07.15
According to a recent survey done by Forrester Research and Marketing Profs, “94% of respondents consider corporate Web sites a key element in the marketing toolbox and 84% of buyers say Web sites matter in purchase decision making.”
That said, Forrester’s Laura Ramos also points out that most B2B corporate websites “lack the basic building blocks to build customer relationships.”
How is that possible? Well, first of all, in many B2B companies (and B2C and B2G for that matter) the web site is “owned” by the IT department. This is a 1980s convention that somehow manages to persist in some corners of B2B land today.
If this is your company and you need to change the culture, just ask your IT manager to write a press release for you. You’ll probably get a blank stare. It’s equally absurd to have them handling your company’s most valuable communications tool – your Web site.
Another key challenge: Web copy that was cut and pasted from a printed brochure. This would be fine if this was 1987. Web copy today must be written for Web readers and optimized to help drive SEO. Companies in this trap, more often than not, are not using their public relations materials as online content to keep readers engaged. That means the content is also not working to improve SEO returns.
As marketing moves from a pushed-message environment to a pulled environment (in other words, a world where buyers are going out and gathering information for themselves via online search), your Web content needs to target, engage and hold prospects.
Bottom line: B2C may be on the cutting edge, but you can’t use 1980s ideas to convert B2B prospects in the 21st century.
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About the author:
Brian Courtney is a Sr. Social Media & PR executive, bringing Schubert more than 15 years of corporate PR and editorial experience. Brian enjoys traveling to exotic locations, creative writing and spending time with his family.
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