Your financial services website design is often the first impression consumers have of your financial organization. And if that first impression involves confusing navigation, outdated stock photos or walls of text? Well, you just sent them straight to your competitor’s site.
Financial services website design doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does need to be strategic. Here are seven fixes that can transform an ineffective website into a powerful marketing tool.
1. Simplify Your Menus
If your navigation menu looks like a phone book…you’ve got a problem. Consumers don’t want to hunt through seventeen dropdown options to find what they need. Streamline your menu structure. Group related items logically. Make it so simple that even your least tech-savvy board member could find your loan rates in three clicks or less.
2. Refresh Your Imagery
Those generic stock photos of people in suits shaking hands aren’t fooling anyone. Consumers spot inauthenticity from a mile away, so use real images that reflect your community and your culture. Better yet, invest in professional photography that showcases actual staff members and real consumers (with permission, of course). Authenticity builds trust…and trust drives conversions.
3. Make CTAs Obvious
A call-to-action button buried at the bottom of a page in muted gray isn’t calling anyone to do anything. As Donald Miller says, “Your customers are bombarded with more than three thousand commercial messages a day, and unless we are bold in our calls to action, we will be ignored.” Your CTAs should be bold, clear and impossible to miss. Use contrasting colors. Write action-oriented copy. Place them strategically throughout the page. Whether it’s “Apply Now,” “Get Started” or “Schedule a Consultation,” make it easy for consumers to take the next step.
4. Cut the Copy
Nobody is reading your 800-word description of checking account features. Consumers skim. They scan. They want information fast. So, edit ruthlessly. Use bullet points. Break up text with subheadings. Say what needs to be said…then stop talking. Your website isn’t a novel. It’s a conversion tool.
5. Focus on the Consumer, Not Yourself
Too many financial organizations make their websites all about themselves. “We’ve been serving the community since 1952.” “We’re the most trusted name in banking.” That’s nice, but consumers want to know what you can do for them. Shift your messaging to focus on consumer benefits and pain points. Address their needs, not your ego.
6. Use Landing Pages
Sending all your ad traffic to your homepage is like inviting someone to dinner and making them cook their own meal. Create dedicated landing pages for specific campaigns, products or audience segments. A mortgage campaign should lead to a mortgage landing page with relevant information and a clear path to application…not your general homepage where consumers have to start their journeys from scratch.
7. Use Interactive and Engaging Elements
Static websites are boring. And boring doesn’t convert. Consider adding calculators, interactive tools, chatbots or dynamic content that responds to user behavior. These elements provide value and position your institution as modern and consumer-focused.
Overall, effective financial services website design isn’t about having the fanciest bells and whistles. It’s about creating a clear, consumer-focused experience that guides people toward action. If your current site isn’t doing that, it’s time for a fix.
Book a free consultation now and get started on your website redesign.
