Six Essential Components of Effective B2B Website Design

Guest post by Dylan Berger.

Websites are the “storefront” of B2B organizations. Like a real-world storefront, a business website should be clean, attention-getting, and inviting, which makes effective B2B website design crucial.

Your website is often what creates your first impression with prospects. It provides opportunities to build audiences, promote your brand, and position your business in the marketplace.

B2B businesses understand the value of their website and blog as the core of their online presence. Still, many B2B websites lack some the essential elements to be effective. To ensure you build a successful website, consider these six components.

1. Inviting Homepage

The homepage is often the first page visitors will see when they visit a website, and is almost always the single most-viewed page on any site. First impressions are crucial. The homepage is where visitors learn about the business, whom it serves, and what it offers. Moreover, enterprises have only 2.6 seconds to make a first impression before visitors form judgments about a website.

Visual designs influence first impressions, making the homepage a crucial aspect of a B2B website. To ensure you keep the interest of site visitors on your homepage, you must state the business’s purpose and include:

• Why you’re the top choice for product and service offerings;
• Whom you serve (titles, departments, business size, industries, etc.);
• Testimonials and case studies for establishing trust and credibility; and
• Calls to action for guiding visitors at all stages of the buying process.

2. “About Us” Page

Your “About Us” page is one of the most valuable for attracting customers to your business. When potential clients land on your website, frequently among the first pages they’ll go to is the “About Us” page to learn more.

The “About Us” page should include the value proposition which states the business’s purpose. It must be clear and concise and should connect with site visitors. Creating an effective B2B “About Us” page is key to generating interest and converting leads.

A great indication of an effective “About Us” page is where the company highlights its purpose by:

• Telling its story
• Stating its mission
• Driving clarity

Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to craft appeal through emotional connection.

Wing Tactical, for example, provides an overview of how long they’ve been in business and highlights whom they serve. Wing Tactical’s “About” page also strives to communicate company value to the customer through phrases referencing low prices, quality products, and top-notch customer service.

The company’s webpage incorporates marketable insights and a well-crafted breakdown of information by positioning themselves within their industry.

3. Privacy Policy for Protection

Data privacy policies are essential for demonstrating compliance with various privacy laws. These policies also help set expectations for website visitors.

Important data privacy legislation includes the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act). These two privacy laws factor in the importance of consumers having power and control over their data.

Consequently, transparency about the use of customer data is imperative. For example, Modded’s privacy policy is transparent on personal data use. The company makes excellent use of its policy page by eliminating technical legal jargon in favor of simple language.

Poor readability will turn off website visitors, so writing simply yet professionally is important. Modded also structures the policy so that navigation is straightforward. For instance, numerical or bullet points can help visitors skim through sections.

4. Content Optimization for Engagement

High-quality, highly relevant content is essential for driving traffic, establishing thought leadership, and providing value to prospective customers. Keep content concise and relevant while solving the customer’s problems. Create a plan to develop and repurpose content in a variety of forms, including:

• Blogs or articles
• Webpage copy
• Videos
• Infographics
• eBooks

When creating engaging and relevant content, consider taking it to the next level by asking visitors to sign up for exclusive content. Subscribers become a resource for leads. Showcasing your most valuable content can help bring you one step closer to converting them into customers.

5. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Organic search is one of the two top sources of traffic for most B2B websites, typically accounting for anywhere from a third to three-quarters of all site visits; and SEO improves website visibility in search engine results. Although SEO takes time, the investment is worthwhile for generating traffic and more leads.

According to research, SEO generates over 1,000% more traffic than organic social media marketing. Without professional SEO, you significantly reduce the chances of expanding your online reach.

6. Responsive Design and Layout

Responsive website design provides a good user experience on both desktop and mobile devices. Though it’s rare for websites to be non-mobile-friendly at this point, it’s still important to test the site on different mobile devices and browsers to make sure pages load quickly and display properly.

Regardless of the device, responsive websites should adjust accordingly to prevent images from being cut off or distorted. The website should be convenient, never frustrating, for visitors to use.

Maintain Business Success With an Effective B2B Website

A B2B website acts as a content hub to attract and convert prospective clients. Users will positively associate your business with an frictionless online experience when you implement these essential components. Effective B2B website design keeps visitors coming back for more.

Dylan Berger is a digital marketer and SEO at WebFX, where he writes about B2B and B2C marketing. He studied advertising in university but is a life-long student of philosophy, design and art.