Is Your Website Helping or Hurting Lead Gen?

Quick Summary: Your marketing campaigns are strong, but is your site holding them back? Learn how to tell if your website is helping or hurting lead generation.

TL;DR:

  • Forms Are Too Long or Clunky: Long, complex, or poorly optimized forms create friction and kill conversions. Make them short, mobile-friendly, and supported by smart follow-ups.

  • Calls-to-Action Lack Clarity: Vague CTAs like “Let’s connect” don’t inspire action. Replace with direct, value-focused prompts like “Book a Strategy Call” or “Download the Report.”

  • Site Design Isn’t Built for Leads: Pretty sites aren’t always persuasive. Missing value props, buried CTAs, and unclear navigation are silent lead-killers. Instead, design with intent.

  • Backend Systems Undermine Frontend Experience: Even the best-designed site fails without fast performance, CRM integration, and automation. Backend friction = funnel friction.

  • No Optimization Loop in Place: Without A/B testing, scroll tracking, and behavioral analytics, your website isn’t evolving. Data is the key to long-term lead generation growth.

Website Lead Generation Infographic

Is Your Website Helping or Hurting Lead Generation? Not all websites are built to convert — and some might actually be working against you. We’ve compiled the top 5 issues that could be sabotaging your lead generation efforts and how to fix them. Explore the infographic below for a quick visual summary before diving into the details.

Want to learn how to apply these improvements to your own site?. Scroll below to view the full graphic, or click here to open it full-size.

Keep reading as we break down each issue and actionable solution in detail…

Many financial marketing leaders are investing in the right channels: email campaigns, webinars, paid media management. Their teams are generating traffic and doing everything they can to attract attention.

But conversions? That’s another story.

The leads aren’t qualified, the forms aren’t getting filled out, and sales is asking why the funnel’s running dry. The most frustrating part? Many marketing leaders suspect the issue lies with the website, but it’s hard to prove, let alone fix, with current in-house resources.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your website is working for your lead gen—or actively working against it—this article will help you get clarity and take action.

Why Your Website Is the Most Overlooked Part of Your Lead Gen Strategy

Financial services marketers are often great at building campaigns, but the website is where most of those efforts either succeed or fail.

In today’s B2B landscape, your site is often the first place prospects evaluate your expertise, your credibility, and your offer. If that experience falls short, leads will stall, no matter how compelling your ads or emails might be.

Lead gen breaks down when:

  • Your site isn’t optimized for speed or clarity
  • Your forms feel outdated or intrusive
  • The user journey isn’t aligned with the funnel stage
  • Your CTAs are generic or buried
  • Buyers can’t quickly understand why you stand out

Let’s look at the core issues and how to fix them.

1. Your Forms Are a Friction Point

Financial services buyers are risk-averse and time-starved. They don’t want to fill out a dozen fields just to request a whitepaper.

Ask yourself:

  • Are forms short, scannable, and mobile-friendly?
  • Are fields clearly labeled and aligned with the ask?
  • Do forms load quickly and actually work?
  • Is there a smart follow-up automation behind them?

Pro Tip: Start by auditing forms across your top-performing pages. This is often where quick conversion rate optimization wins live.

2. Your Calls-to-Action Aren’t Actionable

“We’re here to help.” “Let’s connect.” These CTAs are friendly, but vague.

In financial services, trust is key, but clarity converts.

Strong CTAs for lead gen may include:

  • “Get a Free Portfolio Assessment”
  • “Download the 2025 Market Readiness Report”
  • “Book a 15-Minute Strategy Call”

Each CTA should match the funnel stage and set clear expectations. It’s also essential to ensure every CTA is visually prominent and not buried beneath blocks of copy.

3. Your Site Isn’t Designed for Lead Capture

Your homepage may look polished, but if it wasn’t built with lead generation in mind, you’re leaving money on the table.

Signs your web design and development strategy needs to evolve:

  • No clear value prop above the fold
  • Navigation is confusing or cluttered
  • Key decision pages (e.g., services, resources) don’t have CTAs
  • Landing pages lack consistent branding or messaging

Modern lead-gen websites combine form and function: clean layouts, streamlined messaging, and a frictionless path from awareness to inquiry.

4. Your Backend Isn’t Supporting the Funnel

A beautiful front-end means nothing if the back-end is a mess. That’s where website support services come in.

Your marketing site should:

  • Integrate seamlessly with your CRM
  • Quickly route leads to the right reps
  • Track behaviors for retargeting and personalization
  • Offer fast, secure performance 24/7

If your team has to wait on IT to make basic updates, or if you’re unsure where leads are going, that’s a problem worth solving.

5. You’re Not Using Data to Adjust On the Fly

Your website should be a testing ground. With the right setup, you can continually optimize for better lead gen performance.

Use analytics to:

  • A/B test CTAs, headlines, and page layouts
  • Measure bounce and scroll depth on top traffic pages
  • Refine lead flows based on real behavior

Pair this with insights from SEO and lead generation campaigns to close the loop between content, traffic, and results.

What a High-Converting Financial Website Looks Like

Let’s recap. A site that helps—not hurts—lead gen in financial services:

  • Loads in under 3 seconds on mobile
  • Clearly explains who you are and what you do, fast
  • Has multiple, specific, low-friction CTAs
  • Guides visitors through a natural funnel (awareness → action)
  • Tracks and routes leads automatically
  • Looks as credible as your competitors, if not more so

If your current site misses even a few of these, that could be the root cause of your lead gen frustration.

How 3 Media Web Can Help

At 3 Media Web, we specialize in helping financial services marketers turn their websites into performance engines.

We offer:

  • Strategic web design and development focused on lead capture and conversion
  • Technical website support and performance optimization
  • Ongoing conversion rate optimization for high-traffic pages
  • Integrated analytics, automation, and retargeting tools
  • End-to-end support from audit to launch to continuous improvement

Our clients don’t just get prettier websites, they get measurable results.

Make Your Website Work for Lead Gen

Time to Generate More Leads