Key takeaways
- Your website is where every other channel sends people. If it does not convert, nothing else works as well as it should.
- Scientific buyers want detail. Specifications, data and documentation should be easy to find.
- Different audiences need different paths through the site.
- Every page should have a clear next step that matches where the visitor is in their decision.
Many life science websites look modern and say very little. Others contain everything a buyer could want, buried so deep that nobody finds it. A good site does both jobs: it makes a strong first impression and gives expert visitors the depth they need to move forward. Here are the ten things we look for first.
1. A one-sentence answer to "what do you do?"
Within five seconds, a visitor should know what you make, who it is for and why it matters. If your homepage headline could belong to any company in your category, rewrite it. Our guide to positioning a science company can help.
2. Clear paths for each audience
Scientists, procurement teams, partners and investors come to your site looking for different things. Give each a clear route, through navigation organized by application, role or industry rather than by your internal org chart.
3. Product and application pages with real depth
Include specifications, performance data, compatible workflows, documentation and honest comparisons. A product page with two paragraphs and a "contact us" button loses expert buyers who want to evaluate before they talk to anyone.
4. Evidence that is easy to find
Publications, validation studies, application notes and case studies should be a click away from every relevant page, not hidden in a resources section. Publish the key findings as web pages, not only as PDFs.
5. Credibility signals
Show the team behind the science, your publications, certifications such as ISO 13485 for medical device quality management where relevant, partners and customers. Specifics build trust. Stock photos of people in lab coats do not.
6. Case studies with numbers
Show real customers, real problems and measured results. Even a short case study with one strong number does more than pages of feature descriptions.
7. Calls to action that match intent
Not every visitor is ready for a sales call. Offer steps for each stage: download an application note, request a sample, get a quote, book a demo, talk to a scientist. Make the primary action obvious on every page.
8. Speed and mobile performance
Many researchers browse on phones between experiments, and slow pages lose visitors and rankings. Compress images, avoid heavy scripts and test on real devices.
9. A structure built for search and AI
Clear headings, descriptive page titles, internal links between related pages and structured data help both search engines and AI tools understand your content. Build this in from the start rather than retrofitting it. See our SEO and AI search approach.
10. Compliance built in
Make sure claims match your regulatory status in each market, intended use statements are clear, and privacy and cookie notices meet the rules where your visitors are, including GDPR for UK and European visitors.
When is it time for a redesign?
Consider a rebuild when your positioning has changed, when your sales team avoids sending people to the site, when conversion rates are low despite good traffic, or when updating content requires a developer every time. A redesign is also the best moment to fix SEO foundations. Our website design service covers strategy, copy, design and build together.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a life science website redesign take?
A focused site typically takes eight to fourteen weeks from strategy to launch, depending on the number of pages, the amount of new content and how quickly reviews happen.
Should we write website copy before or after design?
Before, or at least alongside. Designing around real messaging produces better pages than filling a finished design with text.
What platform should a life science website use?
It depends on your team. WordPress, Webflow and well-built static sites all work. The best choice is the one your team can update easily while keeping pages fast and well structured.
Want help putting this into practice?
We're a scientist-led marketing team for life science and technical companies. Tell us what you're working on and we'll show you where to start.
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