In 2016, Automotive Internet Media won a Davey Award for what it touts as the first true English-Spanish website. The website for Ray Chevrolet in Fox Lake, Ill., features a fully responsive design that delivers customized content in Spanish or English (it does not use a translator plug-in, because those features often produce inaccurate or “clunky translation,” AIM said).

That dealership has an inventory of more than 750 cars – and one could assume, a sizeable budget for marketing. A truly bilingual website is a big undertaking, and one that many dealerships may be unable to afford. But there are 7 other ways you can wow consumers by having one of the best car dealer websites out there.  

1. Meet them where they are. According to a study by Ipsos MediaCT, in the future, many consumers will do all of their car-shopping research exclusively on mobile phones. So. if your website is still designed with only the desktop browser in mind, it’s time to implement a responsive design.

Consumers may be browsing your website on mobile phones, tablets, and desktop platforms, and using different browsers and operating systems. The best responsive design is one that’s tested in every possible configuration – don’t assume consumers all have the latest iPhones.

2. Optimize the mobile user experience. When designing or redesigning your website to keep mobile users in mind, don’t stop with simple responsiveness. Make sure that the buyer experience is optimized for mobile users.

Think about the small size of the screen. Are you making buttons large enough for the user can easily navigate to the other areas of your website?

According to Think Google, forms are an example of where things can go wrong if they’re not designed to fit smaller screens. Think about it. At that critical moment when you’re counting on them to provide their contact info for an engagement campaign, you could lose them — simply by making the process too difficult.

3. Simplify. Of course, you have a lot of information you want to convey to online visitors. But throwing too much at them on a single page is not going to achieve your objectives. The best car dealership websites make effective use of white space – that area of nothingness between elements on a page. That white space helps website visitors focus on the content, or other important elements on a page.

Avoid complicated fonts – or using too many fonts. Uniformity in text and design is much easier on the eyes. If you want website visitors to see several images before they leave your website, consider using a banner on your homepage that rotates through those images, rather than trying to place all the images on the same page.

4. Flood your site with images. While you’re going for a simple, clean design, don’t skimp on images. Show off different angles of each vehicle you’re selling — inside, outside, engine, front, back … you get the picture.

More importantly, now is not the time to settle for subpar photography. Images should be clear and as accurate as possible, reflecting the accurate color of the vehicle and any aspects of the vehicle that will intrigue shoppers. Invest in camera equipment and software that allows you to make a professional presentation of your inventory.

Whether you’re showcasing the new vehicles or used vehicles on your lot, it’s important to give them this special treatment so potential buyers will have a good sense of what you have available. It’s key to tempting them to make the next step — whether that’s filling out a form and showing up to your dealership in person.

5. Rethink navigation. Some car dealership websites have a dizzying array of drop-down menus, each with way too many options. Drop-down menus can be annoying for people using mobile browsers, but if you must use drop-downs, at least limit the sub-categories so they display well on small mobile screens.   

When website visitors have to constantly bounce back and forth between sections of your website, that’s what UX designer Jared M. Spool calls “pogosticking.” It means that you haven’t given website visitors the information they need – so perhaps they have to click on each car to see the model year, when you could easily include the model year in the thumbnail image of that car, and save visitors the trouble of clicking through.

Also, think about different categories that allow people to easily narrow their choices based on cost, year, make, model and mileage. By allowing visitors to sort through the inventory that’s more relevant to their search, you score points.

The best websites don’t make visitors hunt for information.

6. Be informative. Provide content that answers questions shoppers may have – from the beginning of their search to the end. With car buyers spending anywhere from an average of 11 hours to 14 hours, depending upon which survey you’re reviewing, it’s obvious that car shoppers have a keen interest in researching their options.

When you provide content that’s relevant and helpful, people in the research phase of their car-buying journey are more likely to remember you when they’re ready to buy.

Analyze your site, thinking about the many steps of the car buying journey — from exploring vehicle options to financing arrangements.  

7. Carve out opportunities to be “present” online. Just because you’re not able to meet consumers face-to-face on your website doesn’t mean you can’t engage with them — showing off the personality of your team.

Look for opportunities on various pages to ask visitors “Can I help you?” without being overbearing. Try different variations to make them relevant to the page they’re landing on.

For example, if a car shopper is on your financing page, forms that offer to answer more specific questions about interest rates or trade-in appraisals are relevant. Also, live chat options can be another way to engage your visitors.

By making an effort to create one of the best car dealership websites in the market, consider yourself as having one of the top car salesmen working on your behalf.

Your website truly can be one of the most important players on your team if you equip for high performance.