We’re diving deep into the car-buying journey over the next few weeks and giving you an inside look at the tools and strategies that line up with each micro-moment. You can check out our previous post here, which gives you a brief overview of the micro-moments dealers should pay attention to, as well as some useful tips to get you started.

But now we’re going to get into the nitty gritty details that are really going to set you over the top.

As we mentioned before, your secret weapon in this stage is your SEM strategy, but one that focuses on purchase intent versus research terms. Purchase intent includes keywords like “2017 Toyota Camry price” and “Chevy Tahoe lease,” while research terms can be as generic as “Camry specs” or “Chevy cars.”

Think about it: by the time a consumer is searching for pricing, they’ve already decided what they’re going to buy. If you’re digital advertising budget is limited, then it’s important that you focus on keywords that have a greater chance of getting a sale. It may look great to see clicks and conversions on those research terms, but odds are higher that “2017 Chevrolet Tahoe price” will turn into a sale, as opposed to “2017 Chevrolet Tahoe specs” or some other research-related query. Buy terms with purchase intent and you’re advertising budget will go a lot further.

Of course, you can pay for some killer keywords with purchase intent all day long and never see a single conversion if you don’t think about consumer devices. You know where this is going: your site should have a mobile-first strategy and a mobile-responsive landing page. That means your site should adapt for the device, including desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Google says it best: Search interest for MSRP and list prices are growing, and 70% of these searches are happening on mobile. If you want to turn those searchers into leads (or, even better, customers), you need to have a mobile site that gives them what they want. That includes a fast loading time (since 53% of site visitors leave a page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load) easy-to-click CTAs, properly sized images, and navigation that isn’t cramped.

Your search widget is one of your most popular tools on mobile, so make sure it’s accessible and easy to find, so your website visitors are engaged beyond just the page that brought them in. Don’t distract with unnecessary assets, like moving banners or pop ups. And if you have a chat function, it’s a good idea to turn that off on mobile. You want to keep your visitors focused on your deals and prices. If they have any questions, make sure your Click-2-Call button is clearly marked so they can, you know, give you a call.

Google’s micro-moments are an excellent digital marketing roadmap, but you have to use the right tools during the right micro-moments to see serious results. Now that we’ve covered the Can-I-Afford-It Moment, keep an eye out for our next post on Where-Should-I-Buy-It Moments.