A key strategy for retaining current clients and adding new assets in this competitive market is more frequent and focused client communication, combined with superior product distribution. There are so many ‘look alike’ financial services products that the spoils often go to the firm with the best ‘distribution’, not the best product. One of the most powerful, cost effective tools for keeping communication relevant and differentiating a firm and it’s products — the website — is often underutilized.

Here are ten tips to help you build an effective online strategy. Incorporate two or three items into your plan each quarter and you’ll end the year with an online strategy that puts your firm and fund websites to work for you.

1. Increase Traffic Turn a volatile market into your advantage: Nervous clients are thirsty for more frequent updates and that presents the perfect opportunity to drive traffic to your site. Let people know that you will be posting more frequent updates to your websites with a simple note, mailed with your quarterly and interim letters or with an email that links directly to your sites’ new content. Also consider adding RSS feeds to your sites.
2. Keep Content Relevant and Current Post brief, weekly market overviews. Ask questions. Be candid. Take responsibility for your performance and judgment and always let clients know what you’re doing to help them achieve their financial goals. Be direct with clients about poor performance, but don’t dwell on the downside. Instead focus on strategy and what you’re doing to turn things around. Keep offering documents such as fund prospectuses up to date – it’s not just a regulatory requirement, it also shows that the firm is ‘on its toes’.
3. Build A Website Content Strategy Invest in a content management system (CMS) and develop a content strategy. Designate a content management editor/writer to update content regularly and keep it relevant to your branding and service message. Add time and date to your firm home page or NAV to your funds’ to remind visitors that the sites are not static and encourage them to return often.Of course, make sure any time-sensitive information is updated promptly.
4. Post Webcasts & Videos Give your firm’s experts a voice: do a webcast once a month in which your partners, fund managers or analysts talk straight to investors about what’s going on in the market. Post a market overview video on your home page and provide podcasts and transcripts.
5. Be Accessible Put a personal face on your firm by using quotes, high quality photograhy and video of the partners to illustrate their philosophies, strengths, achievements and service offerings. Tell real stories if possible.
   
6. Differentiate Your Firm Highlight the firm’s investment philosophy, process and expertise; use engaging visuals, graphics, animations and content to differentiate your performance and investment approach from others. Post Lipper and Morningstar ratings on your homepage.
7. Add PR to the Mix Good PR in the financial media often leads to increased sales. Talk to the news media and add press and video to your site. Write white papers and post them. Develop good relationships with journalists: this is key to gaining presence in the financial media and visibility with your existing and potential client base.
8. Don’t Forget Compliance Is your exciting new content permissible? Your compliance team will let you know if the content can be published on your site or not. You want to leave enough room in your schedule for your in-house compliance officer or external compliance firm to review content.
9. Optimize Your Website SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization and many fund managers think it’s irrelevant to their online strategy. Your clients won’t be searching for an investment firm online but they (or their representatives) may Google you if your firm or fund has been recommended to them or if they are considering meeting with you. Your firm’s Google search results are a real-time snapshot of your firm’s online reputation. Google searches should lead to your own published content first, not something appearing on someone else’s website. Optimize your site for search engines.
10. Build Brand Equity Lastly, your company’s image and brand matter. Make sure your value proposition shines through every detail of your firm and fund websites, from your logo, tagline, imagery and color scheme to the description of your firm’s investment approach and process.

The investment you make in your website communication strategies today will help calm nervous clients and increase your firm’s visibility. When investors start getting back into the market you want them to think of your firm first.