Digital transformation starts with your credit union website

Digital transformation means a lot of things, from optimizing your core and products for a digitally native audience to enhancing cybersecurity to fight emerging digital threats. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with tackling those important issues. But don’t let your website get left behind!

Your credit union website is the first place potential members encounter you these days. It’s also the first place current members go to find answers to their questions.

Performing digital transformation without prioritizing a credit union website redesign is like renovating your backyard while leaving junk all over the front porch. Your backyard might be great, but the front porch scares people away.

It’s time to clean up your front porch.

Don’t ignore the cover art

The old expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” doesn’t describe how people work.

Like it or not, potential members judge books by their covers. They judge you by your credit union website. And 75% of them judge your credibility by your website design. Good design is essential to win over web surfers, and you need to show your hand immediately. Place your most interesting visuals right on the homepage.

Give potential members a reason to stay.

People Driven CU puts this advice into practice using video. Positioning moving imagery behind the copy captures visitors’ attention. Of course, you don’t need a video to make a welcoming homepage.

Other ways to make your homepage more inviting are:

• Attention-grabbing colors
• Minimalist/uncluttered menus
• Professional quality imagery

Make copy count

People don’t read your webpage copy … they scan it. The old Nielsen Norman Group study pointing that out is still as relevant today as it was back then (if not more so).

That doesn’t mean copy is irrelevant. It actually makes it more relevant in many ways. You need a skilled writer who can condense complex ideas into punchy statements. You need to discern what people want to read. And you need to cater to the webpage scanners.

OE FCU has some great homepage copy with its tagline: “We put the union in credit union.” It’s a clever line that instantly identifies their labor union membership base to any visitors. Any lines you write must be well-written and captivating as well. In short, write lines worth reading.

Other ways to make your credit union website copy scannable are:

• Use bulleted lists (3-5 bullets each)
• Bold important words
• Use subheadings
• Keep paragraphs brief

Time is money

How quickly can your visitors reach your homepage? It’s a question worth asking. After all, 40% of visitors leave after three seconds if your credit union website is still loading. Revisiting the front porch analogy from earlier … fallen trees and shattered flowerpots block visitors from experiencing your front porch.

Remove the barriers!

Reduce load times and get potential members to the homepage as quickly as possible. And once they’re there, make a search function available. It might be faster for visitors to type a query than patrol the menus.

A speedy web experience gives members a taste of your responsiveness. It introduces them to whether your credit union prioritizes ease … or causes frustration.

Make sure your credit union website matches other aspects of your digital transformation. Redesign it every two to three years to keep pace with your competitors. And remember: no one can experience your credit union’s greatness if you can’t get them across the front porch.