Dealer-Depot Blog - Your Auto Dealer Information Headquarters

Welcome to the Dealer Depot Blog! This page serves as an information source for independent auto dealers looking for advice on managing different aspects of your auto dealership website. The Dealer Depot is ongoing and growing, and we try to add topics weekly. If there is a particular topic that you would like to know more about, contact us and let us know!

Why choose AutoRevolution?
October 13

You are more than just another face in the crowd or a number in a page. With AutoRevolution you are family, and we take care of our family!

 

Join us and our extraordinary team will put our years of experience to work to your advantage. We've been providing auto dealers with effective digital automotive solutions since 1999. 

 

We value long term relationships, that's why every account is assigned an experienced Account Advisor that will train you and your staff every step of the way to ensure your experience with us is one that will stand the test of time. 

 

Being part of AutoRevolution's family of dealers has many benefits that will save you time and money. We help you achieve this through a number of automated digital solutions, tools and unparalleled customer support. After all, your success is our success.

 

Are you ready to join the revolution? Contact us today and let's have a conversation.

 

Click Here to CONTACT US

5 Signs Your Website Needs a Redesign
May 20

Change in ownership 

The one thing constant in life is change. If your dealership has recently had a change in ownership, most likely there is a change in vision as well. Maybe you have a different business strategy and need to highlight the new ownership and updated mission statement. Or maybe you just don’t have the same taste in design as the previous owner. AutoRevolution.com can redesign your website so the right message - your message - is being displayed to your potential buyers the way you want. After all, this is your online showroom!

 

Poor SEO

Most web traffic to local dealership websites comes from search engines. If your website is not search engine optimized for both content & structure, you could be missing out on dozens of leads each month. If your current website is not getting the traffic you need to be competitive, poor SEO is often one of the culprits. Need more information about how we can help? Contact us today.

 

Not mobile-friendly 

80% of online shoppers are using a mobile device to shop online. How does your website look on your smart phone? We build responsive websites that look great on devices of any size your prospective customers are using. Ask us about our responsive websites and how we can help you cater to your audience's changing demands. 

 

Out of Date, Old School

When a visitor arrives on your website, do they cringe? Are they turned off by outdated, overwhelming and busy content? Have your tastes changed since your last website redesign? If the answer to any of these is yes, you need a do-over. We understand auto dealers like you are short on time. Let us take the hassle out of the process and give your website a modern look you can be proud of.

 

Take it to the next level

Ready to take your auto dealer website to the next level? We have you covered. If you've been considering a new updated, modern website but just haven't had the time or energy to get the ball rolling, your wait is over. Our team has mastered the process of redesign to bring a new, fresh, cutting edge feel to your website with integrations that will make your life easier.

Click here to contact us and let’s build together! 

Click here to learn more about responsive website design.  

Tips to Engage Website Visitors Using Content
May 18

AutoDealerWebsites should have both visual appeal and be easy to use. Our team understands that your message is important and how it’s displayed will determine if a visitor stays and converts to a lead or leaves without any action. Once a visitor arrives on your website, your content will lead a clear path to guide them and call them to action. 

 

Shoppers are pressed for time and since they have access to a plethora of information at their finger tips, it’s vital you keep your message clear and concise. 

 

From the moment they arrive on your website’s homepage, you have an average of 10-30 seconds to engage them. Give your visitor what they are looking for even if they don’t know what that is yet. Make your message about them, offer solutions, provide them with options, then guide them using call to action steps. 

 

Navigation from page to page is going to make a huge difference in the way you convert traffic to leads. Most people skim through content so make your you are not overloading your page with long paragraphs and a wall of text that will turn away your visitors. 

 

A strong message will capture and engage your target audience. This is done through content. Content should consist of short, relevant paragraphs, images and other graphics, lists with bullets points or numbers and call to action buttons. Simple and clear.

 

AutoRevolution has experience designing and developing content for auto dealer websites with methods that are proven to engage your visitors, ultimately leading to an increase in leads.

 

Click here to contact us and learn more about how we can help. Our experience is your advantage. 

 

Photo Overlays
September 22

You are one in a million car dealerships with pictures of your cars. How can you make your cars stand out in that crowd? One way is by using overlays/watermarks. A photo overlay is an image that is fused with a vehicle picture to create an opportunity to strengthen your branding and maintain consistency of message across multiple digital outlets where your vehicles are listed.

 

Overlays can be applied using different filters. A checkbox in Inventory Manager can let you choose which cars get the overlay. Or choose a consistent method of application for your inventory (for example: first image, first 5 images, or all images).

 

Take a look at the first photo, it is plain. Nothing about it stands out. There is no phone number, logo, web address…nothing to give any clue where the photo came from.

 

Car photo without Overlay

 

Now, look at the second photo, it sends a clear message: Dealership name, phone number, web address, logo: everything your future customer needs to find you fast.So instead of sending a prospect hunting for contact information or forms, you've placed all the information they need right in front of their eyes.

 

Car Photo with Overlay

 

 

Such a simple, cost effective way to make your photos stand out! Whether it's your company brand, product features, contact information, sales announcements: overlays give your photos that extra edge.

 

Don’t lose another sale. Call us today at 972-243-8460 and order your custom overlays!

 

See some examples here www.autodealerwebsites.com/photo-overlay.

Search Engine Optimization
August 26

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) One Goal: Traffic

In the business of the Internet, there is one main goal: traffic. You can't make money with your online presence if you can't be found. Increased traffic = increased revenue.

What is SEO?

SEO (search engine optimization) is the science of increasing your search engine rankings by taking advantage of aspects of coding that are specifically designed to communicate to search engines about the content of your pages.

 

The goal is to rank as high as possible in organic (non-paid) search results.

As a business you are looking to increase your company’s online presence and profitability. Taking some time, money and care to customize these areas of code can have long-term positive effects on your search engine rankings and can be a great investment in your online profile.

 

You have two options for taking advantage of these important fetaures:

 

1) You have access to update these yourself! Take matters into your own hands, or let one of your verbally-talented employees manage these for you. Simply navigate to "edit web site content" in the Return To menu in Inventory Manager. Use the drop-down menu to select the page you want to update, then click "Page Title / Keywords." Work your magic, then click "submit changes." Your SEO work will immediately show up in the code for that page, and your page title and description will become additional content on your web page.

 

2) Let us do the work for you! We use a combination of your desired keywords, our experience in the industry, people's browsing habits, and only white hat techniques to craft meaningful and descriptive SEO content for the pages of your website.  .

 

Click here to contact us for pricing and options or if you have any questions about our search engine optimization offerings.

AutoRevolution Mobile Websites
August 14
No mobile website = Lost Customers = Lost Revenue

How important is a mobile website? Mobile phone use has dramatically increased in the last decade due to advances in mobile technology. Recent research estimates there are more than 6 billion mobile subscribers. That's 87% of the world’s population1! In the US, 25% of households use only mobile services for internet2

Considering the number of mobile subscribers and the importance of a website to your business, a mobile-friendly website is the right choice for any business. Don't miss out on sales! Optimize your potential customers' experience by making sure your website has a mobile-friendly option.

Here are some reasons why any modern business should have a mobile optimized website:

Growing Trend
Mobile subscribers use their smart phones for everything. Whether it's news, entertainment, directions, shopping, or consumer research, we as a society are never more than a few feet from our mobile devices. Recognizing these changes in consumers' habits will give you an edge over your competition.

Urgency
Let’s face it; we as a society are an impatient lot. We need to obtain information in a moment’s notice. Consumers carry their smart phones everywhere and use them repeatedly to seek information to make decisions. This very consumer trend mandates your business have a mobile website so you are accessible anywhere and anytime your customer needs you.

Traffic
Google’s new mobile-friendly algorithm went into effect on April 21st. As a result, if your website is not mobile-friendly you will lose search traffic to your mobile-friendly competitor, who could rate higher on a search. Lost traffic = Lost Customers = Lost Revenue, so as long as consumers use their mobile devices to search, Google will continue to prioritize mobile-friendly sites in those searches, and you will continue to lose traffic.

Don’t miss out on your sales! Get your website mobile-friendly today!

Source 1/2: Trinity Digital Marketing


 

Help! What is a mobile-friendly website?

Mobile-friendly Websites

Are you asking yourself what is considered a mobile-friendly website and how can you check to see if your current website is mobile-friendly?

AutoRevolution offers choices, both of which are recognized by Google as mobile-friendly.

Responsive Website
A responsive website adapts to the size of the viewing area, whether you're on a mobile device or a 23” monitor. It has infinite possibilities for customization, and it provides a similar experience to all your users, no matter which platform they're using. One website for all your needs. Responsive Websites: the future is here.

Sample Responsive Website: http://www.texasmastercraft.com

Mobile Website
Secondary mobile websites are compact, inventory-driven websites created specifically for mobile devices. These affordable mobile sites help ensure you show up on Google mobile search results without breaking the bank. Mobile users who enter your primary web address in their address bar, or who arrive from another website, are automatically redirected to this mobile-friendly alternative.

Sample of Mobile Website: http://mobile.buffaloautosales2.com

To get a true sense of the difference between a responsive and mobile website: test them out! Open them on your mobile device and see how they work.

More samples of responsive websites: http://www.autodealerwebsites.com/website-samples

Don't know if you have a mobile-friendly website? Our sales department will be happy to help you determine whether your site is mobile-friendly, and can help provide information about your options. Call us today!

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