7 B2C tips for better B2B conversion rates

In a business-to-consumer (B2C) setting, it’s relatively simple to generate buzz among customers or even have a product become viral. B2C companies seem to have the magic wand when it comes to grabbing consumer attention and making them hit that “buy” button.

With B2B, it’s another story. It’s much more difficult to attract the target audience’s attention with B2B marketing techniques.

What secrets do B2C companies possess? Well, it’s not that mysterious: they combine several winning strategies. Read on to find out what they are – and how to apply them in the B2B sphere.

1. Adopt interactive content strategies to elevate your B2B marketing strategy

What exactly is interactive content, and how can you leverage it in the business-to-business domain? The content can be called interactive if you can engage with it. It’s the polar opposite of passive content, such as static online blogs or white papers, and invites readers to do something on the page. For example:

• Quizzes ask users questions about their preferences and let them determine which of your services suits them best.
• Calculators enable potential clients to measure the value of your products or services. Imagine you’re selling a complex software solution. A ROI calculator can help potential buyers see the financial impact of your product on their operations.
• Infographics present information that is condensed and designed for easy digestion. You can turn your case studies or data reports into infographics to make them more shareable and fascinating.

These and many other types of interactive content are intended to attract the attention of B2B prospects while also educating, entertaining, and fostering client loyalty.

Implementing interactive content: How to do it right

Depending on what asset you choose, consider the following practical tips:

• Use platforms like Adobe InDesign or Turtl to create interactive eBooks.
• Incorporate short and actionable quizzes or assessments at the end of each section.
• Provide personalized advice or product recommendations on the survey results page.
• Integrate virtual tours and product demos to showcase different features or use cases.
• Leverage analytics to track engagement and refine your content based on user behavior.

Semrush, a prominent SEO tool, takes a unique approach to creating interactive content. It offers live audits in a webinar format. Businesses can nominate their website, and SEO professionals will conduct a free live audit on the selected websites. It’s an excellent example of using B2B interactive content to convert leads into paying clients. It’s informative, engaging, and personal.

2. Leverage personalized journeys for your target audience

It is standard for B2C brands to employ personalization. Brands like Amazon, Netflix, and Starbucks are just a few well-known examples among the myriads of others. They tailor experiences, from purchase recommendations to a customized customer loyalty program.

In B2B, not all companies consider personalization a big deal. You may find it only in the early stages of the buyer’s journey, such as prospecting. Later on, marketers and salespeople become preoccupied with managing the process’s complexities, and they frequently overlook each stakeholder’s unique demands and characteristics. That’s a huge mistake!

Personalization builds trust, enhances the relevance of your offering, and speeds up lengthy decision-making processes. It allows you to create a smoother, more buyer-centric experience, increasing loyalty and the likelihood of repeat business.

Strategies for effective personalization in B2B

What can you do? First, you may go the account-based selling route:

1. Pinpoint your high-value buyer personas using market research and data analytics tools.
2. Tailor your marketing strategies to meet their specific needs.

Second, you may choose to target customers according to online behaviors (intent-based engagement). Track online behavior, such as social activity, content consumption, or event participation. Alternatively, you can monitor general intent signals from clients’ companies, such as employment, acquisition, expansion, etc. So, when a prospect attends a related webinar, you may send targeted resources.

3. Streamline the user experience to align with B2C sales tactics

Today, the line between B2C and B2B marketing is increasingly blurred. B2B buyers are still people who shop from B2C brands outside working hours. That’s why they see the seamless user experience that eCommerce sites offer and expect to get the same level of convenience on B2B websites. What can you do to satisfy your website visitors?

Optimizing B2B landing pages and CTAs

Start with landing page optimization. According to statistics, the average landing page conversion rate across sectors stands at 5.89%, but with strategic optimization, you can raise this number to 10%.

Borrowing B2C’s best practices, powerful B2B landing pages should be crafted with the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) principle in mind. It serves to capture user interest and guide them towards making buying decisions. Remember about a compelling call to action, suggesting a solution to particular problems. You can find excellent examples of landing pages done well on platforms such as Optimizely:

Enhancing site search and simplifying navigation

If you have an on-site search, adopt smart search functionalities. It should be as instant and accurate as a Google search. Strategies include autocomplete, understanding spelling mistakes and synonyms, and displaying search history.

Sometimes, B2B websites may have a complicated navigation structure with numerous sections like online stores. That’s where you should also reconsider the website UX and employ:

• clear categorization;
• intuitive product trees;
• breadcrumbs.

This approach mirrors successful B2C strategies, where ease of navigation directly correlates with customer satisfaction and sales. What if you don’t know what to change on the website? That’s where a UX audit may help.

This strategy involves several stages, from evaluating the site using a structured UX audit template to looking at heat maps and analytics tools. You need to access everything, including landing pages and checkout. This systematic approach ensures that your website not only meets but exceeds the expectations of today’s B2B buyers.

Ensuring product clarity and pricing transparency

If you own an eCommerce business, provide exhaustive information about your products or services. Any guide for increasing B2C conversion rates would undoubtedly include tips on writing detailed product descriptions. Adopt them in your B2B plan, too.

Plus, avoid unexpected addition of costs at checkout. Online shoppers, be it B2B or B2C sales, frequently abandon the website at this friction point. So, learn from B2C’s upfront display of shipping costs and pricing details, and don’t create unneeded surprises.

4. Utilize high-quality visuals and videos

Your B2B content marketing strategy should include videos in addition to interactive content and all-embracing descriptions. Whether it’s interviews with experts or snappy TikTok videos, this content can help with customer acquisition and retention.

The good news is that videos work well at any stage of the purchase journey. For example, at the top of the funnel, your audience is looking for solutions. That’s where you can tackle their problems, position yourself as an authority, and show a deep understanding of your clients’ pain points through videos.

Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: Where do you stand?

Yes, we weren’t joking about TikTok’s social media marketing. It’s among several social media platforms where you can boost brand recall, determine a user’s interests, and dynamically engage with potential customers.

Many brands have already started to attract new customers there. For example, a popular text editor, Grammarly, makes fun of the challenges of writing essays, work emails, and other pieces of content. Their content marketing strategy is relatable and highlights the benefits of their offering. With 113,000 followers, we have little doubt Grammarly will continue to grow.

You may already deliver valuable and relevant content. What we’re trying to convey is that you don’t always have to be so serious and add a bit of humor, so widespread in B2C marketing strategies. It can humanize the brand image and encourage interactions with site visitors and social media followers.

Practical steps for creating engaging video content

1. Select a video tool, such as Animoto, Shakr, etc., or an image editing solution like Canva, Picsart, or FotoFlexer.
2. Conduct pain point analysis using customer feedback, social media engagement, and data from search engines.
3. Create a content calendar for different marketing channels (social media, the website, emails).
4. Employ user-generated content to amplify your marketing efforts with real-world applications of your offerings.
5. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rates, time spent on a page, conversions, and more to track the success of your visual content.

5. Incorporate social proof on multiple channels

Is it as essential for B2B as it is for B2C marketing?

Comparing social proof in B2B vs. B2C sales, some people may be skeptical about its potential influence. Individual consumers are bombarded with an increasing number of options for different goods and services, leading to a common problem: data overload. Positive reviews stimulate the sales processes and replace the need to conduct extensive research before making a decision.

B2B experts, in contrast, typically possess far greater knowledge in their field. It’s true that B2B professionals are less inclined to substitute their own judgment for that of others. However, if other businesses favor this software over other alternatives, a B2B representative may see its vendor as a respected figure in the industry. As a result, the company wins over that client.

Where to look for genuine endorsement

There are various types of such content. You can use influencer marketing or reviews from existing customers and experts. You can also demonstrate certifications. For example, technology company Okta successfully featured testimonials from giants like Adobe and 20th Century Fox.

That’s where social media marketing can also help. Connect with your target audience on social media channels like LinkedIn. Promote these and other reviews on platforms like G2 and TrustRadius.

Extra strategies

• Create personalized marketing campaigns using testimonials. For instance, small business owners, marketing managers at mid-size companies, and SEO professionals might see different paid advertising. One ad reinforces the benefits of software for conducting website analysis, while the other displays feedback from a business executive on how the tool saves the company money.
• Show off those glowing reviews in your retargeting campaigns. Whether it’s social media advertising or banners on third-party websites, they can be a valuable tool for both B2B/B2C marketing.
• Deploy feedback on the website, in email marketing materials, and any other preferred channel. This creates a cohesive brand story that’s persuasive and credible.

6. Embrace agile content creation as a flexible B2B and B2C marketing approach

Do you remember those days when everyone anticipated the Babie movie and colored its marketing messages pink? The world was crazy about Barbenheimer. Nowadays, it would look weird to appeal to that topic. Today, you may see those memes with cats (they’re unbound by time). Companies and bloggers try to sprinkle them into their marketing campaigns every now and then.

Balancing timeliness and tone in B2B content

You don’t necessarily need to copy everything from B2C marketing. What you can take from B2C marketing strategies is that these brands always create marketing materials in response to current topics. Why not use it in your B2B business strategy as well?

If you want to stay more reserved, adopt B2C agility, not tone. Create content that sheds light on industry trends, regulatory changes, or technological advancements. Partnering with social media personalities relevant to your niche can further promote your content in front of potential buyers. That’s where you need to comprehend user intent.

Harnessing user intents to drive content strategy

Let’s assume you’ve analyzed what a typical individual consumer generally searches for in your industry. Let it be “customer success stories” and “tips for remote sales teams.” You’ve noticed a high search volume and interest in content related to remote sales strategies.

According to the principles of agile content creation, you should tweak your strategy and create a series of blog posts featuring in-depth case studies and a webinar series focused on strategies for remote sales. This content directly addresses the identified user intents, leading to higher engagement rates, increased webinar sign-ups, and a boost in content-driven leads.

7. Practice mobile optimization to meet business-to-consumer standards in B2B

The world is shifting to prioritize mobile devices. Many use watches, iPads, and phones for all their needs that were previously satisfied by computers. Because of this, it’s imperative that B2B marketers employ the mobile-first approach—a concept that is widely applied in B2C marketing strategies.

Determine which content formats will best appeal to your mobile users. Among the critical components of optimization for mobile devices are as follows:

• responsive website design;
• smartphone-friendly ad optimization;
• app-based marketing, etc.

Similar to B2C marketing, the B2B mobile audience anticipates prompt, convenient, and effective communication. The mobile experience must be seamless for all users, whether they are browsing a product catalog, signing up for a membership program, or taking advantage of a free offer.

Mobile optimization strategies

• Responsive design that automatically changes to accommodate any device’s screen size and resolution.
• Enhancing loading speed. Identify what you need to optimize with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.
• Simplified navigation for smaller mobile screens.
• Touch-friendly menus and buttons that minimize the risk of tapping the wrong link.
• Shorter paragraphs, larger fonts, and optimized images.
• Mobile-friendly forms, such as newsletter sign-ups, contact forms, or membership programs, should be usable with autofill options and simple dropdown menus.
• Emulating the approach of consumer brands. Some companies use mobile notifications as a critical component of their B2C marketing strategy. This way, they promote flash sales and limited-time offers.

Final word on B2B conversion rate optimization

Some people think that B2C marketing strategies differ from B2B ones. It’s true to some extent. While B2C marketing is all about casting a wide net to win over more consumers, B2B conversion optimization focuses on a specific niche and needs.

Still, potential customers in B2B are human beings who expect an exceptional customer experience comparable to renowned eCommerce platforms. So, B2C companies can offer a masterclass in optimizing the customer experience to boost attendance, engagement, and sales.

If you’re a B2B business owner looking to encourage buyers to consider your products and services, conduct extensive market research. When developing your best marketing campaign, you need to understand consumer behavior to create a connection that hooks their attention. Identify your target audience and their preferences. Refine the sales funnel using customer data. Encourage repeat purchases among your loyal customers. And let your B2B marketing campaigns shine!