\nYou sell to companies, not consumers. You\u2019re B2B. And your services aren\u2019t cheap. Yours is a premium service. You are not the lowest price in the market.<\/li>\n
\nYour buyers are making a \u201chigh consideration\u201d decision. There are several people involved in the sales process and it can take weeks to decide on a provider.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The B2B marketing website is critical in driving demand through clarity and trust, through content and design. We invite you to review the service pages on your website against this checklist.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Are there missed opportunities?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n
- Is anything unclear?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n
- Could changes to the content and design make it a better page?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We hope this guide will help you improve those pages or planning for a redesign. We\u2019ll start with a visual of a B2B website service page that includes them all.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/b2b-service-page-checklist-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nNote: This checklist does not include so-called global elements, such as\u00a0website navigation<\/a>\u00a0v\u00e0\u00a0footers<\/a>, which appear on every page on your website.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
1. Short and descriptive headline<\/h2>\n
Those few words at the top of the page should pass the \u201cbackyard BBQ test.\u201d<\/p>\n
Imagine you meet someone for the first time at a party. They ask what you do. You respond with the words at the top of your service page.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Now do they understand what you do?<\/em><\/li>\n
- Or are they confused?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n
- Did you pass the test?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Here are examples of headers that don\u2019t pass the test:<\/p>\n
- \n
- \u201cWe take excellence to new levels\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cTransforming experiences one brand at a time\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cCapture opportunities. Driving ROI.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
None of those actually describe a service.<\/p>\n
If the header at the top of the page isn\u2019t descriptive, visitors will have to scroll, scan and keep reading to learn what your company offers.<\/p>\n
Every visit to your page starts with this question: Am I in the right place? It\u2019s the header\u2019s job to answer.<\/p>\n
2. Keyword focus<\/h2>\n
Service pages are often easy to optimize for search. People look for services all the time. These searches are \u201ccommercial intent\u201d keyphrases, which are the best kind. They drive demand from people who don\u2019t yet know your brand.<\/p>\n
This is where keyphrase research comes in. And this is the second reason to make that header descriptive.<\/p>\n
The key is to pick battles that are worth winning (high search volume) and that can be won (low competition). Next, align pages with phrases. The content on these pages will indicate its relevance by using both the target phrase and the semantically related phrases.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Title tag<\/li>\n
- Header <h1> tag<\/li>\n
- The body text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A well-planned B2B service website has an entire sitemap that is search optimized. There are lots of pages aligned with lots of different keyphrases. Each is an opportunity to attract a high-intent visitor.<\/p>\n
3. Quick visual credibility<\/h2>\n
Often, the next step for a great B2B service page is to differentiate the brand from competitors. This can be done quickly and visually with logos near the top of the page.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Logos of clients<\/li>\n
- Awards<\/li>\n
- Partnerships<\/li>\n
- Certifications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These so-called \u201ctrust seals\u201d build trust instantly. They also provide a bit of differentiation. Not every competitor can put these on their pages.<\/p>\n
4. Meaningful subheads<\/h2>\n
Subheads keep the visitor flowing through the content. They tell the visitor what\u2019s in each section, so they can decide if they want to slow down and read deeper.<\/p>\n
- \n
- If the subheads are vague, the visitor is less likely to slow down<\/li>\n
- If the subheads are meaningful, they\u2019re more likely to read the section.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Suppose you\u2019re a company that services jetpacks for space exploration companies.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/b2b-service-page-checklist-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nSpecificity is good for visitors. It\u2019s also good for search engines.<\/p>\n
5. Answers to top sales questions<\/h2>\n
Imagine the phone rings. It\u2019s a prospect called to talk about this service.<\/p>\n
- \n
- What is happening for them that led them to call you?<\/em><\/li>\n
- What questions would they be likely to ask?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n
- What are they worried about? Hoping for?<\/em><\/li>\n
- How would you answer them?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The best service pages emulate that sales conversation. It answers questions, addresses objections and gives examples. The more educated the visitor, the more likely they are to become a lead.<\/p>\n
6. Short paragraphs and plenty of formatting<\/h2>\n
Subheads help, but visitors will still struggle if you use dense, blocky paragraphs. Long paragraphs get scanned. Short paragraphs get read.<\/p>\n
As a general rule, make sure paragraphs are no longer than three lines.<\/p>\n
Your page has a back button, just like every other page on the web. Competition for attention is fierce. If the visitor finds your content hard to consume, they know they can find help somewhere else.<\/p>\n
So break up those paragraphs. Add some whitespace. And while your add it, mix in some other formatting to make your sales copy easy to scan:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Bullet and numbered lists<\/li>\n
- Bold and italics<\/li>\n
- Internal links<\/li>\n
- Short, simple words<\/li>\n
- Multiple images \u2026more on pictures in a minute<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It\u2019s up to the writer, but the designer helps. The container for this content shouldn\u2019t have very small text, very long lines and weak color contrast. Light gray on white? Who can read that?<\/p>\n
7. Testimonials from happy clients<\/h2>\n
A lawyer wouldn\u2019t go to trial without a witness. Web designers shouldn\u2019t go live without testimonials.<\/p>\n
Every one of your messages has a messenger. And the best messenger is the client themselves. When they say it, the message transforms from regular marketing into social proof.<\/p>\n
Social proof shows that others have chosen your brand, making the choice feel safer. And the wording in testimonials is often more forthright than anything you could have written yourself.<\/p>\n
Notice how testimonials, either video or text, can answer questions and address objections.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/b2b-service-page-checklist-2-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nNotice how the best testimonials have their own little headlines. In videos, they\u2019re in the thumbnail. In text, they\u2019re above the testimonial, the same way Amazon has little headlines above the reviews.<\/p>\n
Text-based testimonials are also opportunities to include a keyphrase (we\u2019ll talk about\u00a0keyphrases and SEO in a minute).\u00a0Read more on how to write testimonials<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Does your current page include evidence that you\u2019re legitimate? If not, it is a pile of unsupported marketing claims.<\/p>\n
8. Strong supportive visuals<\/h2>\n
Charts and graphs are more visually compelling than text. They are more likely to be seen and remembered. So whenever possible, upgrade those statistics from text to visuals.<\/p>\n
Diagrams are also powerful. Does your service involve a multi-step process? Don\u2019t just describe it with text; show it with visuals.<\/p>\n
Visuals get visitors to lean in and engage with the content. The best visuals are custom designed and unique to your business. They align with the brand and match the design.<\/p>\n
The weakest visuals? Stock photography. Use stock only as a last resort.<\/p>\n
9. Faces of your people<\/h2>\n
Faces are magnetic. We are all hard-wired to look at faces. So pictures of people instantly make a service page more compelling. footnote?<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/b2b-service-page-checklist-3.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nAnd when those pictures are real people at the business, they lend legitimacy. They create a human connection. They answer some important questions.<\/p>\n
Who is behind this brand? Who might I work with if I use this company? Is this a real business?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t show your team, you miss another chance to differentiate. You people are your difference. You\u2019re the only company with your team.<\/p>\n
You may also lose your visitor. If they want to see who works there, they have no choice but to leave and go to LinkedIn.<\/p>\n
Little companies always try to look bigger. And big companies always try to look smaller. Really, every company should just try to be more human.<\/p>\n
10. Data and statistics<\/h2>\n
If Testimonials are a challenge, there are other ways to add evidence. Data about your business or the value of your services can help nudge the visitor toward conversion.<\/p>\n
Beyond the industry- or company-specific stats you can add, here are some common examples.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Years in business<\/li>\n
- Number of clients \/ successful projects<\/li>\n
- Number of team members<\/li>\n
- Typical return on investment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/b2b-service-page-checklist-4.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nWhen given a bit of design love, these numbers can jump off the page and set you apart from competitors. Statistics appeal to the desire of all visitors to make rational decisions based on data.<\/p>\n
Remember, evidence is differentiation. Without evidence, the content is common. Anyone can make a claim without evidence.<\/p>\n
11. Clean, simple flow<\/h2>\n
The webpage uses a visual hierarchy that guides the visitors\u2019 eyes down the page through a series of prioritized messages, answering questions and adding evidence.<\/p>\n
The page knows what it wants visitors to look at. It gives them those things one at a time.<\/p>\n
That means there aren\u2019t several things competing for their attention. No matter how far down your visitor scrolls, it\u2019s clear what you\u2019re giving them.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/b2b-service-page-checklist-5.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nVisual hierarchies are carefully crafted in the design process. The designer controls the eyes of the visitor using size, placement, color and whitespace.<\/p>\n
When the visual hierarchy aligns with the messaging priority, the page guides the visitors attention through a series of thoughts, increasing clarity and trust as the visitor flows down the page.<\/em><\/p>\n
This is how content and containers drive conversions.<\/p>\n
12. Depth, detail and 800 words<\/h2>\n
A great sales call<\/strong>\u00a0can take a while. The prospect has quite a few questions and the salesperson\u2019s answers are detailed and thorough.<\/p>\n
A great sales page<\/strong>\u00a0is no different. It takes its time covering each topic, often using 800 to 1000 words. A short sales page is like a sales associate who hangs up the phone before the conversation with the prospect is finished.<\/p>\n
The goal of the writer is to make it complete, answering every question and thereby addressing every objection.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I thought that website visitors have short attention spans? Doesn\u2019t that mean I should have short pages?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
No. It just means the content should be scannable and broken up into sections. Which means\u2026<\/p>\n
13. Compelling call to action<\/h2>\n
Sales pages often stop right before the finish line. Rather than offering a call to action (CTA) suggesting the visitor gets in touch, the page just dead ends.<\/p>\n
Instead of asking for the lead a sales page without a CTA implicitly suggests these options:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Scroll backwards, up to the top of the page and click contact<\/li>\n
- Hit the back button, going back to search results and visit another website<\/li>\n
- Close the tab and go do something else<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So the first step is to make sure that the page has at least one call to action, near the bottom, toward the end of the sales conversation.<\/p>\n
Next, look closely at the verbs. Does it just say \u201ccontact\u201d or is it something more compelling. Verbs such as \u201cread\u201d \u201clearn\u201d and \u201cclick\u201d aren\u2019t much better. Your buttons and links can work harder for you.<\/p>\n
A great call to action triggers demand. It is relevant to the page. It\u2019s personal, warm and inviting. It\u2019s a gentle nudge. And it makes all the difference.<\/p>\n
\u2026and two things to remove<\/h2>\n
We see these on service pages everywhere. If you have either of these, you can likely improve results just by removing these elements today.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Carousels and slideshows<\/strong>
\nAlthough designers may say that these \u201clet\u00a0 visitors click to see more\u201d what they really do is \u201chide things until the visitor clicks.\u201d We\u2019ve never seen data suggesting that sliders are successful; we\u2019ve seen\u00a0a lot of data<\/a>\u00a0showing they are not.Why not make things easier to see? Why not simply stack those elements so visitors can see them by simply scrolling?<\/li>\n- Social sharing icons<\/strong>
\nDo you expect visitors to share your sales page? Not likely. This is\u00a0one of the classic social media integration mistakes<\/a>. They add visual noise without adding value.If you have social media icons on a sales page, put that URL into Buzzsumo to see if it\u2019s ever been shared.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThe perfect B2B website service page stands on its own<\/h2>\n
It attracts visitors and it compels those visitors to take action. It does this in the same way that any top sales rep does: by answering questions, offering examples and finally, by asking for the business.<\/p>\n
Above all, it makes it easy.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t have one of these on your site, it might be hard to imagine the business impact. Right now, as you read this sentence, people are looking for your services. Who do they find? They\u2019re visiting your competitor\u2019s webpages. What are they learning?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s kind of incredible. If you\u2019ve never seen the Analytics behind a high-performing sales page, it\u2019s dramatic. It\u2019s a game changer. Improve your sales pages to check these boxes and let us know how it goes.<\/p>\n
Article by Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you meet these 2 criteria, you are B2B brands that sell a high-end service: You offer premium service to other businesses You sell to companies, not consumers. You\u2019re B2B. And your services aren\u2019t cheap. Yours is a premium service. You are not the lowest price in the market. There are multiple decision-makers Your buyers […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-website-design"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5077"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5202,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5077\/revisions\/5202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluecoral.vn\/vn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Social sharing icons<\/strong>
- Carousels and slideshows<\/strong>
- What questions would they be likely to ask?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n
- What is happening for them that led them to call you?<\/em><\/li>\n
- Or are they confused?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n
- Is anything unclear?\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n