Creating a financial advisor website that causes investors to spend more time viewing content and initiating contact is a critical next step in the digital marketing process. The first step is finding you on the Internet or they already know your name. Regardless, they found you and now they are on your website. What they see on your website will determine if they contact you for an appointment or information.
The key is to convert visitors into leads that volunteer their contact information. That is not going to happen if they are on and off your financial advisor website in a matter of seconds.
Keep visitors on your website longer. Learn how by connecting with Paladin Digital Marketing today!
Creating interest that keeps them on your website is a combination of art and science. The process involves a strategic blend of design, content, functionality, and free offers to make sure the website is visually appealing, informative, and user-friendly.
These key elements start with a professional design that generates trust, credibility, and transparency in ways that cause investors to want to initiate contact with financial advisors on their websites.
You should also avoid overloading the site with technical jargon or complex concepts that may deter potential clients. Additionally, ensuring mobile responsiveness and fast loading times are essential because today's investors expect fast, easy access to the information they are seeking.
This article will delve into the best practices for creating a financial advisor website that stands out, attracts the right audience, and produces more leads.
How do prudent investors evaluate advisor websites?
You should assume the prudent investor is going to visit at least eight financial advisor websites, so they have reviewed an adequate number of choices before they select the four they think are best for initial interviews (the first cut). Then their interview process narrows their choices down to the two finalists (second cut) and eventually, they choose the one they want to hire (third cut).
Paladin Insight: A typical investor process, starting on the Internet, has an 8:4:2:1 ratio. The process investors use to get from eight to one will vary by investor, but the challenge is to be one of the eight and end up being the one they ultimately select.
This may seem like a disciplined process that is designed to protect the financial interests of the prudent investor. However, the reality is far different at least 80% of the time.
Very few investors have an objective process for selecting the best financial advisors. Instead, they will make subjective choices during the interview phase that are based on what they are told and who they think they would like to work with.
Paladin Insight: This subjectivity opens the door to the financial advisor with the best sales skills.
How important is intuitive navigation on your financial advisor website?
Intuitive website navigation is a critical next step after the home page (above the fold). There is plenty of evidence that investors will exit websites if they can’t find the information they are looking for quickly and easily. After all, the Internet makes it easy to find another financial advisor website they can visit to learn more.
It also pays to use dropdowns under the top-line navigation so it is easier to find various categories of services. For example, under What We Do, you should list your various services: Financial Planning, Investment Services, Tax, and Risk Management. This is a far better solution than requiring investors to scroll down extremely long pages to find the information they are seeking.
What is the art of financial advisor website transparency?
Let’s face it, very few financial advisors are willing to practice full transparency on their websites. Why do we think that’s true? Less than 5% of financial advisors publish their fee schedules on their websites. They deliberately withhold this information from investors for three reasons:
- Their fees are high in relation to competitors
- Investors have to talk to them to obtain this information
- They don’t want to lose a lead due to excessive fees
At the same time, there is an art to transparency. Financial advisors may be reluctant to publish their fee schedules, but the smart ones will describe how they are compensated, without disclosing how much. For example, the website describes how the advisor is compensated with an asset-based fee without disclosing it is 1% on the first million dollars.
What are the most important advisor website pages?
What questions do investors have when they visit financial advisor websites? The higher the quality of your answers, the higher the probability investors will feel comfortable giving up their anonymity and disclosing their contact information.
Our description of website information assumes the investors have had some previous experience with financial advisors. In other words, they know what they are looking for.
- About Us: Longevity of firm, ownership, AUM, professional staff, credentials, minimum asset requirement, number of clients.
- What We Do: Planning, investment, risk management, tax, legal, concierge, family office
- Who We Serve: Individuals, families, small businesses, institutions
- Compensation: Asset-based, fixed, hourly, subscription fees
- Communications: Zoom, face-to-face, advisor location, client location, reporting, performance reports
Paladin Insight: Provide information that emphasizes your strengths and minimizes potential weaknesses.
What about competitor advisor websites?
Every major U.S. city has thousands of financial advisors, but very few have a strong presence on the Internet. These might be viewed as your primary competitors from a digital marketing perspective.
Therefore, advisors must conduct searches on the Internet as if they were investors to see what they see when they launch their web-based searches.
- How much transparency do they practice on their websites?
- What are their most important features?
- Do they have differentiating characteristics?
- Number of professionals and credentials?
- Potential strengths and weaknesses?
- How do they compare to your firm?
This research will help you develop a competitive website.
What about the use of testimonials on your financial advisor website?
Should you use investor testimonials to help you market your services?
This is definitely a two-edged sword. On the one hand, investors assume financial advisors control the publishing of testimonials and they will never publish a bad one on their websites.
Paladin Insight: How valuable is a self-serving testimonial that is limited to positive comments?
Ratings and reviews represent more objectivity by investors, but they can also be slanted in the advisors’ favor. Reviews should be monitored and managed by financial advisors. Negative reviews should be followed up with positive information.
Conclusions
If you want a website that is more noticeable by investors then you need the help of a digital marketing agency that specializes in working with independent financial advisors. This type of agency will have best practices that make your website more noticeable.
About Paladin Digital Marketing
Paladin was founded in 2003 to provide marketing services to firms and professionals in the financial service industry. Our unique team of professionals has more than 185 years of collective financial industry and digital marketing experience. We are a full-service digital marketing agency that uses proprietary software and systems to provide an array of website, SEO, SEM, Video, and Fractional CMO services. Our financial advisory clients range from start-ups to firms with billions of dollars of AUM.
For more information about our digital marketing services for financial advisors email: Info@PaladinDigitalMarketing.com to schedule an introductory call.
