RIA websites: template vs. custom vs. done for you
An RIA has four ways to get a website: build it yourself, use an advisor template platform, commission a custom build, or hire a done-for-you service. They differ less in how the site looks than in who writes the content, who handles compliance review and archiving, and whether the site ever brings in new clients. Here’s how they compare and how to switch without losing what you’ve earned in Google.
What makes an RIA website different
An RIA website has to do everything a good small-business site does, plus a few things specific to advisers:
- It’s an advertisement under the SEC Marketing Rule, so testimonials, ratings and any performance need specific disclosures, and every version has to be archived.
- Its facts must match your filings: fees, minimums, services and credentials should agree with your Form ADV and your public record.
- Prospects verify you. Many check your SEC adviser profile or BrokerCheck before they call, so linking to them openly builds trust.
- Trust is the product. Real photos, plain-language fees and a clear process matter more than visual flourish.
Your four options
1. A DIY builder
Squarespace, Wix and similar builders are cheap and quick, and independent advisors regularly compare notes on them in forums like r/CFP. You do the design, writing and updates, and you’ll need a separate way to handle compliance review and archiving.
2. An advisor template platform
Platforms built for advisors offer templates, a content library and compliance-friendly features for a monthly subscription. They’re a solid, fast start. The trade-off: sites can look alike, library content is shared with other firms, and the niche pages that win searches are usually still yours to write.
3. A custom build
A studio or agency designs a site around your firm and niche, priced as a project, often followed by a hosting and care plan. You get a site that looks like you; ongoing content and SEO are usually a separate engagement.
4. Done for you
One provider designs, hosts and updates the site, writes the pages and articles, runs SEO and tracks AI answers, with compliance review built in, for a monthly fee. That’s the TrustVis model.
Side by side
| DIY builder | Template platform | Custom build | Done for you | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design | You | A template | Custom | Custom |
| Content | You | You, or a shared library | Usually you | Written for you |
| SEO and AI search | You | Basic tools | Often extra | Included |
| Compliance review | Your own process | Varies by plan | Your own process | Built in |
| Archive of every version | Separate tool | Varies by plan | Separate tool | Built in |
| Updates | You | You | Care plan | Unlimited |
| Pricing | Low monthly fee | Monthly subscription | Project fee, plus care | Monthly plan |
“Varies by plan” and “often” reflect typical offerings; check each provider’s current plans.
How to choose
Four questions usually settle it:
- Do you want the site to bring in new clients, or mainly to confirm you’re legitimate? If it’s the second, a template platform is fine. If it’s the first, you need ongoing content and SEO from someone.
- Who will write the niche pages and articles? Be honest about whether that’s you, every month.
- How does compliance review work today? Choose a setup that fits your compliance officer’s process, including the archive.
- Does your site need to look like your firm? For firms competing on a specific niche or a premium position, a distinctive site is worth more. See the examples in our 2026 gallery.
Switching without losing rankings
Moving platforms is where firms most often lose search traffic they’d spent years earning. A careful move:
- List every page on your current site, and note which ones get visits or rank, using Google Search Console.
- Keep the same addresses where you can. Where you can’t, redirect each old page to its closest new page, one to one.
- Carry over titles, headings and content that already rank, and improve rather than replace them.
- Keep your firm’s name, address and phone number identical everywhere.
- After launch, resubmit your sitemap and watch Search Console for errors for a few weeks.
TrustVis handles the move, including the redirect map, and switches over once your compliance officer signs off.
Questions to ask any vendor
- Do I own the domain, the content and the images? Can I export everything if I leave?
- How does compliance review work, and is every published version archived?
- Who writes new pages, and how many a month?
- How fast are updates made when I ask?
- How fast does the site load on a phone?
- What happens to my redirects and rankings when we launch?
- Do you track what AI tools like ChatGPT say about my firm?
Questions advisors ask
Can an RIA use Squarespace or Wix?
Yes. Plenty of independent advisors do, and these builders are inexpensive and easy to use. The gaps are the advisor-specific pieces: compliance review, an archive of every published version for your books and records, and the time to write niche pages and articles yourself.
How much does an RIA website cost?
DIY builders cost a small monthly fee plus your time. Advisor template platforms charge a monthly subscription. Custom builds are priced as projects; one advisor-focused studio lists builds from $2,250 and site care at $100 a month. Done-for-you services bundle the site, hosting, updates, SEO and content; TrustVis starts at $2,500 a month.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I switch website platforms?
Not if the move is planned. Keep the same addresses where you can, redirect every old page to its new equivalent, carry over titles and content that already rank, and resubmit your sitemap. Rankings often wobble for a few weeks and then settle.
Who should own my website and domain?
You should. Register the domain in your firm's name, and make sure your contract gives you a full export of pages, articles and images if you leave.