If you’ve ever tried to update your website and thought, “Why is this so painful?”, you’re not alone.
For many financial advisors, the website becomes a necessary evil—something that checks a compliance box but does little to support growth, client engagement, or firm credibility. At worst, it can feel like a digital weight you’re constantly dragging behind you.
Whether you’re running your site through FMG, WordPress, Broadridge, or another legacy platform, the cracks eventually show slow loading, poor mobile design, confusing navigation, clunky back ends, and worse—no clear path to improve any of it.
That’s why more advisors are starting to ask: “Is it time to move my website somewhere better?”
Let’s walk through what that actually involves—and why it’s not as scary as it sounds.
Why Advisors Get Stuck with Old Platforms
Most advisors didn’t get into this business because they love managing web infrastructure. So, it’s no surprise that many settle for the platform recommended by their broker-dealer, home office, or a well-meaning peer. FMG Suite, and to a lesser extent Advisor Websites and Broadridge, dominate the space because they’ve been around forever. And for those who have wanted more control over their CMS, WordPress has also been a strong player for some time.
But longevity doesn’t equal leadership.
Many of these platforms technically do what you need—host a compliant site, display your bio, include some blog posts—but they fall short in the places that matter most in 2025: speed, mobile usability, branding, and user experience.
Some issues we hear constantly from advisors thinking about switching platforms, include:
- “I hate my website”
- “My site looks fine on desktop but terrible on mobile”
- “I haven’t touched our website in years because last time it broke”
- “It takes forever to load. Is that normal?”
- “I don’t want to call tech support every time I need to swap a photo”
And for WordPress users, the problems often stem from plugin overload, a weave of security patches, and a backend that was never designed for non-tech users…
Why Performance, User Experience (UX) Matter Now More Than Ever
Clients don’t judge your website like it’s 2012 anymore. They expect it to:
- Load in under 2 seconds
- Look crisp on every device
- Offer a frictionless experience
Google expects this, too. Site speed and mobile performance directly affect your search rankings. A slow, cluttered site not only hurts your credibility—it can hurt your visibility.
And it’s not just about SEO. Prospects do their diligence. Whether they’re a referral, a COI, or a would-be junior advisor, they’ll Google you—and your website is the first impression. A sluggish, generic-looking site quietly undermines everything you’ve built.
What Does It Actually Mean to “Move” a Website?
Most advisors think moving a website is just changing hosts. In reality, it’s a mix of technical steps and brand-level decisions.
Here’s a breakdown of what a successful migration includes:
The Financial Advisor’s Website Migration Checklist
Whether you’re upgrading on your own or working with a partner like Wealthsites, here’s the high-level process to follow.
1. Audit Your Current Site
Before anything moves, understand what you’re working with. Which pages are worth keeping? Which forms or integrations are in use? What’s already been approved by compliance?
This is the time to identify what’s salvageable—and what should be scrapped.
2. Secure Domain Access
Who controls your domain name? Make sure you have access to your registrar (GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc.) and DNS settings. If your provider controls it (as FMG often does), prepare for a transfer or delegation of DNS authority.
3. Plan Content Transfer (With a Revamp)
While some content can be migrated directly, most advisors use this opportunity to refresh. That means rewriting stale bios, updating your investment philosophy, and dropping the “we’re fiduciaries!” lines that clients already expect.
Use this moment to clarify your brand voice and get rid of dead weight.
4. Modernize the Design
Templates can be tempting, but this is where visual credibility is won or lost. Choose a platform or partner that understands branding in the financial space—clean layouts, clear hierarchy, mobile-first responsiveness.
No stock photos of handshakes. No overlapping text on mobile.
5. Compliance Archiving & Pre-Approvals
Before launching anything new, archive your old site (PDFs or screenshots) and route new content through your compliance process. If your firm or BD requires pre-approvals, this is the time to loop them in.
6. Redirects & SEO Setup
If your URLs are changing, set up 301 redirects from old to new pages to avoid losing search engine rankings. Rebuild metadata, titles, and H1s on key pages to preserve SEO performance and improve click-through.
7. Test Everything Pre-Launch
Load time. Mobile view. Forms. Links. Scheduling integrations. Run it all through before flipping the switch. Once live, monitor analytics for 30 days and watch for user drop-offs or technical bugs.
How Long Does It Take to Move a Site?
On average, a full migration—copy, design, redirects, testing—takes 4 to 6 weeks. That does not include time for content review and compliance sign-off, which can vary widely. Firms that partner with Wealthsites typically go live within 60 days.
Do You Really Need a New Platform?
Let’s get real: not every advisor needs a brand overhaul. But if your current site feels like a drag—or if your team avoids updating it because “it’s too annoying”—that’s a sign. You’re losing time, energy, and possibly leads.
Upgrading platforms can solve for:
- Speed: Modern infrastructure = faster load times.
- Security: No more plugin patchwork.
- Simplicity: Intuitive editing tools.
- Support: Actual human help, when you need it.
- Scalability: Ready for what’s next—M&A, team growth, new markets.
Why Wealthsites Is Built for This Moment
Wealthsites isn’t just a prettier front end. It’s a purpose-built system for financial advisors who want modern performance without technical complexity.
We run on Duda—a best-in-class platform powering over 1 million business websites worldwide. That means enterprise-grade reliability with a concierge-level experience designed around your practice.
With Wealthsites, you get:
- Fast, responsive, ADA-compliant sites
- Clean, on-brand design with zero template fatigue
- Hands-on migration and compliance support
- Monthly maintenance and updates so you never fall behind again
Final Word: If It Feels Like a Chore, That’s a Clue
Advisors often wait until “something breaks” to finally fix their website. But the cost of waiting isn’t just technical—it’s reputational.
Every slow load, every bad mobile experience, every outdated page sends a signal. And those signals accumulate.
If your site isn’t supporting your goals, it’s silently working against them.
