With a growing dependence on technology, car shoppers are using their smartphones, tablets and computers to find their next vehicle. According to AutoTrader:
“In 2015, the average time consumers spent researching on digital channels was 12.5 hours. They visit approximately 9 sites, with the largest percentage being third-party sites. The internet is by far the #1 source for both new car and used car buyers with 75% of new car buyers using the internet, and 77% of used car buyers using the internet.”
The problem then becomes how to better convert them. How do you turn mobile car shoppers into buyers?
Digital Advertising
The three main ad formats that prompt potential car buyers to do more research are video ads, mobile ads and tablet ads, with each being around 34 percent. Just behind those stats are search ads, email ads and online site ads with 27 to 28 percent.
How to Make Digital Advertising More Pleasing
There are many ways to make your digital advertising more pleasing to the potential customer. Here are a few things you can do to help convert mobile car shoppers into car buyers.
Video Content
Whether it is a video of a used car for the potential buyer to see or a company video that showcases all the features of a new car — videos are an excellent way of catching the interest of a mobile shopper. Video does a lot of the work for you by focusing on the things that most interest potential buyers.
Updated Inventory
Nothing is more frustrating to car buyers than finding the car they want only to find out that it is not in stock or not available at all. With new cars, it may be easier for the dealership to order another, but with used car sales, this is not often possible. That’s why it is so important to have the inventory you are showing on your website.
Once buyers find something they are interested in, you have a better chance of converting the sale rather than trying to sell them something else that you actually have on hand. And in some cases, if you try to sell another vehicle, the consumer may feel that you are untrustworthy or tried a bait and switch.
Easy Contact Information
Once you have potential buyers on your website or sales page, you want to be sure they have an easy way to contact you. This includes your phone number and email address. You may also want to provide a live chat window.
Click-to-Call
A click-to-call button increases conversions. According to some statistics, calls have a 30-50 percent conversation rate, with some stats showing that almost 90 percent of visitors are more likely to contact your business if there is a click-to-call button available.
A customer is much more likely to call and make an inquiry if it is easy, so this type of button is a necessity.
Provide Directions
Make sure your website has directions as well as a link to a maps app such as Google Maps or Apple Maps. If someone is using his smartphone and wants to come see a vehicle, he can easily map it this way rather than having to look up the directions.
Mobile Friendly
AutoTrader found that half of the millennials who bought cars used their phone or tablets, and you want to make sure you are accessible to those buyers.
Using these tips makes it easier to convert online shoppers into actual buyers, increasing sales and profits for your dealership.
