14 WebSite Design Options for Financial Advisors

Update my firm’s website’s design by _____.

Or maybe what’s on your to-do list or listed on your business and marketing plan looks like this:

Create a firm website by _____. (OR THIS)

Create a firm blog by ______.

In 1998, when started my business, websites were 4-5 page, contained few graphics, had music shouting at you, words moving too fast on a page, and cost $5000 minimum. To save money I attended a web design program, at Wake Tech, Raleigh NC. There I learned how to code websites from scratch (called hand coding). I also helped other coaches and business owners by designing their sites.

Today, I enjoy keeping up with all things IT and web-based, but as you know, website are more complex than 20 years ago. No only that, you can view them from your phone or TV! I no longer create sites for clients; however, when a client needs to update their website or add a blog, I help them by talking about what they want, help them determine the best company to hire, provide feedback, and giving them a list of companies who specialize in working with advisor and produce websites with compliance in mind. I also provide them with vetted resources to designers, graphic artists, copywriters, etc.

Here are 5 ways I’ve seen websites created:

• Choose design firm who is experienced and understands the nuances of marketing and promotion — as it relates to advisors. Then have your compliance person check things before the site goes live.
• Use a design firm YOUR custodian recommends and has a relationship with. Most often you’ll receive a discount off the prices you see on a companies website and the custodian supplies the compliance person for them to work with.
• Choose a design firm who is created a few industry sites but who, overall, is not niched in the industry because you want a very customized website. Then you check the copywriting of the site for compliance purposes and, finally, send the site to compliance before it goes live.
• Find someone to create a website for you using a platform that is easy enough of your marketing person to update, like WordPress, and then hire a copywriter experienced in the industry, but again, before the site goes live, get compliance approval.
• Do it yourself or internally using WordPress or Wix and before the site goes live, get compliance approval.

I should explain what going live means. A designer (or yourself) can create a website on a URL (unique resource locator, for example www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com) that is hidden from the general public. You can view it, the designer can view it, and your compliance officer can view it. Once the site is approved, you then “turn on” special permissions and the world gets to know you exist and what you do.

The other important element of design to not over look is to create a responsive (mobile ready) site. Never take this feature for granted or your site will look like crap on a smart phone. Once your site is live, check it out before you pay the last part of a web designers fee.

Ten years ago, I would give my clients a list of 4 design firms who specialized in the finance industry. That was because most of you couldn’t have websites! Today, it’s mostly wire-houses that insist that you use their 1 page sites. If you’re independent, chances are your custodian, B/D etc. have a relationship with a company who creates your website, or you can create your own relationship with a company.

Below is an list of web design companies who specialize in financial sites. This list is not a recommendation of one company over another. This list is, in alphabetical order, and is for your information only.

If you are using another web designer and feel they should be on this list, please place a comment on this blog post with their information. I’ll do a little research and have the right to add them to my list or not.

ALWAYS do your own due diligence. I know there are very good designers who can create excellent web sites for advisors, too.

When visiting sites, review the design of their own website AND their portfolios because that’s the quality type of work you’re going to receive.

Before you hire a designer, you might want to read these two articles I authored about websites:

10 Steps To Website Planning for Financial Advisors

19 Ways to Make Your FA Website More Trustable and Credible

Web design companies who specialize in financial sites, in alpha order

Advisor Designs http://advisordesigns.com
AdvisorFlex http://www.advisorflex.com
Advisor Launch Pad http://advisorlaunchpad.com

Advisor-Sites https://advisor-sites.com
Advisor Products https://www.advisorproducts.com
Advisor Websites https://www.advisorwebsites.com

Alta Street https://www.altastreet.com/
Emerald Connect https://www.emeraldconnect.com
Financial Advisor Websites http://www.financialadvisorswebsites.com

FMG Suite https://fmgsuite.com/
Hearsay Systemshttps://hearsaysystems.com/
I Pro Advisers http://www.iproadvisers.com

Premium Advisor Websites http://www.premiumadvisorwebsites.com/
Twenty Over Ten https://twentyoverten.com

© 2014, updated 2017, Elevating Your Business