8 Things Auto Buyers Want To See On Dealer Websites
In the past, customers would visit many dealerships to look at cars, ask questions, and obtain vehicle information. Nowadays, clients study dealerships online by hopping from one dealership website to another, frequently only visiting the brick-and-mortar location of the dealership for the final step—the test drive. If a dealer wants to attract people to his lot, he should make everything a potential buyer needs and wants to know about a car—from photographs and price to specifications and financing information—available on the dealership website. It then becomes a matter of whether you are providing your potential clients with what they require on your dealership website in a way that will lead to a transaction.
The shortlist of requirements that automobile buyers have for a dealership website is essential to generating those sales. An auto dealer website should be:
Engaging/User-Friendly – You have approximately 10 seconds to grab visitors’ attention once they arrive at your website. Within the initial ten seconds, you have their attention, or they move on. By their very nature, websites for car dealerships don’t offer much in the way of entertainment, so you need to take every precaution to ensure that users have a positive and straightforward experience. Achieving the ideal balance between a visually appealing dealer website design, simple navigation, and excellent/informative content is crucial. You will lose clients if you give them something to gripe about or if you make their experience challenging, perplexing, or otherwise annoying.
Amazing Pictures/Content – Amazing pictures, ones that make any car appear to be worth a million dollars, will draw and hold a customer’s interest. An automobile is, after all, a substantial investment. The pictures you offer are the ultimate visual pitch since you want your consumer to believe he is getting the best car available. Similarly, compelling content that is factual and explains to the customer what makes a specific vehicle stand out from the competition can be important. Additionally, you should always have the vehicle’s specifications available on your dealership website for individuals who want the specifics. You should have content that “speaks” to both your auto enthusiasts and your purchasers who just want the proper car without knowing how it operates because not all customers are aware of the differences between a V6 and a V8.
Inventory Searches: At the very least, a car dealership’s inventory search should let buyers select their preferred model, make, color, year, and price, as well as whether the vehicle is new, used, or certified used. Some auto shops offer additional search options for their inventory based on attributes like drivetrain and engine type. While conducting his research, a customer can learn what he needs by requesting and receiving online quotes, calculating financing, scheduling a test drive, and chatting with dealership staff. However, these capabilities are secondary to the customer’s need to find the ideal car quickly and easily on a dealer’s website.
Comparison of two vehicles side by side Flipping back and forth between several displays to evaluate automotive characteristics is irritating and a waste of time when a buyer is debating between two or more cars. Customers of today are accustomed to receiving rapid satisfaction from slick features and apps, so they are less likely to put up with frustrating websites (slow to load, difficult to use, etc.). The user experience is useful in a way that can provide you with an advantage over your rival by enabling you to pull up two or more cars for a side-by-side comparison.
Social media share buttons Friends and relatives frequently have a significant, if not inconspicuous, impact on a buyer’s decision to buy expensive things like a car. Customers want to be able to email or upload a vehicle’s photo and details to social media to show their friends and family before making a decision. They want to hear what their loved ones think and experience their excitement. Customers may go to a site that has those capabilities if they can’t share a car’s photo or details on their preferred social media platforms.
Internet specials, deals, and coupons Online shoppers cannot avoid being inundated with coupons, promo codes, and other discounts. Customers now anticipate finding bargains, codes, and promos when they are ready to make a purchase, especially when the product is as pricey as a car. Even before they’ve decided on a car, shoppers might choose another website that does if you don’t have a section that reads “Internet Deals or Specials”! The psychological benefit of having such a section gives customers the impression that they may be able to receive a lower price or some advantage they wouldn’t get elsewhere. We’re not saying you have to give away automobiles in these offers, though. The important thing is to HAVE an internet specials/discount section as part of your auto dealership website, whether you choose to rotate coupons, tie them to purchase or service agreements, or just provide the odd oil change at a discount.
Schedule a test drive or put the car on hold. There may be nothing more upsetting than spending a lot of time looking for the ideal vehicle, finding it, and then having it sold to someone else because you were unable to test drive it. A feature that demonstrates your concern for the customer by allowing him to book a test drive as well as place a hold on a certain car until he can test drive it is available on your car dealer website.
Optimization for Smartphones and Tablets: Because 90% of clients switch between PCs, smartphones, and tablets, you should optimize your website for these devices. If your website isn’t mobile- and tablet-friendly, you’ve essentially ruined what would have been a simple user experience for your visitors. You already know what happens when your clients lose patience: they switch to a different car dealership’s website. Regardless of the device(s), visitors use to access your website over the course of a day, week, or month, providing a smooth and user-friendly transition for visitors helps assure you will retain those clients.
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