Are you ready to open up your brand new financial advising business? Make all your dreams come true when you adopt these characteristics of a good website.

A lot of these things are general information about how one might go about setting up the perfect website for their company’s website.

But, certain things like clear information and a straightforward user experience become all the more critical when finances enter the mix.

Here are our top seven tips for making a financial advisory website that checks all the boxes.

1. Is it Clean and Organized?

While minimalism as a design trend may or may not be here to stay when it comes to our wardrobes and home decor, you can’t go wrong with keeping things as simple as possible on your website.

Beyond the aesthetic qualities of minimalism, good UX design can mean better business. According to Forbes, clean lines and easy navigation can drastically increase your site’s conversion rate.

Keep the color palette to a minimum and remember that less is more when it comes to tabs.

A site like Bonsai Finance is easy to move around in, once you’re there. The site features just four tabs across the top and some basic information about the services they provide on the home page.

2. Does the Site Strike a Professional Tone?

One of the most vital characteristics of a good website is the content. The content you use should match the nature of your business.

Meaning, a financial advisory business should strike a serious tone, steer clear of too many slang words and an informal cadence.

That said, you still want your content to be helpful and easy to read. Too much financial jargon can alienate some consumers, making it difficult for them to find the message that lies in your content.

3. Can Visitors Find the Information They Need?

Contact details and a description of services are the absolute bare minimum when it comes to providing the right information to consumers. You need a phone number, an email, and a form for questions. Bonus points if you have the ability to set up a chat with website visitors.

On the flipside, a lot of websites these days feature pop-up boxes and calls to action that interfere with the ability to read the content.

All pieces of the puzzle need to work together to help users learn more about your service and the niche you exist within.

It’s also worth pointing out that while you may not want to disclose your fees right off the bat, a detailed explanation of your services can help people determine whether or not they are in the correct place.

4. Consider Color

One of the characteristics of a good website is that it is aesthetically pleasing. As a financial advisor, you’ll want to keep things cool and professional.

For example, greys and whites provide an approachable authority, looking far from stuffy when paired with high-quality images and pops of color in the form of call-to-action buttons.

Keep it calm. People feel a little nervous when discussing their financial health and the path toward solvency can be rife with emotions and uncertainty. Using colors like blues, greens, and leaving white space where the eye can rest is key in helping potential clients feel at ease.

Steer clear of reds, and oranges. While to you they might signify warmth–some visitors may find harsh colors brash and off-putting. With that in mind, eye-popping color can be just the thing you need to draw the visitor’s eye around the page.

Like all things, bright colors are best used in moderation.

5. Be Authentic

One of the more underrated characteristics of a good website is authenticity. Look, we know the second tip in this lineup is a reminder to be professional, but it’s a good idea to toe that line between likeability and competence.

Don’t post pictures of your family or the office party that felt more like a real party than professional gathering, but don’t discount the power of letting your personality shine through.

Chances are, you might be spending a lot of time with certain clients and they’ll be more inclined to work with someone who has presented themselves as approachable, professional, and friendly.

6. Does the Site Properly Capture Leads?

An obvious, yet, oh-so-critical tip: make sure your website makes it easy to capture leads. You can do this by including forms for interested clients to pass along their information, adding unique tags to all advertising efforts, and making contact details easy to find.

You’ll also want to make sure all calls to action are positioned in the right places and provide clear instructions for prospective clients to take the next step.

7. Finally, Can People Find You Easily?

A successful website is easy to find through a simple search. One of the most important characteristics of a good website is that it is optimized for SEO. Be sure to take stock of the small stuff; using meta tags, page titles, headers, and alt tags.

Beyond the “behind the scenes” stuff, it’s important to make sure that your website uses the right keywords. Blog posts and web copy should be keyword-rich content. If people search for “financial advisor near me,” they’ll be able to find you right at the top of the page.

Oh, and it should go without saying, but all content needs to be high-quality in order for this to work. Just slapping together some unedited blogs will set off the Google alarm bells.

Characteristics of a Good Website: Wrapping it Up

In the end, most of what you want your website to accomplish has to do with whether your financial service is easy to find, and that once on the page, users can go through the navigation process without having to ask for assistance.

Beyond that, demonstrating authority, competence, and approachability all come into play in equal measure.

If you’re not sure if your website has all the characteristics of a good website, get your free audit from Site Report Card.