Many B2B companies believe that a website is all they really need to attract new clients and thus grow their business. As a result, when deciding to create a new company website, a short time frame and low costs are often most important to brands. Unfortunately, these decisions increase the likelihood that the project will not take into account the most important features and functions that a company website should have. Before we get into discussing that however, let’s check what the differences are between designing B2B and B2C websites. 

B2B and B2C Websites – what are the differences?

Though there are similarities between designing websites for B2B and B2C, there are a few key differences which should be taken into account. They relate in particular to the needs and preferences of the target website users. The most important of them are: 

  • Decision making – the user path from initial interest to purchase is usually longer than for B2C. B2B websites should contain very specific information about the offered products or services. 
  • B2B products and services often have a much higher price than B2C, therefore the offer contained on the website should allow for individual configuration. It’s also possible that the final price will require negotiation, so the B2B site should allow for contact with the company’s representatives. 
  • B2C sites usually want to generate interest quickly and persuade the user to make a purchase. B2B websites are more concerned with building and developing relations rather than sales. 
  • The transaction of a B2B company is not conducted fully through the website, while in the case of B2C, the entire deal may be executed via the website. 

There are many more differences between a website for the B2B and B2C industries. We discussed those that we believe are the most important and which directly impact the elements relevant when designing a website. What else should we remember when designing websites for the B2B industry? 

BUSINESS GOAL

Defining a goal that your website should achieve is the basis without which you should not begin the design process. It determines all the elements and content that will be on the website. We discussed the subject of business goals and their role in website design in this article.

WHO IS YOUR CLIENT?

Before beginning to design a web page for a B2B company, it’s worth carefully analyzing whom the website will be directed to and visualizing potential concerns and needs of customers. You have to consider the user experience throughout the entire design process, and analyze whether navigating through the website will be easy and pleasant, and, above all, whether visitors will be able to solve their business problems this way.   

ANALYSIS OF YOUR CURRENT WEB PAGE

This point is directed towards companies that already have a website and are planning on designing a new one. The process of designing a more effective website requires a different approach, because before starting any sort of work, you must first perform an audit of the site and its content. In other words, you should analyze what works on the page, and what does not. Google Analytics is a very helpful tool thanks to which you can identify the subpages generating the highest and lowest traffic, as well as user interests. 

When conducting an audit, it’s worth also using Google Search Console. This tool will allow you to disclose any technical issues that may distort the results from Google Analytics. It’s a good idea to write down any errors that you may come across to avoid having them on the new page. 

PAGE PERFORMANCE

When designing the page, you should stay concentrated on its performance. Current users, especially B2B ones, have a very low tolerance for any delays or errors in the website functionality. Even one second of waiting too long is enough for the user to leave the page. Remember that it also costs to create sites that nobody uses. 

WEBSITE PROTOTYPE

This is simply an interactive mockup that presents how the website will function. This is especially important when designing B2B websites. Thanks to the mockup, you will be able to observe what the website user will see in its final version from the very beginning. Knowledge of the purchasing process is key at this stage. The agency designing the page must know what acquiring clients and using the company’s offer looks like. The website should be adapted to fit this process. 

Making a prototype also allows for making corrections before the final launch of the web page. Thanks to this, it allows you to save lots of time at the initial stage of the design process, and eliminates the costs that would be associated with making changes to an already functioning website. 

Building websites requires the right project, knowledge of client expectations and current market trends, and of course, experience. Just as a website user’s purchasing path is never the same, the creation and design of a website should not be viewed as a linear path. This is a complicated process, based on testing, analyzing, correcting, learning and implementing changes. 

If you need help with designing a B2B website – we are at your disposal. We will not only design a website for you, but first and foremost, an effective sales tool that will achieve all your business goals.