There are many things that you need to take into consideration when thinking about finance website design. Of course you will have to ensure that the website is easy for the consumer to navigate their way around and at the same time provide them with plenty of information, help and advice. A lack of information is one of the main let downs when it comes to financial products. The Financial Services Authority watch over financial websites to ensure that they provide the consumer with all the information that is needed for them to be able to make the right choice when buying.
With this in mind finance website design needs to contain web pages that hold important information and the key facts of financial products. You should also consider adding pages that hold press releases and news. A news page is especially welcome as this is where you are able to keep the consumer up to date with the ever changing facts.
The Financial Services Authority found that around three quarters of financial websites do come up to standard. However the rest failed to provide fair, clear and none mis-leading information, however as they continue to look over websites standards have improved somewhat.
If you want to keep on the good side of the FSA and the consumer then you need to give much thought to website design. To help the consumer to do their own financial planning websites should provide them with the tools necessary for them to be able to do this. This should include advice and information by way of articles, downloads, tips and links. Phone numbers, e-mail addresses and names to organisations and help lines should be provided too.
Of course when considering finance website design thought also have to be given to the layout of the website. As you will want to include a vast amount of helpful information along with selling financial products you will have to give some thought to the pages and the style of the website. Consumers will not want to have to struggle to find their way around the website or to get access to the information they want and need. Therefore you will have to define clear links and buttons that will take them to relevant section of the website. You would also have to consider making these links and buttons available on all pages that lead off from the website. Consumers will not want to have to keep clicking the back button on the web browser, particularly if they have gone though several pages already. Keep the same links in the same place on all web pages so that they are easy to find and always have a home page button that will take the consumer back to the home page in one click.
Finance website design should be classy and not be filled with large images, background images, flash videos and gifs. Keep the main area clean and tidy with a plain preferably light background and have dark text on the page. This will make reading the information easy and not be a strain on the eye. It also means loading times for the web pages will be kept down to the minimum.