Guide · Financial services
The financial services website standard.
What a tier-one website in financial services & wealth must do in 2026, with research, essentials, common mistakes and scorecard targets.
By the Sovren studio · November 2026
Referrals open the door. Your website decides whether they walk through it. This guide sets out what a tier-one website in financial services & wealth must do in 2026, and how to tell whether yours does.
How your clients choose
96%
of affluent households would still research an advisor online even after a strong recommendation.
72%
plan to visit the advisor’s website while deciding, and 97% plan to compare multiple advisors.
The research is clear on direction: clients form their view of your firm online, often before they contact anyone. See why this now matters for every firm.
Eight essentials
- A clear statement of philosophy and of who you serve
- Team pages with credentials such as CFP® or CFA
- Compliance-reviewed disclosures, including links to Form ADV and Form CRS where they apply
- Secure client login, clearly separated from public content
- A discreet introduction request
- Insights written for the families and institutions you serve
- WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility
- Trust signals that respect advertising and marketing rules
Five common mistakes
- Stock photography that could belong to any firm
- Jargon that hides how you actually work
- Missing or hard-to-find disclosures
- Slow pages on phones, where next-generation clients research
- A site that speaks only to current clients, not to the next generation
The scorecard targets we recommend
| Measure | Target |
|---|---|
| Performance (Lighthouse, mobile) | 90+ |
| Accessibility | WCAG 2.2 AA, independently audited |
| Usability (System Usability Scale) | 80+ |
| Task success: visitors able to request an introduction unaided | 90%+ |
| Security headers grade | A or better |
You can test the first and last of these yourself today with Google PageSpeed Insights and Security Headers. How the Sovren Scorecard works.
Before you commission a new website
Use our 11 questions to ask before you commission a website, and build your internal case with our business case guide.