In this day and age, Restoration, Performance, Race, and Restyling Shops can’t afford to have a weak online presence, so staying ahead is a must.

Even if you do decide to hire a web developer or marketing agency, we believe it’s still important to familiarize yourself with and take the time to address all the issues we’ve listed here.

Issue #1: START HERE - Neglecting your website & only focusing on social media

One of the most common website-related mistakes you can make is relying only on social media while neglecting your website – or not having a site at all. We see this a lot with people starting out in the automotive aftermarket.

Solution 

Social media can do a lot for your business – especially when it comes to growing your customer base and keeping them engaged – but it can’t do everything. Most likely, you’ll need a strong, clear, user-friendly website to carry out the bulk of your business online, from booking consultations to converting casual visitors into customers. An experienced web designer or web development agency who specializes in the automotive industry can help. Together, you can build and maintain the perfect site for your business, that goes hand-in-hand with your social media presence. 

Pro tip: Strike a balance by using social media as a complementary tool to drive traffic to your website. Share project teasers, exclusive content, and updates to encourage your audience to explore your website for more information on your automotive aftermarket services.

#Issue 2: An incomplete site map

Before you or a developer start building your site, you need to understand what pages and content to include. We find so many sites that are missing key pages, making it difficult for visitors to find the information they need. Here’s a simple example of key pages we always start out with for an auto restoration or build shop:

• 
  Home
• Our Services
• [Service] 
• [Service] 
• [Service]
• [Service]
• [Service]
• FAQs
• Photo Gallery
• Current Projects
• Completed Projects
• About
• Our Facility 
• Our Team 
• Testimonials 
• Careers
• Contact
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Notice
• Accessibility Statement
  
  

Solution

First, consider what people want to know when they search for your automotive aftermarket products and services. Plan to build your site so that it answers their questions and offers solutions to the problems they’re trying to solve. What would help them choose to work with you? An FAQ page? A gallery of builds you’re proud of? 

Issue #3: Missing or low-quality content 

Quality content (copy and images) is the lifeblood of any successful website, and a lack of it can seriously impact your level of perceived professionalism.

Solution

Think about the story that you're going to tell across your entire site creating great SEO rich copy for each page of your site. You should also consider adding a blog with step-by-step DIY guides, process demos, and showcasing successful vehicle builds. Enhance your site by including FAQs and detailed pages to offer valuable information to visitors.

Once you’ve loaded your site with valuable content, perform regular content audits to ensure accuracy, relevance, and proper grammar.

Pro tip: Encourage user-generated content, such as customer reviews and testimonials, to enhance credibility and authenticity. Oh, and we mention blogs because they’re great for SEO (search engine optimization), helping your website show up more prominently in search results. One key thing to remember is that anyone could enter your site on any page. Not everyone hits your homepage first.

Issue #4: Lack of clear Calls To Action

Clear and compelling Calls To Action (CTAs) in your website text or buttons will guide your visitors toward the action you want them to take. Unclear CTAs may lead to confused visitors and missed opportunities.

Solution

Strategically position prominent CTAs and descriptive buttons at relevant places throughout the pages of your site. Ensure the language is concise, action-focused, and tells users exactly what to do next.

Pro tip: Carry out A/B testing on different CTAs to find out which ones resonate best with your audience.

Issue #5: Neglecting Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A lack of good quality SEO related content that informs the search engines about your products and services can make it extremely difficult for your audience to find your website.

I always say that Google does not care about your business, they care about their customers, the people using their search tools. Google’s goal is to provide the best possible experience to their customers by giving them the most accurate results to their search queries and if you’re not tell Google who you are or what you do by making sure you have great content that includes keyword phrases your potential customer search for Google will not deliver your business to your potential customers search results.

Solution

Make sure your website follows SEO best practices. This includes crafting compelling Title and meta tag descriptions for each page, using SEO-rich H1 headers, optimizing your on-site copy to include important keyword phrases and optimizing images with descriptive ALT tags.

Pro tip: Regularly monitor your website's performance through tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. Adjust your SEO strategy based on these insights for best results.

Issue #6: No contact information or contact form

If you expect people to hire you, they’ll need a quick and easy way to get a hold of you first. Prospective customers should have easy access to contact information. If you’re missing this, it can leave them frustrated – and possibly send them on to a competitor's website.

Solution

Make sure your contact details are readily available on your website. Consider placing them in the header or footer for maximum visibility and accessibility. You can even embed a scheduling tool into your site like Calendly or Book Like a Boss.

Pro tip: Include as many contact options as possible, like a contact form, email address, phone number, and even a physical address, if possible.

Issue #7: Missing or hard to navigate headers and footers

Other common stumbling blocks for website visitors are poor headers, and footers that aren’t properly formatted – or haven’t been included at all. These are two key features that elevate both the look and feel of your website and its ease of navigation. Leaving these items unaddressed can often lead to users feeling frustrated. 

Solution

Keep your website menu simple, use clear labels, and organize your content logically. Make it easy for users to find what they want without any hassle. We also always recommend linking your phone number in the header and making sure you logo is readable and looks great. And remember social media profiles? Put all those social media links down in the footer.

Pro tip: Carry out user testing or gather feedback from your audience to identify any issues with your website’s look and feel as well as how easy it is to navigate.

Next Time

Check back as we address even more common website issues you'll want to avoid.

Part 2