Trending
There’s no denying that having a polished website is a critical asset to your financial planning firm’s digital marketing strategy. If you are going into 2021 unsure if your current website is up to par then it’s likely it might be time for a redesign. At Twenty Over Ten, we believe your website should attract and engage customers. In the highly digital world, we live in today so many decisions are made online, which is why it’s so crucial your online presence remains current and relevant. This rings true
We get asked the question a lot – “Does my website need to be updated?” If you haven’t touched your website in a year or more then it’s likely your technology is lagging. But more importantly, you may be losing customers. Still unsure if your website is past it’s prime? Our team has put together a list of the top seven signs your website may be in need of a redesign.
7 Signs Your Website Needs an Update
1. Your Design Is Unresponsive
If your website was built over two years ago, it is more than likely far behind in terms of looks in functionality. Additionally, it probably has outdated code that may be slowing down its loading speed or the way it responds on different devices (if it’s mobile-friendly at all). Additionally, it might also not be compatible with some of the latest popular browsers.
63% of Google searches were from mobile devices, and that number is going to keep growing. Having a website that is responsive is now a necessity. Just think about how often you pick up your phone to search for something. It’s more often than not, right? Developing a website that can be viewed and easily explored on any device is crucial to increase your conversion rate and improve your client experience. Not sure if your current site is responsive? Simply put your website’s link into the below box link and see if it is mobile responsive. I
At Twenty Over Ten, all of our frameworks are created with a mobile-first approach. When developing our frameworks, our designers held priority on a seamless experience regardless of the device a user was viewing the website on. Through our platform, advisors can choose the framework that best fits their business and leverage it on a desktop, mobile phone, tablet, and any device.
We were able to put Twenty Over Ten client, Hammer Wealth Group, into the Am I Responsive Design bar to see if it was mobile-responsive and as you can see, it can easily be ready on multiple devices. This is crucial when it comes to creating a strong user-experience for your audience.
2. Content Clutter
Content is king when it comes to any successful online presence, as it not only engages your visitors but also directly impacts your SEO. As the world has been turned upside down during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become even more important to create content that boosts your inbound marketing strategy and drives more traffic to your advisor website. One marketing goal for any financial advisor trying to build their business should always be to develop your own unique original content and post it directly to your website. These can come in the form of:
- Blog Posts
- Newsletters
- Videos
- Podcasts
A website can really start to show its age with content clutter. Meaning, websites that have been around longer or have not been updated for years tend to have accumulated unnecessary content. We’re not talking about those old blog posts you have laying around – those are actually good to keep! But rather, the long-winded, redundant pages of copy.
You want prospects to be able to easily find you online, right? This requires your site to have SEO optimized content. This not only applies to the main pages of your website but also includes publishing regular blog posts with trending industry keywords. Whether you take the DIY approach to spruce up your website content or seek outside help, content clutter is a clear sign of your site being outdated.
Our platform makes it easy to add and update content on your website. You can add unlimited landing pages at any time to invite clients to your holiday open house or to inform them of your new office location. Some of the advisors we work with even create new blog posts every week to keep their clients engaged. Content is still king and we’ve made it easy.
Additionally, you can utilize Lead Pilot, the AI-powered, inbound marketing solution for Financial Advisors. With Lead Pilot, users can increase traffic, easily connect with leads, and nurture clients and prospects. It offers:
With Lead Pilot, advisors can also pull robust reports on which content each individual in their system is reading, what content is producing the most leads overall, and which social media platforms are creating the highest engagement.
3. Hard To Navigate
Mistakes in the navigation of your website not only affect your user experience but they also have a direct impact on your rankings in popular search engines, like Google. According to KoMarketing, 50% of visitors will use the navigation menu to orient themselves after reaching a company’s website via a referral site.
Your site navigation should be intuitive to visitors leading them to the information or pages they’re seeking. We also recommend using wording in your navigation that is deliberate and descriptive. Stay away from fancy wording or industry jargon. Rather, make it obvious to the visitor what they’ll get by clicking on the page. Consider using the Google Keyword Tool to determine what descriptive keywords to use in your navigation. Your website’s navigation can be an easy thing to overlook. However, it is one of the most important aspects of your website. Bottom line: if it’s not easy to use, you’re losing business.
4. Overly Aggressive Calls-To-Action
So maybe your site has calls-to-action but there are some reasons why your CTAs are not working. Just a few simple changes such as placing your CTAs mid-website to catch readers before they bounce or being clear in your CTA content (i.e. “Download Now – Free”) can lead to doubling your conversion rate. CTAs that appear to be overly aggressive typically tend to look outdated and not to mention a bit desperate! We consider CTAs “overly aggressive” if they possess the following:
- Neon colors
- All caps
- Multiple exclamation points
- Text that is bolded, underlined and italicized
So, make sure you are avoiding those as they can come off as “spammy.” An example of a strong CTA is from Twenty Over Ten, client, Highball Advisors. The colors stand out nicely against the background, they are on brand and it tells the reader exactly what they will be getting with the phrase, “Get Your Free Railroad Retirement Assessment.”
5. Not Secure
When you are working with confidential information every day, all of your online platforms must be secure. Especially in the financial services industry, the sensitive data you may capture from clients makes your website and business a target for third-parties who may be looking to steal sensitive information. Your clients are trusting your firm to carefully transfer their personal and financial information, whether it’s in-depth documentation or a simple form with their contact information. Clients will expect your website is secure and we don’t blame them!
Because of the lack of security HTTP websites have, it is essential that financial advisors have SSL certifications or HTTPS websites. In fact, Google’s search algorithm will rank your website lower if it does not have an SSL certification. Google will now also warn visitors when they go to load your website that it is not secure and this will most likely scare off any prospective clients. So what is SSL? SSL or a Secure Sockets Layer encrypts data when transferring it between the server and browser. We integrate SSL on every website to keep you and your clients secure.
Twenty Over Ten client, Treasure Valley Financial Planning, is secure as you can see in the search bar, as there is an HTTPS in their name.
6. Outdated Design
You should always think of your website as a visual extension and representation of your brand. You wouldn’t want to poorly portray your brand now, would you? We didn’t think so. Web design trends change rapidly and if your website is just a few years old it can start to look real outdated real fast. Today’s look is all about clean design and easy navigation (see our point above). According to ResearchGate, 94% of people say that websites with good designs are more trustworthy.
It’s true, design trends come and go but there are some trends that we promise are likely to never return. Splash pages (that say “enter here”), flash animation, image carousel’s and anything that blinks on and off is long gone. So, if your site includes any of those, then it is time for a refresh.
At Twenty Over Ten our award-winning designers have taken into account the specific needs of financial advisors and broker-dealers to develop only the best website frameworks for your digital presence. With five highly customizable framework options to choose from the end result is a beautiful & unique site that captures your brand, vision and style.
7. No Social Integration
Having a solid digital marketing strategy for your financial planning firm means integrating all of your online content. This means your website, blog, social media, calendar and more. It has now become second nature to find most places of business on social media, and it is not going anywhere. Your website should include links to various social media accounts to not only optimize your site traffic but also provide a better user experience to visitors who want to check you out on social media, as well. It is important that your website and social media work hand-in-hand to promote your online brand.
Twenty Over Ten client, Wildes Financial Strategies included icons for their LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram accounts, making it very easy to find social media platforms.
Does Your Website Have What It Takes?
The financial industry is constantly evolving and moving faster each day. It’s crucial that you keep your online presence up to date so that you can stand out from your competition and boost your lead generation. With the Twenty Over Ten and Lead Pilot platforms, it is easier than ever to stay up to date, therefore boosting your online presence and SEO rankings.
Related: Avoid These 9 Blogging Mistakes and Boost Your Online Presence