Building a successful financial services website requires more than just good design and rich content; it should prioritize functionality and user experience to meet the unique needs of the busy financial advisor audience (and when applicable, their clients). The following 7 pillars are common areas of improvement on sites we see that can make a big difference to website usability and engagement. Cross-check your website against this list to ensure it serves both advisors and their clients as effectively as possible. 

1. Define Your Website’s Purpose 

• Why does your website exist? 
• What are the key things it’s trying to communicate? 
• Who is your website for? 

These seemingly straightforward questions are ones we ask at the start of every website project to help shape what each website will become. Effective websites cannot be everything to everyone. Some websites, or landing pages, are used as advisor content repositories, others solely focus on lead generation. By identifying the purpose of your website initially, you will be able to accurately evaluate your current site content in the eyes of the advisor (or key audience) and make more strategic decisions around future content down the road.  

2. Keep Navigation Simple

A website’s navigation should be intuitive and structured around how advisors are likely to interact with it. Avoid organizing the site solely based on your company’s internal structure or stakeholder preferences. Instead, consider the needs of your audience:

• What are they searching for?
• How quickly can they find it?

Keep primary navigation titles simple, straightforward, and as streamlined as possible in order to make it easier for advisors to locate essential information without frustration, which is sure to improve their overall experience.

3. Use Conversational Language

Financial topics can be complex, but your website content shouldn’t be. Use conversational, jargon-free language to connect with your audience. Advisors often evaluate content with their clients in mind, so clarity is crucial. We often hear, if an advisor can’t easily articulate something to their client, they will not share it.  Writing in a natural tone will help to:

• Speed up content scanning and comprehension.
• Enhance SEO by aligning with how people search online. 
• Build trust by sounding authentic and approachable.

4. The Fewer Clicks, the Better

Advisors have busy schedules and limited patience for websites that make them hunt for information. Ensure that key resources and details are easily accessible on a single page whenever possible. Consolidating information reduces frustration and keeps users engaged. Ask yourself:

• Can advisors find what they need without navigating through multiple pages?
• Are critical documents, forms, or tools clearly visible?

5. Pay Attention to Layout

First impressions matter. Advisors will often spend only a couple of seconds scanning a page before deciding if it’s worth their time. Use design elements strategically to make your key points stand out:

• Utilize bulleted lists to highlight critical information.
• Break up large text blocks with headers, white space, and imagery.
• Keep the layout clean and uncluttered.

A well-organized page helps advisors quickly identify the value you’re offering and encourages them to stay longer.

6. Make Content Easy to Share

Advisors often want to share insightful articles, guides, or tools with clients or colleagues. Make this process simple by incorporating visible, user-friendly sharing buttons on your pages, particularly for thought leadership content. When designing these features, consider:

• Are sharing buttons located in an obvious, convenient spot?
• Do they work seamlessly across email and social media platforms?

By enabling easy sharing, you can extend your reach and position your brand as a trusted resource in the industry.

7. Use Visuals to Make an Impact 

It’s no secret that use of stock photography on many financial websites contributes to the general feeling of a sea of sameness in the industry. High quality imagery on websites can help to reinforce the brand, capture attention, and help convey messaging. When it comes to the images on your site, ask yourself:

• Do the images feel inline with the look and feel you want your brand to convey?
• Are the images being used purposefully alongside the copy they represent, or are they just there to break up text? 

Conclusion

An effective financial service website is one that prioritizes simplicity, clarity, and functionality. By focusing on defining the website’s purpose, user-friendly navigation, conversational content, streamlined access to resources, smart design, and shareability, you can create a site that advisors enjoy using and will help build brand affinity. 

Delivering on each of these 7 pillars can feel overwhelming, so please get in touch if you ever need any help in ensuring that your website is set up for advisor success.