The Importance of Thoughtful Mobile Web Design for Financial and Investment Services

The financial services industry has been somewhat slow on the uptake when it comes to developing a higher quality mobile website presence. Historically, financial institutions have taken a conservative view of marketing and branding on emerging platforms. As Venmo and Apple Pay now dominate money transactions, mobile banking is ubiquitous for anyone with a checking account and a phone.

Financial firms who place emphasis on mobile and cultivate a quality presence have an opportunity to really differentiate themselves and create loyalty in the market by coming across as more agile, innovative, and technologically aware than the competition.

Benefits of a Mobile Presence for Investment and Financial Services Firms

Connectivity

If you do not have streamlined and easy-to-access connectivity to the mobile ecosystem, then you are going to struggle to keep up. Beyond the obvious fact of mobile site being accessible anywhere at any time, having a strong mobile web presence means users will always see you at your best. Mobile devices are unique in their ability to bridge an online-offline gap, and this functionality greatly expands a financial firm’s opportunity to connect with, engage, and market to potential clients.

Visibility

SEO is king when it comes to web content, and Google officially favors mobile responsiveness, using it as a main parameter for providing better search rankings. In short, Google ranks you higher when the site is optimized for mobile viewing. This has the additional effect of simply improving your desktop presence as well, so the value is undeniable.

How to Approach Financial Web Design with a Focus on Mobile

Design and development should respond to the user’s behavior and environment based on screen size, platform, and orientation. The practice consists of a mix of flexible grids and layouts, images and an intelligent use of CSS media queries. As the user switches from their desktop to phone, the website should automatically switch to accommodate for resolution, image size and scripting abilities. As smartphones become more and more powerful, the design balance will shift further and further to mobile design.

How to Maximize Mobile Value for Financial Firms

Impact

Your site messaging needs to immediately capture the interest of the user, offering the most compelling aspect of your brand, as well as the primary financial functions of your firm, front and center. Mobile users need that information in a clear and concise.

Quality

Google is checking this quality when deciding how to rank you, and simply having a presence will not give you the reach and returns you want. Your mobile presence is now your brand presence, as well as your new business card. Since finance is already perfect for phones in a transactional sense, extending that to website and brand design for investment and financial firms is a natural next step, and one that will help you differentiate yourself in the market.

MBC has been helping financial institutions and investment firms grow for over twenty years. To better understand the importance of mobile web design for your financial institution or investment firm and see how MBC Strategic can help, please contact us here today.