Websites Decoded: Website Design, SEO, UX, Conversion Optimisation & More

Animation has become popular in B2B website design, offering businesses a way to create unique visuals that help them stand out. But excessive or flashy animation can pose fundamental issues, potentially harming user experience and conversion rates.  In this episode of Websites Decoded, Phil explores the proven risks that certain types of animation can have on website UX and highlights what to avo...

Video is a powerful tool, but it's often misused on websites. Different types of videos serve different purposes in the customer journey, and each needs to be used correctly. In this episode of Websites Decoded, Phil discusses the best practices for using video on your website to improve user experience and engagement. Whether you're new to video or want to optimise its use on your websi...

Striking the right balance between creativity and proven user experience (UX) best practices is the key to driving results. But achieving this balance is one of the biggest challenges in web design.  You need your website to be creative to drive engagement and create a memorable experience. Yet you also need to ensure the user experience is optimised to generate conversions and meet business objec...

Calls to action (CTAs) are a critical element on any B2B website. They play a pivotal role in guiding buyers through the conversion funnel, from landing on your site to completing a desired action.   Unfortunately, CTAs are often misused, resulting in suboptimal performance. Common issues include:  Placing CTAs in the wrong locations on the page  Using ineffective or generic CTA language  Overmeas...

Click here to submit your website for review. Welcome to Site Submissions! In this series, we explore your websites and their demand generation potential.  We'll break down your messaging, design, user experience (UX), and functionality, highlighting what works and what could be improved.  Phil, with over 13 years of real-world experience in B2B websites, will give you practical recommendatio...

Your bottom-of-funnel pages are critical for converting visitors into leads and pipeline. But how do you design pages that drive maximum conversions?   In this episode, Phil covers key strategies for creating high-converting landing pages and forms. From layout best practices to demystifying conversion rate optimisation tactics, you'll gain actionable tips for boosting bottom-of-funnel conver...

Website accessibility is a topic that gets talked about a lot, but often gets overlooked in website design and development. However, it's actually a crucial element - not just for inclusion - but also for SEO and reaching the widest possible audience.  In this episode, Phil breaks down exactly what website accessibility means, the different types like screen reader accessibility, captions for...

Marketers today face data overload with hundreds of metrics to track. However, as Phil explains, not all metrics actually provide actionable insights. It's essential to focus tracking efforts on the website metrics that offer clear guidance for optimising performance.  Phil outlines the types of metrics that are most important to pay attention to, such as those related to traffic, engagement,...

A responsive mobile experience is important for modern B2B websites. After all, search crawlers now assess and rank pages using the mobile version of your website. And prospective customers may also access content on their smartphones during the initial research phases.   But despite all this, when it comes to B2B, traditional desktops still dominate when it comes to the analysis and final purchas...

Considering a dark-themed design for your next website? We think that might be a bad idea for B2B.  Whilst dark websites might look attractive on the surface and check the box of being creative, but they might lack substance when it comes to the essential components of a B2B website.  In this episode of Websites Decoded, Phil breaks down the potential issues with dark-themed websites and what’s le...

When it comes to designing or updating a B2B homepage, there can be a lot of forces pulling in different directions. There can be different opinions about the company's value proposition, desire to give multiple messages prime position, creative temptation to make things more sophisticated, promotions to run, events to announce, news to share, etc.   With all this going on, it's understa...

The content management system (CMS) powering your website has a huge impact on its success. Your CMS affects site speed, ease of editing, scalability, costs, and more. Choosing the right platform is critical. In this episode, Phil helps guide your CMS selection process. He outlines the core requirements to evaluate when making this crucial decision for your website and business goals. Tune in to b...

Generating leads that convert into sales pipeline and revenue is the main objective for most B2B websites. And with your website being the primary contact point for buyers, businesses are constantly seeking ways to boost website lead generation to hit their growth goals.  The good news is that even without huge investments in demand creation or acquiring mountains of new traffic, there are straigh...

When creating a website sitemap, we're often asked the question "Should we have persona/audience-based pages in our navigation?"  Whilst it might seem beneficial to have a page relating to each of your personas, talking about the solutions for their sector, like:  Finance  Manufacturing  Healthcare  Research has shown this often isn't the case.  In this episode of Websites Deco...

As business needs and technologies evolve, so too do B2B website designs. In this Websites Decoded episode, Phil looks at key website trends for this year and whether they help or hurt businesses: He discusses: The rise of AI in website design The popularity of glossy, flashy designs brimming with rich visuals Dark-themed websites Phil cuts through the hype, analysing real website value. Smart com...

Are website live chats and chatbots effective at generating more customers through your website?  In this episode of Websites Decoded, Phil discusses the rise of conversational marketing and whether implementing live chat and chatbots on your website is worth it. He looks at the times when it’s a useful feature and the times when it can have a negative impact.  Tune in to learn about the impacts o...

Your website is the foundation of all your marketing efforts. An ineffective website could mean all your other marketing investments go to waste.  Yet if you were to search for how much you can get a website for, almost all the results would tell you how cheaply you could get it.  But for mature businesses looking to grow, your website needs appropriate investment to match those ambitions.  In thi...

In this episode, Phil takes us through the crucial steps to craft a B2B website that actively fuels your sales pipeline.   Phil dives deep into practical tips, placing the buyer at the forefront of your decision-making process. He talks through the essential elements of website structure, content creation, and user experience, ensuring a seamless journey for your buyers.  Whether you're revam...

Are you currently using a generic contact form on your website? You might want to reconsider that choice.    Generic contact forms, sometimes referred to by us as "toxic" contact forms, tend to generate lower-quality submissions.    Serious buyers often prefer a contextual form with a clear action at the end, rather than a generic one.  Watch all episodes on YouTube Visit the Websites De...

Social proof is a critical component of a website. It creates essential trust with your prospects. It backs up the claims you’re making on your site.  There are lots of ways you can show social proof, some are harder to gather, and some are more effective. But what are the best uses of social proof that can step change your website's conversion rate, and where should you be using it? In this...

Your homepage hero section can make or break website visitors' first impressions of your brand. Yet many sites fail to make this valuable space count, driving potential customers away. In this practical episode, Phil explains how to create a homepage hero that genuinely engages visitors and motivates them to continue exploring your site. Learn why the hero section is essential for making a st...

This is a recording of Phil’s session from DEMAND 2023, covering ‘The anatomy of a demand generating website’.  In this talk, Phil shared actionable insight into what makes an effective, demand generating website. Tap into Phil’s expertise as he equips you with proven strategies and hands-on tactics that have yielded remarkable results for many businesses.  Watch all episodes on YouTube Visit the...

The ultimate goal of SEO is to capture buyers through search.  This means being found when a buyer is searching for commercial keywords that relate to your business. Being found for these keywords is critical for your website to generate pipeline.  In this episode of Websites Decoded, Phil breaks down the connected website tactics to rank for high-intent, commercial-keywords.  Tune in to learn how...

Welcome to Site Submissions! In this series, we dive into your websites and explore their demand generation potential. We'll break down your messaging, design, user experience (UX), and functionality, highlighting what works and what could be improved. Phil, with over 13 years of real-world experience in B2B websites, will give you practical recommendations based on research and experience. I...

Is your website a walking red flag?  Some clear and obvious issues may be lurking on your website that require immediate attention.  In this episode of Websites Decoded, Phil outlines the clear signs that your site needs improvement and provides actionable tips to fix them.  From a lack of pipeline generation to cluttered design and confusing navigation, Phil covers the website mistakes that fail...