Your website should act as an extension of your business, both in terms of its appearance and the content you share on it. After all, people will judge your products or services by how well they’re presented and what they can find on your site, so it’s essential to get it right. Check out these six tips for website development for manufacturers that you can use as inspiration to create an effective online presence that will help you grow your business!
Visual Appeal
The first thing visitors will notice is the look and feel of the website. This can make or break the user experience. It’s essential to choose a color scheme and design style that reflects your company’s values and personality but also meshes with your target audience and industry norms. For example, in the case of the food manufacturing industry, it may be best not to use bright colors or vivid imagery that may turn away potential customers.
Use neutral colors such as black, white, or gray to create a more subdued appearance that won’t distract users from your text-heavy content. Additionally, consider how different browsers display colors differently (Chrome looks brighter than Safari for example) so pick colors based on what you know about who will see the site most often.
Clear Navigation
Clear and easy-to-use navigation is an important part of creating a stand-out website. Your visitors should be able to find what they are looking for with minimal effort, not get frustrated and leave. If your site does not have clear navigation, it’s time to make some changes.
You can do this by adding headings and subheadings that include both keywords and phrases that would lead someone to the page you want them on as well as creating labels at the top of each page or subsection so that people can find what they are looking for quickly.
Right next to the links in the main navigation bar, you’ll also want a search bar, which will allow customers to search for specific items by keyword. If your product line is large or complicated, it’s important that you allow customers to filter by type in order to make their shopping experience more efficient and simple. You should also include an easy-to-find contact form for those who would like additional information about your company or products.
Compelling Content
B2B manufacturers need compelling content that both educates customers and sells their products. The goal of your website is to develop customer trust, create leads, and ultimately generate sales. To do this you need to produce content that:
1) Provides information in an easily digestible manner
2) Explains the benefits of your product or service
3) Describes the use of the product or service
4) Offers how-to videos and case studies
5) Tells success stories
One way to be creative with content on your B2B manufacturing website is to provide industry-specific insights, like ways to save money by switching out one specific component for another on one of your machine models. Customers are more inclined to purchase if they know they’re getting the best value for their money–they want a machine that’s affordable but doesn’t skimp on quality.
When choosing between two similar machines, oftentimes customers will opt for the model that saves them money because it also seems to perform better than its counterpart. So providing helpful tips about how to optimize your production process and reduce costs can go a long way toward improving customer experience.
The Right Keywords
Use the right keywords for your website. Most B2B manufacturing websites use the term manufacturing in the domain name. It’s essential that you include the word manufacturing in all of your website content, as well. For example, if you sell manufacturing equipment like machinery and metalworking machinery, then every page should contain phrases like manufacturing machinery or manufacturing metalworking machinery.
If you specialize in something specific like welding or plastics injection molding machines, then be sure to mention those specifics on the landing pages. You can also use appropriate keywords throughout your blog posts and articles so they’ll rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Strong Branding and Messaging
Branding is one of the most important aspects of any website, but it’s especially important on the manufacturing site. Your logo can serve as the foundation of your site’s branding and should be present in the header, footer, and throughout the content.
It will also be important to establish an effective messaging strategy that highlights why your products are different from competitors. Key phrases like We’re not just another manufacturer or You’ve never seen this before should pepper your copy and headlines. If you have specific product features worth highlighting, they should be mentioned prominently. Finally, make sure your language is clear and easy to read by using simple words without jargon.
Personalization Options
Automatically send visitors personalized emails based on their location, company name, or industry. Personalized email templates allow you to address contacts by name in your outreach, boost signups and grow your mailing list. If email automation is your goal, personalization options are one of the most effective tactics for b2b marketing for manufacturers.
Here’s how it works: When a visitor fills out a form on your website, they’re automatically added to a lead generation campaign. From there, you can set up rules that determine which automated email they receive next. This way, you know that each contact receives only relevant information and never gets bombarded with irrelevant messages (or spam).
Conclusion
A stellar website is fundamental to any business that sells products or services. In fact, most businesses today rely on their website for more than half of all leads—which is why it’s vital you take your time and craft a top-notch site. Keep these six secrets in mind as you build your next site: It should be easy for customers to find what they’re looking for.
You can also seek the expert services of professionals at StratMg, a leading digital marketing agency. With years of profound experience, these professionals can help you get your hands on an aesthetically-designed and visually-appealing website for your manufacturing business.
