Key takeaways >- Referrals still start most advisor relationships, but 96% of prospects intend to research online before hiring, and 72% of those include a visit to the advisor's website (Wealthtender, 2025, 500 US households with $100K+).- Prospects look for two things first: fee structure and areas of specialisation. Put both on the homepage or one click from it.- Since 4 November 2022, the SEC Marketing Rule allows testimonials and endorsements, with clear and prominent disclosures.- FINRA member firms must link to BrokerCheck from their retail homepage and from any page with a registered representative's profile.- The website's job is to confirm a referral, not to generate one. Design for the validator.
Financial advisor website design has a clear brief once you look at how people choose an advisor. Referrals bring most prospects to the door, and the website is where they check the referral before they call. This guide covers what that check looks like and how to design for it within the rules that govern advisor marketing. For ready-made starting points, see our financial advisor website templates.
The referral starts the search; the website decides it
Referrals are the most effective source of new clients for advisors. Kitces Research found that 95% of firms that used referrals to get leads gained at least one client from them. But a referral isn't the end of the process. In Wealthtender's 2025 study of 500 US households with $100,000 or more in investable assets, 96% of prospects intended to do further research online before hiring, and for 72% that research included visiting the advisor's website.
The same study found what prospects look for: fee and pricing structure, and areas of specialisation. A site that answers both in the first screen passes the check. One that opens with a stock photo of a couple on a beach and a promise of “peace of mind” makes the prospect go looking, and some won't.
Rule 1: Name who you serve in the first line
Specialisation helps prospects confirm they're in the right place. “Financial planning for physicians in their first ten years of practice” or “Retirement income planning for federal employees” lets a referred prospect recognise themselves in seconds.
If you serve several groups, give each its own page and let the homepage route them. A general statement that fits every advisor in the country doesn't help anyone choose you.
Rule 2: Publish your fees, or how you charge
Fee structure is one of the two things prospects look for first. Say how you're paid (flat fee, percentage of assets, hourly, commission, or a combination), the typical range, and minimums if you have them. A three-row table covers most practices:
Service | How it's priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
Financial plan | Flat project fee | Your range here |
Ongoing planning and investment management | Percentage of assets under management | Your schedule here |
Hourly advice | Hourly rate | Your rate here |
If you're a fee-only fiduciary, say so plainly and explain what it means for the client. It's a real difference and prospects search for it.
Rule 3: Put your credentials and regulatory links where they're expected
Prospects and compliance teams both look for regulatory information. Include:
- Credentials: designations such as CFP®, CFA or CPA, with a one-line explanation of each
- Form ADV and Form CRS: registered investment advisers should link to their current Form ADV Part 2 and, where they serve retail investors, their Form CRS relationship summary
- BrokerCheck: FINRA Rule 2210(d)(8) requires member firms to include a readily apparent reference and hyperlink to BrokerCheck on the web page intended for retail investors and on any page with a registered person's profile
- Investment Adviser Public Disclosure: a link lets prospects check your registration themselves
Put these in the footer of every page and on the team page.
Rule 4: Use testimonials, within the SEC Marketing Rule
For decades, advisers largely avoided testimonials. The SEC Marketing Rule (Rule 206(4)-1), with a compliance date of 4 November 2022, now allows testimonials and endorsements under conditions. Advertisements must clearly and prominently disclose whether the person giving the testimonial is a client and whether they're compensated, with further disclosures on compensation and conflicts. Paid promoters need a written agreement unless compensation is $1,000 or less.
Design implication: when you add a testimonial, put the disclosure next to it, in the same visual weight, not in a footnote. Work with your compliance team on the wording, and keep records of each testimonial you publish.
Rule 5: Be careful with performance numbers
If you show investment performance, the SEC rule requires net performance alongside gross, and prohibits presenting results from only some of the portfolios with substantially similar strategies. Most advisor websites don't need performance charts at all. Explain your process instead: how you build a plan, how often you review it, and how you communicate.
Rule 6: Show the people, with direct contacts
Advice is personal, and prospects want to know who they'll work with. Show each advisor with a real photo, credentials, the clients they specialise in, and a short personal note that says something specific. Give a direct way to book time with that person.
Rule 7: Make the first meeting concrete
“Schedule a consultation” asks for commitment without saying what happens. Describe the first meeting: how long it is, whether it's free, what you'll discuss, and what the prospect leaves with. A booking link with that description turns a vague ask into a clear offer.
Rule 8: Publish content that answers your niche's questions
A small library of articles answering the questions your clients ask (“When should a physician start a backdoor Roth?”) shows expertise to prospects and matches what they search. Keep each article reviewed for compliance and dated. Fewer, current articles beat a large archive of generic market commentary.
A realistic build order
If you're rebuilding, start with what the referral check needs:
- Homepage with niche, fee model and one booking action
- Fees page
- Team page with credentials and regulatory links
- Services pages, one per client group
- First-meeting page with booking
- Articles for your niche
The trust-first approach is the same one we describe in our guide to accounting firm website design. For a starting structure, Finaroa and our other professional services templates include team, services and booking pages.
Frequently asked questions
What should a financial advisor website include? Who you serve, how you charge, credentials and regulatory links (Form ADV, Form CRS, BrokerCheck where required), team profiles, a clear first-meeting offer and articles for your niche.
Can financial advisors use testimonials on their websites? Yes, under the SEC Marketing Rule, since 4 November 2022, with clear and prominent disclosures about whether the person is a client and whether they're compensated. Check with your compliance team before publishing.
Should financial advisors show fees on their website? Yes. Fee structure is one of the first things prospects look for (Wealthtender, 2025). Show how you charge and typical ranges, even if the final fee depends on the client.
Do advisors need a BrokerCheck link on their website? FINRA member firms do, under Rule 2210(d)(8): on the page intended for retail investors and on any page with a registered person's profile.
Last updated: 13 September 2026.
Sources: Kitces, How prospects choose a financial advisor, citing the Wealthtender 2025 Study of $100K+ Households (500 US households) and Kitces Research, accessed 13 September 2026 · SEC, Investment Adviser Marketing: small entity compliance guide, accessed 13 September 2026 · FINRA, Complying with the BrokerCheck reference and link requirements in Rule 2210 · SEC, Form CRS
