Business-to-business (B2B) website design practices for greater success

 

Business to business (B2B) websites have a primary goal of engaging decision-makers and encouraging conversions. The success of this lies heavily on the strength of web design because it’s the first thing prospects interact with when they visit a website. 

Your website has to have all of the elements your potential business prospects look out for when interacting with a B2B website. The goal is to make an immediate impact, promote a positive experience and long-lasting impression as well as generate and convert leads into buyers. 

The undisputed fact is that no one returns to a website that left them confused and utterly frustrated. It is the same case with B2B buyers. Unlike B2C, they are searching for solutions that will help them meet their business goals, so, what you want is a website that gives them a reason to stay and engage more.

If your website isn’t designed with user experience (UX), it can potentially kill the success of your business. However, you have an opportunity to avoid all of that if you follow the below guide of the best website design practices.

1. Need for speed

Loading speed is a component of user experience. If it takes too long for your website to load, your B2B leads are likely to abandon the site altogether and never come back. This means you won’t ever have a second chance to explain your brilliant offers to them. According to Google research, people expect a website to load in less than five seconds; your website should be built and developed to meet that expectation. 

High website speed will result in a low bounce rate, high engagement, and ultimately, a better chance of a lead conversion. Partnering with a web development services agency like ours can help you realise innovative ways to meet your web design goals.

2. User interface, uncomplicated site structure and navigation

Your website has to be designed with a simple user interface, be clearly defined and structured to help prospects navigate with ease. So, this means your navigation menu needs to be less cluttered and less complicated to help visitors find their way around your website. Simplicity and practicality is the goal here. Take time to view your website from a B2B user’s point of view. Think about what they need from your website and assess whether it is easy for them to find it. 

3. Have consistent branding and colour schemes

Consistency begins with the company’s logo and goes as far as the text, the font and the colours on your website. On every single page of your website, the text, font and colours should remain the same. B2B users expect the message of your services, vision and mission to be visible and aligned across all pages of your website. This builds and solidifies your credibility and makes you recognisable. 

5. Built with mobile-friendliness

In South Africa, about 20 to 22 million people use a smartphone with a forecast of five million more to join in by 2023, according to data analysis website, Statista. This means South Africans do almost everything on their mobile phones, so, it only makes sense to build a website that functions and is responsive on mobile devices. When your website is pleasing and highly functional on mobile, you have a better chance of converting leads.

6. Have a visible call-to-action

Your call to action (CTA) has to be boldly visible for your website visitors to see without flexing much search muscles. A strong CTA is the final step your potential customers need to take to turn into customers, and for that to happen, they need to know how and where to make such action. You cannot convert leads without a compelling call to action. If your customers can’t see a call to action, they will not work hard to find it.

Offer value to convert

In conclusion, look at your website and see if it leaves a good first impression from a user’s point of view. Check whether all the factors that make a great website are in place, like loading speed, performance, mobile responsiveness, high-quality content, and clear CTAs, among others. Then analyse if your products and services are visible and easy to find. 

In the end, you want a website that meets the needs of B2B customers and offers them enough value to convert. 

Rogerwilco specialises in b2b marketing. If you are looking for a B2B marketing agency in South Africa to partner with you, contact us today.