You can visualize it; a remarkable website with engaging graphics, sophisticated conversion paths and detailed product pages, but how do you bring that vision to life? One of the most challenging aspects of building a B2B website is to find the balance between designing for aesthetics and optimizing for lead generation. Before getting caught in a web of details, focus on the following when launching your B2B website:
1) Prioritize Your User Experience
- Start with your navigation:
- Is it easy to find the information you want to access with one click?
- Does your navigation cover all aspects of how you want your customer to engage with your site?
- What pages are vital to the user experience? Are those pages easy to find in the navigation?
- Is the navigation organized in a fashion that is easy to digest within a 5-second time frame?
- Placement of content on your website:
- Is the critical information “above the fold,” or does the customer have to scroll to find what they need to move forward?
- Does the content on the page align with the customer’s needs at this point in their buyer’s journey?
- When your customer lands on your homepage for the first time, what can they take away from that short period of interaction?
- Can your customer find ways to connect with you offline via phone, social media or email?
- Mobile experience:
- Does the page load quickly while viewing on a mobile device?
- Is the site easy to navigate on a mobile device?
- Is the content easy to view on a mobile screen?
- Do the lead forms, call-to-action buttons and contact buttons function as they should?
2) Problem-Solve for Your Customer with a Content Marketing Strategy
Before drafting copy, research your customer’s pain points and use your website’s content to solve those needs. Use this process to do so.
- Define a plan for keyword research: When it comes to keyword research, there are a variety of ways to “skin the cat.” On a basic level, it’s best to start by jotting down a list of your products and services. From there, you can use a keyword research tool to expand on your keyword research process. If you want to learn more about keyword research best practices, bookmark this guide. Some of our favorite keyword research tools include:
- Check the temperature of online forums within your industry:
- Interview past customers: How will you know what your customers need if you don’t speak to them? Before launching a website, understand what questions, concerns or hesitations they might have before purchasing your product. That way, you can deliver a best-in-class experience for your customers and combat objections before they engage with your sales team.
- Build out your buyer personas: While you may have a good grip on the types of customers you will be serving, it is critical to map out buyer personas for the audience members you want to engage. This exercise will help you refine your messaging and targeting before launching your first campaign. Buyer personas are the foundation of every successful marketing campaign, and without them, you run the risk of financing a message that falls on deaf ears. Put your marketing budget to work for you by taking this step seriously. Here are our recommendations for creating your B2B buyer personas.
- Map out your buyer’s journey: Once your buyer personas are defined, you will need to walk a mile in your customer’s shoes. In B2B marketing, we refer to this practice as experiencing the “buyer’s journey.” A well-optimized B2B website begins with an in-depth understanding of each step your potential customer will take when interacting with your brand: From the first time they see your logo to the moment they buy your product or service. If you have an intimate look at your buyer’s journey, you can create an online experience that complements each step by nurturing your customer in moments of need.
Want to create a content marketing experience that delivers solutions and adds value for your future customers? Get started with our guide to aligning your content strategy with your buyer’s journey here.
3) Make it Easy to Get the Conversation Started
Once you’ve prioritized your customer’s experience while engaging with your B2B website, consider how easy it will be for them to take the next step. Use every opportunity you have to take the conversation offline:
- Do you have a resource on your site that a buyer can use better to understand the value of your product or service? How can they exchange their contact information with you to access that resource?
- Are your contact forms prominent and easy to submit?
- Are there call-to-action opportunities placed strategically throughout your website?
- In your blog
- On each page of your website
- In the top navigation
- In the footer of your page
- Can a buyer chat with a customer service representative or schedule a conference call with a sales team member to learn more about your product?
- Is your contact information accessible from the home page and located in a prominent position?
As you can see, there are many components to consider when building a website that will serve as your virtual sales team. Before diving into the design details, view your web design and development plan from your customer’s perspective.
If you have trouble executing the various steps mentioned above with limited time and resources or need expert support for launching a website, that’s where our team can be of service! Let us take the nitty gritty details off your plate so you can focus on designing a product or service that serves your customers at the highest level.
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