Asset managers can no longer rely solely on desktop websites for business growth. They must also focus on providing a seamless experience on the most-used device – smartphones. While a well-designed website is still essential for effectively communicating a brand, its perspective, and services, mobile performance has become equally important. A website that excels on a desktop but falters on a smartphone can be a significant vulnerability in today’s mobile-dominated landscape.1
Mobile optimization involves creating an experience that seamlessly adapts to smaller screens and touch-based interfaces, catering to the fast-paced lifestyle of modern consumers. It’s not just about resizing fonts; it’s about thoughtfully considering how content is displayed, the speed at which graphics load, color contrast, navigation, and how a site responds to consumer interactions. The goal is to develop mobile-optimized websites that are intuitive, clearly present information, engage visually, meet accessibility standards like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and motivate visitors to explore and learn more.2
Before delving into the specifics of responsive websites, let’s explore the key factors driving the global shift towards mobile-optimized websites:
Increasing adoption of mobile devices
Mobile devices have evolved beyond their primary function of communication to become essential tools for online engagement. Smartphones, in particular, have transformed into compact powerhouses of connectivity, revolutionizing the way we shop, socialize, and access information. The numbers tell a compelling story – a staggering 97% of Americans own a mobile device3, while globally, 60% of people possess a smartphone4. Moreover, mobile devices have become the primary means of accessing the web, with a significant 55% of all website traffic originating from smartphones5, underscoring the shift towards a mobile-first landscape.
Rising demand for modern websites
Personal mobile device experiences are setting a high standard for business websites by emphasizing the crucial role of user experience (UX) in digital marketing. Customers now expect webpages to offer the same level of design, functionality, and seamless experience on their mobiles as they get on their desktops. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, mobile optimization is key to creating an intuitive and engaging online experience. Ideally, a website should effortlessly adjust to any device, whether smartphone, tablet, or laptop, providing a smooth and user-friendly journey that meets elevated expectations.
Accelerated innovation and emerging technologies
The business and technological perspectives present a compelling case for mobile optimization. Far from being a minor adjustment, mobile optimization is a transformative element for companies, as it can enhance their brand’s visibility among mobile users and help capture awareness and market share. Further, mobile-optimized websites rank better in SEO, as most search engines consider mobile experience in their ranking algorithms. Furthermore, optimized mobile websites ensure accessibility for all users and meet ADA standards.
With increasing expectations, traffic, brand awareness, and reputation on the line, prioritizing mobile optimization in asset management web design has become essential. Hedge funds, mutual fund managers, and other asset management firms need to be ready to impress prospects and clients at all times, whether they are commuting to work, relaxing at home, or sitting at their office.
With that established, let’s delve into a few aspects of mobile-friendly asset management websites:
Mobile-responsive design
Mobile-responsive and mobile-friendly versions are different aspects of web design. Mobile-friendly refers to scaled-down versions of desktop pages. These allow mobile users to view and browse a site but don’t create a seamless user experience. On the other hand, mobile-responsive websites automatically adjust to fit any device screen a page is being viewed on. Mobile-responsive pages are reformatted to reproduce the experience one gets on a desktop. Instead of simply shrinking everything down, they enlarge clickable items and resize and reformat pictures to ensure a high-quality user experience. Such websites also safeguard user experience when a mobile device is turned from a vertical to a horizontal view.6
Complexity reduction
Mobile users are unlikely to scroll through extensive text or numerous images to find what they need, especially when dealing with multiple fund pages, complex statistics, performance data, and detailed disclosures. While showcasing such information for compliance purposes is important, making it easily accessible is equally crucial. Here are a few ways to simplify content for a better user experience7:
- Breaking up lengthy text and limiting the variety of fonts, sizes, and colors to enhance readability.
- Organizing complex data into tables, downloadable files, and dynamic charts.
- Prioritizing intuitive navigation and maintaining a strict hierarchy of information, limiting action to 2-3 clicks.
- Ensuring disclosures are easily accessible.
- Avoiding unnecessary animations, visual effects, and imagery that slow down a website.
Optimizing for effortless mobile interactions
It is important to prioritize intuitive design elements to ensure seamless mobile interactions and effortless user experience. Some easy optimization approaches are:
- Utilizing larger buttons and links to accommodate touch-screen variability and promote accurate clicks, as well as strategically positioning buttons near the bottom of a page to allow easy thumb access while scrolling.
- Minimizing form fields to only essential information, thereby reducing cognitive load and typing effort, and implementing autofill and pre-format options to simplify the process, save users’ time, and reduce frustration.
Unlocking SEO potential
By optimizing websites for mobile devices to maximize online visibility. This approach not only enhances SEO but also improves user experience. SEO indexation will ensure that mobile users are directed to appropriate links, fostering a seamless browsing experience.8 In today’s mobile-dominated landscape, where most searches originate from smartphones, incorporating mobile-friendliness into SEO strategies is crucial for staying competitive. The following are some actionable SEO strategies that can be adopted to ensure excellent user experience9:
- Robust keyword research by identifying and utilizing the right keywords (such as wealth management services, financial advisors near me, or retirement planning) can help attract relevant traffic.
- SEO-optimized content by creating blogs, articles, guides, and FAQs that incorporate relevant keywords that enhance search engine rankings.
- On-page SEO by utilizing title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags to improve overall site structure and internal linking.
Simplifying websites
To ensure a user-friendly experience, website designers prioritize clarity and conciseness by taking the following steps.10
- Minimizing calls to action and avoiding overwhelming users on a single page to reduce confusion and navigation challenges, especially on smaller screens.
- Streamlining navigation by implementing a simple and intuitive navigation design, utilizing white space to organize content and enable effortless browsing, and removing outdated content to conserve space and prevent confusion.
- Avoiding lengthy menus which, although may seem convenient, consume valuable screen space, especially on smaller devices; instead one can adopt a more concise hamburger menu (a button that opens a longer menu).
- Adapting to mobile constraints by acknowledging that mobile devices require a distinct design strategy that involves simplifying header images, menus, and submenus to ensure a seamless mobile experience.
How Evalueserve Can Help
Evalueserve provides a suite of Content Marketing Services, including content creation, web publication, and design services, specifically designed for asset managers. Our team of digital marketing and web publishing experts leverages industry-leading content management platforms and compliance workflow tools to:
- Deliver mobile-friendly websites
- Enable effective content distribution
- Streamline content management
Click here for additional information and to reach out to our team of specialists.
1 The Importance of Mobile-Friendly Websites for Asset Management Firms
2 The role of mobile optimization in digital marketing
4 How Many Smartphones Are In The World? (2024)
5 Mobile vs. Desktop Market Share and Usage Statistics
6 Mobile-Friendly vs Mobile-Responsive
7 Tips for Building a Mobile-Friendly Asset Management Website
8 Tips for Building a Mobile-Friendly Asset Management Website
