When we land on a web page, there are certain features and functionality we expect to see and be able to make use of. A search bar offering the user the ability to search for what they are looking for on the site itself is one item we often expect to see, and may even head towards straight away. There are many reasons why a good search bar should be available for use on your credit union or banking website, and yet many websites of this kind do not choose to provide on-site search functionality to their users. This blog post explores why you might choose to include a search bar on your credit union website.
Keep Up With Competitors
Ensuring your credit union website has good site search functionality will help you keep up with or stay ahead of competitors. Many of our clients including First Northern Credit Union and FedChoice Federal Credit Union offer site search. If your competitors are offering site search, ensure you do too, to offer a comparable user experience.
Promote Customer Service Online
Bear in mind that your credit union website is representative of your brand online. If you have physical brick and mortar locations in which you serve your clients, you most likely expect customer service to be top-notch. Your credit union website is your main way to offer customer service online. Offering your users a search bar to make their experience quick and easy is part of this online customer service.
Enable Self Service
Including a search bar on your site is not only important for promoting customer service, but for enabling self-service. Offering users the ability to find what they are looking for via the search bar can empower users to complete tasks more efficiently and independently, also saving you costs in terms of customer service calls.
Meet User Expectations
One of the simplest but most important reasons to include search functionality on your site is that users expect it. If users want to find something quickly or can’t find what they’re looking for in the main navigation, the go-to place for them is likely to be the search bar. If there is no search bar, users may be at a loss as to what to do next and bounce.
Help Users that are Unfamiliar to Your Site
Users that are unfamiliar to your site, or are perhaps less familiar with using the internet as a whole, will be looking for something they do recognize and find easy to use. The concept of a search bar is likely to be familiar to most, simply due to the popularity of Google and other search engines. Keep the process of using your site easy with a familiar search bar.
Help Users in a Hurry
Users in a hurry, using mobile or browsing your site on the go, may head straight to the search bar as a quick way to find what they are looking for. Without search functionality, these users may be more likely to bounce.
If your credit union website does not yet include a search bar, consider making this a priority. Improving your website can reduce other customer service costs, improve user experience, and conversion. Contact Americaneagle.com to discuss your on-site search needs and for more ideas on how to improve your credit union website.
