99% of B2B websites lack efficiency: there is still work to be done

A study just published by Identy indicates that a huge amount of B2B websites lacks efficiency. Numerous websites are designed according to B2C marketing principles, which are very different. Indeed, the buying process in B2B is much more elaborate and there is a stronger focus on customer relations. Identy examined 200 websites from different sectors and focused on 3 elements: the website’s presentation in search engines, the first impression that the website made and the efficiency of the website on the B2B market.

60% of websites meet the requirements in terms of website presentation and three quarters of them make a good first impression. The problem lies primarily in the lack of a sitemap, of a search function and of texts that are easy to scan. As far as efficiency is concerned, a lot of websites lack several B2B elements, such as white papers, technical papers, testimonials, a distinctive look, news from the sector, etc.

The most prominent conclusion of the exhaustive document seems to be that the efficiency of B2B websites is low, that these websites make little use of the opportunities to gain the visitors’ trust and that only a few websites feature edifying content. In view of the fact that websites may represent one of the most important phases of the B2B buying process, these companies may very well be losing thousands of euros every day. In other words, there’s still work to be done.