Did you know that mobile conversion rates are less than 50% of desktop conversion rates? So, why are digital marketers always going on and on about the importance of a mobile strategy? More and more consumers are researching cars and dealers on their phones, and if you’re not optimizing for the device and bringing in those leads, you’re falling behind in the automotive digital world. Mobile-first is no longer a suggestion, it’s a necessity, but that doesn’t mean your desktop design should be neglected, either.
Most consumers start their search for a new car on their phone, but they later convert on a desktop. Your goals for mobile and desktop are not the same, but they do need to work together to bring in more leads and, eventually, sell more cars. Here are 5 easily observable goals you can start tracking to see if your mobile and desktop metrics are matching up.
Mobile Goals
Your site needs to have a mobile-first strategy if you want to bring in foot traffic from the 60% of car buyers who do research online. At this point, you should know that all mobile platforms should be clean and easy-to-use, with navigation that can direct users to what they’re looking for. If you want to know what you should be measuring to track your mobile success, read on.
- Phone Calls
Obviously the main goal of mobile is more phone calls. Our phones have a lot of different functions these days, but their original purpose still hasn’t gone out of style. Google found that 39% of car shoppers used their phone to call a dealer while they were researching on mobile, but you can’t just throw your dealership’s phone number on every page and call it day. If you want to drive more calls, you need a Click-2-Call button somewhere above the fold that’s easy to see and easy to use, which means it should be tappable. Give your users the path of least resistance.
- Google Map Clicks
These days, people will use their GPS to get directions to a place they’ve been a thousand times — it’s just second-nature. But can they find your dealership on Google Maps? Include Google maps on your mobile site so visitors can easily get directions for a visit. Now, it’s important to note that a screen shot isn’t going to cut it; embed your map so users can get directions from their locations with just one click.
- eWallet
Mobile coupons have a 10x better redemption rate than printed coupons, and that’s saying something. When’s the last time you clipped coupons? It comes down to convenience: consumers can download relevant offers straight to their device with Google and Apple Wallet. Offering a mobile coupon for 20% off an oil change or a deal on tires is a great way to bring foot traffic into your service center, and the options are basically unlimited!
Desktop Goals
Let’s talk desktop now. Though mobile is slowly taking more and more focus, that doesn’t mean you should kick desktop to the curb. The secret here is balance, and knowing which goals to optimize for which platform. Desktop, it turns out, hasn’t changed much from its original purpose.
- Form Leads
No one likes typing on their phone screen, so it makes sense that desktop should have a higher number of website form leads. There are a few best practices you want to keep in mind, like only asking for fields that are absolutely necessary. Users get sidetracked easily, so stick to the basics when creating your form, and make filling it out as easy as possible. Yes, it’d be nice to collect more data about your users, but the more fields you have on your form, the less likely someone will be to finish filling it out.
- Hours and Directions Page
This one is huge. Your site could be the cleanest, most optimized design, it could have a rocking SEO ranking, and be bringing in hundreds of qualified leads a day, but all that doesn’t mean a thing if people aren’t actually showing up to your dealership. That’s why you want to pay attention to your Hours and Directions Page (you have one, right?). The data from this page will show you how many users are going to turn into actual, physical customers that show up in person at your dealership, and who will (hopefully) drive away in a brand new car. We know that most users do their research on mobile, but a large number of consumers still end up converting on desktop.
I know you’ve heard the phrase “mobile-first” strategy so many times now that your ears are ringing, but trust me. It’s the way to go. Your mobile website doesn’t need to overshadow your desktop site, and your efforts & dollars can be spent well on both platforms — they should be working together to meet their individual goals, and to sell you more cars.
