A website is usually the first point of contact between a manufacturer and a potential buyer. First impressions are everything. A website that offers an optimal user experience (UX) can lead to increased engagement, boost conversions, and gives prospects a reason to stay on the site. Unfortunately, many manufacturing websites fall short.
In this blog post, we will discuss six ways manufacturers can optimize their website’s UX to improve user engagement and ultimately drive more sales.
What is User Experience?
User experience (UX) refers to how a user behaves on a website and how the website behaves in return, from how easy or difficult it is to navigate, how quickly pages load, how intuitive the layout and design are, how informative the content is, and how satisfying it is to accomplish tasks or find information.
Why is a Website's User Experience Important?
A positive user experience leads to higher levels of user satisfaction. When people find a website easy to use, informative, and visually appealing, they are more likely to enjoy their experience and have a favorable impression of your company.
At the end of the day, UX is a way to prove that you make great products. Just like your sales team doesn’t show up to a meeting completely disheveled, your website needs to look and act professional.
If your site is difficult to navigate, has poor technical performance, or has not been updated recently, these six tips will ensure you are following UX best practices.
Overview
Optimize Navigation
Is it easy for users to find what they’re looking for?
If the answer is “no” or “maybe,” it’s time for a structural refresh. The navigation menu on your website is one of the MOST important elements in determining how easily visitors can find the info that they need.
A well-optimized navigation bar reduces friction in the user journey by making their site visit quick and easy. This can be done by organizing site content in logical categories and subcategories, and making sure your navigation menu is intuitive and simple to use.
Create Clear Calls-to-Action
Calls-to-action (CTAs) are an essential part of any manufacturing website because they answer the question of “What next?”.
In other words, they provide clear guidance to users about what actions they should take. This helps to streamline their journey and reduce confusion.
Same examples of CTA’s include:
- Talk to an expert
- Sign up for a newsletter
- Contact us
- Get a free demo
- Contact the leading B2B manufacturing marketing agency
If your CTA’s aren’t clear, your prospects most likely won’t take the time to hunt them down. They’ll exit the page and find another site that’s easier to act on.
Well-designed CTAs stand out visually on the page, drawing attention to themselves by being strategically placed. Some CTAs should also make the user feel like they need to act right then and there. You can create a sense of urgency by using persuasive language or time-sensitive offers. This encourages people to act quickly, increasing the likelihood of conversion and driving immediate results.
Streamline Forms
Long and complex forms can be intimidating and frustrating for users to fill out.
They have limited time, and creating a high barrier of entry means they are very likely to abandon the process, or not provide the accurate information you need.
By streamlining forms, you reduce the amount of time and effort required, which minimizes friction in the user experience.
Simplifying forms also leads to higher conversion rates. When users encounter shorter and more straightforward forms, they’re more likely to complete them, whether it’s signing up for a service, making a purchase, or submitting their information.
Users appreciate websites that respect their time and make processes as easy as possible. They want you to value their experience and be committed to making interactions efficient and hassle-free.
PRO TIP: Make sure your form is optimized for mobile use!
Optimize Site Speed
Let’s face it. People have a very limited attention span. The speed of a site is one of the first things that people notice. Users are more likely to bounce from if elements take too long to load.
Site speed directly impacts conversion. Studies show even small improvements in page load times can lead to significant increases in conversion rates, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a form.
For example:
- 47% of customers expect a webpage to load in 2 seconds or less.
- A site that loads in 1 second has a conversion rate 2.5x higher than a site that loads in 5 seconds.
- For every second delay in mobile page load, conversions can fall by up to 20%.
Still not convinced it’s that important?
Site speed is also a known ranking factor for Google. Faster websites tend to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), leading to increased visibility and organic traffic.
So, if you want to be visible online, you need to make optimizing site speed a priority.
Ensure Mobile Responsiveness
With the increasing prevalence of smartphones and tablets, more and more users are accessing websites on mobile devices.
You need to make sure that your’s caters to people searching on their phones. Your website should be responsive, meaning it automatically adjusts its layout based on the size of the device screen.
A mobile-responsive website provides a seamless and optimized experience. This encourages higher levels of engagement as users can easily interact with your content, navigate through pages, and perform desired actions without encountering usability issues.
The chances of someone encountering site issues on their phone then switching to a laptop are rare. If your website doesn’t work for mobile users, you are losing a vast swath of potential buyers.
Conduct User Testing
User testing helps uncover any UX issues or pain points. By observing how users interact with your site, you can identify areas where improvements are needed to enhance the overall experience.
Here are some user testing platforms you can implement to learn more about how people navigate your website:
Once you have the insights, observe which content users find most valuable and how they interact with it. Then, optimize to better meet the needs and interests of your target audience.
Conclusion
A well-optimized manufacturing website can be a powerful tool to increase customer engagement and drive sales.
By following the six tips outlined in this blog post, you can build a strong online presence and remain competitive in today’s digital landscape.
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