A newly released B2B web usability report from KoMarketing and BuyerZone shows a sizable disconnect between what B2B e-commerce buyers want on vendor websites and the content vendor websites include.
Although, what may be the most disconcerting about the report for content marketers is how little social media and blogs influence the B2B crowd.
In a survey polling 262 B2B online buyers ranging from C-suite executives to consultants, 64 percent of respondents said contact info is a must have for vendor websites, while 51 percent said it was most often the piece of content lacking. (Raising the question, why would any company fail to include contact information on its site?)
One of the more surprising findings was just how little social media and business blogs influenced B2B buyers. When asked about the discovery process, only 12 percent of respondents said a blog helped them find vendor websites, while 34 percent said a blog was of no help. Nineteen percent said social media helped in the discovery process, but 38 percent said no.
In both cases, less than 20% of respondents indicated that either channel [blogs or social media] definitely played a part in the discovery process.
The same held true when asked if social media activity helps establish credibility: 39 percent said sometimes, and 35 percent said no. Only 18 percent said yes, with 8 percent saying they didn’t know.
When asked if a blog helps establish a company’s credibility, the largest majority of respondents – 36 percent – said no, and 35 percent said sometimes (20% said yes, and 10 percent didn’t know).
Forty-six percent of respondents said a company blog is not a factor when evaluating a vendor. (When asked the same question regarding the impact of social media, responses matched exactly, with 46 percent saying no, 30 percent neutral, 20 percent claiming it’s important but not a deal breaker, and only three-percent saying “a lot.”)
How much does a company’s blog impact your vendor decision making process?
As far as content that builds credibility, video content, social media activity and blog posts were least likely to be deemed a “Must have” by respondents.
Content Assets that Establish Credibility
According to the survey findings, product and service information was the leading type of content B2B buyers want on a vendor’s website, followed by the company’s contact info.
Content Buyers Want on Vendor Websites
Thorough contact information – business phone number, email, address – was cited by survey participants as the content most often lacking from vendor websites, followed by client lists and content marketing collateral including research reports, case studies, testimonials and white papers.
Content Assets Most Lacking on Vendor Websites
When looking specifically at sales and product-related information, 76 percent of the survey respondents named pricing as a “Must have,” and 62 percent said shipping information. More than half (52 percent) said product reviews were a must have.
For sales and product-related information that was most often lacking on vendor websites, 59 percent of respondents – the largest majority – said details about technical support, and 57 percent said pricing.
Sales and Product-Related Information Lacking on Vendor Websites
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