How to Choose a B2B Platform or Website to Scale your Business
In the world of the internet, B2B or business-to-business is the exchange of products or services between businesses instead of between businesses and consumers. There are so many B2B websites out there but how you can choose a B2B website for business? Here are a few tips:
1 – Website traffic
You have to consider two issues. First, how popular is the B2B site globally. For instance, through tradetuber.com and Search Alexa.com, you can find the website’s popularity. B2B websites ranked among the top 100,000 websites might be worthwhile. Lower ranked B2B trading sites are either old or not worth your investment and not worth your efforts.
Addressing the second issue, how much traffic the B2B site get from your primary market? For instance, several B2B marketplaces in China are popular there but get very little traffic from Europe and America. If you are searching for buyers from US or European markets, then a popular China B2B site will not be effective. Here, you can also think of incorporating a spin to win App for increasing customer engagement and participation. An expert like “Tada” can easily help implement such gamified and full screen pop up Apps on a B2B or eCommerce site for allowing customers to win a discount coupon and shop online from your store. This is how sales and visitors increase to any Shopify or WooCommerce store through such lead engagement ideas.
Through Alexa.com, you can see country-wise popularity on the page below the stats tables. Check the percentage of users are in the USA (or European markets). Also, check what is the popularity rank in the region you are interested to market your product or service?
2- Directory Information
All B2B sites list companies in an online directory. However, you need to be concerned with B2B sites that simply buy lists to build their directory. On those sites – of which there are many – companies often don’t even know they are listed. Besides, company information is generally not updated.
The result of this is that you can spend time sending messages to companies and the response will below. Because the info is old, or the receiver doesn’t even know log-in information.
3 – Online promotion
The foremost and key consideration for B2B site evaluation is to determine what form of promotion you will get. If you are a pop up mosquito net supplier, you need to find whether you get promotion in your country only or worldwide.
In this respect, all B2B trade sites promote members who are paid rather than free members. The question arises, will you get strong promotion for it to be worth the membership fees?
It is quite worthwhile to join and become a free member of any leading B2B site. It is a significant way to assess which B2B website provides the most quality inquiries. However, making simple accounts with bad information on free B2B websites hurts your company more than it supports it.
Whatever data your company has online, ensure it is professional and detailed. Anything less is a sales killer!
It is also worthwhile to upgrade your trade membership at a B2B site, which has active buyers of your products. It provides strong promotion for your products. For instance, Alibaba is a massive B2B site for Chinese companies but suppliers from other countries are drilled in search results below “Gold Suppliers” – which are all from China. Thus, while the B2B site is popular, it does not guarantee to provide promotion for traders outside China.
4 – B2B Site Evaluation
China Suppliers:
For the evaluation of a B2B site, search the contact buyers and directory that might be interested in your products. Make sure you have a company profile that is detailed and has good product details. Now, see what sort of response you receive. If you get a number of positive replies, go and upgrade to get further promotion on the site.
China buyers:
Most online buyers don’t want dozens of suppliers. They only want one or two quality ones. Thus, think about what happens when you post a buying lead. Does it reach thousands of companies and your inbox gets flooded with useless messages?
Good B2B sites:
Sites like Importers.com offer buyer services to help identify quality qualified suppliers. Rather than flooding your BUY lead to hundreds, they pick the most qualified suppliers. Then they provide sourcing services to help you make a buy decision.
Considering the above-mentioned information, Alibaba and Made in China are the B2B websites that are mostly recommended. It is worthwhile for any company to have a free membership account at both of these.
However, all B2B sites might not be best for your company. Also, it may not offer the best results when you upgrade your membership. Be sure to complete the evaluation on your own.
Wrap Up
To conclude, it is worthwhile to have a free membership at all leading B2B sites. However, at every website your company belongs to, make sure your information is professional and detailed. Buyers will always Google company names and if the information they find is not professional, you run the risk of losing their potential lead.
