You may not be changing your corporate name like BillShrink (press release), but you can use their technique any time you do a major website remodel. Throw a splash page on top of your old design highlighting the change(s), then redirect users to the new site (note 1).

The explanation on the splash page will reassure users that they have not landed on a fake site. And it provides an opportunity to highlight improvements and do some brand reinforcement.

You could use the same technique with major promotions, but the key word is MAJOR. It should be used VERY sparingly, or you will annoy customers while diluting its effectiveness.

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Truaxis/BillShrink splash page (15 Sept. 2011)
Note: In this case, BillShrink is still operating its old site. So consumers clicking on the right button will be sent to <billshrink.com>. Merchants and financial institution visitors will go to the new corporate site, <truaxis.com>.

BillShrink consumer site

Trueaxis corporate site
Note: Naturally, we love the Finovate Best of Show logos at the bottom (note 2), even if they are below the fold.

Notes:
1. In BillShrink's case, they are still operating the old site. But they want their B2B prospects (merchants/banks) to visit their new corporate site, Truaxis.com.
2. Truaxis will be busy next week, presenting a new twist on in-statement rewards at our Finovate (see our sneak peek post). It's also a finalist in Innotribe's competition (here).

One problem with most websites, as compared to the offline world, is that they are relatively static experiences. Unless you are already familiar with the brand, you don't know if you are the first visitor this year or if 10,000 others are banging away on the servers right now. There's no online equivalent to the "line out the door" that signals you arrived at a popular restaurant or night club.  

That's why I like online tickers that show user activity. In financial services, the best example, active for many years, is Progressive Insurance's scrolling window of rate quotes (see inset). Geezeo, Zillow and ING Direct (see note 1) have also used the technique (see previous post).

And just this month, two financial providers added similar tickers to their homepages:

• BillShrink: The personal finance tool, and FinovateStartup 2009 Best of Show winner, shows potential savings in its "live feed" in the middle of its home page (screenshot below).
• MoneyAisle: The online deposit auction site, and Finovate 2008 Best of Show winner, scrolls auction results with a 15-minute delay (screenshot below, see note 2)

Both newcomers have neglected to "time stamp" the activity to demonstrate how recent it was. That's an important aspect for credibility.

BillShrink homepage with Live Feed (16 July 2009)

 MoneyAisle's Live Ticker was recently added to its homepage
(16 July 2009)

Progressive's Rate Ticker (16 July 2009)

Notes:
1. Behind the login screen, ING Direct used to have a counter showing the total amount of interest paid to depositors. But it was discontinued last year at about the $9 billion mark. 
2. Industry participants can purchase MoneyAisle's real-time deposit pricing data stream for $1,500/year (here).