April 9, 2015: 
Google Analytics and other reporting tools can tell you a great deal about what buyers do once they get to your website – which pages they click, the flow from one page to another, conversions, etc.
But B2B marketers also need to know what buyers actually want from a vendor website. Which content elements are most important to their target audiences? What causes them to leave a website and not return? And most importantly, what website factors will encourage the prospective buyer to take the next step in the sales process?
In coordination with our partners Huff Industrial Marketing and BuyerZone, and in sponsorship with Ten24Web, we strive to answer these questions and many others in this year’s B2B Web Usability Report.
We hope you find it as valuable as we did. The full report can be downloaded, without form submission, through the following landing page:
Here is a little bit more perspective on a few key takeaways, in addition to pre-release material we shared in the following blog posts (here and here):
Blogs & Social Media
Key Takeaway #1: Blogs & Social Media Have Minimal Impact in the B2B Buyer Journey
In our 2014 survey, we learned that social media activity had minimal impact on the buying process and that left us both surprised and confused. We always believed that buyers frequently use social media and blogs in their discovery process but perhaps weren’t aware they did so.
This year, we asked questions specific to three phases of the buyer’s journey: discovery, evaluation, and impact on the buying process specifically. While blogs and social media have some impact across all three stages of the buying cycle, this impact is not as significant as marketers may have assumed.
As a vendor, if you are relying on a blog or social media to drive traffic and inquiries / leads, you are missing a wider range of opportunity and should consider developing a strategy that integrates a wider range of online marketing channels and tactics, like case studies, testimonials, and more in-depth content marketing assets.
Thorough Contact Information
Key Takeaway #2: Buyers Need Thorough Contact Information to Make Purchasing Decisions
One content asset that plays a significant role in establishing trust and credibility, throughout the buyer journey, is “thorough contact information.” When asked what types of content assets were missing on most company websites, 51% of respondents indicated, “Thorough Contact Information (phone / email / address).”
When asked what causes them to leave a vendor website, 44% of respondents indicated “No Contact Information / Phone Number.” More than half (54%) indicated that the lack of thorough contact information reduced a vendor’s a credibility.
Content Marketing Disconnect
Key Takeaway #3: There is a Huge Disconnect Between Content Vendors Produce & Content Buyers Want
Website content does more than help move prospects along the buyer journey. It also helps with establishing a vendor’s credibility. A disconnect still exists, however, between what buyers need and the information vendors give them.
This disconnect is apparent with regard to the sales and product-related information buyers want to see on vendor websites and what they find to be lacking. As you can see in Figure 4, “must have” sales and product information includes Pricing (78%), Shipping (62%), Product Reviews (52%) and Details about Technical Support (47%).
Know which content assets buyers need to move forward with you. Depending on performance metrics defined, consider putting your marketing dollars into assets such as white papers and case studies before trying newer assets such as video, infographics, or podcasts.
Want to Learn More?
The full report, The 2015 B2B Web Usability Report from Huff Industrial Marketing, KoMarketing, and BuyerZone, can be downloaded without form submission, through the following landing page:
Again, we hope you find this report of value and let us know your thoughts and perspective via comments below!
