Want More Conversions? Add Calls to Action

Many small businesses think if they build a website, it is a one-time event that does not need updating. However, many small B2B companies’ websites are falling short on the qualities needed to convert potential clients, according to a recent study from Small Business Trends. Making improvements to the website could help B2B organizations attract new customers.

The research was based on the analysis of 200 U.S. small businesses with fewer than 100 employees across a number of B2B industries. Websites were randomly selected from a database of small companies.

Unlike their larger counterparts, small B2B companies struggled to drive conversion of their websites. Providing relevant content for buyers is growing in importance for B2B organizations, but 96 percent of small businesses are not offering how-to guides, white papers, or industry case reports on their websites. Seventy percent do not include clear calls to action or other prompts for conversion, such as promotions, email newsletter subscriptions, or interactive content.

Although many small companies do not have a website, B2B organizations with online pages were falling behind in converting visitors into leads. In many cases, basic information is missing, such as a phone number or a company contact reference. This information should always appear on the home page rather than leaving viewers to search through several pages on the site. Relatively small changes could improve B2B lead generation.

B2B companies falling short in many key areas

Although many small B2B organizations leverage their websites as lead generation techniques, without defined calls to action, they may not see the results they want. Small companies may assume they need completely different marketing techniques from their B2C counterparts, but many of the same principles apply.

Even though B2B companies function differently than B2C brands, buyers want similar experiences. When purchasing consumer products, people rely on company websites to research offerings and find business information, and B2B buyers want the same capabilities. Having a website is no longer an option for small companies – they need to evolve or risk losing business.

Although complicated, technical products required a different kind of marketing in the past, B2B decision-makers rely on the Internet to make purchasing decisions. Because younger employees are more tech-savvy and they are the ones researching business products, companies need to adapt to new technology and ensure they are providing a modern website, according to The Epoch Times. Young employees in B2B companies also utilize social media to find brands.

However, 82 percent of small B2B organizations do not link to their social media profiles on their websites, according to the research. Even more problematic is that 27 percent of websites studied do not list a phone number on their home pages. Sixty-eight percent do not include an email address on the home page for prospects to contact the company for more information. These relatively small issues can cause B2B companies to lose potential clients.