How Aramsco’s Commitment to Compliance Boosted SEO and Website Performance

• Aramsco is committed to providing a seamless e-commerce experience for all customers, including those with disabilities. When the company received notification regarding accessibility barriers on their website, they took swift action to address potential issues.
• Because Aramsco’s development team was new to accessibility, they needed training solutions that would help them create better user experiences. They also required tools for addressing accessibility across their large network of digital assets: more than 40 websites across more than 200 domains.
• Level Access provided Aramsco with practical training through the Level Access Academy, equipping developers with skills they could immediately apply to their work.
• Aramsco used the Level Access Platform to manage testing and implementation at scale. The platform made it easy for developers to prioritize high-impact issues and understand exactly how to implement fixes.
• Improving accessibility has not only strengthened Aramsco’s compliance standing but also improved their SEO and overall website performance. After addressing accessibility barriers, Aramsco saw a 20% increase in time on site and a decrease in bounce rates from 35% to 20%.

As a leading provider of industrial and commercial products, Aramsco aims to offer an exceptional online shopping experience for all customers, regardless of abilities. So, when the company received notification that its website contained accessibility barriers, the team acted swiftly to address potential issues.

Aramsco recognized that ensuring compliance wasn’t just critical to improving customer experiences and upholding their values—it was aligned with their business goals. “At first, the complaint was confusing and frustrating. But it brought our attention to an important opportunity to make the buying process easier for our entire customer base,” says Brian Barney, Director, Website Development, Aramsco. “That’s just good business.”

However, the Aramsco team was new to accessibility and initially lacked the internal expertise to conform with accessibility standards. Meeting compliance requirements was particularly complex given their extensive collection of digital assets: The team manages more than 40 websites across more than 200 domains. They needed a partner that could help them not only build the knowledge and skills required to start resolving barriers but also equip them with tools for efficiently addressing accessibility across their extensive network of sites.

To fill critical knowledge gaps and address web accessibility at scale, Aramsco partnered with Level Access. “We wanted a solution that would enable us to make sustainable fixes at the code level, across a large number of websites,” says Barney. “Level Access offered the technology, services, and education we needed to accomplish that goal.”

Aramsco’s developers quickly built accessibility skills through the Level Access Academy. The Academy’s developer-focused courses helped them learn and apply best practices, including structuring content in HTML, ensuring sufficient color contrast with CSS, and correctly using ARIA labels.

Equipped with a strong foundation in accessibility, the Aramsco team could swiftly address issues with the Level Access Platform. The platform presented findings from both manual and automated testing alongside remediation recommendations, making it easy for developers to implement fixes.

Because the platform provided context like issue location and severity, developers clearly understood what to tackle first. They started with high-impact, low-effort fixes like adding alt text at the theme level, which could simultaneously impact hundreds of pages.

To drive further efficiency, the team used the Level Access Platform to group issues by type, enabling them to apply similar fixes at the same time. “Being able to group issues was especially helpful, because if I was already fixing contrast in one area, I could quickly resolve all the other contrast issues across a site,” says Kevin Morales, Web Producer, Aramsco. Once simpler issues were addressed, the team moved onto more complex challenges, like those associated with third-party plug-ins.

As Aramsco’s collection of digital assets continues to expand—including through the acquisition of new sites—the Level Access Platform empowers the team to benchmark the accessibility of new domains, understand the scope of accessibility work for these sites, and take action to bring them into compliance.

Thanks to their accessibility efforts, Aramsco has not only reduced legal risk and improved user experience but also boosted overall website performance. They’ve observed a 20% increase in time on site, and bounce rates are down from 35% to 20%. Additionally, they’ve tracked a 12% increase in returning customers.

Creating more accessible and user-friendly web content has also enhanced Aramsco’s SEO. “We’re now showing up on the first pages of queries where we don’t even buy ads or run specific campaigns,” says Barney. “It’s completely organic, and I credit the work we’ve put into accessibility.”

While Aramsco began their accessibility journey to achieve compliance, their efforts have paid off in a more engaged, loyal customer base and broader brand visibility. By ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, have a positive online experience, they’ve ultimately positioned the business for continued growth.