What Makes a Better Credit Union Website?

by Cathy Scoda 

As cooperative as the credit union industry is, you’re still operating in a competitive landscape—and you need to use all the tools at your disposal to keep your current members happy and attract new members. Thankfully you already have one of the tools you need—a website.

Your website may be just one of the tools that you can use to gain a competitive advantage—but what an advanced tool it is! Simply by adding features, you can take your website from one that describes your products and services to a site that engages visitors and makes them interested in returning. 

Start with the Fundamentals

For website veterans, these tips are simple reminders, but they merit a brief mention. The following are some of the simplest features that can be adjusted to make each visit to your website a pleasant one. Be sure your site has:

• Clear navigation
• Strong balance of text and “white space”
• Easily understood naming conventions or labels so that visitors can quickly find what they need
• Descriptive information about your products and services
• Call to action (with contact information) on every product and service page

Incorporate Useful and Fun Features

People quickly tire of a static website, so add features and interactive options to keep visitors coming back. Depending on your site’s available “real estate” and your budget, you can add one or all of the following:

Secure Live Chat – A live chat service lets your member service representatives (MSRs) interact with your members and potential members in real time. Your MSRs can address concerns, answer questions, provide information—and even send members directly to a specific page of your website.

Financial education and budgeting tools – Your site can be a trusted resource for financial education and budgeting resources. Add relevant financial articles and tips to help your members make sound financial decisions, and your members will rely on your site for more than just rates and a link to their home banking login. When you add financial calculators to your site, you’re helping members budget and plan so they can reach their financial goals.

Video – Place videos on your site on a regular basis to keep members interested, so they’ll return to your site to see what’s new. Some types of videos you can post include:

• Instructional – Financial literacy is always important, so post videos that cover different topics (such as controlling your credit or planning for retirement) and appeal to members of all ages.     
• Community-oriented – Share a brief video of your CU staff members participating in community events, such as a fundraising event for a charity.
• Promotional – Post a video of your CEO’s appearance on the local TV news to discuss the importance of Member Business Lending or simply promote a product or service.

Mobile site – Let members find your site and access it wherever they are—with a mobile site. Whether members are on the road and need to find a branch or shopping for a car and want to talk financing, a mobile site provides a quick way to reach you and your services. 

Look Ahead

These are just a few of the features that you can use to enhance your site, serve your members, and keep visitors to your site engaged. But stay tuned; the way technology is changing, chances are you’ll soon have a few more tools to select from the technology toolbox!

Related Products: Content Management System, BoldChat, Video Management System, Mobile Site