1. Implement Clean, Clear Landing Pages
The design of your website, microsite or landing page is critical to B2B search marketing success. Through extensive testing, I’ve learned that Web design that is often considered boring, uninteresting, or stale from a consumer perspective may perform quite well when targeting business prospects.
B2B landing page content is also different than consumer messaging. Remember, you are not trying to win a Pulitzer Prize with your writing! Present benefit statements, points of differentiation, and calls-to-action as quickly and efficiently as possible.
While consumers may need to be “wowed” or entertained, business buyers simply do not have time for “the fluff” and will appreciate you all the more when you acknowledge this with a simple, clean, clear landing page.
2. Focus On Visitor Benefits
All marketers tend to focus on how great their company is, but business buyers want to know “what’s in it for me”. Focus your webpage content, calls-to-action and downloadable assets on what will benefit the prospect.
Give business visitors something of value; something that helps them do their job better or educates them; information that is unique — not just another promotional piece about your company.
For example, market research studies convert much better than marketing brochures. This is especially true if you promote the study by focusing on the benefits the reader will receive.
Here are a few examples of benefit statements used to promote a software industry whitepaper:
- See how 5 software companies successfully used social media to generate leads.
- Find out why search marketing is particularly effective for software firms.
3. Offer Choices
Not all visitors are the same and acknowledging this is the first step to converting them into prospects. Empower visitors by allowing them to decide for themselves what they want. Test various types of offers and assets.
- Prospects who are early in their buying process often prefer general market information.
- Prospects who are further along in their research appreciate comparison charts and independent user reviews.
- Prospect who are ready to buy appreciate information on pricing and terms and conditions, and are probably ready to talk with a sales representative.
Here is an example of a landing page that provides two calls-to-action with different downloadable assets.
Providing 2 offers increased leads by 63% over a single call-to-action:
4. Ensure Promises are Accurate
Make sure your website engagement process is straightforward and simple. Ensure “promises” are accurate and consistent.
For example: A link sending visitors to a registration form should not read “download now”. A more accurate statement would be “register for instant access“.
5. Create Demand & Urgency
Website visitors’ attention span is fleeting. Because of this, business marketers must present compelling, actionable information and offers should instill a sense of urgency.
Utilize limited time or limited availability offers for that little extra push to compel website interaction.
This example of a time sensitive call-to-action increased lead volume by 46% over a non-time-sensitive statement.
Let Your Customers Guide the Way
True, these 5 tips aren’t rocket science! But it’s shocking how many B2B marketers don’t follow these basic principles in their search marketing lead generation efforts. Focusing on simplicity, buyer benefits, compelling information, urgency and accuracy will increase leads and lead quality.
The key to your search marketing success is to test, test, test… and discover what type of landing page works best for your target audience.
Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.
David Hoang - Source http://searchenginewatch.com
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