In shortB2B buyers no longer tolerate clunky funnels, hidden pricing, or brochure-style websites. They expect seamless, self-serve, and trustworthy digital experiences. If your site doesn’t deliver, they’ll move on to a competitor. This blog article explains how buyer behavior has changed, why many B2B websites fail to convert, and what practical steps you can take to turn your website into a true growth engine. |
I firmly believe that most B2B websites are missed opportunities.
They’re cluttered with jargon, self-centred and designed to serve internal sales processes rather than actual human decision-making.
That’s a recipe for lost revenue.
Here’s the truth: our websites aren't brochures anymore. They are the frontline salesperson of our businesses. Buyers don’t want to “request a call” just to get basic information. They don’t want to fill out six fields just to read a case study.
And they certainly don’t want to be forced down a funnel that ignores how they actually buy.
Modern B2B buyers behave like ... normal consumers. As such, they expect seamless experiences, self-service access to resources, and proof that you can deliver without the hard sell.
If your site doesn’t give them that, they’ll bounce to a competitor who does.
I’m well aware that this shift is uncomfortable for businesses still clinging to old playbooks. But it’s also the biggest opportunity in B2B marketing today. If you embrace new buying habits and design your website around them, you will transform it into a true growth engine.
B2B buyers are ... normal consumers
The days of buyers patiently sitting through sales decks and waiting for permission to learn about your product are well over. Today’s B2B buyers want to be in control. If your website doesn’t meet their expectations instantly, they’ll likely ghost you.
They want to do it themselves
Buyers now complete the majority of their research before even thinking about talking to sales. If your site hides the details they need behind endless forms or pushy CTAs, you’re not generating leads, you’re driving them away.
They’re spoiled by consumer experiences
Thanks to the likes of Amazon, Netflix, or Spotify, buyers expect personalization, speed, and clarity. In short, if your website feels like a corporate brochure, you’re going against the wind.
They trust people, not polished slogans
Fancy taglines aren't enough anymore. Case studies, testimonials, transparent pricing, and authentic thought leadership are - from what we’ve seen along the years, helping thousands of businesses getting it right - what seal the deal. The reality is that if you neglect trust building, you’ll only increase your bounce rate and lost opportunities.
There’s almost never just one decision-maker
Simply put, the bigger the investment, the bigger the expected business impact is going to be, and the more likely there's a buying commitee. This means it’s not one person scrolling through your site, but a whole buying committee with different agendas (i.e. the CFO wants ROI, the end user wants usability, and leadership wants a strategic edge).
And if your content only speaks to one, you’ll likely lose them all.
Why (too) many B2B websites struggle to convert
As I stated above, websites are (too) often designed around internal goals rather than buyer needs.
They can be slow, difficult to navigate, or overly focused on pushing visitors straight into a sales conversation. The result?
- A disconnect between how companies want to sell and how buyers want to buy.
- A dry pipeline
Here are 5 symptoms I often see when auditing B2B websites:
Unclear messaging
If a visitor can’t quickly understand what problem you solve and how you deliver value, they’re unlikely to stay. Overly technical jargon or vague positioning can create unnecessary barriers.
Limited conversion paths
Not all potential buyers are ready for a demo or sales call.
Providing only a single, high-commitment CTA will make you miss on opportunities. Options like exploring case studies, accessing pricing information, or viewing a product demo on-demand better match different stages of the buyer journey.
Excessive form gating
Lead forms are important, but gating every single asset will create friction.
Buyers are more likely to engage when some content is freely available and provides value before they’re asked to share their details.
My advice to you is to remember that everything doesn’t needs to happen right now. It’s not because a visitor doesn’t convert today that they won’t be back later, after receiving a positive experience with your content.
User experience issues
A slow-loading, non-mobile-friendly, or hard-to-navigate site undermines trust. First impressions matter, and poor usability can cause visitors to leave before exploring your offering.
Neglecting key integrations
A website cannot live in isolation. It needs to connect seamlessly with the rest of your tech stack.
When integrations are missing or poorly implemented, the buyer experience suffers.
For example:
- product information may be out of sync with your PIM,
- stock availability data may be inaccurate due to ERP issues,
- CRM misconfigurations can break personalization altogether.
- ...
... to name but a few.
The result is a frustrating and inconsistent journey for the user, who expects reliable and relevant information at every step.
How to improve conversions on your B2B website
Improving conversion isn’t about adding more forms or flashy visuals.
It’s about aligning your website with how modern buyers research and make decisions. Here are the most impactful ways to do it:
Create more relevant experiences
One-size-fits-all experiences have become quite insignificant. As in, they’re not memorable for the user.
Instead - if your martech setup allows it – try and tailor content and CTAs to different buyer roles, industries, or funnel stages.
This could mean using dynamic website elements or simply structuring your content in a way that speaks to different audiences. The is simple goal: being relevant and memorable.
Build credibility at every step
Modern buyers are sceptical. And so, building trust and credibility is critical.
Showcase case studies, testimonials, logos of known customers and, wherever possible, transparent pricing. Clear proof points help buyers feel confident in moving forward.
Test, learn, and optimize
Conversion isn’t a one-and-done project. Use tools like heatmaps, funnel analytics, and A/B testing to identify where visitors drop off and what messaging resonates best. Small, ongoing improvements compound into major gains over time.
Leverage creative content to improve your website’s performance
Your website is the main engine that builds trust and moves buyers closer to a decision.
But too often, B2B websites lean on generic copy, bland blog posts, or vague product descriptions that fail to answer what buyers want to know. To drive conversion, your content needs to work harder. And now that AI can essentially write a blog post in less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee, quality content that stands out becomes rarer.
I understand why AI is used that way. But it’s also the best way to be generic and miss on what truly matters for your target audience.
Address YOUR buyer questions and objections
Conversion isn’t just a marketing metric; it’s a business outcome. Your website should be a bridge between sales and marketing, helping both teams understand buyer intent signals and act on them. A connected approach ensures prospects get consistent messaging from first click to final decision.
And so, you should rely on great content that anticipate what’s holding buyers back.
- How does your pricing compare to alternatives?
- How long will implementation take?
- What kind of ROI can they expect?
And if you don’t have the answers to those questions yet, ask your customers! The point here is that transparency is far more persuasive than over polished AI-generated marketing fluff.
Use interactive and practical Assets
Static PDFs aren’t enough anymore. Not only do they make it very difficult to track what users do when browsing through, but they provide a clunky experience, especially on mobile (if you truly want to share a long-form guide, favor a webpage experience).
Tools like ROI calculators, self-assessments, product configurators, and solution finders engage visitors and help them take the next step. In other words, when buyers can see results tailored to their own problems, they’re more likely to convert.
Showcase real-world proof
It’s not just about you. It’s about how you help others, and what they have to say about it.
Case studies, customer stories, and video testimonials are some of the most powerful forms of content you can create. They shift the conversation from “we say this works” to “here’s how it worked for a company like yours.” Proof beats promotion every time.
Leverage video for clarity
Video demos, product walkthroughs, or short explainer clips give buyers a quick way to understand your value.
Not everyone wants to read a 1500+-word blog page (like this one), sometimes a 90-second video is enough to build confidence and spark action.
Map content to the entire funnel
Top-of-funnel blog posts get traffic, but they won’t close deals.
You need a full content mix: thought leadership and guides for awareness, case studies and product pages for consideration, and pricing pages or demo videos for decision. When every stage of the journey is supported, you minimize drop-offs.
A website isn’t a one-time thing ...
.... and what works today may not be enough tomorrow. Our experience shows that the companies that win at website conversion are those that treat their site as a living system that’s always learning, adapting, and evolving with buyer expectations.
In other words, conversion rate optimization (CRO) should be an ongoing process: testing messaging, tweaking layouts, and improving performance. Small, steady improvements compound into big conversion lifts over time.
Expert websites require experts
Improving conversion on a B2B website isn’t just about clever copy or shiny design. It’s about understanding how buyers think, mapping their journey, and turning your site into a true growth engine. That’s where we come in.
Building websites that serve the business...
... and don’t just look good.
We don’t just redesign your site for aesthetics. We align every decision with your buyer journey, your positioning, and your growth goals, so conversion isn’t an afterthought, it’s the foundation.
User- and Brand-centred Design
At the heart of each website we build is seamless service for the target audiences and clear user journeys that strengthen the company’s brand and communication. A modular structure ensures that content can be created and edited effortlessly.
Technical and ethical responsibility
The way we work is secure, accessible, and measurable. Data security and analytics are an essential part of our design process.
They’re not not add-ons. They are the foundation upon which a long-lasting and impactful website is built.
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If your current website feels more like a digital brochure than a business growth tool, it’s time for a change. Let’s build a site that speaks to your buyers.
And if you’re not ready for this yet, you might like to explore the following:
- (Podcast) How to optimize your SaaS website for conversion, growth & sales with Jaleh Rezaei, CEO at Mutiny
- (Podcast) How to develop your SaaS website with Luke Summerfield, Founder of Growth-Driven Design at HubSpot
