#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
(03:23) - – Why most B2B websites fail to convert
(05:49) - – The common thread across 100+ website reviews from Exit Five members
(08:34) - – Why focusing on features instead of emotion kills conversions
(11:22) - – What is emotional targeting (and how to actually use it)?
(14:37) - – The power of customer research in website optimization
(17:59) - – How to apply emotional triggers to your homepage copy
(21:28) - – Mistakes B2B companies make with above-the-fold content
(24:30) - – Why you should write copy before designing the site
(29:05) - – Structuring your site around buyer intent and behavior
(32:22) - – How to get internal buy-in for messaging and UX changes
(35:39) - – The difference between product marketing and “just copywriting”
(38:55) - – The role of hierarchy, visual flow, and CTA placement
(42:21) - – When to simplify and when to educate on B2B websites
(45:43) - – Final takeaways and practical steps to start improving your site

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Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.

We Audited 100+ B2B Websites – Here's What We Learned (with Talia Wolf)

The Dave Gerhardt Show (from Exit Five)