With most of the population now researching and purchasing online, your motor trade website needs to make a good impression not just in the way it looks, but how simple it is to navigate and the level of information that it contains.
Whatever your business, from car dealerships right through to motor trade insurance, you need to be clear and concise about the services you can provide.
Here are 10 things to include in any motor trade website to ensure you are attracting the right clientele.
1. About Us
If a person has taken the time to visit your website, they will want to know more about your business, particularly if you are a small or local trader. Within the About Us section, discuss your company’s history and the people behind the business. Friendly pictures of employees will make people feel at ease if they intend to visit your showroom.
2. Your Business Offer
From selling new cars, second-hand vans, valet services, van insurance or car accessories, or even a combination, be clear about what your business does. This avoids wasting your potential customers’ time and prevents you getting false leads. Use a selection of landing pages for different business activities or range of vehicles. Try to divide them by category, manufacturer or even new and used. Making your website as easy and quick to navigate as possible will keep potential clients engaged for longer and help you to be found on search engines.
3. Mobile Friendly
Well over 50 percent of people searching the web do so on a mobile phone or tablet, so it’s essential that your website functions well in this format. Pages that fail to load quickly, overlapping images or hidden buttons will all drive customers away. You also run the risk of upsetting Google if your site isn’t 100 percent responsive to mobile or tablet.
4. Location and Address
Include your address and preferably a map so customers can easily find where you are located if they decide to come for a test drive. You will also need your address for Google My Business, a free service that helps you to show up in searches of your local area.
5. Contact Number and Form
Having a prominent telephone number on each page of your website makes it simple for customers to get in touch if they have a question or want to talk further. Adding an email address or an enquiry form can also make it easier for people to plan what they want and means you can contact them at a time convenient to you both. Adding a chat button is a popular way for customers to receive instant communication.
6. Link to social media
If you have created any social media accounts for your business, add the links to your motor trade website. This provides another way for people to get in touch as well as somewhere you can quickly update new offers and information.
7. Opening Hours
With all the uncertainty around Covid currently, letting people know your opening hours is more important than ever, preventing people from making unnecessary journeys. You are also able to upload opening times on Google My Business so it appears in local searches.
8. Full Vehicle Details
If you are a car dealership, customers will want to see the full vehicle details so that they can make comparisons as well instilling confidence that you are being honest and upfront. It is also probably at this point that you will need to invest in a more elaborate search engine so that people can input details when researching such as price range, vehicle colour, engine capacity, number of doors, luggage space, motor insurance category and mileage. If you want to really impress, being able to compare vehicles side by side will help make the customers’ choice easier.
9. High-Quality Images
Nothing looks less professional on your website than blurred, grainy shots. If you are selling vehicles, customers will want to see plenty of clear images of both the exterior and interior of the vehicles – make sure you get in close and use adequate lighting so people have a sharp view. Research also shows that people are influenced by videos so this could be one way to make your dealership stand out from others.
10. Customer Testimonials
It’s not easy to earn the trust of potential customers, so adding reviews or testimonials of those who have already purchased from you can help dispel any doubts potential buyers may have and show how well you have treated your customers, particularly if it talks about knowledge and after sales support.
One page within your website that is often overlooked or underestimated is the frequently asked questions (FAQs). In part two of this blog, we will look at the type of FAQs to include and how you can ensure they help with your SEO as well as answer all your customers’ questions.