Updated 6/30/2023
Your financial advisor website is probably the very first contact a prospect has with your firm. As such, its role is vital. In this digital world, you really only have one chance to capture a visitor’s attention. Do it right, and you may have a lead — and landing a lead is the first step toward landing a client. Miss the opportunity, and you’ll likely never hear from them again. Why? Because a competitor’s website was able to hook them in a way yours didn’t.
So financial advisory firms are investing time and resources on their home pages to make sure they do attract attention. That’s wise, because your home page is the most important page. It needs to start off with a strong, engaging headline that differentiates you from your competitors. Once you’ve hooked them, everything else on that page needs to highlight your firm’s strengths and what makes you different.
But….that’s not the end of the story….because not everyone enters your website from your home page.
The other pages on the site are just as important, yet too many companies treat them as support pages, with common website copy that isn’t particularly unique, engaging, or reader-oriented.
With Google and all search engines, your website is likely going to be indexed in a variety of ways. A visitor might enter from your blog, or from a page about Estate Planning, or from your About Us page. Unlike when visitors enter your home or office, you have no control over which door visitors to your website use to let themselves in.
So you need to make every page count. That’s why when writing copy for each web page, you need to treat every page as important — on its own, as well as in the context of the entire website.
Treat Every Page Like a Landing Page
Think of every page as a potential landing page. First off, let’s clarify what a landing page is. A landing page is a web page that encourages a user to take a specific action. That call to action might be to subscribe to your blog, download an eBook, or sign up for a free financial planning meeting. Whatever it is, it’s very focused.
This thinking should spill onto every page on your website. In this case, the “one thing” you want to communicate is why your firm is different. Every page, when considered on its own, should communicate your unique strengths in one way or another.
Think of your firm’s “About Us” page. While it is logical to write general information about your company, you should really home in on your firm’s strengths and how they will benefit the website visitor. That’s what your visitor wants to know, and that’s what you need them to know.
After all, that’s what they care about. Unless they are your mother or an IRS auditor, they are not there to learn the basics of your firm. They are really there to learn about what your firm can do for them.
So don’t just keep the best stuff on your home page. Your firm’s strengths need to be highlighted throughout—at the top of every page on your site; wherever your visitor is, that’s where your strengths need to be. Keep hitting on those strengths and differentiating factors.
Will it sound repetitive? Yes, it can. But few people –other than you — will read your entire website. Most will only see a portion of it, so make sure that every portion gets your most important messages across: your strengths and differentiating factors.
Here’s An Example
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine this, so let’s look at an example. Let’s say your differentiating factor is that you integrate year-round financial coaching along with your financial planning to help make sure clients actually implement your advice and achieve their goals. You’ve come up with a great headline to reel people in… if they come in through your home page.
But what if they find you through your About Us page, and your About Us page starts with this line:
>>
We are a full-service financial planning, investment management and financial coaching firm headquartered in Kalamazoo
>>
Informative, I guess. Engaging? I’m not engaged – are you?
How can we improve on this? By keeping in mind who we are writing for, and realizing this might be the first time they see anything about our firm. Let’s write to them, not about you. Big difference.
So let’s change the copy so it looks more like this:
>>
You don’t need more financial advice. You need results.
That’s why we created a firm that delivers implementation help alongside all our advice.
This way, we help you actually achieve your goals.
It all started in Kalamazoo, when we realized that the old financial advice business model was not working for most people…
>>
See the difference? So now, if you land on this About Us page, it’s almost like you’re on a landing page that’s dedicated to getting this one key differentiator across.
This is just a simple change, but it can have a substantial impact on your results.
There’s one caveat, though: You want to treat almost every page on your financial advisor website as a landing page.
Keep the Right Balance
The “almost” qualifier is important, too. We don’t want to come across as pushy; we want to come across as helpful. Here are some tips to achieve that balance:
- Provide enough detail, since hiring a financial advisor is an important topic. Brevity is prized in website design. But when you’re designing for financial advisory services, that concept of “less is more” can work against you. Why? Because it’s a critically important topic. Many people will read longer copy on a financial advisor website before they hand over control of millions of dollars. So don’t just be coy by providing snippets; provide more detail on the benefits they will get from your service as well as what they can expect. This is information your prospective client needs, so make sure they get it.
- Keep your calls to action respectful. We don’t want to rush people, simply because that will erode any trust you’re building. Instead, provide easy ways for prospects to get to know your firm without having to call or meet with you face to face. Good options are eBooks, videos, blogs, and frequently asked questions that will allow them to learn more about how you help people just like them.
Your website is the face your firm presents to the world, the first thing prospective clients see when considering whether to entrust their assets to you. If they like what they see, they’ll want to know you better.
By making sure this information is presented prominently, whether visitors arrive via your home page or any of the other pages or articles on your site, you’ll increase your website’s lead generation power.
Jeanne Klimowski is the founder of Wavelength Financial Content, Inc. Wavelength provides financial copywriting and content development for financial advisors and other financial and B2B firms. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation to see how we can help your firm achieve its goals.
