What We Expect a Client to Deliver Before a B2B Website Design Project

Having an updated website has been a key component of business success and will continue to be in this digital age. There are “more than 263 million American consumers” who do their shopping online, which is approximately 80% of the population. Many companies are choosing to update their web presence for the first time in a long time, or for the first time. In that case, there are a few expectations for a new website.

B2B Website Design Expectations

It can be overwhelming to start whether it’s a new build or a redesign. There are a lot of things to prepare, and a lot of decisions to be made. Here is a list that most web design agencies will ask for when starting a B2B website design.

#1: Branding and Identity Guide

While it’s not 100% necessary to have all of these, having at least one makes designing a website that encompasses your brand much easier. A logo is going to be the face of your company. Branding can be anything from a specific font, colors, imagery, or design elements. Many companies utilize all and more of these concepts. An identity guide wraps up your logo and branding into a neatly styled file or book. It explains the to-do’s and not to-do’s for designers to follow. It can include much more as well, such as content excerpts, mission statement and values, and ad examples. Check out BrandCraft’s branding service.

#2: Keep a Goal in Mind

Even if the site is a redesign, there needs to be a clear and simple goal for the website to follow. Common goals could be to increase leads, encourage product sales, or push signups. This goal will be the backbone a designer and developer will keep in mind when creating your website. Having smaller goals to go along with the main one are good to discuss with your agency as well. Things such as a theme (brighter colors, bigger imagery), or technical direction (easier navigation, more categorized posts) are great things to know before going into a meeting for B2B website design.

#3: Design Direction

Continuing from goals, having even an idea of design direction will make starting your web project smoother. It doesn’t need to be a fully thought-out design plan, but having an idea of what you do like and what you don’t like is helpful. The best way to research design is to look at websites you frequent. Take note of the things you like about them, or visit your competitor’s sites to see if they are doing anything that you think is helping them get conversions. There are a lot of resources online to check out a variety of website designs.

#4: Content and Integration

One of the biggest hang-ups with B2B website design is content. While the visuals are important to draw customers in, content is what will push people to take that final step. Having all content completed beforehand isn’t necessary though. However, a plan of how you are getting that content writing is a big step forward. Photography falls under the same category. You don’t need to have all your images prepared and ready. Although you will need to decide if you’re using custom photos or if you plan to rely on stock imagery. Integrations are the third-party functions you plan to have on your site. Payment processors, social media feeds, and job listings are all common examples of integrations. It’s important to have these elements figured out before meeting with an agency.

#5: B2B Website Design Launch Plan

The bulk of work goes into the prep, design, and development stages of a website. But the work does not completely end once it is launched. There’s a few things that need to be considered and planned out and are best done earlier in the process. A site will need to be hosted on a platform, and the site’s domain will also need to be hosted. In most cases, these two are hosted in separate places. Purchasing your domain (if not purchased already) is highly recommended as soon as you know what it is. If your site is built on WordPress, you will also need to consider whether you want to maintain and keep up with updates, or if you want to hire a service to make sure your site remains up and healthy. BrandCraft offers multiple hosting and maintenance packages so you can focus on your business without worrying about site health.

Prepare For Your B2B Website Design

A B2B website design and build is a big step in solidifying your company and there’s a lot that goes into it. Having a plan or prepping before meeting with an agency can ensure that the journey is smooth and easier for both you and the designers. Gathering the assets such as logos, photos, identity guides, and a launch plan are great things to bring to your agency when discussing your plans. Keep in mind a goal and design direction for your site as well so the agency has plenty to work with.