Site Study: BECU

BECU was started during the Great Depression by Boeing employees who wanted to help folks buy the tools they needed to work. The credit union is still known today for its philosophy of “people helping people,” and its brand is widely admired in the credit union industry.

Here, we review its website to highlight what BECU does well, where there is still opportunity, and how you can be more like BECU.

 

Highlights

 

Relatable Imagery

Unlike the canned, sterile stock photos that pepper so many financial websites, the images throughout BECU’s site have a warm, relatable feel that emphasizes connection and “people helping people.” From family outings to individual travel pics, the imagery immediately gives the viewer a sense of belonging, reinforced by earnest, straightforward copy.

 

Consistent Product Presentation

On product pages, the left panel leads with essential numbers that let visitors assess quickly before investing in further reading, while tabular data lets visitors easily compare options. Although the product copy could benefit from a more visual layout, BECU does a good job of calling out key information and including clear calls to action.

 

Online Banking and Join Buttons

Clear calls to join and easy access to online banking are essential for any credit union website, and it’s surprising how many sites miss the mark. However, BECU does it well by including both a login option and join button in the header (on mobile and desktop), and retaining the same navigation and styling on subsequent pages.

 

Opportunities

 

Confusing Navigation

Instead of including subpages in a drop-down menu, BECU uses interim navigation pages, which results in a rather cumbersome user experience if a visitor is trying to explore multiple pages. The lack of dropdown menus creates a higher “interaction cost,” meaning that visitor has to click more to get to the content they want.

 

 

Awkward Layout

The homepage design works well on mobile and tablet, but does not extend naturally to an average desktop width. The extra space on the sides makes the page seem incomplete and means more scrolling for the user.

 

Improve your site today

Look at the featured photos on your three most popular product pages. Are they generic stock photos, or do they communicate anything unique about your company or brand? Could you replace them with photos of real members, or photos that highlight the unique landmarks and geography of the region(s) where your members live?

If you’re looking to take a bigger step, talk to us about a website redesign!