Your website is likely your first—and sometimes only—impression on families during one of their most difficult moments. If visitors can't navigate it, read the engraving samples, or contact you easily, you're losing leads to competitors who invested in accessibility.
Why Accessibility Matters for Your Business
Monument engraving isn't a casual purchase. Families researching headstones, urns, and memorial plaques are often grieving, stressed, and sometimes coordinating across multiple family members—some elderly, some with vision or hearing challenges. A website that's hard to use doesn't just frustrate visitors; it signals unprofessionalism and may cause them to call a competitor instead.
Accessible websites also rank better in search engines. Google rewards sites that load faster, have readable text, and work on all devices. That's money in your pocket.
Start with Text Contrast and Font Size
The easiest, highest-impact fix is readable text. Black text on white works. Avoid light gray on white—it looks modern but fails accessibility standards and hurts conversions.
Use a minimum of 16px font size for body text on desktop. Headlines should be 24px or larger. Serif fonts like Georgia or Times New Roman are easier to read on screens than thin, decorative fonts.
Test your site at home using a screen reader tool (NVDA and JAWS are industry standard; NVDA is free). Listen to how it reads your portfolio, pricing, and contact form. If it sounds confusing, visitors using assistive technology will abandon you.
Make Your Engraving Portfolio Accessible
Monument businesses live and die by before-and-after visuals. A portfolio full of stunning granite etchings is useless if screen readers can't describe them.
Add alt text to every image. Instead of "Headstone_2024.jpg," write: "Gray granite headstone with deep-etched roses and gold leaf accents, 36 inches tall." Be specific. Describe the stone type, design elements, dimensions if visible, and finish (matte, polished, gold-filled).
Include written descriptions alongside portfolio pieces. Explain what makes each restoration or engraving noteworthy: "Restored 1950s limestone monument with re-carved lettering; matching original weathering and finish" tells potential customers exactly what you can do.
Video Captions Are Non-Negotiable
If you post engraving time-lapses, restoration tutorials, or testimonial videos, caption them. Families watching during work on muted devices, or hard-of-hearing visitors, will stick around and actually engage.
YouTube's auto-captioning is free but often incorrect for technical terms ("granite" becomes "gran it"). Spend $50–150 per video on professional captioning services like Rev or 3Play Media. It's cheap insurance against lost leads.
Simplify Your Contact and Quote Process
A lengthy contact form with mandatory fields beyond name, phone, and email is a barrier. Families want to specify a few details—stone type, size, engraving style—and get a callback or quote quickly.
Offer multiple contact options:
- Phone number (clickable on mobile)
- Simple contact form (5 fields max)
- Email address
- Live chat (even asynchronous chat helps busy families)
If you offer online quotes or pricing tiers, make sure those pages load fast. Families researching on their phones in a funeral home office don't have time to wait 5+ seconds.
Mobile-First Design Isn't Optional
Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Your site must work flawlessly on phones and tablets. Text should reflow without horizontal scrolling, buttons should be thumb-sized (minimum 44x44 pixels), and images should scale proportionally.
Test on actual devices, not just browser simulators. Have a colleague with an older smartphone visit your site and report what breaks.
Consider a Listing on Mercoly
Monument and engraving businesses that list on Mercoly gain visibility among families actively searching for these services, generate qualified leads, and can showcase their portfolio and pricing all in one trusted platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does WCAG 2.1 AA compliance cost thousands to implement? No. Many fixes—alt text, better contrast, larger fonts, mobile optimization—are free or cost under $500 if you hire a freelancer for a few hours. Full audits by accessibility consultants run $1,500–3,000, but you don't need to start there.
Q: What's the most common mistake monument engravers make on their websites? Treating the portfolio as decoration instead of critical information. Families need to see stone samples, engraving styles, finishes (polished vs. matte), and size comparisons. Make these searchable and filterable if possible.
Q: Should I worry about accessibility if I mostly take phone orders? Yes. Even if 70% of business comes via phone, the 30% finding you online matters—and they're often the most motivated, researched buyers. A better website builds trust and increases order value.
List your services and start winning leads today on Mercoly.