I just finished reading Marty’s latest B2B Buying Process report about how to optimize site navigation for B2B buyers–and the results are surprising. The bottom line? We’re all working harder than we need to. And all of those clever navigation techniques aren’t really helping.
Here are just a few of the things that really got my attention:
- Too many options are getting in the way. Of the 102 navigation capabilities used on Websites, only 49 are useful in the buying process. The rest contribute to Website white noise.
- Social media isn’t optional. If you don’t connect to social media, you aren’t connecting with your prospects. But there is a 90% chance your competitors are.
- Services marketing is different. Roughly 75% of product marketing navigation directly addresses visitor’s business needs. This number drops precipitously for services marketing click streams.
And this doesn’t begin to touch on what each of the sites we reviewed provide — and how well they put it all together. Let’s just say B2B navigation strategies are as varied as the sites themselves. I could write a tome about that alone.
If you are a Website architect, competitive analyst, or B2B strategist interested in getting visitors from your home page to the checkout line, grab a cup of coffee and sharpen your pencil. This report will let you check off what you have – what you don’t have—and show you how to get out of your own way.
Next Steps
Want to know more about the B2B Buying Process? Check out these blogs and reports:
Get the report: Optimizing your Website’s Navigation for B2B Buyers
Hitting a B2B Navigation home run: Three things you should do this year
Why social networks, communities, and Web 2.0 aren’t B2B shotguns
