celebrity endorsements, and requires post-issue reporting within three working days. (SEBI Board decisions, September 2026) The code names the Investment Adviser Administration and Supervisory Body as the supervisory body for advisers. (NSE circular on the SEBI Common Advertisement Code, 2026)

Whether a piece is an advertisement is the deciding question. Under the new code, educational or informational communication is not treated as an advertisement if branding is minimal and incidental and there is no promotional call to action. Anything that promotes your services or solicits interest is an advertisement.

In practice:

• An article explaining how the new tax regime affects retirement savings, with your name in the byline, is likely educational.
• The same article ending with "book a paid consultation today" is likely an advertisement.
• A post announcing your services or fees is an advertisement.

Until April 2027, when in doubt, seek approval. Keep dated copies of everything published. Your compliance officer or supervisory body should confirm how a specific piece is treated.

Under the 2023 code, misleading or deceptive testimonials are barred in advertisements (SEBI IA and RA advertisement code, 2023); from early April 2027, the Common Advertisement Code bars any testimonials in advertisements. (NSE circular on the SEBI Common Advertisement Code, 2026) An adviser's website is largely promotional, so plan on keeping client quotes, star widgets and video stories off it.

Google reviews on your business profile are written by clients, not by you, and how the rules treat them on third-party platforms is less settled. What is clearer is that embedding or quoting them on your own pages, or in ads, risks being treated as a testimonial. Do not ask clients for reviews in exchange for anything, and ask your compliance officer before displaying them.

Replace testimonials with verifiable trust signals:

• Your SEBI registration number, shown as required, and how to check it.
• The required statement that registration and certification do not guarantee performance.
• The names, qualifications and roles of the people who advise.
• Your fee structure, stated plainly.
• How you handle complaints and conflicts of interest.

These facts are also what careful clients and AI tools look for. When someone asks ChatGPT "is this adviser SEBI registered", a clear registration page is far more useful than a review score.

They ask an AI tool what kind of help they need, then who provides it, and often get platforms, distributors or large wealth firms rather than registered advisers. A typical exchange starts with "do I need a financial planner or a distributor" and moves to "fee only financial planner in Mumbai".

Reach is huge: Sundar Pichai reported more than 2 billion monthly AI Overviews users in July 2025 (Alphabet, 2025), and OpenAI reports over 900 million people using ChatGPT each week. (OpenAI, 2026) With only about one thousand registered investment advisers in India in March 2026 (News On AIR, 2026), each one competes with a much larger number of unregistered voices for attention.

What helps an AI tool name you accurately:

• A page explaining the difference between an investment adviser and a distributor, factually.
• Your registration number and supervisory body on a clear page.
• Service pages for specific needs, such as retirement or NRI planning.
• Client-type pages, such as for doctors or business owners.
• Consistent details across your site, Google Business Profile and professional listings.

AI answers vary between runs, so test the same questions over several weeks. Our guide on how to check if ChatGPT recommends your brand walks through it.