by Keith Smiley
Your website is the most dynamic marketing asset you have. It’s the first thing people see when doing an internet search or when someone wants information about your company. Your website is a real-time extension of your business. It’s your 24/7 marketing and sales department.
Because the website is so important, B2B marketers need to make sure that their sites communicate effectively. Unfortunately, the biggest mistake companies make is creating or maintaining websites that are confusing, crowded, and lacks a clear focus. Many are too concerned with how the website looks, many are visually appealing, but they are treated like expanded brochures, and they don’t capture a single lead.
Some of the most common website mistakes professional service marketers make, and other B2B marketers for that matter, make include: creating a boring, empty homepage, being vague about what the company does, overwhelming visitors with information, and having a lack of “bread and butter” content.
A Boring, Empty Homepage
Many marketers think that visitors to their website love logging on to a flashy homepage with lots of cool images, and even some music. Wrong. If a visitor has to wait for your site to load, watch a visual presentation, and then press a “click here to enter site” button, they will probably leave your website.
More than any other page, your homepage needs to reflect your business. It should be clean, understandable and inviting.
Being Vague About What You Do
Unfortunately, this happens way too many times. You visit a site you found using a search engine, read the copy on the homepage and About Us section, and come away with no clue about what the company actually does. Too often B2B websites are full of gibberish language such as: “We’re the leaders in providing global solutions for industry verticals.”
If no one can understand what “industry verticals” are, then you need to change your messaging.
Your web site should clearly explain what it is you do and who you are. If you’re a management consultant- just say so. If you provide IT services-then tell us. Don’t make your visitors guess what you do.
Overwhelming Visitors With Information Overload
Some companies overload their site with everything that they do. They list every product and every service they provide in great detail and add on 20 testimonials. It is good to inform your audience, but it should be done in moderation. Trying to promote everything all at once may scare your visitors away.
Give your visitors as much information as they need, but make sure that it is relevant to the page that they are viewing. Provide them with a little more than “just enough” information and then direct them to another page on your site via a button or a link for more details. This way the visitor gets the information that they want and may continue to read on if they wish.
Having A Lack Of Content
Some companies hardly have any “bread and butter” content on their website at all. Having an abundance of white papers, case studies, videos, and webinars is good. However, before your prospect can get to that content, you must provide lots of “bread and butter” content including:
- Services/Product Info. For each service or product that you offer, you should have a page of content describing it. Don’t cram everything into one or two pages. Having more pages also makes it easier to optimize for specific keywords. This will make it easier for prospects to find you on the search engines.
- FAQ Page. Multiple FAQ pages regarding different aspects of your business answer people’s questions as well as drawing them to your site from a search engine.
- Testimonials/Client Lists. Third party endorsements help prospects decide whether they should do business with you.
- Articles/e-newsletter/or blog. This type of content educates site visitors and shows your expertise.
