If you think your B2B website is just a digital business card, you’re probably not getting much out of it. A little brand awareness, maybe a call or meeting here and there. Your website definitely isn’t supporting your sales team or nurturing your leads.
Too many businesses make this common mistake: developing a “just okay” website that never earns a return. Mistakes like that can cost you traffic, and even when you do get someone to your site, they can make visitors click away before they learn anything about your solution. Visitors lost could mean deals that never happen!
Let’s face it: first impressions count online just like they do in person.
In this article, we’ll explore five big mistakes to avoid on your business website. You’ll learn how to create a site that not only looks great but also helps you connect with your audience and convert more strangers into interested prospects than ever before!
Mistake 1: Building a Brochure Website Instead of Investing in a Sales-Ready Website
A brochure website is basically an online version of a paper brochure or company slick. It tells people a little something about your company, its services, and how to contact you. However, in the B2B world, just having a brochure website isn’t enough anymore.
Why B2B Companies Need More:
- Engage Potential Customers: A sales-ready website helps to engage potential customers. It offers interactive content and personalized experiences.
- Drive Business Goals: It’s a powerful tool to drive business goals like lead generation and sales conversions.
- Boost Online Presence: Search engines favor active and engaging websites. A sales-ready site boosts your online presence.
Investing in a sales-ready website is like hiring a salesperson willing to work 24/7/365. Websites don’t take time off, and they’re always ready when your prospects are. Sales-ready websites do a lot more than tell people who you are; they actively help your target customers choose your solution over the competition and reach out to sales when they’re ready.
More decision-makers than ever want a “sales-free” buying experience. 33% of buyers, in fact, according to Gartner’s 2024 “The Future of Sales” report. Add that to the fact that 70-90% of the buyer’s journey is already complete before B2B decision-makers ever reach out to sales…
Well, your brochure website is leaving a lot of money on the table.
Mistake 2: Using Clunky Copy & Too Much Jargon
When you write website copy, clarity is key. Clear and concise language helps engage your target audience. If your copy is clunky or full of jargon, you risk losing prospective customers’ interest. It’s like speaking a different language that only a few understand. This can drive away target customers, making all your marketing efforts go to waste.
“People don’t buy the best products. They buy the products they can understand the fastest.” Donald Miller, Building a StoryBrand
On that note, using too much industry jargon can make your content confusing and exclusionary. Prospective customers want information they can grasp quickly. Different levels of your target audience’s hierarchy might not be familiar with more technical industry terms, and overusing these terms can leave them feeling lost and ignored. So they click away to find someone who speaks more plainly!
Keep things simple. Write like you’re explaining it to a friend, but stick to your core messaging and messaging matrix. This way, your potential customers get the message and feel invited to learn more.
Beware the Weak CTA
Speaking of compelling, clear copy: nothing hurts your website’s conversion rate more than weak, generic CTAs.
Smart Calls to Action (CTAs) work like signposts for your potential customer. They guide the user on what step to take next. A weak CTA can be like a dead-end street, causing confusion and hesitance. Words like “click here” or “submit” are poor guides. They don’t clearly communicate a valuable outcome to the reader. A website with such weak CTAs will not inspire action.
Consider using stronger, clearer CTAs such as “Get Your Free Guide Now” or “Start Your Free Trial Today.” These CTAs communicate a clear benefit. They entice the user to take action because they know they’re going to get something out of it. With action-oriented CTAs, visitors know exactly what they get and why they should act. This leads to more conversions and supports your business goals.
Mistake 3: Using Complicated Navigation Paths
Clear navigation is crucial for any website. Your main navigation should help visitors find what they’re looking for without frustration. When websites have complicated or duplicative navigation paths, they risk losing potential customers. People won’t stay on a website if they can’t easily find the information they need, and more options aren’t always better.
A user-friendly navigation bar plays a big role in User Experience, time on page, and overall conversion rate. It guides visitors smoothly from one page to another. Easy navigation also helps search engines understand your site better, improving your online presence. If search engines can crawl your site efficiently, it ranks higher, making it easy for target customers to find you.
Keeping your navigation simple and intuitive helps potential customers find what they need faster and can speed up their buying journey!
Mistake 4: Glossing Over Important Technical Aspects
As in all things business, details matter. The technical aspects of your website can’t be overlooked. Business owners often focus on look and feel, copy choices, and overall design but forget the backbone that makes everything work.
Ignoring these technical details or failing to choose a partner that shores them up for you can lead to common pitfalls that could harm your online presence. From SEO to site speed, each aspect plays a vital role in reaching your target audience and keeping them on your site.
Site Speed
Site speed is a big deal, especially for B2B websites. When your site takes too long to load, prospective customers will lose patience and leave. Fast loading times make a big difference in User Experience. According to Think with Google, your website has about 1 second to load before you start seeing bounces: “As page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds, the probability of bounce increases 32%.”
Quick-loading sites keep visitors engaged and willing to explore. More importantly, search engines favor fast sites, so improving your site speed can help you rank higher. A responsive and quick website is often a sign of professionalism, attracting more target customers. Whatever you do, you don’t want a slow website to frustrate visitors so that they bounce away before they ever see a single line of copy.
Accessibility
Accessibility tools make your website usable for everyone, including those with disabilities. B2B websites should prioritize this to reach a broader audience and comply with legal standards.
Inclusive design isn’t just a moral responsibility; it’s good business practice. Ensuring your site is accessible means you’re not unintentionally turning away prospective customers. Tools can include text-to-speech functions or alt text for images. There are even overlays for your website that help people with ADHD focus on the most important elements of your site!
With accessibility tools, you welcome everyone to engage with your brand and avoid leaving money on the table by alienating certain visitors.
Mobile Optimization
Most people browse online using mobile devices. Your B2B buyers are no different—cell phones are the go-to device for most consumers now, and about 60% of all website traffic comes from mobile devices!
A responsive, mobile-optimized website design ensures that your site looks good and functions well on any screen of any size. Missing out on mobile optimization could mean losing potential customers who find your desktop-only site unappealing. A well-designed mobile site reflects a modern and user-centric approach, aligning with your business goals.
Site Security
Website security is non-negotiable, even if your site doesn’t handle transactions. Protecting sensitive information is crucial to building trust with your visitors. A secure site reassures prospective customers that their data is safe, which can influence their decision to do business with you. Moreover, search engines give preference to secure websites, boosting your online presence. Implementing strong security measures is a proactive step in safeguarding your brand’s reputation.
SEO
Building your website on a solid technical SEO foundation is a must-do. Technical SEO ensures that search engines can easily crawl and index your site, helping your site rank higher in search results. A good technical setup boosts your visibility and drives more potential customers to your business. This is one of those factors that ensures your new website earns its keep and a return on your investment!
Key elements of technical SEO include:
- Site Speed: Fast-loading pages improve User Experience and ranking.
- Mobile-Friendliness: With more people using mobile devices, responsive design is vital.
- Secure Sockets Layer (SSL): HTTPS ensures a secure site, which search engines favor.
- Structured Data: This helps search engines better understand your content.
Don’t overlook these critical areas in your website design process. Prioritize technical SEO to align with your business goals.
Mistake 5: Forgetting Your Website Exists After Launch
Your website is not a one-time project. It’s a living part of your business. One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is ignoring their site once it’s launched. Regular updates keep your site fresh and engaging.
Adding new blogs, case studies, and product pages can attract more visitors and provide more information to visitors who are already familiar with your brand. Search engines love fresh content, so regular updates help your site rank higher, and when you optimize your content to answer questions asked by people in the real world, you can even be chosen as a source for Google’s new Gemini AI answers at the top of search results!
Here’s a quick checklist to ensure your site always shines:
- Update your content and post new content regularly.
- Share expert tips through blogs and make sure your sales team knows how to use them.
- Showcase case studies and testimonials to show prospects that you can prove your results.
Provide Expertise and Answers
Blogs are a fantastic way to show off your knowledge. By writing about industry topics, you show visitors you know your stuff. People are always looking for solutions to their problems.
Give them answers with helpful, expert advice. This builds trust. It positions your business as an industry leader. When potential customers see that you’re an expert, they’re more likely to choose your services. Plus, your sales team can use your company’s blogs as reasons to reach out to prospects with helpful information that answers objections and responds to questions that have come up in the sales process.
Give Visitors Proof & Demonstrate Authority
Words are powerful, but proof is even better. Case studies, success stories, and testimonials show visitors that you walk the talk. They offer real-life examples of how you’ve helped others achieve their goals. This builds confidence in your business. It reassures potential customers that you can deliver the results you promise. When they see others have succeeded with you and your product or service in their corner, they’re more likely to think they will, too.
Sales-Ready Websites: A Different Approach for Better Results
93% of B2B purchases start with an online search. And 70-90% of the buyer’s journey is completed before prospects ever contact a salesperson.
If your website isn’t built to facilitate the buying process, you’re likely losing out to the competition. A brochure website or a set-it-and-forget-it strategy won’t help you earn more business.
We’ll show you exactly how to build & optimize your website to transform it from a digital sales slick into a living, breathing, top-performing sales rep. Download your copy of our newest eBook: How to Build a B2B Sales-Ready Website.
