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Browsing websites is perhaps the most common task you may find yourself doing on a daily (or hourly) basis. What you may not always consider is the brand and company behind the websites you’re viewing. A company’s website says a lot about their brand messaging, and an inconsistent design can have a negative impact on your branding.
Inconsistent fonts, too many contrasting colors, and lack of whitespace are just some of many red flags a visitor may find when visiting a website. Here are some of the ways that your website’s design affects your b2b branding efforts.
A unique website design stands out among competing b2b brands
Odds are, by the time a visitor finds your website after browsing several company sites, they’ve already seen the same messaging, design, and style countless times. In other words, if your website is doing little to stand out, there won’t be much stopping them from moving on to a competitor's website.
Your b2b website isn’t just housing your content and accolades from past businesses; it’s the digital home that your brand will thrive in. A simple step to begin with would be to use your brand’s color in your website, but there’s more that goes into it. You’ll need to provide a compelling brand story.
One example worth looking into is HubSpot’s webpage, “Our Story.” This gives more depth to the character and personality behind the HubSpot brand. Rather than simply showcasing a few generic paragraphs about the company, this page uses the following:
- Interactive slider about the company’s values and mission
- A brief but interesting brand video
- Additional, informative videos for CRM, marketing, and and Sales
- Direct quotes from the CEO and CTO
- A Culture Code interactive slider that shares key brand values
Our branding truth or dare eBook will provide you with the information you need to assess how well your brand's messaging and personality is. Download it below!
A website that provides value is a positive reflection on your b2b brand
Another aspect of your branding comes from providing enough value to new leads and potential customers. While this might make you think of downloadable offers via call-to-actions—such as an eBook or white paper—you can also provide value with informative blog content and industry insights. Key research and statistics are something your visitors will greatly appreciate, especially if these are accessible without having to fill out a form first. If a visitor finds value from the content you’re directly sharing on your website, it has a positive effect on your overall brand message and influence.
Your website’s structure ensures new visitors can properly navigate
Can you imagine entering a company’s website, only to be led on a wild goose chase to find a services or solutions page? It’s long been stated that a strong website structure helps with SEO—such as the use of topic clusters—but it also helps new visitors with navigation.
There should always be a logical way to progress through your webpages, and each link should be carefully thought out so it follows the same logic as the rest of your website. If a visitor enters your website from a page other than your home page (example: “digital marketing services”), it should be just as simple for them to backtrack to your main page as it is to proceed to additional services pages. A strong, consistent website structure is reflective of your company’s brand and the type of message you want to convey the moment a visitor reaches your site.
For more information and strategies about website design, thinkdm2 has you covered. We are a digital marketing and branding agency with experience in b2b website development and brand development. Contact us today at (201) 840-8910
