When was the last time your insurance website got an update? One of the biggest tools in your marketing arsenal, your website is the last thing you want is to let get out-of-date.
81% of consumers research online before buying. Your website can do more to bring in business than any other marketing tactic you employ. So what does your website say about you?
Is it old and out-of-date?
Is it stale?
Is it cluttered or confusing?
If you’ve been thinking about updating your web presence, use our insurance website redesign checklist to ensure that your site is working hard to make a good impression - instead of turning virtual visitors away.
Responsive Design
A mobile-friendly website earns the top spot on any website redesign checklist - and for good reason. According to Google, 96% of consumers have searched for product information from their mobile device.
Smartphones have transformed consumer behavior, from the way people research and compare to the way they shop for products and services.
- 80% of smartphone owners don’t leave home without their device.
- 73% of smartphone users email every day.
- 66% access the internet at least once a day.
- 94% of smartphone users have looked for local information.
- 70% of local information seekers connect with a business.
If your website doesn’t look good on a smartphone, you’re losing prospects - including local insurance leads right in your own backyard. It’s that simple.
To ensure your website looks just as good on a phone as it does a desktop, it needs to be responsive. A responsive website is one that adapts to any size screen, from a smartphone all the way up to smart TV. With responsive design, your website will automatically adjust to the device being used to see it.
Modern Design
You only get one chance to make a first impression. It may be a cliche, but the truth is your website says a lot about you. If one of your clients recommends you to a peer, there’s a good chance that family member, colleague, or friend is going to check your business out online.
Is your website making you look good?
Within milliseconds, the design elements of your website can communicate trustworthiness and professionalism. Or not.
According to Stanford University, nearly half (46%) of study participants used a site’s overall design or look to access credibility and trustworthiness.
Modern, trustworthy web design elements include:
- Color: Two to three colors, max. Too many colors can feel chaotic to visitors.
- Typography: Fonts should be easy to read and simple.
- Layout: A clear navigation structure is critical to good user experience.
- Whitespace: Whitespace can increase visitor comprehension by 20%.
Clearly, a modern website designed with the user experience in mind can help inspire trust. But what if your site isn’t so modern?
Researchers conducted a study to determine the design and content factors that influence trust and mistrust of online health websites. Participants in one study identified two factors that led them to reject or mistrust a website quickly: the design and the content. Of these two factors, the overwhelming majority of website distrust originated from design elements.
These “untrustworthy” elements included:
- Complex, busy layout
- Lack of navigation aids
- Small print
- Too much text
If your insurance website is too complex, visually busy, hard-to-navigate, and difficult to read - it may be time for a redesign.
Simplicity & Predictability
Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Maybe your insurance website is a little too modern. Whether you had a previous web designer with a passion for innovation, or maybe you got a little carried away with a wide variety of plugins and widgets on the site you put together yourself -- sometimes you need to scale it back a bit.
Simplicity is essential for your insurance website.
As a rule, people should be able to go to your website and understand what you offer within 5 seconds.
They should clearly understand how to accomplish their goal - whether that’s getting a quote, contacting you directly, or learning more about a product.
And visitors should be able to navigate their way around your site effortlessly and predictably.
Predictability is an important factor in web design. For visitors to your website, predictability provides three major benefits:
- A sense of control
- Trust and safety
- Reliability
According to UX Magazine, unpredictability can create uncertainty and undue stress that erodes customers' sense of safety, which in turn reduces trust in the provider.
Imagine being on a new website and wanting to find the contact page. But you can’t find it in the main navigation menu or the footer. Chances are, you wouldn’t sit back and think, “Well, what a clever and innovative website. I can’t wait to devote the next 30 minutes of my life exploring this creative new design and trying to find the information I’m looking for. Well done, friends!”
If your website visitors can’t find menus and information in the places they expect to find them - they’ll leave. Quickly.
There’s a time and place for innovation. When it comes to your website, however, predictability and simplicity are key.
Clear Calls-to-Action
What’s the primary goal of your website? If you’re like most insurance agents, you want more leads. That means you want to gather information from prospective clients who visit your site. A call-to-action is the means that help you accomplish that goal.
You see calls-to-action every day. “Call Now.” “Start Saving.” “Learn More.” “Shop the Look.”
Your insurance website should have very clear calls-to-action, like a “get a quote” form on the home page.
Of course, you’re going to need to be able to follow through on the promise of this CTA, which takes us to the next point…
Functionality
So you now have a website that is modern, simple to navigate, and is responsive on all devices. Great! You’ve made it so prospective leads want to stay on your website.
But getting them to stay is only half of the battle. The other half is having a site that works for you.
Does your insurance website have the capabilities to capture leads and provide the information your visitors are expecting to receive?
One way you can accomplish this is with an integrated online insurance rater tool.
At Insurance Agent Engine, our turnkey insurance websites are available with online raters, whether your focus is contractor insurance and bonds or other commercial lines. Your clients can get the quote they’re looking for instantly online, while you receive the lead information. Depending on the product, your clients may even be able to purchase pay their policy and make a payment on the spot, as you become the broker of record.
We’ve been designing websites for insurance professionals for over a decade. The aesthetics and functionality of our sites reflect that time and experience. Our turnkey websites for insurance agents and brokers include all the tools needed to get more leads and more business out of your website.
You’re not in the same business as the coffee shop next door. So why should you use the same website template? Your site needs to have the functionality and tools that make you succeed in the insurance business.
Fresh, Updated Content
How often are you updating the content on your insurance website? “Updated content” is one of Stanford University’s 10 guidelines for web credibility; people assign more credibility to sites that show they have been recently updated or reviewed.
Regular content updates build your credibility as a reliable authority.
If the information on your website is dated, you can lose the trust of your visitors. On the other hand, if you’re constantly adding new content to your site, visitors can tell that you’re up-to-date with the most valuable and time-sensitive information in your field.
That doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your existing site pages weekly, however.
The easiest way to keep a steady stream of fresh, updated content on your site is to utilize your blog. Add a new post weekly, and you’ll have a constantly updated website that conveys credibility and authority.
Does your current website meet the standards for a modern day, effective insurance website? Or is it time for a redesign? When you consider the importance of a website for building your insurance business, it’s always worth the time and investment to make sure your site is putting its best face forward -- and working hard for you.