We Audited 100+ B2B Websites – Here's What We Learned (with Talia Wolf)
Mar 24, 2025
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In this discussion, Talia Wolf, founder and CEO of GetUplift, shares her insights on the frequent pitfalls of B2B websites based on an analysis of over 100 sites. She highlights how many companies overly focus on features rather than emotional engagement, hampering conversion rates. Talia explains the concept of emotional targeting and the importance of understanding customer needs. She also identifies common design mistakes and emphasizes the need for compelling copy before diving into aesthetics, urging stakeholders to prioritize effective messaging and user experience.
B2B websites often struggle with conversion due to overemphasis on product features instead of addressing emotional buyer needs.
Utilizing customer research and emotional targeting can significantly improve website messaging, making it more relevant to potential clients' pain points.
Marketers should seek stakeholder buy-in for website changes through data-driven small tests, demonstrating potential impacts on conversions without complete overhauls.
Deep dives
The Importance of Personalized Marketing
Many companies today fail to engage customers effectively, often overwhelming them with generic messages rather than personalized content that resonates. Personalized marketing, utilizing first-party data, can transform the way brands communicate with their clients by ensuring messages are relevant and impactful. Automation tools can help deliver timely communications across various channels like email, SMS, or push notifications, allowing brands to meet customers where they are. The end result is not just a marketing campaign but a genuine connection that fosters engagement and loyalty.
Understanding Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
Conversion rate optimization is often misunderstood as simply adjusting form placement or button colors on a site. The approach should focus on understanding customer intent and the emotional factors that drive purchasing decisions. Utilizing data analytics to identify problems is just the beginning; the real challenge lies in determining the specific changes that will improve conversions. By adopting an emotional targeting framework, companies can develop websites that align with how people buy, creating a more effective conversion path.
The Need for Customer-Centric Messaging
A common issue among B2B websites is an excessive focus on product features, technology, and pricing rather than on addressing customer needs. Potential clients want to know how a product solves their specific pain points, yet many organizations merely describe their offerings without context. To differentiate from competitors, brands must shift their messaging toward problem-solving and use customer research insights to tailor their content. This customer-centric approach not only clarifies value propositions but also resonates better with target audiences.
The Value of In-Depth Customer Research
Effective customer research goes beyond traditional surveys; it requires a thorough understanding of the emotional triggers and real-world challenges faced by clients. By engaging in social listening and analyzing discussions on platforms like Reddit or G2, marketers can uncover valuable insights into customer pain points and desired outcomes. These insights allow marketers to create more relevant and compelling content while also improving website design and user experience. Ultimately, this leads to a more aligned marketing strategy that addresses the needs of the audience at every touchpoint.
Achieving Stakeholder Alignment for Website Improvements
When seeking to optimize a website, in-house marketers should focus on data-driven strategies to gain stakeholder approval rather than pitching broad overhaul plans. By proposing small-scale tests based on customer insights, marketers can demonstrate the potential for increased conversions without needing wholesale changes upfront. Highlighting specific customer pain points and formulating hypotheses to test against ensures that proposals are grounded in actionable research. This method allows for credible performance assessment and broader team alignment as everyone can benefit from improved insights together.
#230: Messaging | In this episode, Matt sits down with Talia Wolf, founder and CEO of GetUplift, to unpack what’s really wrong with most B2B websites – and how to fix it. After reviewing 100+ member-submitted sites from the Exit Five community, Talia shares what she sees over and over again: messaging that’s too focused on the product, poor design flow, and a lack of real customer understanding.
Matt and Talia cover:
Why most B2B sites focus too much on features and not enough on buyer emotion
How to use emotional targeting and customer research to write copy that converts
The biggest design mistakes B2B marketers are making (and how to fix them)
How to get stakeholder buy-in for website changes
Why great websites start with strong product marketing
Timestamps
(00:00) - – Intro to Talia
(03:15) - – Why most B2B websites fail to convert
(05:41) - – The common thread across 100+ website reviews from Exit Five members
(08:26) - – Why focusing on features instead of emotion kills conversions
(11:14) - – What is emotional targeting (and how to actually use it)?
(14:29) - – The power of customer research in website optimization
(17:51) - – How to apply emotional triggers to your homepage copy
(21:20) - – Mistakes B2B companies make with above-the-fold content
(24:22) - – Why you should write copy before designing the site
(28:47) - – Structuring your site around buyer intent and behavior
(32:04) - – How to get internal buy-in for messaging and UX changes
(35:21) - – The difference between product marketing and “just copywriting”
(38:37) - – The role of hierarchy, visual flow, and CTA placement
(42:03) - – When to simplify and when to educate on B2B websites
(45:25) - – Final takeaways and practical steps to start improving your site
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