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Is your current business-to-business (B2B) website so outdated that you avoid sending prospects and customers to your site? If so, then it has become more of a liability than an asset. It may be time to invest in a redesign of your B2B website and boost your online presence.
So, what should you do to revamp or redesign your current business website? I'm not talking about a cosmetic facelift but turning it into a marketing powerhouse as you position your company for the recovery.
The one thing that this recession has taught B2B marketers is to do more with less. This trend towards lower-cost content marketing is likely to continue well beyond 2010. It is not just about cutting costs, today, it is more about accountability, analytics and engaging customers and prospects by using free or inexpensive social media tactics. Here are six B2B website redesign rules that are essential for its success:
1. Optimize, optimize, optimize: That's the golden rule of online marketing as is location, location, location in real estate. Unless your prospects can find your site when searching in major search engines, you are dead in the water. It is possible to do search engine optimization (SEO) by yourself but you will need time to learn because there is a learning curve. And there is a lot to learn with search engines constantly changing their search algorithms. Consider hiring a coach or an SEO expert to work up a strategic plan that you can execute.
2. Create fresh content: Don't copy-paste static brochureware text and put it on your website. Nothing will turn off your prospects more than outdated and stale content. Search engines love sites with constantly changing fresh content. The content doesn't have to be dull text; it could be a blog with posts written by in-house experts, "how-to" videos or white papers that position your company as a "thought leader" within the industry. The bottom line is for your content to engage your prospects and customers at every stage of the buying cycle.
3. Embrace social media: Yes, the jury is out on making a business case for social media but ignore it at your own peril. Make judicious use of Facebook, LinkedIn and Tweeter to communicate directly with your core audience and gather free market intelligence. Make sure there are well-established guidelines for employees to participate in social networks.
4. It is not about you: Shift the focus from you to them. It is all about the customer and not you and your company. Avoid common phrases like, "World-class manufacturing using cutting-edge technology." Who cares? Instead, explain how those things benefit your customers. Use case studies to demonstrate tangible results.
5. Develop your message: Put some thought into who, what and why about your business. Provide this information in plain English with compelling reasons for people to do business with you. Don't lapse into obvious corporate marketing speak to sound important (see point #4). Your website isn't doing its job if visitors pick up the phone and the first question they ask is "Ummm...what exactly do you do?" Developing your unique value proposition is also a good way to differentiate your company from the competition.
6. Clear calls to action: Don't slap your toll free number on your website and expect your visitors to call you. Provide clear calls to action as to what you want your site visitors to do. Encourage them to drill deeper into your site, well beyond the Home page. Don't assume they'll navigate your site the way you do. Provide multiple ways to access relevant information with minimal clicks.
Follow these six essential rules of a B2B website redesign and you'll truly create a powerful sales and marketing tool.
Achinta Mitra is the founder of Tiecas, Inc., a Houston-based industrial and B2B marketing communications company. Over the past 23 years, he has helped many engineering companies and manufacturers improve their lead generation, conversions, and marketing communications to increase sales. He writes regularly about industrial marketing on his blog at http://industrialmarketingtoday.com.
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