Many people at the forefront of financial institutions have a clear idea of their target audience and a meticulous attention to detail about the type of wealth management they need most. Whether it is taking out a home loan, working with a financial advisor, or funding a startup, you know your client best.
Unfortunately, knowing your audience isn’t enough. You need to take that understanding and translate it into effective web design— generating more leads and ultimately earning more clients.
Blow we give a quick breakdown of why you should care about your web design and some of the ways to make it work in your favor.
Why Web Design Matters
Web design is more than what you see when you visit a site. While the visual appeal does play a role, there is an entire behind-the-scenes landscape that is needed to take your website from average to top-performing.
An effective website accomplishes three things:
- Leverages Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Generates Leads
- Is easy to use from any device
Below, we will discuss some of the main ways these goals can be accomplished through best web design practices.
Getting Seen
By leveraging your SEO through keywords, search intent, and meaningful content, search engines will reward you by placing your site higher in search results. This raises your likelihood of being seen by potential clients whether they are directly looking for financial services, or, whether they are simply typing a question into Google.
While SEO practices are many and complex, there are a handful to be aware of that give your site the highest chance of earning a higher rank:
- Use the Right Keywords
Keywords are the bedrock of SEO, as they help connect clients to relevant content. Using keywords that are meaningful to your audience needs and generate traffic is one of the first steps in improving your on-site SEO. - Make Your Site Easy to Index
Organizing the layout of your site in an intuitive way is integral for both your clients and for search engines. The more logical your site-flow, the easier it will be indexed by search engines, thus earning you a higher rank. - Create Content That Meets Demand
One of the most overlooked parts of SEO is creating content, both on your page and on your blog, that answers the search intent of your audience. Without this, people will not stay on your site, telling search engines you weren’t a good match, and subsequently lowering your rank.
Generating Leads
For those in the financial industry, leads may or may not be something you’re familiar with.
The way we describe leads is that it is a piece of information you get from a client in your target audience that lets you keep them on your radar.
By generating leads, we can gather the information of the audience who is most likely to need your service and start engaging with them more frequently. Throughthis contact, you build their awareness of your company which boosts your chances of getting hired.
There are two types of leads, generally, and one is preferred over the other:
- Unqualified Leads
Also known as “cold” leads, these are usually lists that are purchased and only have a very basic target audience. - Qualified Leads
Leads which voluntarily give you information through your site (though messaging, subscribing, or opting into a freebie) are known as “warm.” This is because they have already expressed interest in what you offer and will therefore be more receptive to working with you in the future.
The warmer the lead, the higher the chance of converting the customer.
Mobile Friendly Websites
Finally, you want to make sure your side is easy to use no matter what device your prospective client is using.
According to this source from Statistica, mobile devices account for roughly half of all internet usage worldwide. This is important because if your site only looks presentable on desktop, your site could be off-putting to a large portion of the internet.
As such, at least some part of your optimal web development plans are going to involve making sure your site works as well on mobile as it does on desktop. Depending on the nature of your site, this might be relatively simple or require some structural re-working between one platform and another.
Hiring the All-In-One Team
When you are looking to boost your success on the internet, what many individuals do is start hiring out experts. For financial services websites, this might look like hiring a content writer, an SEO specialist, and a web design company. The problem with this system is that it gets expensive, fast.
At Sting, we offer all these services in one place from a team of passionate professionals who work as part of a unified team. Not only does this save you money in the long run, it ensures quality, cohesion, and understanding in how your project develops.
Interested in learning more? We are just one message away.
