Why Is Your Credit Union Website So Ugly?

Tony Mannor
May 14, 2008 | COMMENTS

You know who you are. You had your site designed 5, 6, or 7 years ago. It was designed for an 800-pixel-wide screen, or even worse, 640 × 480.You may not even know that your “drop-down” menu systems (if you even have one) don't work on the new browsers because your IT department won't let you upgrade your browser past Internet Explorer 6.0.

Now IE is on the way out as the primary browser platform. With the popularity of Apple, Safari and Firefox have new life as prominent web browsers (Internet Explorer makes up less than 40% of my site visitors). Do you even know what your site looks like in different browsers? I am not going to point out any particular credit union as having a bad website—but here is a checklist to find out how bad your site may be and if you need a redesign:

1. You do not have drop down or a hierarchical menu system.
2. Your NCUA logo is big enough for you to read the small type in the logo—or—the NCUA logo is almost as big as your credit union logo.
3. 25% of the text on your home page is disclosures or disclaimers.
4. Your home page content is comprised of only graphics or banners.
5. You have a flash animated “Intro Page.”
6. Your site has “Frames.”
7. If the main window of your credit union's home page is a few bullet points of copy with no real message, valuable information or marketing purpose.
8. You have a “What's Hot” button in your primary navigation.
9. You have less than three designated marketing areas on your website.
10. You have a “Portal” site.
11. You have a clock, weather conditions, or hit counter on your site.
12. You have animated dancing animals on your credit union website.
13. Your site has no analytic software running to capture user activity.
14. Your design is more than seven years old.
15. Your website graphics consists of “Bright and Shiny People.”
16. You have to scroll (vertically or horizontally).
17. You do not show up on a Google search, anywhere, even under your credit union name!
18. Your site is not achieving its objectives (or you have none to begin with).

If you have more than two of these things, you need to bring it up to the CEO or board at the next meeting. If you have four or more, then you need to get your site into emergency care STAT!

But Why Is this Important? A Website Is a Website, Right?

The short answer is “Nope.” Good designs can increase conversions. A good site can increase product awareness. A good site creates legitimacy, especially to those who will never visit your branches. To them, your site IS their branch. Would you have a branch with old rickety furniture, peeling wallpaper with one teller wicket? No, probably not unless you were going for a “Haunted Credit Union” theme. Too often, the credit union website becomes the red-headed stepchild of the marketing budget. Too often and almost always, the first impression a member gets of a credit union IS the website. Do you shop online? Are you going to give your credit card to a site that looks shady and half put together? No you wouldn't. Why would you expect your members to do it? They need to trust you, your technology and your solvency. A website that screams “Fire Sale” is not going to help you out much.

But My Site Isn't That Bad!

It's likely worse than you think. When I was a kid my mom had an emerald green Lincoln Town Car. She thought that car was the coolest. It had all kinds of electrical doo-dads, sensors, a leather top, and big comfy adjustable seats. I hated that car. I felt like a dork in it when I would get dropped off at school. It looked like a “Grandma Car” to me. I would have rather walked and not used the car at all. I never said anything to my mom about it—I just started to volunteer to walk to school. Chances are you don't know your site is a dorky, emerald green 1985 Lincoln Town Car. All you can do is watch the kids walk on by pretending they don't see you.

But Our Members Are Older and Can't Figure Out a Big Complex or Redesigned Site

Chances are your members' didn't buy a computer to only visit your site. They are going to other sites. Other, more sophisticated sites. Or maybe they are using AOL, or an e-mail program, that is more sophisticated than your site. Chances are they are smarter than you give them credit for. But even if that is not the case, how many of your old, Internet-challenged members are using your site? How many youth members are running away screaming because your site is antiquated by their standards? Understand that if your site is five years old, those “youth members” you have been trying to capture were 10 years old then. They were using the Internet then. It would be like grandma who buys a 15-year-old a Barney the Purple Dinosaur T-shirt because “You loved her just last year.” How many 15-year-olds rock a “Barney” T-shirt? Right.

But our CEO, board member, CIO, CTO or some other super-important person that we don't want to offend designed our site!

What is offensive about saying “It is about time to redo our website. It has had a good five-year run and it is time for a facelift”? Does that person eat food after it has expired? Are they still wearing the same suit they bought in the 50s? Is changing the site negating their contribution? No! Give them a shot at the redesign. Hire a few people to just do a design layout (no programming). Offer it up to a blind vote to the whole credit union (not just the board) to see what design wins. If their new design gets voted down then so be it. Not everyone can do this. They will get over it. They have to get over it—its business. Shouldn't you be more concerned about how you can use your site to make the credit union more profitable and better serve your members? The benefit of the Internet is that a nice website can make any small business look like a huge operation. But the inverse also applies. A fully functioning, capable and great credit union can have its credibility completely demolished by an outdated website.

But How Much Is this Going to Cost Me?

Sites are getting more affordable. You might not need a big fancy site. I have seen credit unions sites range from $2,500 to $25,000. There are a million options out there and one of them will fit your budget. I promise.

Websites are like milk. When they are fresh, they are great. After a while they begin to smell a little funny. A little while later they are kind of clunky then they are just gross and unpalatable. Then the only thing you can do is get new milk.

Tony Mannor is president of Andermahr and Company, a Stockton, California marketing and advertising firm. To learn more, visit www.andermahrketing.com.