Clicks to Connections: Building a Dealership Website that Converts
Is your dealership website a welcoming online showroom or a digital dead end? Numerous recent studies (Shift Digital, Overfuel) have revealed a worrying trend: despite increased website traffic, many dealerships are seeing a decline in leads. This disconnect highlights a crucial issue – dealership websites often fail to provide the seamless and engaging experience that today’s car buyers expect.
At Omni, we’ve worked with countless dealerships and witnessed firsthand how cluttered layouts, clunky tools, and outdated design choices can sabotage your online potential. However, these problems are fixable.
1. Keep it Simple
Think Amazon. Their success lies in simplicity. While automotive retail is different, users still expect a streamlined experience. Focus on getting customers where they want to be – viewing vehicles or scheduling service – with minimal clicks.
2. Make it Effective
Customers often want to know three things: price, payment, and trade-in value. Make this information readily accessible with clear calls to action (CTAs). “Schedule a Test Drive” is another powerful CTA that encourages engagement.
3. Encourage Engagement (the Right Way)
CTAs should lead to real action, not dead ends. Don’t hide information behind lead gates or endless forms. Answer questions directly through chat tools or easy-to-use forms. Frustrated customers won’t convert.
4. Optimize for Mobile
With mobile usage dominating dealership website traffic (60-75%), your site must be mobile-friendly. Test every feature, tool, and page to ensure it looks and functions perfectly on any device.
5. Don’t Sacrifice User Experience for SEO
Search engine optimization is crucial, but not at the expense of user experience. Prioritize a strong user experience that naturally aligns with Google’s SEO guidelines. Both are achievable.
A good user experience is the foundation of a successful dealership website. Following these tips can bridge the gap between site traffic and lead generation, turning digital shoppers into paying customers.