Before the first encounter with a sales representative, B2B buyers are already 57% of the way through the buying process.
This goes to show that your online presence, particularly your website, is doing more than half the work for you when it comes to lead acquisition.
When you’re starting your company, all you want to do is get a website off the ground and get the word out as quickly as possible.
However, it is easy to make mistakes during the early stages of this process that could end up costing your brand in the long run, especially if you never address those errors later on.
You may already be doing most things right when it comes to your site, but it can only take a few key mistakes to drive prospective customers into the open arms of your competition.
Here are four potential risks to avoid if you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your website:
Ignoring Mobile
By 2021, there will be an estimated 3.8 billion smartphone users worldwide. This means an increasing number of people will be using their mobile phones to browse the internet.
This requires having a website that is compatible with different screen sizes and mobile operating systems.
If you only make your website accessible on desktop, you are running the risk of alienating a massive portion of potential customers.
Incorporating Corporate Speak
It is easy to fall into the trap of using lots of corporate jargon on your website. You might have the best intentions, however, if your website is crammed with industry jargon, potential customers might be tempted to look elsewhere. Even though you’re marketing to businesses, rather than clients, your website is still going to be looked at by people who want to understand what they are reading, so you may need help from a web design company.
We’re not saying you should dumb things down to a preschool level, but try to make sure you’re using clear and easily comprehensible language.
Focus on making your content understandable to your audience rather than yourself, and have a clear content marketing strategy for the future. If you must use any terms that aren’t considered common knowledge, explain them or provide links with additional information.
Lacking Updates
If you’re a business owner, chances are that you’re leading a hectic life. There are likely multiple roles you have to play within your company, leaving you with not much time or energy at the end of the day.
Updating your website is probably the last thing you want to do, but if you fail to do so, you run the risk of letting it look dated and neglected. That is not a good look when you’re trying to attract new customers.
In case you really don’t have the time to update your site regularly, at least hire an expert like The Web Shop design services to do the design for you.
Adding some content from time to time shows your visitors that you’re actively maintaining the website, which in turn shows that you’re up-to-date on current trends.
Even if you keep the general image of your website the same for a while, and even if you don’t add any significant content, it would be a good idea to update your customer stories on a regular basis.
Adding little notes from satisfied customers from time to time will give your website an extra degree of authenticity.
Failing to Secure the Website Properly
When you’re in a rush to get your business off the ground, you may neglect some website elements that don’t seem major, like your website’s security, but that’s a mistake.
The number of cyberattacks increases every year as technology advances. Just last year there was a 17% increase in data breaches compared to 2018. Not securing your B2B website can put your customers’ data at risk. Not to mention it makes you seem unreliable and unprofessional.
It is imperative that you protect any customer information collected by installing firewalls and encryption technology. It might be tempting to procrastinate on this, but if anything goes wrong, it could cost you dearly.
Make sure to seek the advice of cybersecurity professionals and comply with the latest regulations.
Taking shortcuts when it comes to developing a B2B website can prove costly. It is important to consider all the potential risks involved so that you avoid any problems later on.
The above is by no means an exhaustive list of all the problems you may encounter along the way, but these are a few places to start.
