3 MIN. READ
Building a new website for your business or redesigning your current website can strengthen your online presence and turn your site into a channel that will drive conversions and sales.
For B2B marketers, the switch to a digital-first approach accelerated during COVID-19. Focusing on digital interactions opens new possibilities for scaling up and reaching out to a larger audience, but things like an outdated website can hold vendors back. So a new website is a crucial step toward delivering an optimal user experience and embracing digital sales.
Building a New Website for your Business? Top Tips for Manufacturers
A new website or a website redesign can facilitate the B2B buying journey and contribute to establishing a brand as a trustworthy partner. Here are five top design tips for manufacturers.
1. Set up a data-driven project
Get to know the audience through quantitative and qualitative data to establish a solid foundation for a redesign project. By taking a data-driven approach, marketers can ensure that the new design accommodates visitors more likely to perform tasks.
2. Stand out with storytelling
Self-directed online research represents 27% of B2B buying activities, so engaging prospects early on is crucial. A design based on storytelling can immediately form a connection with prospects by starting with pain points they can relate to and connecting them to a solution. This approach also mirrors solution selling, a strategy that 85% of marketers consider the future of B2B sales.
There are diverse ways of incorporating storytelling into a design, including interactive elements or a continuous scroll.
3. Create a convenient sitemap
B2B vendors can take a page out of the B2B marketing book and create product-specific pages. For example, standard eCommerce practices result in a more convenient and user-centric experience. In addition to helping prospects identify the right product for their needs, product-specific pages also support buying activities like comparing different options.
The sitemap should also include pages with crucial business information and a section with educational resources for the self-directed portion of the buying journey. Making this section easy to search and navigate can prevent information overload.
4. Engage the audience
The modern B2B journey encompasses an increasing number of channels. As a result, manufacturers can facilitate the transition from their site to channels like emails, in-person meetings, video calls, or web chats with CTAs.
Design elements like white space, colors, buttons and engaging copy can make your CTAs immediately noticeable and increase conversions.
5. Simplify the B2B journey
Complexity is a common obstacle for B2B buyers. However, it’s possible to simplify this process by designing a crisp user experience (UX). For example, limit navigation options and make elements like value propositions and CTAs stand out immediately.
Design resources to get started
These tools are valuable resources for any redesign project:
• Google Analytics can show which pages are getting the most traffic to help uncover issues with navigation and common paths.
• NN/g’s eye-tracking study reveals how complex reading patterns can be. It’s an excellent resource for understanding how web design can shape what draws the eye to a webpage.
• LucidChart is a convenient option for mapping the buying journey and developing a new navigation scheme.
• MockFlow allows designers to create prototypes and wireframes.
• ScreenFly is an excellent tool for testing your new design on different resolutions and screen sizes.
In-house redesign vs. agencies
Building a new website or redesigning your website in-house provides more control over the project. In addition, designers who have been with the organization for a while can produce more authentic branding.
However, outsourcing this project to an agency has some significant advantages. For instance, cost management will be easier since the agency will provide upfront pricing for the project. Working with an agency also means getting access to web design expertise and a thorough knowledge of proven design techniques for the B2B space.
Promote your new site with IndustryNet
The next step is to get targeted traffic and increase search result rankings for your new site. You can get started with IndustryNet, whether you want to promote your new site with a blog announcement or make it easier for qualified suppliers to find you via a featured listing. Learn more about IndustryNet's marketing solutions here.
