The New Digital Automotive Marketing Strategy Gets Bold About Branding

In 2011, a sexy dealer website means creating a stand-up-and-take-notice brand. “It’s time to smash the cookie cutter,” Andy Largent, Product Manager at ADP Digital Marketing said. “To do that, you need to think beyond the brand foundation provided by your OEM, think outside what your neighbor dealer is doing. Be clear about why consumers should want to do business with you and really get creative about taking every opportunity to get that message out.”

Sexy Dealer Website Checklist

1. Get competitive. In order to represent your brand, it’s time to get the lay of the land. Google your top three competitors and read over their sites. What do you have that they don’t? If they emphasize speedy service, emphasize your outstanding selection. If they plug their low prices, emphasize your spectacular customer service. A sexy dealer website is one that stands out from the pack, and a little due diligence can equal a big competitive edge.

2. Spice up your content. A sexy dealer website in 2011 is characterized by exciting, action-inspiring content. To truly create a stand-out brand,  dealers need to think beyond their calls-to-action and look at their site copy as a whole. “Shiny buttons are great, but they’re just a start. Anyone can install a widget,” Paul Nagy, Vice President of Core Products at ADP Digital Marketing said. “But having a sexy dealer website in 2011 means taking the time to truly articulate your core advantages, and then taking every possible opportunity to do so.” Nagy recommends dealers start with traditionally under-utilized pages like the “About Us” page and the company boilerplate. “Look at every page from a ‘why me?’ angle,” Nagy says. “Make sure each and every sentence answers that question in a complete and compelling way.”

3. Think outside the homepage. Though many dealers are urged to adopt OEM compliancy guidelines, in general those standards center on the homepage. Find ways to reinforce your brand by expanding your efforts “away from home.” “There’s more than one road to Rome,” Largent said. “From landing pages to social media channels, there is boundless opportunity for dealers to brand themselves and still stay within OEM guidelines.”  He suggests adding new brand-rich pages, like a Press Page, an Employee Page, or a ‘Top Ten Reasons to Choose Us” page.

We hope you enjoyed part one of this series. Stay tuned for more modern website must-haves from the experts at ADP Digital Marketing.