Autoshop Solutions is proud to announce that, for the seventh year in a row, we’ve made the list of AutoInc’s Top Ten websites of the year. Having designed 5 of the 10 winning websites, we’re here to share some trade secrets with you.
Your website is the anchor to all of your on and offline marketing, and can be vital to your shop’s success. Does your website stand out against your competition, provide a friendly user experience and drive appointments? Here are some of the most important features that are common to powerful websites, and the criteria that AutoInc uses to determine each year’s winning websites:
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Be mobile friendly.
Having a separate mobile website no longer makes the cut. Your website needs to built in responsive technology, so the website itself formats to fit individual screen sizes, giving users a positive experience on any device, and increasing your chances of a converting them into paying customers.
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Have a strong call to action (CTA).
What’s the purpose of your website? In the auto repair industry, websites are almost always built with one main CTA: make the phone ring. The CTA should be easy to find, and you want to keep in mind what type of information will encourage – and discourage – conversions.
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Provide a great first impression.
Potential customers need to be convinced, in a very short amount of time, why they should choose your shop instead of your competitors. Your website should appear professional, portray clean and friendly pictures of your shop and staff and instill trust in visitors.
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Have a clear purpose.
In almost all cases, the purpose of your auto repair website is to provide contact and location information, while communicating what types of services your shop offers. Information on your staff, your partners, your community involvement, etc, is important in setting yourself apart from the competition, but should be secondary to the main purpose.
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Be consumer friendly.
Don’t make visitors work to find the information they’re looking for. Have your business name, phone number, address and information on what you do all clearly visible, and make sure your website is built in a way that creates a friendly user experience on all types of devices and screen sizes.
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Be technically sound.
The easiest way to do this is to keep your website up to date. As technology changes, third party integrations can stop working effectively, updated browser versions can begin to distort your website, integrations can break, and so on. A good rule of thumb is to redesign your website every 2 years, or every time there’s a major shift in design or technology.
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Be credible.
Is your shop part of the BBB? Are your technicians ASE certified? Add credibility to your name by noting your certifications, professional partnerships, and so on.
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Have links to your social media channels
And any other important third party sites. Consumer preferences vary, and you want to make sure website visitors can easily find your Yelp or Google reviews, Facebook page, or otherwise. Having these logos and links visible and linking properly will help create a positive user experience, and allow potential customers to find and engage with you on their preferred platform.
Remember, your competitors are (literally) just the click of a mouse away. Is your website going to make the cut?
Autoshop Solutions