Competition is fierce in the automotive industry. Today’s consumers tend to average a vehicle purchase every eight years or so, which means there’s only so much business to go around. Automakers are therefore under a lot of pressure to persuade consumers of the exceptional qualities of their fleet of vehicles for sale.
The place where most consumers are deciding which car they want to buy is not on the lot but online. Automotive brand websites are increasingly serving as a replacement for the showroom, test drive, and backroom financing processes. While a physical visit to the dealership will always be required until the day comes when a car can drive itself to our homes, that day is fast approaching. Websites are where today’s automakers are selling their cars and where they will be selling them in the future.
Here is a breakdown of how the best automotive brand websites work:
Holds visitor attention
This should be the primary goal of any website but especially an automotive brand website. Drab design, dull delivery, and dysfunctional interface will keep visitors from ever getting to the point where a particular motor vehicle is researched. With that sound, obstructive and bombastic website elements meant to catch our attention are equally unwelcome. The best examples strike a fine line between the two.
Encourages visitor action
Car companies need to think of their websites like virtual dealerships and take steps to encourage visitors to take action rather than pop in and leave. This doesn’t necessarily mean pushing for a sale then and there, but rather using resources like OptinMonster’s exit intent technology to turn visitors into subscribers for email and other forms of correspondence. Encouraging such action lifts sales up as more website visitors go on to become buyers. As a consequence, the best car brand websites take steps to drive up conversions this way.
Offers a cinematic experience
Driving a car, apart from the forces of gravity and acceleration, is an experience rooted in the audio-visual senses. The best automaker websites incorporate a cinematic touch into the flow of information being presented. While the feel of the engine through the gas pedal and other touch-oriented sensory experiences associated with driving a car are thus far unable to be replicated online, the way it looks to drive the car and how it sounds can be easily demonstrated.
Describes in detail
Potential car buyers want to know as much as possible about the vehicles they are researching. Rather than force them to find the pertinent information through some third party blog or YouTube channel, the best and oftentimes the largest automotive brands in the world will provide these details on their website. This includes everything from vehicle specs to the materials used for the seats as well as the type of sound system installed. You’d be surprised how often these and other relevant details about a particular automobile are not easily accessible on a carmaker’s website.
Tells a story
Lastly, the best automotive brand websites will successfully tell a story. Humans are universally receptive to good stories, and thus the best marketing in the world will typically be geared towards establishing a compelling narrative explaining the virtues of the specific product or service being sold. For better or for worse, driving is an integral part of the daily lives of millions of people every day. Each and every one of those commutes and road trips is a small story happening inside a car, giving automotive brands endless amounts of inspiration.
Buying a car is not typically a monthly or even yearly occurrence for people. Automakers consequently need to maintain a high level of marketing effort to ensure sales stay on target year in and year out. This starts with their website.