Your community bank has a website. You hired a FinTech professional to make it look great. Chances are you're ready to take the Internet banking world by storm. But just to make sure, check that you've got these five things employed (and visible!) on your site. You'd be surprised how many seemingly perfect websites are missing out on these vital opportunities!

Links to Social Media

I'll assume your business is already on Social Media, as it should be. Otherwise, please count this as a gentle reminder of how important a Social Media presence is! We live in a technologically connected time, and your customers want, expect and deserve to communicate with you online. So once you've taken the time to create an exciting, unified online presence, make sure to share links to your Social Media profiles on your website. Believe me, your customers will be looking for them!

Community and Charitable Outreach Initiatives

Companies are often assumed to be cold entities, when in reality, they're made up of genuine, caring individuals. In fact, most companies have strong corporate initiatives toward certain goals. Take a Bank or Credit Union, for example, achieving its goal of creating and bolstering a positive presence in the local community by supporting charities, sponsoring events, employee volunteering, etc. This shows the character of the overall organization and is something to be proud of--it should be shared. Make your company feel more human to the public by sharing these personal insights on your website. In a humble way, make it known what your company stands for!

About Us

Almost every company website has an "About Us" page. However, they are usually underutilized. A good "About Us" page not only introduces what the company does, it introduces who the company is. It should include: brief history, mission statement and overall corporate vision, what sets the company apart from competitors, and what the company is passionate about. Including these snippets of information into a cohesive page will allow the reader a window into the company's soul, if you will, and help them get a sense of the corporate personality.  

Pictures

As human beings, we're extremely visual. Our interest is piqued and we better comprehend when words are paired with pictures. Adding pictures of your business, employees, products and even awards can help bridge any disconnect a reader may have. Moreover, as the saying goes, putting a face with a name is important in establishing loyalty and trust. Whether it be a client seeing a picture of their phone consultant, or an online banking user seeing a picture of the actual branch, the manifestation of a vision drives home the interaction.

Current Offers

There is a reason businesses have marketing departments: people have certain habits and interests. One interest most people tend to have in common is saving money! If your business runs promotions, deals or current offers, make sure to advertise them on your website. This is important for several reasons: it makes the reader feel intrigued; it [temporarily] takes the website's focus off the company and puts it on consumer benefit; and it presents a symbiotic opportunity for the client to get a great deal, and the company to get a great client.Remember, loyal clients are the least expensive to maintain, so even if they come on board during a promotion, the length of time they remain a customer is more important than their initial investment.