Life isn’t fair, and neither is the internet, where the majority of your marketing efforts will be taking place on platforms where you have almost no control over the viewer experience. Whether you’re distributing content through LinkedIn, Facebook, or public relations campaigns, your message is invariably filtered through an intermediary or competing with other colorful pieces of content for eyeballs, attention, and clicks.

Your ETF website is one notable exception to this unfortunate fact of life in ETF marketing. On your ETF website you have absolute control over the user experience, from the message you place front-and-center, to the content you harness to deliver that message, the site navigation, the images, the copy—everything. But with that great power comes great responsibility. Are you really utilizing your ETF website to its full potential? What follows is a brief overview of how to give your ETF website a tune-up for 2020 and beyond.

Be sure to also see our related guide: How to Conduct an Annual Marketing Review

Distill your message

If someone lands on your ETF website, are they going to know what your ETF is all about? All-too-often, the answer is unfortunately “no”. Throughout the years we’ve visited far too many ETF websites cluttered with vague hero images (city skylines, men in suits shaking hands, images of nature), unclear navigation hierarchies, and baffling walls of text… and that’s just on the homepage.

Your ETF website is your best chance to convey exactly what your ETF is all about, and unfortunately, a great ETF with a muddled message is not going to connect with prospective investors. It’s important to take a step back and examine what message you’re really seeking to convey. Keep in mind that the most successful messages are memorable because they’re clear, concise, and short. Through consistent messaging, you can ensure that would-be investors understand what your ETF is all about, as well as the fundamental value propositions that make your ETF tick.

Make “mobile first” a priority

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re all glued to our phones constantly. Google has taken notice of this and has already begun preferentially indexing mobile versions of websites. Although you may be accustomed to viewing your own ETF website on your laptop or desktop, it’s worth taking a second look at your ETF website on your phone. Is the experience quick and seamless? Is it easy to navigate? Mobile website viewers have little patience for difficult-to-navigate websites that fail to serve up the information they’re looking for quickly.

The bottom line

We’re all tired of the ongoing pandemic, which has meant far fewer in-person meetings and opportunities to network. This means our digital assets are more important than ever before. And as one of the only places online where you have total control over how your brand and your products are presented, it’s absolutely critical from an ETF marketing perspective to get your website right. By distilling your message and ensuring your website is geared towards a “mobile first” world, you’ll be well-positioned for ETF success in 2020 and beyond.