BodyShop Marketing Explains Why Accessibility Is Important for Auto Body Websites
When auto body shop owners think of what makes a great auto body website, some of the top components are design, brand compatibility, ease of navigation, and speed. An often-overlooked element companies should consider is accessibility. In simple words, accessibility means making the site easy to use for as many people as possible, specifically users with visual and hearing impairments.
BodyShop Marketing, an online marketing agency focused on helping auto body shops improve their reach and revenue, gives five reasons accessibility is important in auto body shop web design.
What Makes a Website Accessible?
According to the CDC, about one in four American adults lives with a disability of some kind. This includes visual impairments, hearing difficulties, and other types of limitations that may make it difficult for people to use websites. When digital agencies consider how to design a website, accessibility should always be a consideration since it will impact a significant portion of the site’s users.
Per Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), to count as accessible, a site must be:
- Perceivable. Users must be able to recognize the information presented on the website through at least some of their senses.
- Operable. Visitors must be able to interact with the site’s user interface.
- Understandable. The information and the user interface must be clear and easy to understand.
- Robust. The site’s content should keep up with evolving technologies.
Practically, this includes using optimal color contrast, including descriptive headings that make the site easy to navigate, using alt text for photos, enabling keyboard navigation, and adding multimedia transcripts and subtitles. BodyShop Marketing always ensures its custom websites for auto body shops are accessible to accommodate users with disabilities.
The following reasons dive deeper into the specifics of why accessibility is important.
1. Wider Market Reach
Different degrees of disability are extremely common. Auto body shop owners should assume that about a quarter of their website visitors live with an impairment of some kind. Catering to these people means a wider outreach and a larger customer base.
When someone with disabilities looks for auto body shop services online, the site’s clarity and ease of use are primary considerations. A potential client will bounce back if they run into a website they can’t read or navigate, especially if the sites of other local body shops offer a more satisfying experience. With a highly competitive market, auto body shops can’t afford to exclude clients with disabilities when considering website design.
2. A Better Business Image
Brand image and reputation are prime, albeit intangible, assets for body shops. Considering people with disabilities in website design sends a clear, positive message: “Our business cares about everyone. We’re here to accommodate every client’s needs.”
A visit to an auto body shop’s website is the first step in customer service. When a potential client can easily schedule a service, fill out a form, or make a call from the body shop’s site, this gives them a positive feeling about the business. The above is doubly true if the client has had previous frustrating experiences when using other body shop sites. Happy clients are also likelier to write positive reviews, which helps businesses boost credibility.
3. SEO Improvement
Many auto body shops run expensive SEO campaigns to rank higher in Google and secure a place in the local 3-Pack. However, the first step toward search engine optimization should be a website audit that also looks at accessibility.
Sites that employ best practices for digital accessibility, like good color contrast and alternative text for images, have a better chance of ranking higher in search engines. The reason for this is simple: disability-friendly sites will have lower bounce rates and encourage users to spend more time on the site. Better metrics influence Google’s algorithms and help the site rank higher.
4. Legal Compliance
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that people with disabilities deserve equal access to web content. This means businesses, including auto body shops, must ensure their sites accommodate screen readers, include captions, allow keyboard navigation, and use other measures to make their sites accessible.
Web inaccessibility opens the door to a potential lawsuit, which can be costly, stressful, and extremely damaging to a business’s reputation. Thousands of companies face digital accessibility lawsuits yearly, and courts overwhelmingly rule in favor of clients who cannot use a site because of its inaccessibility.
Making a site accessible or auditing an existing site for ADA compliance would cost far less than a possible inaccessibility lawsuit.
5. Larger Revenue
An auto body shop website that is accessible to people with disabilities will capture more clients and enjoy a higher conversion rate. Moreover, satisfied customers tend to become loyal clients. When a customer is happy with the service they get and their overall interaction with the auto body shop, there’s a good chance this business will become the go-to local service for their automotive needs.
To recap, investing in auto body site accessibility improves outreach, helps capture clients, creates a better customer experience, and helps auto body shop owners earn more money.
Contact BodyShop Marketing for more information about why accessibility is important for auto body shop websites, the importance of responsive web design, and other elements of digital marketing for auto body businesses. Call (855) 667-9648, email hello@bodyshopmarketing.io, or fill out the online form on BodyShop Marketing’s website to schedule a consultation.
Interested in learning more about website design for your auto body shop? Check out this video on YouTube:
