Automotive Dealership Websites and Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has to start somewhere, but there are so many layers to it that it can be confusing. Where do I start first? What is the best campaign? Should I focus on third-party providers or SEO or e-mail blasts? Let's make some sense of it all.

First and foremost, with digital marketing everything needs to be thought out and calculated. We are trying to create an opportunity, but what type? A phone call? An e-mail? "Internet Walk In"? These are fine, but the best opportunities come from your Website. Why?

NADA says that you have a six percent OEM closing ratio (within 30 days), and eight percent third-party provider closing ratio, and a 16 percent or better closing ratio to your dealership Website, plus higher gross profit.

It is a waste of money, however, if you spend money driving traffic to your Website and your Website sucks. And what do I mean when I say a Website sucks? I mean it doesn't have a strategy. Many dealership's sites look like they were mass produced on an assembly line; there is no uniqueness, and there is no unique value package proposition. There isn't a crystal clear reason from the start why someone should buy a vehicle from that dealership.

Here are some more facts: o More than 88 percent of Americans go online before they step foot into your dealership o The average prospect searches between five to seven other Websites or dealerships besides yours o The average buying cycle is 45 to 55 days o Average prospect spends more than six hours online doing research

Put yourself in the customer's shoes. If you are the average prospect in the market for a vehicle and you are researching online, you are getting bombarded by a myriad of dealers who are aggressively trying to sell you a vehicle. How do you differentiate which dealership to do business with? One way to decide is researching the dealership's Website. If you go to the dealership's Website and you find nothing but generic, cookie-cutter information and none of it gives you a clear reason why you should buy a vehicle from that particular dealership, how inclined are you to actually buy a vehicle from that store?

Let's redirect here and look at it from a different perspective. How much more successful would you be if the client was able to go to your dealership's Website and see right there, clear as day, "Why you should buy a vehicle from ABC Motors!"

If you have any questions about creating a value package proposition for your Website or you would like me to review your Website for free and give you my opinion, please feel free to call or e-mail me with the information below.

Sean V. Bradley is the founder and CEO of Dealer Synergy, a nationally recognized training and consulting company in the automotive industry. He can be contacted at 866.648.7400, or by e-mail at sbradley@autosuccessonline.com.