Remember what websites looked like in 2003? Small text, lots of bright colors, and tiny images scattered across the screen? Hopefully your auto shop has moved on to a more sophisticated design by now, but trends in design are always changing. Even if your shop’s website has been redesigned in the past few years, it could still be outdated. Here’s a quick and easy way to check the status of your current site:

Is your shop’s website…

• Non-interactive? People go to your website to take action. If they can’t set up an appointment, write a review, or engage in conversation in some way or another, what’s the point of even having a website in the first place? Engaging with website visitors gives you a better chance of turning them into customers.
• Overly promotional? Pop-ups and flashy offers can sometimes be effective, but it’s easy to tell when you’re trying too hard. Keep it simple when it comes to promotions. Most people come to your website to have their questions answered, not to be distracted.
• Non-responsive? This is very important. In short, a responsive website means that it’s easy to navigate on a smartphone. As more and more people use their phones to search the web, you want to make sure that your website is compatible without the device that they’re using. If you haven’t already, go check out our “mobile takeover” blog to get a more elaborate description of why having a mobile-friendly site is essential.
• Using Flash? Adobe flash has become extremely outdated because it is not compatible with iOS devices like iPhones, Macs, or iPads. Due to this incompatibility, Google gives better search results to websites that use HTML5 or CSS3.
• Broken? The last thing you want is a website that won’t work. One of the worst things you could do to your auto shop is opening your website to a “404: Page Not Found” message. Without a functional website, you’re missing out on connecting with an unlimited amount of potential customers. The last thing you want is to shorten your reach, so make sure all links and pages are functioning the way you intended them to.

If your website falls into one or more of these categories, you could be at serious risk. At CarCareCONNECT, we design sleek and functional websites, and are constantly updating them so that you won’t have to worry about your site going out of style. Find out more about how we can take your website to the next level by calling 1-800-591-8675 or visiting our Contact Us page.