Your website is your 24\/7 sales channel. It\u2019s the first impression of your cybersecurity solution. It shows what your product can mean for your potential customer and indicates for whom the solution is suitable\u2014at least, it should. Unfortunately, we see many websites for cybersecurity solutions that completely miss the mark. That\u2019s a shame, because if the potential buyer can\u2019t find what they\u2019re looking for, they\u2019ll disengage, and you\u2019ll miss your sales opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to have a well-structured website. In this article, I\u2019ll share the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts for creating a website for a cybersecurity solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The texts on websites are often reasoned from the viewpoint of the people working at the cybersecurity company. For example, the technical team is very proud of the modern technologies used and wants to highlight this on the website. The management believes that the vision and mission should take center stage, while the support department wants to emphasize fast service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And what does the potential customer want to know? Usually none of this! Initially, a buyer wants to discover what the product does and, above all, which problem it solves. That\u2019s what your website should be about. So, don\u2019t write your website content from your own perspective; instead, keep your customer\u2019s challenges, needs, and questions in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s only one way to find out what customers want to know about your solution and how they experience it once they become customers: ask them! In my opinion, interviewing customers is step 1 when building a new website. During such a customer interview, you let the customers speak 90% of the time, ask probing questions, and pose different questions than you would in a sales conversation. Consider questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What was your first impression of our solution? What other solutions did you consider? Why do you work with us and not with a competitor? What problem does our solution solve for you? How would your daily work be different if you didn\u2019t use our cybersecurity product?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The answers from customers to these questions are invaluable and form the foundation for the content on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One size fits all fits nobody. If you try to appeal to everyone on your website, you\u2019ll have to keep things very general. The result? You won\u2019t truly engage anyone. An IT buyer from a large organization has different needs and criteria than a director of a small or medium-sized enterprise without technical staff. They also differ in their knowledge of the subject and their challenges. You can never trigger both with the same text. You\u2019ll need to choose who your ideal customer is and base your website content on that. Only then can you grab attention and spark interest through your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the website for your cybersecurity solution primarily black? And is there a hacker in a black hoodie featured somewhere? Busted! Your website\u2019s design looks too much like that of your competitors. It\u2019s good to resemble the \u201cstandard website\u201d in the industry to create a sense of familiarity for the visitor. On the other hand, you also want to showcase how you differ from your competitors. Why should the visitor choose to become your customer instead of one of your competitors? That should be clearly communicated on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on your own strengths. There are already plenty of cybersecurity websites that instill fear by endlessly discussing risks and dangers. If personal customer contact and alleviating customer concerns are among your USPs, then a black site that focuses on risks isn\u2019t appropriate. Instead, you\u2019ll want to showcase photos of the people the customer will be in contact with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, take a good look at your competitors’ websites. Some overlap is fine for necessary recognition, but above all, highlight what sets you apart. Make sure the impression you create with your site aligns with your organization and solution. There are already enough cookie-cutter websites out there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I often visit cybersecurity websites where, after looking at the header and homepage, I have no idea what they do. For instance, I recently saw \u201cSecure your mission\u201d in large letters at the top of a site. This could refer to many different products. Is it a compliance tool that helps you check if you\u2019ve completed all your security checks? Is it an MDR tool that keeps an eye on things? Are they ethical hackers testing your systems? No idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It may seem boring, but I advocate for clearly explaining what your product does. Start with this in your header. No visions, no futuristic promises, no vague terms. Just state what you do, how it helps your customers, and for whom the solution is intended. That\u2019s it! After that comes the supporting information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scattering vague terms and clich\u00e9s also happens randomly throughout the rest of the website. \u201cSecure\u201d is probably the most common term in cybersecurity, but it doesn\u2019t say as much as it seems. What are you securing? How are you securing it? Other buzzwords I see frequently include unparalleled, machine learning, and innovative. How often have you purchased something because the company claimed to be innovative? Exactly. This doesn\u2019t help your potential customers either. The more concrete you are, the better your website will perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the interest of being concrete: there\u2019s nothing clearer than showing your product. This way, a potential customer immediately gets an idea of what it looks like, what the product does, how easy it is to use, and so on. There\u2019s little more persuasive than that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t be afraid to put your product in the spotlight. Yes, your competitors will see it too, but consider how much time you\u2019ve invested in its development. They can\u2019t just replicate that easily. Moreover, they might be targeting a different audience or using different methods to build their solution. Besides, if competitors really want to, they\u2019ll find a way to see your product anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, building a website can be quite cumbersome. Every department wants to have their say, and intense discussions can arise over small details, even before the site is live. That\u2019s a waste of time! You don\u2019t need to have a perfect website right away because you can always continue to develop it. Your website isn\u2019t set in stone\u2014that\u2019s the beauty of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, stop debating over the font, visuals, and other matters that don\u2019t really make a difference, and just go live. The great thing about having a website online is that you can learn a lot from it. You can analyze user behavior to discover what people are looking for, and you can briefly address your website in sales and customer conversations. Ask your customers and prospects for help by inquiring about their first impressions, whether they could easily find answers to their questions, and how they felt about your site. People love to help and will give you honest feedback. That\u2019s the most valuable feedback you can get, as it will help you continuously improve your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on the needs, questions, and challenges of your (potential) customers, showcase your unique value proposition, address a clear target audience, avoid vague terms and clich\u00e9s, display the product, and continuously develop it. This way, you ensure that your 24\/7 salesperson functions effectively!<\/p>\n\n\n\n