Nebraska State Bank
My hometown community bank is nationally recognized for its ag loan program, but during my banking years I saw poor search results, low site traffic, and a high bounce rate. Our unique product deserved more visibility, so I led a website redesign.
I pitched my management team, met with site admins about layout, photo, and copy requirements, and planned out an effective taxonomy.
Through collaboration with our loan officers, I learned why their knowledge of the specialized FSA loan application process was so helpful to our customers.
From conversations with my operations VP about customer service pain points, we created a lengthy list of ideas to enhance site content.
And from Search Engine Optimization research, I determined the most effective keywords to use to improve site rankings.
I wrote copy and shot photos, including aerial. The copy emphasized customer benefits, and provided clear, helpful answers to common questions. I also created an extensive FAQ section and a Support & Security blog to keep our customers well informed.
The result was a clean, organized site that improved search rankings from page 7 to the top 3, grew web traffic nearly 15%, and increased average time on page.
“Due to the specialization of an agricultural lending program, our bank operates in the western half of the United States. An effective website is necessary for potential customers near and far who are curious about the bank, and necessary to stand out among competitors on search engines.
I feel that Rick’s redesign of the website accomplished our goals of offering accurate information about Nebraska State Bank, and making it more relevant by utilizing search engine optimization tools and writing our blog.”
Jim Levick, President, Nebraska State Bank