Is your dealership website simply a placeholder, occupying space on the Web—or does it actually work for you? A really good dealership website can be nearly as valuable as a full-time employee. (Indeed, your website works for you 24/7/365!) But what are some of the specific things your website should be doing? Here are some suggestions from the automotive marketing professionals at Get My Auto.

Your Dealership Website Should Rank

First and foremost, your website should be discoverable by local customers; after all, if nobody can find the site, it might as well not exist. This means having a site that ranks well in local Google searches.

You can go a step further and invest in AdWords, too—ensuring that your website truly canvases the Google search engine results page (SERP), and that it’s highly visible to local buyers at each stage of their search journey.

Your Dealership Website Should Inform

Once buyers find your website, they’ll expect it to provide them with some valuable information—about your dealership and about your inventory. But remember that this content isn’t truly about you; it’s about your customers, and the value they will get when they buy from you.

Ensure that your website is a true hub of information; this entails solid content writing, blogging, how-to guides and other evergreen content, and more.

Your Dealership Website Should Capture Information

As readers seek information from your website, you can also harvest information from them—and use it to follow up later, moving these warm leads through your sales funnel.

There are many ways to capture information. One of the simplest is to have an email newsletter sign-up, where your website visitors can input their contact information in exchange for regular updates from your dealership.

Your Dealership Website Should Convert

Ultimately, your dealership website is meant to move the sales needle. It’s meant to prompt your visitors to either pick up the phone and call for an appointment, or simply come down to your showroom to browse.

A good website is sales-oriented, and that means offering a clear value proposition as well as a strong call to action. Make sure you have a call to action on every single page of your website!

Your Dealership Website Should Convey Authority

Finally, remember that your website is a direct reflection of your dealership’s reputation. It should convey your professionalism, and make you out to be a truly trustworthy place for consumers to buy automobiles.

This requires good content, but also a sleek and professional design. Basically, it requires you to remember that your website is the virtual storefront for your dealership—and it’s critical to make a strong first impression.

What is Your Website Accomplishing?

Bottom line: Your dealership website should be working for you—and there are a number of things it ought to do. Make sure your website is pulling its weight. Reach out to the marketing team at Get My Auto right away.