How Banks Can Better Position Digital Capabilities as a Selling Point

Public websites at banks routinely miss the opportunity to position digital banking as prospective customers shop for accounts. A review of leading institutions shows that public sites often default to commoditized information—fees, requirements, and basic features—while burying or vaguely describing the digital tools that increasingly drive customer relationships and satisfaction. As a result, shoppers receive static, text-heavy messaging that forces them to connect the dots between features and real-life financial benefits. 

To improve engagement and strengthen digital differentiation, FIs must rethink how they present digital banking on public sites. FIs should shift from product-first sales pitches to interactive, advice-oriented experiences that illustrate how tools help users solve actual financial problems. They can do this in several ways, such as incorporating videos, guides, and app test drives. By prioritizing relevance, interactivity, and a clear communication of value, banks can turn their public sites into effective incubators for long-term relationships, ensuring that shoppers understand not just what features exist but also why they matter. 

Key questions discussed in this report:

• How can banks turn their public sites from places where sales happen to hubs that encourage advice-driven customer relationships?
• How can banks express and showcase the value of digital banking?
• What tools can banks leverage to add interactivity to the public site and draw in shoppers?
• How can banks convey that digital banking features can help solve real-life financial problems of customers?

Companies Mentioned:

Ally, Bank of America, Citi, Navy Federal, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo