Web reflects new age of auto retailing
In February, our Ford dealership launched a new website, which includes an array of new features, functions and branding elements.
Our updated website got me thinking about how far dealership websites have come in the last 20 years. In the mid-1990s, with the advent of the Internet, most websites were little more than glorified brochures with static images and no interactive capabilities.
Today, websites are sleek, sophisticated, multi-functional and optimized to persuade shoppers to stay longer and to accommodate purchasing decisions. The latest dealer websites reflect a new era in automobile retailing and have changed the car-buying experience for the better.
Take used cars, for example. Prior to the Internet, most used-car traffic and sales came from between10 to 100 kms away from a dealership (depending on the location of the dealership).
Today, car shoppers and buyers originate from across Canada.
Whether you’re looking for a new or pre-owned vehicle, dealership websites offer a wide selection of vehicles with professional photos and descriptions of each model. Used-vehicle inventory is updated weekly, if not daily.
Shoppers visit a dealer website to conduct research about specific models and to learn about the dealership. They can view pricing and warranty information, arrange financing and even purchase a car entirely online, without ever stepping foot inside a dealership.
If shoppers want to speak to a live person, many websites offer realtime chat capabilities (24/7/365) to answer questions and/or to book appointments.
The service and parts departments have evolved as well. Dealer websites allow customers to book service appointments and purchase accessories online. Many sites offer valuable information about car-care maintenance as well as service advice.
Dealer websites often include other items, too, including details about sales programs, testimonials, independent consumer reviews, seasonal service specials, brand name tires, staff information, corporate videos, industry news, social media links, and more.
One of the major changes with dealer websites has been the focus on mobile. In April 2015, Google introduced a mobile-friendly algorithm, Mobilegeddon, which reflects the increased trend in mobile-device usage over PC Internet use.
Mobilegeddon is an algorithm that favours mobile-optimized websites that feature layout and text designed for easy access on a smartphone. Google tweaks its algorithms daily, and occasionally it provides a major update, previously with Panda and Penguin, and now with Mobilegeddon.
A mobile-friendly website is usually a condensed version of a desktop version and reformats itself for hand-held devices. The key elements of a mobile optimized site include simplified navigation (thumb friendly), reduced graphics, and easy, click-to-call functionality.
Google now ranks mobile-friendly websites higher in search rankings than websites that aren’t mobilefriendly. As a result, companies whose websites aren’t optimized for mobile will discover (if they haven’t already) that they are less visible and relevant in mobile searches.
Some dealerships have taken mobile website a step further by creating apps that allow customers to schedule service appointments, take a virtual tour of the facility, order parts, view vehicle inventory, get a quote on a new or pre-owned vehicle, plan a trip, receive special deals and promotions.
It’s incredible to realize how dealers’ websites have evolved over the past two decades, and how each innovation serves to enhance the car-buying experience.
To learn more about where our industry is going, or if you are considering a career in the automotive industry, visit carsandjobs.com. This column represents the views of TADA. Write to president@tada.ca or go to tada.ca. Doug Sullivan is president of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association. He is a new car dealer in Huntsville, Ont.