An age-old philosophical question: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”If we were to interpret this in the context of the 21st-century business world: “If your business covers every angle but lacks a strong online presence and digital influence, will it be known to the world?” In our highly interconnected age, the answer is clear: it will go unnoticed.
No matter what stage your brokerage business is in, having a strong online brand presence is crucial for every forex brokerage firm, but if you lack the right skills and know-how to build and maintain a website, your brokerage business may face failure.
To help new brokers, we sought advice from Benny Ashkenazi, Head of Marketing at Leverate, on how forex brokers should build their online brand presence to retain users.
“At Leverate, one of the key services we provide to brokers is website development,” says Benny. ““We believe that a brokerage service package isn’t complete unless your brand stands out in the best possible way. That’s why we have a professional team of web developers, designers, and content creators who can build a customized website for each client to meet their specific needs.”
Tips for Building an Engaging Website
The brokerage industry is an extremely competitive market, and your expertise and experience have helped you achieve your current business success. To gain a competitive edge, you must leverage every available tool to your advantage—especially when it comes to increasing your online presence. You can apply the following methods to effectively market your brokerage services:
- Make your website easy to browse on mobile devices. Mobile page load speed has become one of the key factors in determining website rankings. It’s also worth noting that if your customers have a poor user experience on your website, they are likely to turn to other relevant competitor sites.
- Ensure your website has effective navigation. It’s best to include no more than five clear menu options in the top-level navigation bar, with a set of organized, related pages under each menu. Additionally, users should be able to easily return to the homepage from any page.
- Less is more. Visual appeal is crucial when designing your website. You need to exercise restraint in the use of colors, fonts, and animations, as too many elements can distract users and divert their attention from the page’s main focus. By applying elements appropriately, you can combine usability with aesthetic appeal.
- Encourage users to take action. Remember that no matter where on your website users land, you should encourage them to do something—such as sign up, make a deposit, or download a white paper. The area above the fold is the ideal location to place this call-to-action button.
Why Are Search Engine Rankings Important?
Building an attractive website is just the beginning. Improving a website’s Google ranking is a key marketing strategy for any business. With billions of searches conducted on Google every day in the global marketplace, it goes without saying that businesses want their websites to rank at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).
Benny states, “To maintain consistent traffic to your website, you must understand its performance and be able to take appropriate action. To that end, the Leverate team possesses highly specialized marketing expertise to help your website achieve the highest possible ranking.”
However, getting your website onto the first page of search engine results is no easy feat. You need to focus on your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, and website architecture is one of the factors that can help you improve your Google ranking.
A well-structured website helps Google easily identify who you are and what products and services you offer users, thereby increasing the chances of improving your website’s ranking. As a brokerage firm, a good Google ranking allows you to connect with more buyers and sellers who are looking for your services.
Understanding the Causes of Declining Website Traffic
Increasing website traffic is crucial for your business. The more visitors you attract, the greater your opportunity to raise brand awareness—which translates to more sales opportunities. When your website traffic suddenly drops, you lose these opportunities.
Benny explains, “There are several possible reasons why your website isn’t getting as much traffic as it used to. For example, recent changes to your site may have affected its loading time, which in turn impacts the user experience on search engines and reduces traffic.”
Even simple technical issues can severely impact your website traffic. You can use various tools to identify technical issues, including Google Analytics, the Google Mobile-Friendly Test, and Google Search Console. If you’re targeting the Chinese market, you’ll also need to install Baidu Statistics and Baidu Webmaster Tools to analyze search terms coming from Baidu.The first step is to address issues such as slow page load times, 404 errors, and incorrect or missing on-page SEO elements.
Of course, in addition to optimizing your website, there are many other methods that can help improve your site’s rankings on search engines like Google. Be sure to remember that a well-designed website is a worthwhile investment, as it ensures your brand stands out in the crowded forex brokerage market.
