Website Essentials for Financial Advisors

People use several factors to judge your professionalism. They consider what you wear, how you speak, and what your business cards look like. You should consider your website as an extension of all of those factors. When someone searches for you online, your website should come up for them. When they click on that site, what they see can determine if they fill out a contact form or subscribe to your email list. This is why it’s important for your website to look good. That raises the question of what makes a website look “good”. There are a lot of ways to answer that question so let’s look at the anatomy of your website.

Domain name

Your website should have a domain name that is easy to spell and remember. If it’s too long or uses unusual spellings, that can be a deterrent so keep it simple. Another thing more technically savvy prospects will notice is whether you’re using a personal domain. If you use free versions of a service, one common limitation is that you can’t have a personal domain. That means that the service provider’s name is a part of your site’s URL. For those that notice, this can seem unprofessional. Consider the money it takes to buy and renew your domain name as an investment. 

Colors and visual appearance 

The colors, fonts, and font size you use for your site matter for a couple of reasons. The colors you use on your site control a prospect’s perception of you. Different colors convey different meanings and make people feel different emotions. Color is so powerful that there’s scientific research on its impact in marketing. Basic knowledge of that science can help you select colors that convey professionalism.  On a more practical note, the wrong colors, fonts, and font sizes can make your site difficult to read and navigate. Those who have trouble viewing your site aren’t likely to contact you.

Content

Your site content should include a brief biography. That biography should tell prospects who you are professionally while including a bit of personal information. It should also set you apart from other financial advisors. Content should be spelled properly, grammatically correct, and up to date. Issues with any of these three things scream unprofessional. Don’t let “there, their, and they’re” or two year old information cost you business. 

The content on your site will include images and videos. Both should be sized in relation to the other elements on that page. Video should auto-play without sound, or not at all. Trying to find the source of noise you weren’t expecting doesn’t appeal to many people. Make sure that you check these elements from time to be sure they load correctly.  

Mobile Compatibility

Mobile devices account for over 50% of all web traffic. If your website doesn’t work well on mobile devices, you can miss out on valuable web traffic. If you’re not sure about your site, pull it up on your mobile device and check that everything looks and works as it should.  

For many people your website is their first introduction to you. That means it’s vital that your online presence reflects you and your practice. For more free information about growing your practice, download our checklist 10 Things to Grow Your Financial Advisor Practice.