The lean B2B website playbook

Most B2B websites are backwards

I've lost count of how many B2B sites we've audited that have the same fundamental problem: they're built for the company, not the buyer.

You know the type. Fifteen service pages describing internal processes nobody cares about. An "About" page that reads like a company biography. A resources section with whitepapers that haven't been updated since 2019.

Meanwhile, the visitor just wants to know: can you solve my problem, and how much does it cost?

The lean approach

Here's the uncomfortable truth: most B2B sites have 10x more pages than they need. Every unnecessary page is friction. Every extra click is a potential drop-off.

The sites that actually generate pipeline share a few traits:

They're ruthlessly focused. One clear offer. One primary action. Everything else is secondary.

They lead with outcomes, not features. Nobody buys "AI-powered analytics dashboards." They buy "know which deals will close this quarter."

They prove everything. Not with generic testimonials, but with specific results from recognisable companies.

The minimum viable B2B site

If you're starting from scratch or considering a rebuild, here's the architecture that works:

Homepage

Your homepage has one job: get the right visitors to the right place.

Structure it like this: 1. Hero with clear value proposition (not your company tagline) 2. Social proof bar (logos of recognisable clients) 3. Three pillars showing who you help and how 4. Featured case study with specific metrics 5. CTA section

That's it. No news section. No team photos. No company history.

One services page (yes, one)

I know this feels wrong. But unless you're serving genuinely distinct buyer personas, consolidate your services into a single comprehensive page.

Split by use case or customer type, not by your internal service delivery model. Buyers don't care that you have separate teams for "strategy" and "implementation."

Pricing (yes, publish it)

The "contact us for pricing" approach is outdated and actively harmful. Here's why:

• •It signals that you're expensive enough to be embarrassed
• •It forces unnecessary sales conversations with unqualified leads
• •It makes comparison shopping impossible (which means buyers leave)

Even if you can't give exact figures, provide ranges or starting points. "Projects typically start at £5,000" is infinitely better than silence.

Case studies that matter

Generic case studies are worthless. "We helped a company improve their results" means nothing.

Effective case studies need: - Named client (with permission, obviously) - Specific challenge they faced - What you actually did - Quantified results with timeframes - Direct quote from someone senior

Two great case studies beat twenty mediocre ones.

Contact page that converts

Your contact page should do more than just sit there. Include: - Multiple contact methods (form, email, phone) - Response time expectation - What happens after they reach out - Calendar booking for qualified leads

The copy audit

Most B2B copy fails because it's written from the inside out.

Common failures:

"We leverage cutting-edge technology to deliver innovative solutions" – meaningless corporate speak that could describe anyone.

"Our team of experienced professionals" – literally everyone says this.

"End-to-end solutions for your business needs" – what does this even mean?

What works instead:

Specific outcomes: "Hotels using our booking system see 23% more direct reservations."

Concrete proof: "We've helped 400+ UK manufacturers reduce production waste."

Direct address of pain: "Tired of your website being invisible on Google?"

Read your copy out loud. If you wouldn't say it in a sales meeting, don't put it on your website.

The proof hierarchy

Trust signals work in a specific order of credibility:

Tier 1: Independent verification - Industry awards - Media coverage - Analyst recognition

Tier 2: Named client success - Case studies with metrics - Video testimonials - Client logos (with permission)

Tier 3: Social proof - Review aggregator scores (Clutch, G2) - Number of clients served - Years in business

Tier 4: Self-asserted claims - "Award-winning team" - "Industry leaders" - (Most sites rely entirely on this tier, which is why they don't convert)

Build up from Tier 1 if you can. Every tier you can include builds compound trust.

Technical foundation

A lean site still needs solid fundamentals:

Speed matters more than you think. B2B buyers are busy people. If your site takes 4 seconds to load, they'll bounce to a competitor. Target sub-2-second load times.

Mobile isn't optional. Yes, B2B buyers often research on desktop, but initial discovery increasingly happens on phones. Don't neglect responsive design.

SEO basics count. Proper title tags, meta descriptions, heading hierarchy, and internal linking. Nothing fancy, just the fundamentals done correctly.

What to cut

When in doubt, remove it. Here's what most B2B sites can delete:

• •News section (move to LinkedIn)
• •Team page (unless your people are genuinely a selling point)
• •Generic service pages
• •Blog posts from 2018
• •Partnerships page
• •Awards page (consolidate to footer)
• •Generic stock photography

Each cut reduces cognitive load and maintenance burden.

Measuring what matters

For B2B sites, the only metrics that truly matter are:

Primary: - Lead form submissions - Sales call bookings - Request for proposal submissions

Secondary: - Case study views - Pricing page visits - Service page engagement

Vanity (useful context, not goals): - Total sessions - Time on site - Pages per session

Set up proper conversion tracking before launch. Without it, you're flying blind.

The launch checklist

Before going live:

• Load time under 2 seconds
• All forms tested and routing correctly
• Analytics and conversion tracking verified
• Meta titles and descriptions unique per page
• Contact information accurate
• Social proof verified and current
• Mobile experience tested on real devices
• 404 and error pages functional
• Legal pages present (Privacy, Terms)
• Security certificate active

The ongoing discipline

A lean site requires less maintenance but isn't zero maintenance.

Monthly: - Check that all forms still work - Update any dated content - Review and respond to any contact submissions

Quarterly: - Add new case studies as they become available - Update metrics and social proof - Review and improve underperforming pages

Annually: - Full content audit - Technical performance review - Competitive analysis

The lean approach isn't about doing less work. It's about focusing work where it actually matters: on converting visitors into pipeline.

Everything else is just noise.