There is a myth that financial websites are rather dry and dull. In fact, there is some truth to this statement; the more “traditional” sites reflecting an austere appearance that can lead to both confusion and even boredom. Of course, this will do little to keep a visitor’s attention for any length of time. While the clickthrough rates may be high, client retention can be low. So, how do we remedy this? Let’s take a look at five sure-fire tips that will allow a site to “pop” off of the screen while retaining a loyal customer base.

Simplicity is Key

Above all, the information presented has to be simple in nature and convey what it is that you are trying to promote. Avoid superfluous statements such as “The prevailing market conditions dictate that one needs to diversify his or her portfolio to accommodate any future volatility”. Statements such as this will confuse anyone unfamiliar with the financial industry. Instead, the text should be friendly, written in a perspective that addresses the reader and contains “action” statements that will spur further interest.

Navigation

Another downfall of many modern financial sites is that navigation is difficult. This partially stems from the fallacy that if one is confused, he or she will remain on the site longer in order to find the correct information. In all likelihood, he or she will simply return to the search results page and opt for a different portal. Every page should contain clear links back to the landing page and banner ads and other “fluff” need to be eliminated altogether.