If you run an engineering business, your website is rarely “just marketing”. It is a credibility check for procurement. A shortcut for engineers doing technical due diligence. A place where a buyer decides whether you are a safe pair of hands or a risk they cannot defend internally.

And in most UK engineering SMEs, the website does not fail because the work is not good. It fails because the evidence is hard to find, the message sounds like everyone else, and the route to an RFQ is vague.

This checklist is designed for owners and marketing teams who want a website that supports sales, not just a brochure.

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1. Make it obvious what you do in under 5 seconds

Your homepage headline should answer three questions immediately:

• What you do (in plain English)
• Who you do it for (industries, applications, or buyer type)
• Where you do it (UK wide, regions, export)

Avoid “precision” and “innovation” as the main message. Nearly every engineering company uses those words, so they do not help a buyer choose.

Quick test: show your homepage to someone outside your business for 10 seconds. Ask them what you do. If they cannot say it clearly, Google and procurement will struggle too.

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2. Structure the site around how buyers think, not your org chart

Engineering buyers typically look for one of these routes:

• A capability they need (fabrication, machining, design, installation, maintenance)
• A sector they operate in (energy, rail, food, aerospace, construction, pharma)
• An application or problem (downtime reduction, compliance, high tolerance parts, hazardous environments)

A strong structure usually includes:

• Services or capabilities
• Sectors or applications
• Proof (case studies, certifications, quality processes)
• A clear “Request a quote” path

If everything sits under “About” and “What we do”, you are asking the buyer to work too hard.

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3. Build trust like an engineer: show proof, not promises

Most engineering sites say:

• high quality
• fast turnaround
• great service
• experienced team

Procurement has read that a thousand times. What they need is evidence they can repeat internally.

Add proof blocks across the site:

• Accreditations and memberships (with context, not just logos)
• Quality process summaries (how you inspect, document, trace)
• Capacity and tolerances (what you can actually handle)
• Delivery performance metrics where possible
• Industries served, plus any relevant compliance experience

If you do need to show registered business details and contact information, make sure the essentials are present across the site (this is a common compliance miss on SME sites).

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4. Turn your case studies into tender assets

A good engineering case study is not a “nice story”. It is sales evidence.

Use this structure:

1. Problem: what was at risk (downtime, safety, compliance, cost, lead time)
2. Constraints: tolerances, materials, environment, timescales, approvals
3. Approach: how you engineered the solution (not just what you made)
4. Outcome: measurable result, plus what changed for the customer
5. Proof: photos, drawings (if allowed), testing, inspection, certificates

If you cannot share client names, you can still share detail safely by describing the sector and the technical constraints.

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5. Create one primary conversion path: RFQ

Engineering websites often have five different contact options, none of them clear.

Pick a primary action and repeat it consistently:

• Request a quote
• Send an enquiry
• Book a capabilities call

Then support it with a short RFQ form that matches how engineering buyers think.

A practical RFQ form (minimum):

• What do you need? (part, service, project, maintenance)
• Material or standards (if relevant)
• Quantity or scope
• Deadline
• Upload drawings or spec (optional but prominent)
• Required certifications (if relevant)

Keep it professional, not “salesy”. The goal is to reduce friction and capture the right detail first time.

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6. Stop hiding the “Why us” details in long PDF downloads

PDF capability packs are fine, but they should not be the only place the evidence lives.

Put the key decision information on pages that Google can index and buyers can scan:

• Capabilities and capacity
• Certifications and standards
• Equipment highlights (only what matters)
• Industries and applications
• QA process
• Lead times and dispatch options (where applicable)

Think of PDFs as a downloadable convenience, not the main website.

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7. Write service pages that match real searches

Many engineering sites have one page called “Services” with a list. That rarely ranks, and it rarely converts.

Instead, create focused pages that match intent, for example:

• CNC machining for [sector or application]
• On site maintenance for [region or equipment type]
• Fabrication and welding for [materials, codes, environments]
• Design for manufacture support for SMEs

Each page should include:

• What you deliver
• Typical projects
• Materials or standards
• Lead times and process
• Proof and case studies
• A clear RFQ route

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8. Improve speed and mobile usability (even for B2B)

Engineering buyers are often on mobile at factories, sites, or between meetings. A slow or fiddly site quietly damages credibility.

Prioritise:

• Fast loading pages
• Clean navigation
• Clear typography for technical content
• Simple enquiry actions

You do not need flashy. You need friction free.

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9. Add a “Procurement ready” section

This is an underrated win for engineering SMEs.

Create a page that procurement people will love, including:

• Company details and registrations
• Insurance basics (summary)
• Certifications and standards
• QA approach
• Health and safety approach
• Downloadable policies where appropriate
• Contact route for supplier onboarding

It saves back and forth, and it signals maturity.

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10. Measure what matters

If your website is meant to support growth, measure it like a system:

• Enquiry volume by type (RFQ vs general)
• Conversion rate on RFQ forms
• Which pages generate the most enquiries
• Search terms bringing in qualified traffic
• Time to respond (speed matters in competitive bids)

If you do not track these, you end up redesigning based on opinions.

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A quick self audit

If you only do three improvements this quarter, do these:

1. Rewrite your homepage message so it is specific and clear
2. Build a proper RFQ path with a practical form
3. Publish two strong case studies with outcomes and constraints

Those three alone usually lift enquiry quality, not just traffic.

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Is your engineering website doing enough to win RFQs?

If you would like, we can review your current website and give you a prioritised list of changes to improve search visibility and RFQ conversions. No fluff, just what to fix first and why. Get in touch today.