- Tension: B2B buyers want to make smart, confident decisions, but the very websites designed to serve them often create doubt, friction, and confusion.
- Noise: Business sites assume that polished branding, gated content, and sales reps will carry the conversion—while ignoring the actual experience of the user.
- Direct Message: Usability isn’t a “nice to have” in B2B—it’s the difference between being considered and being dismissed.
To learn more about our editorial approach, explore The Direct Message methodology.
Business-to-business websites offer a weaker user experience than business-to-consumer sites, according to a report by Nielsen Norman Group.
The San Francisco-based research firm’s first B2B Website Usability report indicates that people using B2B sites accomplish what they set out to do only 58 percent of the time, compared with a 66 percent success rate for consumer e-commerce sites.
The problem, according to the report, is that few B2B companies design websites with the user experience in mind. The top design factors that caused users either to leave a site or form a bad impression were:
- Incomplete product descriptions, which created skepticism.
- Overwhelming and convoluted content, which created confusion.
- Convoluted navigational structure, which created impatience.
In addition, B2B sites often push for contact while offering only superficial information or concealing critical details—often seemingly on purpose. Such tactics cause annoyance and distrust.
One critical missing piece of information is pricing. In the study, users listed prices as the type of information that mattered most to them. Sites have many excuses for not wanting to display prices. But without giving users a basic idea of what a product or service will cost, they can’t complete the early-stage research needed to even start a buying conversation. Even if listing exact prices isn’t possible, there are ways to indicate price level or starting costs.
Another common B2B tactic is to require users to register or complete lead-generation forms, which users are often reluctant to do. Nielsen recommends that companies move more information outside the barrier so it’s available during users’ initial research. This helps establish credibility before asking for contact information. At the very least, companies should follow registration form guidelines to make forms easier to complete.
The product information made available without registration must be complete enough for users to judge whether a website’s solution applies to their circumstances. In Nielsen’s study, incomplete product descriptions were a primary source of skepticism. The research firm suggests providing summaries and guides to educate new users about technical products and help frame how they think about their problems.
Navigation is another persistent issue. Many sites are segmented by internal structure rather than user perspective. But these segments often don’t align with how customers think of themselves, and users must click many times to find the right category. For example, a simple segmentation such as company size isn’t always obvious, as not everyone will know what counts as “small.” Better sites annotate their choices with clear definitions.
By emphasizing usability, B2B websites can help users accomplish advanced tasks and research specialized products. The payoff could be significant, as these users often aren’t one-time buyers—they’re long-term decision-makers looking for trustworthy vendor relationships.
Nielsen Norman Group studied 170 B2B websites varying in industry, company size, and design. It used three research methodologies to understand the issues involved: focus groups, field studies, and direct observation of business professionals using B2B websites.
The clarity that changes everything
Usability isn’t a “nice to have” in B2B—it’s the difference between being considered and being dismissed.
Designing for trust, not just traffic
If a B2C site frustrates a shopper, they click away and move on. In B2B, the stakes are higher. The buyer might be researching on behalf of an entire team, department, or company. They may have budget approval on the line. And yet, many B2B websites still prioritize internal logic, lead-gen incentives, or sales team preferences over basic user needs.
This gap between what B2B companies want (more leads) and what B2B buyers need (more clarity) is more than a usability issue. It’s a trust issue. When a site hides pricing, forces registration too early, or lacks useful descriptions, it signals misalignment. And buyers take note.
The internet has long become a research-first environment. Yet many B2B sites continued to treat it as a place to tease, rather than serve.
The result? Missed opportunities and lowered credibility.
What Nielsen Norman surfaced here is relevant: when you give users what they need to think clearly and move forward, you become part of their shortlist. When you don’t, you’re simply background noise.
Usability is the new credibility
In an era where digital interactions increasingly define brand trust, B2B marketers can no longer afford to overlook usability. It doesn’t matter how niche the solution or how long the sales cycle. Every digital touchpoint sends a message.
The strongest sites remove friction. They anticipate questions. They invite exploration instead of forcing extraction. And they do it not by dumbing things down—but by making clarity the default.
Because in B2B, the most valuable action isn’t a form fill. It’s a moment of confidence: when a buyer says, “this looks like it was made for someone like me.”
