Just a few years ago, B2B company websites were not very interesting, to say the least. The belief was that potential clients would contact the company to discuss cooperation despite this fact. Nonetheless, the website should primarily serve as a business card. It should transmit only key information and contact details. That’s it. There is no room today for this sort of thinking. However, many B2B company websites still leave much to be desired and the echoes of that out-dated way of thinking are still being heard. A professional redesign of a B2B company website is necessary in such a situation. How do you go about it and what issues should you consider? 

It’s true that in the instance of B2B companies, a website does not always perform the most important function within the sales process. In many cases, it is not possible to order the service from the website, and the sale occurs only through direct communication and individual negotiations. This does not mean, however, that a B2B company website should be overlooked, inconsistent with modern standards, or out-of-date. Clients expect high standards and transparency from everyone, even B2B companies. 

A B2B company website should be consistent with the positioning and image of the entire company. It cannot differ in the quality or aesthetics of the services provided. 

A few key rules must be followed in order to successfully carry out a website redesign. Here they are:

A website is your first and most important salesperson 

Even if you can’t order the service from the website, it still functions as a salesperson who should encourage contact with the company.  How can you take care of this?

Everything that is on the webpage, i.e. information, the offer, blog posts, contact details and materials to download, should be structured in such a way so as to:

  • Reflect the goals and problems of your clients 
  • Attract potential companies interested in working together (leads)
  • Encourage clients to go further through the sales funnel 

Besides caring about strategic elements, redesign should also take into account aesthetics. Refine typography, menu layout, layout of individual subpages; make sure to have high-quality photos and video materials. Professionally designed elements and resources will result in your website charming your clients from the very first impression. 

Take care of UX

UX means User Experience. It’s the entirety of experiences that your customers face and encounter as they go through your website. That’s why an audit and UX workshop should be the central point of website redesign.  

Before you start working on the new website design, find out what the current trends are. What are clients expecting – even from B2B companies? What elements and solutions are absolutely necessary at present? Pay close attention to: 

A MOBILE VERSION

In September of 2020, Google introduced a Mobile-first policy, meaning that it is the mobile version, rather than desktop, that is indexed in the search engine. Therefore, you have to make sure that your page is displayed on mobile devices just as well as on computers. This approach is referred to as RWD (Responsive Web Design). A response page is one that is displayed on mobile screens without any problems and without losing consistency, aesthetics, and elements layout. This is simply a necessity today. 

REMOTE COMMUNICATION

Especially in the times of COVID-19, you should ensure that staying in contact with your company can be done remotely, without needing to meet in-person. A telephone number and e-mail is the absolute minimum you can offer. An increasing amount of companies are introducing solutions such as chatboxes or chatbots which allow them to quickly respond with answers to questions. This topic should arise during the UX workshops. 

CONTENT STRATEGY 

Both the UX and SEO guidelines are clear – your website should provide all the necessary information, but also constantly educate customers. This is why an increasing number of sites have a “blog” or “knowledge” tab where new content is regularly (keyword) published. They increase organic reach and build a positive image in the eye of the receiver.  

Remember, however, that a B2B company website should, above all else, provide the most important information about your company and your offer. The customer should find out if you are able to help them with their question/problem as fast as possible. Don’t make them wander through tabs in search of answers. 

Focus on business goals 

Remember that redesign for the sole purpose of redesign doesn’t make much sense. Every action you take on your website must have a business justification. You have to know what your site should be “doing” – what functions it should achieve and what role it plays amongst the broader sales-marketing strategy. Only with this knowledge can you start rebuilding your site. Of course, adapting to current standards is important, but this cannot be in isolation from the company’s strategy.  

It’s worth considering a partnership with an external marketing partner who has competencies in the field of SEO, content marketing and B2B brand management in order for your redesign to be thought-out and effective. An agency like this will ensure all key elements in the reconstruction of the B2B website, from research and guidelines in the field of UX to the technical implementation of the proposed changes. This way you can be sure that the changes implemented will make sense and will help you develop your business.  

If you would like to find out how such a partnership could look like in practice – let’s get in contact! The Funktional team has extensive experience in cooperating with B2B companies.  We’ve worked with the manufacturer of rail and road vehicle components, as well as a company dealing with the production and design of electronics. Write to us and let’s see what we can achieve together!