When we talk about website design, we tend to focus on design elements and branding best practices. While these components are crucial to the look and feel of a B2B website, it’s also important to take a high-level, strategic approach to a new web design. As such, in this blog, we’ll be focusing on general website design concepts that are relevant to all successful web designs.
#1: Focus on potential clients but don’t forget your current clients
When redesigning a B2B website, it’s imperative to keep both your existing audience/clientele in mind as well as your potential clients. Maintaining some type of brand recognition, whether through your logo, the colors and styles, or the tone of the copy, is good in order to bridge the gap between the old and new design. However, it’s also a good idea to have an open mind about what a new look can do to reach a desired target market and to gain new leads.
#2: Plan for the future
Having an open mind when it comes to redesigning a B2B website means you’re open to new design styles and interactive features. If you’re investing in a website redesign, it should help build your company up and maintain a solid brand presence online for 3+ years. This may mean you need to step out of your comfort zone regarding how you think a website should look and function.
Do some research online and compare the design styles of other recently designed websites, even if they are not necessarily within your firm’s industry. You will find that design styles and functionality are constantly changing but your web designer or web design agency should recommend styles and features that come together in a way that makes sense for your target market, works within your industry, and has longevity.
#3: Make a clear path for the user
In order for a website user to become a lead, a B2B website needs to be easy to understand and navigate. Regardless of how they look, successful websites make it easy for a user to find exactly what they’re looking for. Just look at the success of Craigslist.com. The simple, no-nonsense layout and (lack of) design lends itself to easy, no confusion navigation.
A clear user path contains the following things:
Unique Value Proposition: A simple but effective statement of what your company does and why it’s unique that appears front-and-center on the home page.
Navigation: Easy-to-find and use navigation so a user can learn more about what your company has to offer.
Call-to-Action: Bold and obvious contact information or conversion form field where a user can reach out to your company and potentially become a lead.
A unique and fresh design can help the user engage with your website in a positive way. Beware, however, if one of these three things that help create a clear path are missing or difficult to access, having a fancy design won’t help a user lost among the pages of your website.
Takeaway
As we’ve mentioned earlier, successful B2B web designs look great and are highly functional. It’s easy to get caught up in choosing the right imagery and writing copy for the website, but a strategic approach to web design is also essential. Don’t get too bogged down in the details and keep the end goal of the website redesign front and center.
Do you have questions about website design for your company or industry? Let us know in the comments below.
