Imagine you sell packaging, machine parts, software or consulting to other companies. The buyer on the other side does not know you. What do they do before picking up the phone? They type your company name into Google and open your website. If it looks outdated, if it is unclear what you sell, or if there is no phone number, they will often move on to the next supplier without ever contacting you.
This loss is silent, because the customer you lose never tells you. For a business that sells to companies, the website's job is not to look pretty. Its job is to make the visitor think: this company is reliable, knows its work, and will answer if I write. In this article I explain what a b2b website, meaning the website of a business that sells to other businesses, should contain, how you can judge your own, and what to ask the person who builds it.
Why companies buy differently
A private customer often decides the same day. A company usually involves several people: the one who will use the product, the one who approves the budget, and their manager. Each has a different question. One asks "will this fit our work?", another "can we trust them?", another "what will it cost and when will it arrive?".
Companies also dislike risk. Someone who picks the wrong supplier puts their own job on the line. So every piece of information on your site should calm the thought "what if something goes wrong?". Decisions also tend to take weeks, not a day, and the site gets opened many times in between. Your website has to leave the same solid impression every single time.
What should a visitor understand in ten seconds?
A person landing on your home page should quickly see three things:
- What you sell. Not a vague phrase like "industrial solutions", but something concrete like "custom-printed packaging for food producers".
- Who you sell to. Which industries and what size of companies you serve.
- What to do next. A "request a quote", "call us" or "leave a message" button should be visible on screen.
An easy test: show your home page to someone who does not know you, close the screen after ten seconds and ask "what does this company do?". If the answer is wrong or "I don't know", that is where the problem lies.
The sections that convince a business buyer
Business buyers usually look for the following. Note down which ones your site is missing:
| Section | The question in the visitor's mind |
|---|---|
| Service or product pages | What exactly do they do, and does it suit my industry? |
| References and companies you work with | Have they done this for others before? |
| Certificates and quality documents | Do they meet the standards? |
| How you work | What happens after I place an order? |
| About us and team | Are there real people behind this? |
| Contact and quote form | How do I reach them, and how fast will they reply? |
When you show references, remember to ask permission. Using another company's logo without their approval is both impolite and legally risky. Where you cannot get permission, a general description such as "a mid-sized food manufacturer" still works. Never invent references or inflate numbers; an experienced buyer will spot it immediately.
You also need to be found
Even the best site is useless if nobody visits it. Companies usually find you in two ways: someone they know recommends you, or they search Google for something like "packaging manufacturer" or "industrial label supplier". For the second route, each of your services should have its own clear page. Instead of cramming everything onto one page called "Services", each service gets its own name and its own explanation.
Articles that answer real buyer questions help here too. A manufacturer that publishes a piece on "what to check when placing a bulk order" can show up in search results and also looks knowledgeable. This takes time. You will see the effect in months, not weeks, and nobody can honestly promise you a specific ranking.
What you can check yourself
Before going to a specialist, you can look at the following:
- Open your site on your phone. Is the text readable and are the buttons easy to tap?
- Search your company name on Google. Is your own site first? Are your phone number, address and opening hours correct?
- Fill in your quote form and send it. Does the message reach you, and how quickly? Forms can quietly stop working.
- When was your latest article or news item added? A date three years ago raises the question "is this company still active?".
- Enter your address into Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool. Results in the red zone mean the site is slow.
What the specialist does
The person doing this work builds the structure: separates the service pages, makes sure the form delivers messages to the right inbox, speeds the site up, makes it comfortable on a phone, and prepares the pages so search engines can understand them. Before starting, I suggest you ask:
- Which sections will my site have for business buyers, and why?
- How will we track messages coming from the form?
- Which page is being prepared for which search?
- Who updates the site after launch?
- How long will it take, and what should I prepare (references, photos, documents)?
Working with someone who cannot answer these clearly is the safest thing to avoid.
Frequently asked questions
Is social media enough if I only sell to companies?
Social media helps with recognition, but a company representative will usually check your own website before deciding. Social media stands next to your site, not in place of it.
Should a business site list prices?
It is not mandatory. If prices depend on the quote, say so openly and make requesting a quote easy. Uncertainty puts visitors off.
How many months until the site brings customers?
Nobody can give an exact time; it depends on your industry, the competition and the current state of your site. Treat offers promising quick results with caution.
Do I need an English version?
If you also sell to companies abroad, yes. If you work only at home, strengthen your main-language site first.
Final word
The website of a business that sells to companies is a silent member of your sales team: it greets visitors and answers their questions while you are busy. If you would like to review together whether your site does that job, take a look at my website design service.