Your website is a digital storefront in the modern marketplace. More people will see your site than see your physical store, and with the right design, spend more time there as well.
You need a top-notch site that can draw customers in, gather leads, and start them down the path to purchasing their dream car.
DealerOn’s websites are designed with these goals in mind, and we know that websites are not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Personal aesthetics can and should be a part of any dealership’s site, so you can express your store’s unique identity. Today we’re going to break down some of the options for your site’s design.
Ready to supercharge your dealership website experience?
Schedule a free demo and we’ll show you how!
The “Above the fold” or “Hero” content is what your visitors see right at the top of your page when it first loads. Think of it as your first impression, so make a good one. With the DealerOn Intro Widget, you have a few choices when it comes to approaching the most important section of any web page.
Option 1: The Split Hero
The split hero is an image going across the top of the page, and as the name implies, is split between two options. For example, one side could be an inventory search, while the other could be a link to your service department. The split hero can emphasize the two most profitable parts of your store, making navigation easy for your largest customer bases. It’s a clean and attractive design that can point to a number of lead-generating funnels. The split hero is limited in what you can do with it. You can’t integrate video, banners, or the slide function, and you need to keep text to a minimum.
Option 2: Full Video
A sweeping drone-shot video of your lot can be a striking way to introduce your dealership. You want something short, well-lit, and preferably exterior. For a video to work, it has to be kept short, and the sound should be unobtrusive or even better, silent. Videos can seriously slow down load times, which means hurting your SEO.
Option 3: The Grid
The grid is a compromise between several good options. You can have multiple search options and navigation bars, all of which are obvious to your visitors. The grid is busy, so it can easily make your website look cluttered and goes against the minimalist aesthetic that’s popular now. In addition, the many options can leave your customers without a single clear path and can cause decision paralysis.
Option 4: Banner Search
Banners put your special offers front and center for your visitors to engage with. They can be an effective way to move inventory, but should be treated with care. Read our FAQ on how to effectively use banner graphics on your homepage below.
Banner Graphics FAQ
What’s the ideal number of web banners?
Too many banners runs the risk of overwhelming your visitors and making your site look tacky. With banners, moderation is an important consideration. Banners exist because you want your customers to interact with a specific offer; if there are to many, you’re reducing the chance they will click on any specific one of them.
Where should banners be located?
With banners, you don’t always control where they go. Some OEMs stipulate that their banners have to be above the fold, in other words, right on the page as it loads.
Are there size limits?
DealerOn’s standard banner sizes are 880x320px, 1920x600px, and we can also do a 1170x200px. Be aware of how that will look on your site on as many screen sizes and devices as you can.
This is only the tip of the iceberg
DealerOn has years of experience in web design, and these options barely scratch the surface. To see more of what we can do, schedule your free demo.
More Articles From DealerOn University
-
- For customer experience, your website is only the beginning. These six tips will help improve your customer experience.
- Everything you need to know about the Google FLoC privacy update.
- Looking at EVs on the horizon.
