10 Great B-to-B Sites: Ounce Labs Inc.

Ounce Labs, which was recently acquired by IBM Corp., provides application security to software developers. Prior to March, the site exclusively targeted that segment, providing plenty of product and feature documentation. However, times have changed, said Jennifer Sullivan, the company's CMO, and today site visitors are just as likely to be CTOs or CIOs, segments that previously had been left out of the equation. “The old site only spoke to the technical develop audience, but there are more people involved in the buying process today,” she said.

That's why, during the most recent redesign, the site was overhauled from top to bottom, making it “dynamic and flexible,” replete with Web 2.0 functionality, Sullivan said.

On the backend, Ounce Labs added a content management system so it could update the site daily and tag content appropriately. On the front end, the company added several interactive elements, including on-demand video, an RSS feed and a product demonstration, all of which are now some of the most popular site elements, Sullivan said. Ounce Labs also added a free trial link, making it possible for users to start working with the product within 24 hours, she said.

Site navigation has changed, too. The text-driven menus use active verbs to send visitors where they need to go and help those accessing the site via mobile browsers to find what they need.

One of the biggest changes, Sullivan said, is the fact that now the site conveys the company's personality and direction—two things that were lacking in the past.

“Our company employees are energetic and well-known [in the industry],” she said. “The site reflects our casual and interactive focus.”

Expert commentary—Bill Rice, president, Web Marketing Association: The first thing that grabs you is the video. Using CEOs is sometimes questionable since they are not actors, but in this case it gives you a flavor and a feeling of the company. The site explains security issues people might have in a way that's straight-forward and focused on the user, and the problems and issues they are probably dealing with on a daily basis. Navigation is simple. You can find your way around and follow what's going on in the industry without having to click around to find it.