The critical role of your website in financial UX

In the competitive world of financial services, the spotlight often falls on a well-designed app or product. However, conversion and user retention start long before someone hits "download" or signs up. The real journey begins with your marketing website—arguably the most crucial touchpoint in onboarding users to your app or service.

For financial services brands striving to excel in a crowded space, a marketing website that delivers clear, compelling, and frictionless user experiences is essential. Here’s why, and how to optimise yours for success.

Onboarding Begins Before the Product

It’s well known that a seamless onboarding experience is critical for any financial app. Users need to feel at ease with your product’s features, understand its value, and trust that it will meet their needs. But too many financial services brands overlook the fact that onboarding starts on the marketing website. This is where users form their first impressions, assess your brand’s credibility, and decide whether your product is worth their time.

Your app’s excellence won’t matter if the marketing website doesn’t showcase that greatness. If the website experience falls short, users may never take the next step. The goal? Ensure your site educates, simplifies, and builds trust from the very first interaction.

Deeper Insight: Pre-Onboarding Psychology

Users in the financial services space are often overwhelmed by choice and complexity. Behavioural psychology tells us that users make decisions based on their first emotional reaction and whether they feel reassured. Your website is where that emotional connection happens, so ensure that it resonates emotionally with the user—whether through visuals, tone, or microcopy. This is critical for a sector like finance, where trust is everything.

Your Website: The Linchpin for Conversions

Experienced marketers know that conversion rates hinge on clarity and ease of use. Yet, many financial service websites still fail to convert effectively. Even if your app is exceptional, a poorly optimised marketing website may mean you’re missing key conversion opportunities.

The website has to work hard—not just as a product showcase but as a persuasive tool. It must communicate trustworthiness and clarity around complex financial services. It’s about more than showing off features; it’s about convincing users to entrust you with their financial well-being.

Advanced Strategy: Cognitive Load and Decision-Making

Reducing cognitive load on users is essential when dealing with complex financial information. Consider breaking down difficult concepts using progressive disclosure—gradually revealing information to avoid overwhelming users. This prevents decision fatigue, ensuring users feel comfortable moving through the sales funnel.

Additionally, leverage behavioural triggers like loss aversion—a cognitive bias where people prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains. Financial services can frame their value propositions around preventing loss (e.g., “avoid missing out on the best savings rate”) rather than just offering benefits.

Practical Ways to Elevate Your Financial Services Website

You likely already understand UX fundamentals. Let’s delve into more advanced strategies that can optimise your marketing website for conversions and build deeper trust with users.

Clarify the Value Proposition for Different Personas

Different financial personas (e.g., first-time investors, retirees, small business owners) have different needs. Craft distinct value propositions that speak directly to those segments. You can even use dynamic content that changes based on user behaviour or geographic data to ensure the message is always relevant.

For example, young professionals may want to see quick, mobile-friendly features and savings tips, while seasoned investors may need more advanced tools and data analytics. Personalisation at this stage can drive engagement by up to 10x, according to industry benchmarks.

Build Trust from the First Click

Trust signals should be surfaced immediately—don’t bury them deep within your site. Use interactive elements like live chat, where users can ask questions or raise concerns, or feature a live trust score or security audit that dynamically updates to reflect real-time reliability.

Showcasing case studies, real-world examples, or featuring user-generated content (e.g., testimonials, reviews, or social proof) will also increase trust, especially in the context of financial services, where people are particularly cautious.

Simplify the User Journey with Clear, Visual Pathways

Financial products are complex, but your website shouldn’t be. Take a cue from brands that use visual storytelling to convey product benefits. Think infographics that break down complicated financial terms or explainer videos that walk users through the app’s functionality. This helps distil complexity into digestible content, reducing bounce rates and increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Additionally, use heat map tools to identify where users get stuck or abandon their journeys, and continuously optimise these areas.

Refine Your Microcopy for High-Stakes Moments

Microcopy can make or break the user experience, especially during critical moments like sign-ups, transactions, or form submissions. Ensure that error messages, CTAs, and form labels provide not only clear guidance but also reassurance during key touchpoints.

For example, if a user fails to fill out a form correctly, instead of a generic error message, use microcopy that encourages the user to correct the issue without frustration (e.g., “Looks like we’re missing some info. Let’s fix it together.”).

Case in Point: Effective Websites in Action

Some financial services websites set the bar for seamless user journeys. Brands like Monzo and Revolut, for example, simplify their value propositions to core essentials and build trust quickly through social proof and visible security guarantees.

Consider a fintech company that understands that progressive disclosure is key. Their website introduces features one by one as the user scrolls, offering relevant details without overwhelming them. By the time the user reaches the CTA, they feel informed and confident—an example of how clarity, trust, and simplicity combine to reduce friction.

Deeper Insight: Personalisation That Leads to Action

These companies also use personalisation to anticipate and respond to user behaviours. For instance, a returning user might see a tailored homepage experience reflecting their last interaction, building continuity and enhancing the user journey. Personalization can increase engagement and reduce the decision-making burden on users, making them more likely to convert.

Retention Strategies: Beyond the Initial Conversion

Once users sign up, your website's job isn’t over. The site remains a critical player in user retention, especially when it comes to re-engaging users who drop off or hesitate during onboarding.

To combat churn, consider adding predictive tools that detect when users are likely to disengage, then trigger targeted emails, in-app messages, or personalised support that reactivates them.

Advanced Tactics: Predictive Analytics and Behavioural Nudges

Using predictive analytics, you can identify when a user is about to abandon their account and send them behavioural nudges to keep them engaged. For example, a user that stops using a savings feature might receive a message with helpful tips on how to maximise their savings or a reward for taking the next action.

Incorporating gamification elements, such as rewards systems or badges, can also be an effective retention tool. Financial apps that engage users with small but meaningful rewards (like milestones for consistent saving) have shown dramatic improvements in long-term retention rates.

Why Your Marketing Website Needs to Be Next-Level (and How We Can Help)

In the end, a well-built app only gets you so far. Your marketing website is the foundation for a frictionless, high-converting user experience. It’s your first, and often your best, opportunity to onboard users, build trust, and drive conversions in an increasingly competitive financial landscape.