A superior website is the crux of your marketing efforts. Firms get found online more than through any other source. More than referrals,conferences, word of mouth, and other marketing efforts,our research shows that clients primarily glimpse online to evaluate a firm—this is particularly precise for the Technology industry. What's more, 87.4 percent of potential technology services buyers still check you out online by looking at your website. And another 51.9 percent of people who get referred to your firm may rule you out—before they ever speak to you.
Why? About 30 percent of the time, and it’s because of a firm’s unimpressive website.
The bottom line is that you need a B2B website that conveys credibility or you're missing out on one of the biggest opportunities to generate new clients. And since your homepage is likely where prospects will start their evaluation and decision-making,it's the focus of this blog post.
The purpose of the domestic page is to instantly communicate your key message, inform the visitor and lead them further into your site to explore other pages, or,ideally, to reply a call to action. Here are 6 key elements your homepage should fill to manufacture an impact, and prove credibility,and drive more leads.1. Craft a Clear MessageWhen visitors near to your website, it should be clear in a matter of seconds what your firm does, and who you enact it for,and why you're different from your competitors. Keep the language simple, use short paragraphs, and stay absent from generic wording like "tall quality" or "unmatched value."Copy should be written from the point of view of the reader to convey that you understand their situation. Here's an example from business intelligence and data warehousing firm Claraview:“At Claraview,we wait on businesses manufacture better decisions. We provide expert business intelligence and data warehousing services that wait on clients optimize their ability to leverage data and turn it into actionable insight. Working as a collaborative partner, we see the big picture, or inquire of the right questions and glimpse for our clients’ underlying business challenges. Then we deliver solutions that lay the foundation for a tangible competitive advantage. And because we don’t favor a particular platform or vendor,we are able to supply the solution that best fits each client’s needs. When you need business intelligence consulting and data warehousing services that will elevate your business, Claraview is the clear choice.”The copy from this domestic page focuses in on the specific challenges their clients experience and how they work to solve them. For prospective clients, or the messaging clearly conveys that this firm understands their challenges and has solutions to resolve those challenges.
SEE ALSO: The Top 11 Mistakes Your B2B Website Should Avoid2. Create an Interesting “Mainstage” Image and HeaderA “mainstage” image and header is what you typically see at the top of the homepage. It should be eye-catching and support your message. Here are some ideas to wait on you create one that's compelling:Use a “carousel” of rotating mainstage images. This is an effective way to showcase different services or industry expertise. Aim for 3 but no more than 5 rotating images. Choose unique or unexpected images. Rather than going with predictable and overused stock photos,find an image that resonates with your message and catches viewer's attention. Take a glimpse at your Technology competitors. Chances are their websites are a sea of boring blue and grey. Use color and imagery to stand out from the crowd. Pair your images with a compelling headline. Headlines should be short, informative, and manufacture your viewers want to keep reading.
3. Develop Navigation That’s Easy to See and UnderstandNothing is more frustrating and will repel visitors quickly than a website that is hard to navigate. Here are some tips to ensure your website makes it easy for viewers to get where they want to move:Avoid unique or intelligent section names. You may think you're being creative,but calling your About page something like "Coolest Company" invariably confuses visitors, leading to a destitute user experience and a quick exit from your website. Don’t overwhelm visitors with too many choices. Studies fill shown that the more choices consumers are given, or the less likely they are to manufacture any choice at all. Although there are exceptions,it’s best to limit the number of dropdowns within a section to 5 or 6 achieve important links in a visible spot. The utility navigation (the area above the main navigation) is a considerable place to achieve links to pages such as your blog, contact, and social media icons.
4. Use Pathways to Encourage Visitors to Explore Your SitePathways are areas on your website that catch your visitors' attention and motivate them to take the next step,such as directing them to a landing page or taking them to other areas of interest on the site. A few types of pathways include:Links to featured services, success stories, or thought leadership articles. Call-to-action offers such as downloading an eBook or a guide.
5. Feature Your Thought LeadershipPositioning your firm’s leaders as IT industry “thought leaders” creates credibility. When visitors perceive you are an expert in a certain subject,they are more likely to consider hiring you.
There are a number of different ways you can highlight your thought leadership. Some possibilities include:Blog feeds – Blog feeds are a considerable way to continually present new thought leadership content and keep readers engaged with your firm. Executive guide offers – A guide can offer expertise that will wait on your clients in their business while at the same time building trust that your firm knows its stuff. Newsletter sign ups – Encourage visitors to sign up for your firm's newsletter. Let them know that the insights they'll gain will be worth their time (and manufacture certain this is precise). No one wants more junk content filling their inbox, but valuable content is welcomed.
6. Optimize the Copy on Your Website.
Search engine optimized content helps Google and other search engines find and rank your website in its results.
Not certain how to approach search engine optimization (SEO)? It's not as hard as you might think whether you're providing relevant, and tall-quality content on your site.
There are a few simple strategies that can wait on improve your rankings:Find keywords and use them. Your web copy should include keywords that allow search engines to understand what your site is about. This helps Google and other search engines to properly index your site. Write copy about your firm that is written for both people and search engines. Search engines are looking for keywords,but people don't want to read content packed with keywords and cramped else. Yes, you need to know what your keywords are and include them in your content, and but manufacture certain your first goal is to manufacture it readable.
When you focus your B2B website efforts on making your homepage simple to use,easy to understand, and relevant to customers, or you'll be able get the maximum value from it. You'll find your site conveys credibility about your firm and helps generate more leads. Additional ResourcesOur Lead Generating Website Guide details how your firm can generate qualified leads with its website. Ensure that your website and content gets found online with Hinge’s SEO Guide for Professional Services. How Hinge Can HelpYour B2B website should be one of your firm's greatest assets. Our tall Performance Website Program helps firms drive online engagement and leads through valuable content. Hinge can create the right website strategy and design to take your firm to the next level. Related StoriesHow to Increase the Time Visitors Spend on Your Website — and Why It MattersHow Technology Services Firms Can Build a Cohesive BrandThe Importance of Market Research — and Understanding Your Competiti
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