How Does Your Website Measure Up?
Most B2B marketers are curious about comparing our website’s performance against industry benchmarks. However, these metrics can be difficult to find. A recent digital experience study shed some light on how B2B websites are performing. The study analyzed 12 months of data across almost 4,000 websites, 46 billion user sessions, and 14 industries.1
Let’s look at the results.
- B2B traffic: The analysis showed that new-visitor versus returning-visitor traffic was split at about 50% each. 86% of the visitors entered the sites from unpaid sources. And three-quarters of the traffic used desktop devices ꟷ not surprising since the visitors were most likely at work and needed large screens.
- B2B buyers browse longer than consumers: The average B2B visitor viewed three pages per session and spent an average of 65 seconds per page ꟷ significantly better than online retail shoppers. The average bounce rate was 65%.
- B2B buyers spend more time on site: B2B visitors typically spend a lot of time researching and digesting a company’s services and site content. B2B online transactions also take longer than consumer purchases with multiple stakeholders often required for approval.
- B2B sites convert fewer leads and customers: The average B2B conversion-to-desired-action rate was 0.6% versus an average of 2.3% for all other industries.
- Speed is a major factor in visitor experience. B2B customers are prioritizing speed above all else in today’s digital world.
- B2B visitors prefer using a desktop device for research and procurement. However, they turn to their mobile devices when they need quick information.
TW’s Take
This new study reveals some interesting insights that can help improve B2B and life science websites’ customer conversions.
- If there’s one thing that must be prioritized to increase customer satisfaction, it’s reducing page load times as much as possible. Far too many potential customers leave B2B sites due to agonizingly slow page opens.
- To capture customer interest and increase time on site, B2B businesses must work harder at articulating their products’ differentiators and unique value propositions.
- Ensure B2B customers have all the information they need to make an informed purchase decision. Site navigation should lead the prospect down a funnel to conversion and sale.
- In evaluating your website as a platform for your digital strategy, make sure it fulfills the customer’s needs and objectives across all device types.
If your website is not meeting the performance benchmarks cited by the study, it’s time to take another look at enhancing visitor experience.
For a copy of the study, email rwhitmyre@tizinc.com.
1 Source: 2022 Digital Experience Benchmark Report, Contentsquare, March 2022.
