The Best B2B Websites
In the world of web design and digital marketing, Business to Business (B2B) websites are a fun and unique challenge. The products and services tend to be bigger and match up to a very specific kind of customer. That means it's crucial to get the design and messaging elements just right.
To give you a sense of what we mean - and how it can make or break your Internet marketing campaigns - let’s look at what you can do to make your web presence a powerful tool for revenue growth.
Make Solutions the Centerpiece of Your B2B Website
Your B2B website isn’t really about your company. Instead, it’s about what you can do for other companies.
Everything on your pages – from the images and headings to body text and links – should be focused on the products, services, and solutions you can provide. Make it all about the problems you can solve or the improvements you can generate.
These are the sorts of things you want to find on B2B websites, of course, but it’s easy to forget that when you are putting together your own pages and content. A good web designer will keep you focused on your target audience; still, it’s easy to fall into the trap of presenting fact after fact about your business, its history, or all the things you want to share.
Those details might or might not matter, but the bigger point should always be about how you serve your market. As a rule of thumb, if someone can arrive at the home page of your B2B website and figure out what you do, who you do it for, and why you’re great at it within a few seconds, you’ve gotten things right.
Appeal to Multiple Types of Customers and Contacts
You might think your B2B website has to appeal to a certain type of buyer or decision-maker. In reality, though, there are probably several different groups you need to target with your messaging.
There is a simple reason for this: B2B purchases are made in stages. It could be that one contact (for instance, an administrative assistant, a department head, or even an intern) will begin the search for a product or service while someone else will approve the decision later. In fact, the bigger the decision is, the more likely it is there’ll be multiple layers of individuals giving their advice and opinions.
It’s important to remember that not all of these people are going to share the same goals and perspectives. Some might want what’s best for the company while others could be concerned about having to change their work patterns or learn something new. Money for one initiative could involve dollars coming out of another budget. And of course, there are existing vendor relationships to consider.
Your job, as a B2B marketer, is to understand all of this and build your site in a way that works for many different types of customers and contacts. Don’t get so focused on one audience that you forget about all the others that might matter.
Let Prospects Sort and Qualify Themselves With Content
The best B2B web designs feature plenty of content. This is partly because Google and the other search engines crawl pages and match searchers to articles and ideas. It’s also because the more content you post online, the easier it is for prospects to decide whether or not they want to work with you.
This is a great thing when it happens organically. As we’ve already mentioned, many B2B sales tend to close over a long time frame and involve tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. That means you have to stand out in the market, to be sure. However, it also means you don’t want your team chasing down leads that are never going to materialize.
By putting content on your website that gives searchers more insight into your products and services and how they stack up against the competition, you aren’t just attracting more potential buyers, but also generating better leads through the effort. Later, that will show up in higher closing rates, better margins, and fewer amended proposals.
Content is the backbone of any online marketing plan, but it’s especially important if you want to succeed in the B2B space. So use lots of it and let your prospects sort themselves into groups of buyers who are ready to take action.
Use Plenty of Testimonials and Case Studies
Although we’ve already touched on the need for great content (and lots of it), there is one area that deserves particular attention: testimonials and case studies. You can never have too many of these on your B2B website.
Think about it this way: If you were about to make a six-figure investment in a new payment platform, for example, or app development, wouldn’t you want to know what previous clients had to say about your vendor? Would you be satisfied with a few good words, or would you want to see a dozen case studies with lots of specifics?
The bigger your solution is, in terms of scope and cost, the more trust you need to build with prospects before they will take action. It’s helpful to have things like industry certifications and contractual guarantees on your website, but nothing beats the social proof that comes with a good track record. Client testimonials are a good start, but detailed case studies with statistics are even better. And if you can top things off with media stories, detailed portfolios, or even customer-produced videos, then you’ll see your online marketing become a lot more effective.
Show Off Your Talented Team of Employees
Although we mentioned earlier that you want your B2B website to be more about potential customers than your own business, it’s a good idea to have detailed employee bios for those in leadership or technical positions. After all, potential customers are going to want to know who will be performing work on their behalf, or whether the individuals who developed the product being sold have the right backgrounds.
This makes sense intuitively, but it isn’t really an intellectual exercise. Instead, it speaks to the human need to feel safe in the knowledge that we’re making a good decision. As with case studies that show positive results, we like to see evidence in staff biographies that we can count on the expertise we are being given.
You don’t have to have a team full of Ivy League graduates to generate good bios. You simply need to point to things like experience, creativity, and commitment. Also, good photos can go a long way toward making your staff and company seem more credible and trustworthy.
Your employees are probably the strongest part of your business. You can make your website more effective by featuring them and their accomplishments in a prominent way.
Allow for a Series of Conversion Events
It’s very unusual for a B2B buyer to make a snap decision unless they are under enormous pressure to do so. Instead, they are likely to look around, do plenty of web research, and explore their options. You can maximize your chances of winning the business by staying toward the top of their minds throughout this journey.
You don’t do that by asking for a sale right away. A better approach is to offer a lead magnet, gather email subscribers, or put out bits of information in articles, blog posts, and social media updates. Then, prospects can learn more about your company and its products or services gradually. Plus, they can keep hearing about you while they narrow down solutions and get closer to making a decision.
The bigger and more complex your solution is, the more important it is to have multiple conversion steps that lead to a final sale or consultation. Don’t ask for an immediate appointment or commitment from a first visit to your website if it seems forced. Instead, give them the space – and the content – to make a decision in their own time. They’ll be more receptive to your approach, and you’ll get better long-term results.
Need a B2B Web Design That Gives You a Reliable Sales Engine?
One thing we always remember at Weblinx is that B2B web design isn’t only about creating strong designs and interesting pages – it’s about getting our clients results they can see in the bottom line. If that’s the kind of service you want from a web development team, then we are here to help.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about what we’ve been able to do for B2B companies just like yours.
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