One of the best aspects about Google is that while it can punish a site for not following the rules, this very same site can be rewarded for being innovative and relevant. How can this relate to financial web design? Well, we are already well aware of the power of SEO, social media networking and keeping clients informed. These fall under the category of what are known as “organic” techniques. That is, they are designed with a direct interaction with your client in mind. Still, we should never forget that Google loves sites which are regularly updated. Of course, this is critical in the world of finance for various reasons. You may wish to inform your clients of a new law that has come to pass or a novel accounting service which you are offering. Still. Have you even thought about how adapting your design to reflect the seasons of the year may have a profound impact? Let’s take a closer look at this interesting concept.
Signs of the Times
You may have noticed that many advertising campaigns will tailor their approaches in accordance with the time of the year. Why is this so appealing? Psychology aside, a visitor is more likely to resonate with a website if the site in question reflects current conditions. So, many companies take this into account with their branding. A perfect example of this is the logo on the main Google search engine and how it changes to reflect certain times of the year or seasons. In fact, there are those in the industry who identify this approach with what is known as “seasonal branding”. Higher levels of visitor identification will lead to higher amounts of interest and in turn, you can expect your levels of client engagement to rise substantially. So, how can you apply this to your existing site?
All About the Colour?
For one, changing an appearance in this way is actually quite easy. You can forgo modifying a great deal of text or changing the code of the site itself. An effective change can be as simply as adding background hues which represent autumn such as brown, orange, auburn or red. Or, you can choose to modify the text to highlight these colours (be careful with this; you never want the colour to detract from the financial services that you are offering). If you have an in-house web designer, the graphical addition of a pumpkin or a few autumn leaves within the site is also a welcome addition.
Finally, you should simultaneously address season-specific financial needs as opposed to simply rehashing general information. As opposed to a blog post discussing how to prepare for next year’s tax returns, why not discuss the proper budgeting techniques useful to keep in mind leading up to the holidays? Not only will this grab the attention of the visitor, but as we said earlier, Google LOVES fresh content.
Modifying your site to reflect different times of the year is one of the easiest and most effective ways to drive revenue and keep your customers satisfied with the services that you are offering.
