Category Archives: Website Design & Development

5 Financial Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid

A website is one of the most vital tools for experts in the financial industry. For a financial advisor, a website is a key platform for building brand awareness and reputation. There are plenty of good financial websites scattered on the web today, however, some of these fall down and backfires when it comes to offering a good service. Mostly, it is due to poor usability.

Whether you have a brand new website or intend to make changes to your current one, here are the top 5 web design mistakes that you should steer clear of.

 

Mistake #1: Poor Navigation

 

Navigation issues are a typical culprit of poor usability. Often, prospective clients leave a financial website because they find it difficult to navigate. A good web design should provide the opposite. A user visiting your website has to be able to quickly and easily go through the pages they want to see. Otherwise, navigating around it becomes a nightmare, prompting them to leave and visit another financial advisor’s website.
VCPost.com suggests that you pay attention to your website speed and ensure that your website has a navigation that includes a sitemap.

 

Remember that the Internet is all about speed… Make sure that every page of your site has a navigation bar on every page so it would be easier for visitors to visit these pages. Include a site map on the navigation bar or footer of your site so they have an idea of what to find on your site. (source)

 

 

FPA Australia’s website has a good example of an easy-to-follow web navigation.

 

Take note: bad navigation can quickly send your prospects into another financial advisor’s arms — one whose website has better usability and user-friendly interface. So make certain yours has good navigation.

 

Mistake #2: Complex Design

 

Aesthetics are an essential consideration in web design. There is nothing wrong with a flashy design, but going overboard with it can ruin the site’s functionality. Todd Johnson, managing director of Avatar New York, mentions in a Yahoo! Finance article that web design must be both trendy and functional. Ultimately “simple layouts that speak to the user are best,” he said.

 

Some of the best websites out there are simple in nature, while the bad ones are those that seem to have too much going on — too much text, too many images, countless links, multiple pop-ups, widgets, and animation. For clients who simply want to be offered help, all these “noise” and clutter may be too overwhelming and hard on the eyes, confusing and driving them away.

 

They can also cause a slower website loading time, which internet users hate. In this day and age, who has the time and patience to wait for one site to load, when other financial websites are just a click away?

 

couco number 2Weingarten Associates LLC has a simple but striking layout and design.

 

Indeed, it can be tempting to showcase a bit of your personality and creativity on the site and that’s totally fine. Just do not go overboard. Do not make your website too complex that it ends up not serving your audience.

 

Mistake #3: Lack of Relevant Content

 

Many financial advisors make the mistake of featuring old, dated content on the pages of their website. Make sure yours is updated regularly to avoid losing credibility. Johnson has noted that in order for the site to stay timely and reflect new information, content must be tweaked periodically. “Copying content from your old website and pasting it into the new one is generally not recommended,” he added.

 

In addition, stay far away from “in-your-face” content marketing. You don’t want content that blatantly advertises your services. Instead, create accurate content that offers value, solutions, and information to your clients.

 

Speaking of valuable content, you may want to consider integrating a blogging platform into your site. Blogs are not exactly necessary for financial websites, although they do reel in a substantial amount of clients seeking financial help. A blog also allows you to connect with your prospects, keeping them on the website longer.

 

Finance for Teachers’ blog

 

Mistake #4: No Contact Details in Easy-to-Find Locations

 

According to an article from Entrepreneur.com, it is important to provide prospects with several easy ways to contact you — one of which is integrating a contact us link into each and every page of the site that should lead to a complete contact information.

 

The smartest route is to put up a “Contact Us” link that leads to complete info–mailing address, phone and email address. That link should be on each and every page of your website. Even if nobody ever calls, the very presence of this information adds real-world legitimacy and transparency to your site and comforts some viewers.

 

Adding ‘calls to action’ buttons on your website pages is a good idea as well. These buttons can direct your prospects to subscribe to your mailing list, contact you for questions, or schedule a meeting.

 

 

Westpac provides a Contact Us link and a Calls to Action button on every page.

 

Whatever method you choose, the key is to place them in easy-to-locate areas. It should not be more than a click away so you stand a good chance of actually having them get in touch with you.

 

Mistake #5: Failing to Integrate Your Social Media Accounts into the Site

 

Social Media is a great platform to use to drive more traffic to your website. When you integrate your social media sites into your site, you make it easy for your audience to connect with you and move from one platform to another as your accounts can be accessed with a simple click of a button. It also makes marketing and promoting your brand less difficult as you can share your content across a variety of social media channels effortlessly.

 

Canopy Private has seamlessly integrated their social channels into their main site.

 

Whether you utilize Twitter to broadcast your activities, Facebook to share your content, or LinkedIn to build your network, having these social media accounts integrated into your financial website can benefit you in more ways than one.

 

Web design is anchored on a number of things — aesthetics, functionality, content, efficiency, and usability being the most critical factors. Learn to balance these aspects when designing your website and you are well on your way to providing your prospects a positive experience.

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