How Anderson Technologies Helped SKY Investment Group Reach a New Audience
Have you Googled yourself recently? If you own a business or oversee the marketing of one, an internet search is the first step in evaluating your company’s online presence. Social media marketing and web search optimization can be researched and learned. Functionality and ease-of-use must be tested and refined.
First impressions are everything. What does a potential customer or client see when they discover your company? This was the question Carol Bingham, Senior Administrator of SKY Investment Group, asked herself when deciding to give her organization’s online presence a makeover after thirteen years in operation.
Telling the Right Story
Creating an updated site is different than designing a site from scratch. Making sure the new design provides clear navigation and an elevated user experience not just for first-time visitors but also for existing clients is key. Our goal is always to guide users to what they’re looking for quickly and easily.”
The investment management company based in Hartford, Connecticut, hadn’t changed its website in over ten years. The site lacked functionality, making it a challenge to attract new clients. “No mobile capabilities, improperly marketed,” Bingham describes. Beyond that, the information presented on the site was out of date. Incomplete or languishing sites are an unintended sign to search engines and potential clients that a company is stagnant.
“Our business had changed in ten years,” says Bingham. “We became much more aware of who we are.” SKY’s site was created three years into the company’s growth, and the site’s content and organization still reflected its youth. This upgrade served as a rebranding opportunity. “Three years into existence, we tried to be everything to everybody,” Bingham says. The new site not only provides a better user experience for clients but also describes how SKY has changed as a company, allowing potential clients a laser-focused view of their investment options.
When Narrative Meets Creative Vision
Bingham had a personal connection to the Andersons and their established IT company, so naturally SKY reached out to Anderson Technologies when it was time for an overhaul. Director Farica Chang, who has spearheaded many web development projects for Anderson Technologies, took charge of redesigning SKY’s site to better suit its story.
“Creating an updated site is different than designing a site from scratch,” Chang explains. “Making sure the new design provides clear navigation and an elevated user experience not just for first-time visitors but also for existing clients is key. Our goal is always to guide users to what they’re looking for quickly and easily.”
Because SKY is a financial institution, marketing had to be handled delicately. The SEC strictly regulates how investment management companies advertise themselves—namely that they directly oppose the solicitation of clients. SKY’s appeal needed to dwell in conveying services honestly and directly, rather than with flowery filler words. “Carol was instrumental in making sure the presentation did not overstep the bounds of these regulations,” Chang says.
Goals for the new website included simplicity, readability, and neatness. Bingham wanted a crisp interface with “no frills.” SKY’s vision for the site included their contact information, directions to the company’s physical location, clear layout and navigation of available services, and a warm introduction to the team. Users needed to be attracted to SKY’s character and transparency—without a sales pitch.
I wanted to create a site that helped convey this warmth and trust.”
“During the discovery process, what immediately jumped out to me were the personal stories Carol and her husband Bob shared that illustrated how they go above and beyond to serve their clients,” Chang recalls. “I wanted to create a site that helped convey this warmth and trust.” This meant creative elements like colors, structure, and photographs were imperative. They planned a new site design featuring clean, bright layouts with generous white space and gentle curves.
Photos and fonts are important design elements, but communication is the biggest component of a website development project. “Building a website is a collaborative effort between the developer and the client,” Chang says. “We bring technical experience, but no one knows your business better than you.” Strong communication between Chang and Bingham resolved every problem that presented itself, and the Anderson team always took SKY’s needs and concerns seriously. “Member security is super important to us,” Bingham says. “Farica was amazing at finding the right platform.”
The Next Chapter
After SKY’s site face lift, Bingham knew the website could no longer be once-and-done without updates and attention paid to the big changes in the internet landscape. There are still a few markers Bingham would like to reach before the site feels complete.
Building a website is a collaborative effort between the developer and the client. We bring technical experience, but no one knows your business better than you.”
One of the most valuable tools in the internet marketing tool belt is search engine optimization (SEO). The internet and its search components are always changing. Refining the text on SKY’s site—such as updating new contact information and incorporating specific search keywords—and partnering with high-domain sites for backlinks are two methods the company plans to use to rise in the ranks.
In addition to maintaining the strict guidelines for financial institutions, new web policies also warrant changes to SKY’s previous web approach. Because SKY’s clients can potentially access the site from the EU, they need to become compliant with the new GDPR law. That update is something Anderson Technologies’ web development team has implemented on many sites – including our own. Integrating a cookie consent bar and new Google analytics settings not only brings the site up to GDPR compliance but also provides a more accurate record of who accesses the site.
Though SKY Investment Group still has many design ideas to incorporate in the future, their new site tells their company’s story much more successfully. It leaves room to grow, too—and the Anderson Technologies team will be ready to take on the challenge when that time comes.
Does your website need an update? Is your web presence lackluster and preventing customers from learning what you offer? Anderson Technologies can evaluate where your company might benefit from design and marketing help. For a consultation, call 314.394.3001 or visit our site today!
