3 Ways To Improve Your Website - Today
With the entire web at their fingertips, consumers will simply not put up with a website that’s not easy to find, and not easy to use. If a prospective member types in the name or location of your credit union and you don’t show up – guess who does? Probably another credit union that can help them, too.
And if they do find you…
From the first second your credit union’s website loads, consumers are expecting you to deliver a pleasant and valuable experience. They will not invest the time to figure out your site’s navigation to find what they need.
Although a full redesign may not be in your immediate future, here are 3 things that you can do today to improve your credit union’s website, and enhance the all-important member experience.
Remove Outdated Content
As important as adding fresh content is to your site, removing the old stuff is just as helpful.
Seeing the same content day after day, month after month, and year after year (you know who you are) sends a signal to members that you aren’t growing.
Removing older, irrelevant copy helps to reduce your website’s “page totals” and increases your ratio of fresh-to-stale content. Keeping those older pages can offset your chances of being recognized for your fresh, informative copy.
If you can’t find any information to part with, consider rewriting some of your information. Updated pages tell the search engine crawlers to “check on me often” to see if there’s new content, and therefore maintain a higher placement in search engine results.
If nothing else, at the very least be sure that your published rates are current! Don’t give the impression to members that you are out of touch or lose an opportunity to turn a shopper into a member.
Start a blog
Educational blogging helps your credit union build authority and places you in a position of “trusted advisor” to your members. Blog posts can also convey your credit union’s unique personality, and communicate a friendly, approachable tone, which opens the door to more member engagement.
In addition to sharing information in your quarterly newsletter, weekly blogging contributes fresher, more exciting content to your site. Updating your website with new information is the best way to ensure that your credit union is being found on the web. Google or any other search engine ranks the most recent and relevant topic first so that consumer searches consistently yield the best results.
Unsure what to include in your blog? Here are a few ideas:
- Profile a loan success story of how you’ve helped a local business
- Introduce a staff member and explain how they help members
- Recap a recent promotion or contest and interview the winner
- Show a little bit of the “behind the scenes” at your branches
- Write about banking tips for member segments: young adults, new baby, saving for college, retirees, etc.
Make it easy for members to communicate with you.
Take a look at your website to add easier ways for members to reach out to you.
There was a time when if people wanted to communicate with you, they’d write a letter and send it to you through the mail. Seems outdated, doesn’t it?
That’s how some people feel about picking up the telephone these days. Include more than just your main telephone number on your contact page. List email addresses and direct extensions to make the communication more personal. Don’t discount that for some members, social media may be the preferred communication channel.
Remember, the method members will use to reach you is the quickest one. Make it easy for them, and you just might find your credit union engaging with more members.