03 Createbenefitdrivencontent

05 Don’tbeafraidtosegment

08 Makeyourproducts/servicesmoreaccessible

09 Utilisesocialproof

11 Createself-serviceareas

11 Trackmorethanpageviews

12 Coverthelegalbases

13 Attracttrafficfromsearchengines

15 Planforgrowth

16 HowTalismancanhelp

Asuccessfulwebsitehasbecomethecornerstoneofmostmarketingstrategiesoverthepreviousdecade.Thisistrueinthefinancialsectorasinallothersandasfinancialmarketerswemustensurethatourwebsiteisprovidingthebestexperiencetoourvisitors,prospectsandcustomers.

Intheprequeltothiswhitepaperwediscussedtenmust-havefeaturestoconsiderfor afinancialserviceswebsite.Thesefeatures arestillimportantandshouldbepartof yourwebsite.

Howeverthedigitalworldrarelystandsstill. Inthiswhitepaperweexpandfurtherwithacombinationoffurtherfeaturestoconsiderandanumberofhigherlevelprinciples,whichwillensureyourwebsitedeliversafirst-rateexperiencetoyourvisitors.

Didyoumisstheprequel tothiswhitepaper? Downloadithere

http://info.talismansolutions.co.uk/10-must-have-features-for-a-financial-services-website-workflow

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CreatebenefitdrivencontentWe all know that marketing should be benefit driven, yet it’s surprising

how many financial websites don’t promote the benefits of their products

and services effectively online.

Benefits are often hidden behind complex terminology, jargon or hidden

away within corners of the website. Visitors won’t spend time searching

for product benefits – it’s our job to promote benefits and entice the

visitor to want to find out more.

Usingproduct/servicepageseffectivelyProduct or service pages play a vital role within a website. Yet many

websites fail to use them effectively. A product or service page should:

1. Use imagery to grab the visitor’s attention

2. Include a concise message which explains the product

3. �Quickly�communicate�key�benefits�and�features�from�the� customer’s perspective

4. Provide�links�to�further�information

5. Optionally provide a next stage call to action

Image�from�Standard�Chartered

1

2

3

4

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SeparatefinedetailintosubsequentpagesFinancial products are often complex and cannot accurately be described

in a few paragraphs of copy. That doesn’t mean though that all of this

information needs to be placed on 1–2 pages.

Doing so greatly dilutes any marketing messages or calls to action within

those pages and thus will reduce the chance a visitor will engage with

the content.

Successful websites are based around an effective structure which splits

content into multiple, logical sections and pages. Consider separating

your content by product or service, with each having a ‘home page’ which

signposts visitors to supporting pages.

Each supporting page should both allow the visitor to go back to the

product / service ‘home page’ and also signpost the visitor to the next

logical section.

EffectiveuseofformsandcallstoactionMost websites’ primary purpose is to turn visitors into leads. To do this,

the visitor must interact with your website by performing an action.

They might be completing a form requesting more information,

completing a questionnaire or reaching out to contact you. Forms and

calls to action allow a visitor to perform an action, which turns them into

a lead.

Implementing this strategy may be as simple as including a form to

download a brochure on a product page, or a link to register for a webinar.

Whatever the purpose of your form, the call to action is vital. A strong call

to action is:

1. Visually striking

2. Concise

3. Action orientated

4. Located in a prime location on the page

Image�from�Lloyds

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Don’tbeafraidtosegmentPresenting concise, relevant content is an important part of engaging

with website visitors. However when you have multiple audiences,

each with different content requirements this can be difficult.

ItallstartswithidentifyingpersonasPersonas play an important role when segmenting your website.

A persona is a fictional character which represents a section of your

audience and may include:

> Their job title and role

>The�size�of�their�company�and�what�their�company�does�

>The�problems�they�face�

> What they would like to achieve within their role

Defining personas enables you to think from your audience’s perspective

and define messages that resonate and engage with your audience.

You can then split your website into segments, with each segment

tailored to a different persona.

MethodsofsignpostingThere are multiple ways of signposting visitors to their relevant website

segment. Which method you choose will depend upon the number of

segments you’ve identified and how many products / services are within

each segment.

Incorporatingintothemainmenu

Whichever method you use it is important to show the segmentation

within your main menu.

This helps not only to keep your menu and website structure consistent, but

allows visitors to easily navigate between segments should they need to.

Image�from�MUFG�Investor�Services

Formoreinformationondevelopingpersonasvisit:

http://knowledge.hubspot.com/contacts-user-guide-v2/how-to-create-personas

Itisimportanttorememberthatyourwebsitemustprovideamethodfor visitorstoswitchbetweenthedifferentsegments, astheymaynotlandon thesegmentthatisrelevanttotheirneeds.

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SimpleLandingPages

One of the easiest ways of signposting a visitor to the relevant segment

of your website is through the use of a simple landing page.

This can work well if you have few segments with each segment being

focussed on a limited number of products/services.

Image�from�BNY�Melon

Image�from�Link�Financial

PersonaFocussedLandingPages

If your website will serve several personas you may wish to consider a more

complex landing page. Using a more complex landing page will allow you to

briefly explain how your company can help each persona and provide direct,

relevant links.

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UsingPopupstoSegment

Another option is to present the visitor with a popup window, where they

select their area of interest. These often appear on the homepage of

financial websites and can be a neat solution.

However before implementing this approach consider:

>Popups�can�sometimes�be�annoying�for�visitors,�as�it�takes�away�some� of�the�visitor’s�control.

>Often�popups�will�only�show�once�and�then�remember�the�visitor’s�selection.�This�can�make�it�difficult�for�a�visitor�to�navigate�to� another segment.

> Larger popups tend to annoy visitors more (especially on mobile devices). Having a popup which describes many segments may result�in�a�popup�that�fills�the�visitor’s�screen�which�may�detract� from�their�experience.

Image�from�BlackRock

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Makeyourproducts/servicesmoreaccessibleVisitors need to find products or services quickly. Some websites only

place links from the menu, or from a main product / service landing page.

Some assume that a visitor will follow a logical path from the home page

to the products, but that is not always the case.

Every page (within reason) should allow visitors to quickly view your

products / services (or most important pages).

A common way of doing this is through the use of quick links areas on

pages. Quick links can be used to draw the visitor’s attention and quickly

direct them to the areas of the website which are of interest.

Quick links are often placed on the right hand side as many visitors have a

tendency to look to the right hand side of the page before looking at the

rest of the page.

Images�from�Solutus

Avisitormayarriveonanypageofyourwebsite,notjustyourhomepage.

Don’tassumethatavisitorwillfollowalogicalpaththroughyourwebsite.Placingquicklinkstoyourmostimportantpageswillhelpyousteerthemtowardsyourmostvaluablecontent.

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UtilisesocialproofWe all see and hear a number of claims from numerous companies on a

daily basis. Each company will claim that their offering is the best, most

competitively priced or the most innovative.

As marketers how do we stand out from the crowd and make our offering

memorable online?

Social proof refers to the basic psychology principle, that if others are

using something and are happy, then the offering must be strong.

CasestudiesCase studies provide a powerful and easy way to convey social proof –

yet there are some companies that still overlook this proven strategy.

How you implement case studies on your website will depend on your

audience, however any case study should be relevant to the product it

is supporting. Use a simple structure which quickly conveys the original

problem and how it was solved using your solution.

Image�from�Barclays

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StatisticsIf your company has helped many customers, or generated a high

level of income then using this on your website can be very powerful.

Remember to keep the statistics simple, easy to understand and avoid

any unnecessary jargon.

TestimonialsLike case studies, testimonials provide an easy way to convey social

proof. Visitors are more likely to engage with personalised testimonials,

so where possible include names and photographs of the author.

ExternalreviewsThese days there are an abundance of external review services. Whether

you operate in a B2B or B2C market, there is likely to be a review service

you can use. One of the most common external review sites is Trustpilot.

Image�from�iWoca�who�provide�several�sources�of�social�proof�-�including�statistics,�personalised�testimonials�and�links�to�features�in�the�press.

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Createself-serviceareasAs technology has improved, customers expect everything to be

convenient. Gone are the days of contacting an account manager to

get access to a report – customers are far more likely to prefer a system

where they can access information on their terms.

In the financial industry there are many opportunities to create secure

self-service areas. From account histories to investor reports, to

valuations and asset management data – the possibilities are endless.

Most modern content management systems will have the capability to

host secure download areas. This will allow your customers to sign in and

download information that is relevant to them, when they need it.

Image�from�Solutus

TrackmorethanpageviewsMost websites are using Google Analytics to provide insight into

the numbers of visitors to their website and how visitors interact

with their website.

By default Google Analytics only tracks page views. Financial websites

often have many downloads in the form of PDFs – which would provide

valuable insight if they were tracked.

Tracking the downloading of external files is not difficult with Google

Analytics. Simply ask your web developer to attach events to the links of

PDF and other documents.

You can then use the ‘Events’ section in Google Analytics to see how

often each file is downloaded and track a visitor’s complete path through

your website.

BesuretohostyoursecuredownloadareaonhostingwithsupportsHTTPS– thiswillhelptoensurethat avisitor’scredentialsarenotinterceptedbyathirdparty.

Findoutmoreabout GoogleAnalyticsEventtrackinghere:

https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/gajs/eventTrackerGuide

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CoveringthelegalbasesLike any marketing collateral, a website needs to be checked from a

legal perspective. As websites get more functional, they introduce more

legalities that must be addressed, for example:

1. The�tracking�of�visitors�and�privacy�issues

2. How�website�data�can�be�used�for�marketing�purposes

3. The�accuracy�and�validity�of�product�information

4. Copyright�issues�when�including�external�products

5. Legislation covering social media usage

In financial services one of the most common trends we see is that of

websites requiring you to agree to a set of terms and conditions before

you can use the website.

This helps to ensure that visitors are aware that there are specific terms

and conditions that need to be agreed to - rather than simply placing a

link at the bottom of a page which may be missed by the visitor.

These often take the form of a popup which requires you to acknowledge

that you have read the terms and conditions before proceeding.

If your website is powered by Wordpress you can quickly add this

functionality with the latest plugin developed by Talisman, ‘I Agree

Popups’. Find out more here.

Usingsocialmedia? Makesureyou’recomplyingwiththerecentFCAguidelines.Readourblog forfurtherinformation:

http://www.talismansolutions.co.uk/blog/fca-social-media-literature-regulations-navigate/

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AttractingtrafficfromsearchenginesSearch Engine Optimisation is one of the most cost effective routes of

driving relevant traffic to your website.

SEO is a vast field and we can only cover a fraction of the bases in this

white paper, so why not download our dedicated SEO and PPC white

paper here?

In this section we cover a few basic points that you can use to help your

own SEO.

GettingyourkeywordsrightAt the heart of any SEO campaign are keywords. Choosing the right

keywords to target is essential to achieving success. No matter how

strong your SEO campaign is, it will fail if you have targeted the wrong

keywords.

The ideal keywords are those which your potential customers are

searching for, and have levels of competition which enable you to

compete effectively.

To begin to identify your keywords:

1. Write down as many keywords as you can which you think your potential�customers�may�search�for

2. Enter�these�into�the�Google�Keyword�Tool

3. �Let�the�tool�show�the�number�of�searches�for�each�keyword,�the�level�of�competition and other keywords you could consider

4. �Make�a�list�of�the�most�promising�and�relevant�keywords�–�ones�with�high search volume and low competition

Optimiseyourcontent(on-pageSEO)The first stage of an SEO campaign is to ensure that your website is

relevant to the keywords you have selected. You should ensure that

the pages on your website are based around your keywords. Target 1–2

keywords per page and make sure the page:

1. Has the keyword in its title

2. Uses the keyword in text headings

3. Has�the�keyword�in�the�URL

4. Uses the keyword at least once in the page text

ThinkingaboutstartinganSEOcampaign?Readourwhitepaper‘ASimpleGuidetoSearchEngineOptimisationandPayperClickMarketing’

http://info.talismansolutions.co.uk/simple-guide-to-search-engine-optimisation-and-pay-per-click-marketing

Althoughyouareoptimisingyourcontentforkeywords,itisimportanttomakesurethatyourpagetexthasanaturalflow.

Itshouldstillbedesignedtoreadwellforhumansandshouldnotberepetitive.

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BuildthetrustworthinessofyourwebsiteA large part of SEO is making your website appear authoritative and

trustworthy. Google is searching for websites with relevant content which

are trustworthy.

Appearing more trustworthy is largely about generating quality links to

your website. Google essentially views each link to your website as a vote

of confidence and trustworthiness – would a website would link to yours if

your website was poor quality?

Link building can take time and there are whole books dedicated to the

best ways of generating links to your website.

However here are some potential link building tactics you can explore:

1. High quality directories e.g. relevant trade directories

2. Approach customers or partners to link to your website

3. Press releases to relevant trade press and magazines

4. �Approach�industry�websites�and�offer�to�write�content�for�their�websites,�in�exchange�for�a�link�to�yours�(known�as�guest�blogging).

5. Create�and�optimise�your�social�media�profiles

PlanningforgrowthWhen developing a new website, one of the most common mistakes is to

design and build for your company’s current requirements.

As future needs arise the website is either:

>Constantly�amended�with�add-ons�or�new�features�which�leads�to�a�less�streamlined�experience�for�visitors

>Re-designed�and�built�from�scratch,�which�results�in�an�endless�development�cycle�for�the�website

When developing a new website ask:

>How�will�this�structure�and�design�work�if�we�need�to�add�more�products�or services?

> What are upcoming trends and how could these be added at a later date (e.g.�self-service�portals,�video,�new�mobile�devices)?

>Are�there�any�plans�to�expand�internationally�or�create�micro-sites?� Will�the�website�be�able�to�support�multiple�languages�and�different�product�sets�in�different�countries?

Itisvitaltoensurethatanylinksgeneratedtoyourwebsitearefromotherqualitywebsites.

GettinglotsoflinksfrompoorqualitysitescanactuallydamageyourSEOefforts.

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HowTalismancanhelpAt Talisman we help and guide financial companies on a range of digital

marketing activities. From website development, to SEO & PPC, to

inbound marketing strategies and social media, we have the expertise

and experience to deliver real results.

We specialise in financial services, understand the challenges financial

marketers face and keep our fingers firmly on the pulse of new

developments within the industry.

If you’re unsure on the best approach for your marketing activities,

or need some advice and guidance – why not get in touch? We’d love

to work with you passing on our knowledge and experience.

Our services include:

> Design and branding

> Digital

> Literature production

>Mailing

> Inbound�and�Content�Marketing

> Presentations

> Print

> Project management

We can help you create the most effective website possible.

We also accelerate the sales cycle by helping you attract, convert,

close and delight your customers at every stage of the process.

We save our clients time and money using well-honed processes.

By bringing all your marketing needs under one roof we can streamline

projects and avoid the frustration of dealing with multiple suppliers.

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ContactTalismanTelephone: +44(0)2037355530Email: info@talismansolutions.co.ukDownloadourwhitepapersat: www.talismansolutions.co.uk/white-papers

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David�studied�Computer�Science�at�University�and over the last 10 years has delivered digital solutions�for�a�range�of�blue�chip�companies�and�SMEs.�His�passion�lies�in�designing�solutions that deliver real value to clients and ensuring projects are delivered on time and to budget.

WhitepaperbyDavidRushtonHeadofDigitalatTalisman