In short, is your website making you look bad? The sales guys are on the front line and they are often the ones that call us or are instrumental in getting the CEO to call us to update their online presence. So if your B2B web design looks "dated" then what does "updated" look like?
- Mobile Responsive- That's number one. If you are currently paying someone to do your SEO (Search Engine Optimization), it's a losing battle if your site is not mobile responsive. A responsive site adapts to the screen the viewer is holding in their hand whether it's a mobile phone, a desktop or a tablet. Not only is it expected by today's consumers, Google will demote you in terms of search results if yours is not mobile friendly.
- Content- It's all about the information you put out there. If you are a B2B company, you should be writing Problem/Solution style blog posts. If someone had the problem, chances are another company is looking for a solution to that same problem. Chances are they are googling that same issue. If you write about it and they are researching it, you could show up on their radar at the exact moment they are looking for a company for that very solution which increases the chances that they'll contact you for a quote or consultation.
- Easy to navigate- What do your customers look for right off the bat? Is that information easily accessible and easy to find? Is it too busy? Do the links work? Is it accessible from the device they are using?
- Well designed- For most B2B website designs, it doesn't have to be super slick. But it does need to suit current design standards. Boxy sites are outdated, as are skinny column sites. It should be designed in web based software like WordPress so that content can be updated by your marketing team. Design doesn't always mean "pretty" although you do want it to look nice. In fact, we'll often go with a minimal number of pages to start with so we can get a site launched quickly, and add galleries, case studies, blog posts to the site along the way to keep it fresh and updated.
- Socially engaged- Most B2B companies don't need the gamut of social media. You really need LinkedIn and maybe one other depending on your industry. The other can be YouTube, Vimeo, or Twitter. But start with LinkedIn first and build out that business profile and create or get help creating that B2B strategy.
The truth is, your website can bring in good, qualified sales leads for a fraction of what it would cost you to pay someone to cold call. And you can develop a well-oiled system that consistently keeps potential customers and clients in the pipeline.
Oftentimes with B2B, one sales lead pays for the website design and execution-- and more than pays for itself over time. Think of your website is part of the sales team. If you have the right information on there, those who call you after reading an article on your site pertaining to their issue are already 70% through the sales funnel and it's up to your sales team to close the lead. Want to know more? Download our complimentary eBook on web design practices below.
Agree, disagree, or just have something to add?
Leave a comment below.