Four Simple Improvements for Your Small Business Web (NetBanker)

Sometimes it’s the little things that are most important. Here are four improvements for your small business Web that could be implemented for a couple thousand dollars.

1. Include “small business” in your Web site description posted on Yahoo and other directories. If you could do just one thing to improve traffic at your site from small business prospects, this would be it. Amazingly, only 19 banks out of the 2,000 or so with Web sites show up on Yahoo when searching for “small business” and “bank.” Refer to the table on the right for the exact bank descriptors that allowed these banks to land in the elite 19.

Cost = $0

2. Give your small business Web its own address such as <smallbiz.yourbank.com> or <www.yourbank.com/smallbiz/>. Better yet allow users to type either of these two addresses to get to your Web.

Cost = minimal depending on how much file restructuring is necessary

3. Post telephone, pager, e-mail, and fax numbers for each of your small business lending officers. Include a hyperlink to a short bio of each lender and a few comments from each person on their particular areas of expertise, unique qualifications, or sales buzz.

Cost = a few hundred at most

4. Make commercial loans the centerpiece of your Web site. The primary (only?) reason a non-customer business owner will pay a visit to your Web is to find out about your commercial lending programs. Within a few seconds of visiting your site, they should be able to identify the pertinent link(s).

Cost = several hundred on up

Yahoo Search Results for
“Small Business” and “Bank”

Banco Sabadell (Spain) - specialized in individual clients and small, medium businesses and in overseas trade.
Bank of Melbourne - large regional bank in Victoria providing services for small business and personal customers.
Cole Taylor Bank - personal banking, small business banking, loans, mortgages.
Crestmark Bank - specializes in financing small business with factoring, ABL, leasing and traditional loans.
Enterprise Bank and Trust Company (Lowell, MA) - locally managed commercial bank providing highly responsive service to individuals, professionals and small to medium-sized businesses.
Franklin Bank - Metropolitan Detroit's bank for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
First National Bank in Pinckneyville - retail banking for individuals, small businesses and farms.
First Waco National Bank - An innovative community bank meeting the needs of Small Businesses and Consumers in the Central Texas area.
Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company - On line commercial and small business loans, home mortgage loans, consumer loans, and Master Card and Visa.
Industrial Bank of Korea - bank for the small and medium enterprises
Lexington Savings Bank - community banking franchise for small businesses and individuals.
Metropolitan State Bank - Fairfield, NJ - deposit and loan products, specializing in Home Equity, Small Business loans and Mortgages.
MidFirst Bank - Oklahoma City, OK - offers checking, savings, and investment accounts, as well as consumer, mortgage, small business, and commercial loans.
NatWest - more than just a bank: news and information about personal, small business and corporate banking services.
Republic National Bank of Arizona - Arizona's leading small business lender and a full service commercial bank.
Savings Bank of Walpole - savings, loan and investment services for individuals and small businesses.
Valley Bank - provider of U.S. small business administration loans in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California.
United Bankshares, Inc. - full service community bank geared to small business needs.
Westamerica Bancorporation - multi-bank holding company serving communities located in northern California from 57 banking branches. mainly targets small businesses and professionals.