Most auto shoppers start their search on the web but would it surprise you to know that the #1 online destination for women shoppers is your dealership’s website? That’s right, our research lists the top sites nationally that women visit prior to buying a vehicle. They include:

1. Dealership
2. Manufacturer
3. KBB.com
4. Consumer Reports
5. AutoTrader.com
6. Edmunds.com
7. Cars.com
8. Carfax.com
9. Craigslist.com

We also know that women account for over 50% of all vehicles purchased and influence up to 80% of those purchases. It would seem important that a dealer’s website cater to this substantial segment of the market.

Did You Know?

A new report by Women-Drivers.com shows a huge upside still remains. One-third of women buyers report that the dealership website that they visited was not helpful. What can you do to improve your website?

A. Understand the Target Market
To make your website more female friendly you need a better understanding of women buyers, their online research behavior and buying habits. A global leader in measuring the digital world, comScore Inc., has released a new study that sheds some light on this topic, which includes highlights:

1. Social networking is central to women’s Internet experience: Integrate social tools into your website that allow for photo viewing and sharing. Show vehicle models that appeal to women.

2. Community and Lifestyle sites attract women: Create a community page on your website. Women relate to family activities. Create a Lifestyle page showing vehicle in various settings.

3. Women have different preferences when it comes to online search. They prefer Bing in a way that men don’t” – When running BING PPC campaigns, use female centric search phases like “Most Popular Cars For Women” and link to a page featuring those vehicles.

4. The rise of online solitaire, card and board games has generated a new audience of gamers: women.

5. Women tend to consume less video overall than men but show more of a propensity for YouTube. Develop “How To” videos, host on You Tube and have links on your website. Ah…. a real plus for SEO.

B. Other Areas to Increase Women’s Engagement & Sales
1. Women are style conscience: Maybe it’s time for a modern site “makeover”. Hold the pink.

2. Quality + Informational Content: Another way to keep women hooked is to post quality and informational content on the site. Make sure it’s relevant and valuable for women+families. Be her trusted advisor 365/24/7 – not just the 3 days a year she is in your store. How? Visit here.

3. Chat feature: Is a nice way to start interacting and is a safe, non-threatening feature.

4. Create a staff page where customers can see who they are interacting with; can put a face to the name and include email links.

For more on Engaging Women on your Website Click here.

All dE members are authorized to receive a Free copy of the 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report? Click here.