Archive for April, 2008

The financial consultants web design specialists

When planning your financial consultants website design you do have to design it with the consumer in mind. Financial products can be confusing to the majority of individuals and they need the key facts and information relating to the products they are considering buying. These should be given on the website and should be easy to find and to understand.

There is a lot of information that you can make available for the consumer. This can make choosing products and deciding which is most suitable easier and does the job the website is supposed to do. Articles can be included in the design to give the user an insight into what the products are capable of doing. The articles can be divided into relevant sections; this ensures that navigation is made simple for the consumer. You can also include sections that hold hints and tips that again go a long way to helping the consumer make the right choice.

However, there is more to planning a financial consultants website than just adding the content. Once the website is up and running then keeping it up-to-date is essential. Keeping the consumer informed of current trends and new products along with changes in financial products is essential. The inclusion of a news web page can make this easy, as can making a newsletter available.

The content you include on your website is so very important. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulates financial websites just as they do financial products. They ensure that consumers are treated fairly and information is clear to understand. In 2005 and 2006, they reviewed 77 finance websites and found the majority did come up to scratch. However, around 25% of them were found not to give pertinent information relating to their products. Some websites were also poorly designed and hard to get around. The FSA are going to be reviewing a snapshot of finance websaites again in the future and say they will crack down on those who they believe are mis-leading consumers with sketchy or incorrect product information.

Careful thought also has to be given to the financial consultants website design if you want your website to feature highly in search engines. The higher up your website is on the search engine then the more people will know it is there. MORI says that around 22 million people now go online and roughly, 40% of these do so to find out information regarding products they are considering buying. Research from Mintel highlights that 18% of these will then go on to buy a product online. As your website will be viewed by so many consumers – and potential customers – looking for advice and information, ensuring the information on the website is correct is imperative. Also, if the website is hard to navigate then consumers could make a rash decision when it comes to buying. On the other hand, they could also leave the website and go elsewhere.

A website can boost business along with ensuring the consumer gets the information needed. However currently it is thought that around 40% of independent financial advisors do not have one. A portion of those individuals that do have their own website say that their site is nothing more than an online brochure. A well-planned financial consultants website design will be more than this and can ensure that both the company and the consumer benefit.

For expert financial consultants website design and programming contact us.

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The financial advice web design specialists

The Financial Services Authority sporadically reviews financial related websites, just as they did in 2005 and 2006. When they did, they found that while the majority provided pertinent information on an easy to navigate website, others failed.

The failures included not giving the key information needed and designing a website that was hard to move around. If the website design maks it hard to navigate then the consumer will go elsewhere or they could make a rash decision from not having information and end up with a product or service that is not suitable.

As the website is for giving financial information  then of course making sure there is plenty is imperative. Therefore, consideration has to be given at the planning stage of your financial advice website design of what to include. You will certainly have to give the key facts of financial products, but then you also want to give advice, hints, and tips. All of this information must be easy for the user to find.

However there is far more to just designing the website, you need to look at attaining good rankings in search engines. The financial advice website design even comes into play here. While you will want to include pages such as “about us”, “contact us” and “news”, you have to give thought to including other content.  Just as important is the fact that you should update the content you include on your website on a regular basis. A stale website is not in your best interests nor is it good for the consumer.

If you include a news page then this can updated whenever new financial products or services come out. This will probably be one of the easiest sections you are able to keep up-to-date; however, other sections should be regularly up dated too. A company profile can also be kept up current by changing information such as awards and achievements of the key staff and updating photos of them.

Research from MORI and Mintel saying that over 22 million individuals have access to the internet it is essential to make the most of your company website. Around 40% of these individuals use websites when it comes to finding financial advice. 18% then decide to buy their products and services online. Despite these figures around 40% of independent financial advisors, do not give thought to their website design. Around 55% claim that their website is no more than an “online brochure”. However, with a carefully thought out and well planned website your company can blossom. Along with this, the consumer can gain all the information needed.

For expert financial advice website design and programming contact us.

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Google warns against SEO companies

When you are looking for a search engine optimisation company who can deliver you effective long-term results in search engines, you might be tempted to go with those who promise you a number one position.

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