Identifying the issues is the first step toward fixing them.
You can’t judge a book by its cover. Same is true for a dealer’s website. Just because the website is difficult to navigate and looks like it was designed by a novice doesn’t mean the dealership lacks knowledge of the technology it sells and doesn’t offer top-notch customer service and support.
But the devil is in the design and content, which could negatively impact a potential customer’s or even a potential employee’s impressions of that dealership.
With that in mind, here are ten problems common to dealer websites. Any sound familiar?
1.Thinking Your Dealership is Unique
“Office equipment dealers are not as unique as they think they are,” observed Corey Smith, digital strategist with Tribute Media, an Idaho-based web marketing company that has worked with hundreds of dealers over the years building their websites. “Their sales process might be a little different, but they are still selling a commoditized product. It’s amazing how often I hear, ‘We are very different from every other office equipment dealer out there.’ And then in the next few minutes, they proceed to tell me how they are exactly the same.”
2. Forgetting Who Your Audience Is
Dealers tend to forget who their audience is, noted Smith. “This is not unique to them. I see businesses in all sorts of markets do this. They think that they are their own audience.” He added that 80% of the time, his organization finds that the dealer principal or CEO decides that they want something, or they don’t want something, and it doesn’t matter whether or not their client is going to be interested in it. “So, the website tends to be more reflective of what the CEO or the dealer principal wants than what their client will respond to.”
3. Not Recognizing Why People are Visiting Your Site
“People are typically online for two reasons, to be educated or entertained,” observed Aaron Dyck, CEO, ES99, a division of Impact Networking. A common mistake he sees is that the website content tends to be more focused on the dealer and not the customer. ‘This is how big I am. This is how great I am. Here are all the wonderful things that I sell,’ are examples Dyck cited. “All those things are good because you want to validate who you are, but I’m online to be educated about a business, product, or service,” he said. “The content should answer the questions customers are asking about what the dealer sells.”
Understanding this will determine the content on your site. Dyck suggested surveying customers to learn what they want to know about your business. He recommended examining the data and analytics to find out who is visiting the website and interacting with the content. Then, take those questions and data and align the content on the site with your sales and marketing strategy. For example, if you offer cybersecurity, include a blog, video, and separate landing page for that segment of the business to support any marketing campaigns around your cybersecurity offerings.
4. Not Testing and Improving the Site
“The web is not permanent,” stated Smith. “Let’s get something out, test it, and improve it as we go.” He generally recommends a 90-day improvement cycle before trying something new again. Maybe one quarter, it’s a new homepage. Maybe another quarter, it’s a content overhaul or adding a managed print services section. “Constant improvement is a critical requirement, and the biggest obstacle to accomplishing that tends to be the dealer principal,” said Smith.
5. The Website is Not Up to Speed
This is about the overall customer experience. Dyck recalled a client who invested in paid media (ads and research) and was frustrated because they weren’t getting the results they expected from that investment. Part of the problem was it took more than five seconds for a page to load. When evaluating a website, Dyck’s organization runs software that reveals the page speed, page errors, and how the site is performing, and reveals broken links, duplicate content, and errors. The software also rates a site between zero and a hundred. Anything above 85 is considered fantastic, according to Dyck.
6. The Website is Not Designed for Viewing on Mobile Devices
Depending on the source, between 46% and 70% of web traffic in 2021 now comes from mobile devices. Google uses a “mobile-first” search algorithm. If your site is not optimized for mobile, it may rank further down in search engines, reducing the number of potential customers to your site. To fix this problem, make your site responsive to adjust to display on mobile devices automatically.
7. There is No Strategy or Consistency for When You Post Content
“If you’re writing two blogs a month, write them consistently,” said Dyck. “You can’t just do one this month, then wait two months and do another. It won’t be effective. Post compelling content that people want to read to drive them back to the website to show that you are an authority on whatever you are trying to sell.”
8. Not Leveraging Social Media
There is no truth to the statement, “If you build it, they will come.” You need to give directions. Social media is a great way to create interest, drive engagement, and encourage people to visit your site and engage with your content. As with blogs and content on the site, make sure there is consistency with social media posts. Make sure social media links can be easily found on your home page. Also, include “share” buttons, which make it easier for visitors to share your content.
9. Failure to Keep the Website Up to Date
How many times have you visited a site and found broken links or outdated information about the company and the products it sells? For example, you offer managed IT, but there’s no reference to it on your site. Or, you no longer offer a particular product, but your website still gives the impression that it is among your offerings. Or, just as bad, team members who are no longer with the company are prominently featured on your “Meet Our Staff” page. Periodically, review the different sections of your site to ensure that it syncs with where the business is today. And don’t forget to update the “About Us” section of the site as your business evolves.
10. Your Website Does Not Meet Your Goals
That’s the first thing that Smith’s company asks clients. “Lead generation can’t be hit by a website alone. If your primary goal for your website is educational, you’re going to execute on that very differently than if the primary goal on your website is lead generation or customer service and support.” Smith won’t offer an opinion on a website unless it is clearly awful or until he understands if it meets the customer’s goals. If a dealer tells him, “I only get five visits a month,” his response is: “Do you want more than five?” If their response is, “I’d like 500,” his response is: “In that case, your website is terrible.” As he noted, “The best CRM is one that’s used. The worst is one that’s not used. Same concept here: The best website is the one that meets your goals. It doesn’t matter what it looks like. It doesn’t matter how much it costs. It doesn’t matter what you do on a daily basis. If it meets your goals, it’s a great website. If it doesn’t, it’s a terrible website.”
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