Up Front Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions
With your website, we want to help you attract new customers, keep current customers, and catapult your business to the next level. Reference these FAQs to learn more about getting an DriveTM Web Pros website, and once you’re up and running, how you can increase your site’s effectiveness. Your website can be one of your most valuable marketing tools if you use it to its maximum potential.
When You're Getting Started...
What’s included with my Drive Web Pros Website?
With an DriveTM Web Pros website package, you get a customized auto shop website designed around your services, location, business goals, and aesthetic preferences. We also work with you to create custom content for your site that follows best practices for local SEO (search engine optimization), ensuring that people in your area easily find your shop on the web. Your website will be responsive, which means it will look and function great on phones as well as computers.
We take care of registering or transferring a domain name for your website, and then we submit your website to major search engines and Google Places. We also set up Google Analytics, which monitors your website’s activity and effectiveness.
You will also be assigned a web service representative to help you get the most out of your website. He or she will take care of updates you’d like to make to your site (a certain number of monthly updates are included with your web package), and resolve any technical issues that may arise over the lifetime of your site. Your rep will check in with you regularly to help you manage and optimize your website.
Do you have demo websites/examples that I can refer to?
Yes! Check out our work right here on our website. We are proud of our dynamic, user-friendly websites that truly help our clients get more customers. The majority of DriveTM Web Pros website clients do see a significant increase in new inquires, calls, and business within a few months of launching their websites.
Can DriveTM Web Pros make a logo for my shop?
Yes. We will design a basic logo for your shop if you do not have one. Our designer has created memorable, eye-catching logos for many of our clients.
Will you write about my shop for me?
Our in-house content writer will work with you to create custom content for your website. It’s very important to have unique content on your website, not only to connect with new and existing customers but also to improve your ranking on search engines.
Will you handle social media for me?
We’ll give you advice on setting up your Facebook and Twitter accounts (and link them to your website), and your web service representative can give you ideas for posting to your social media accounts. We can also advise you on gathering positive reviews from your customers.
Can I sell cars and other products on my DriveTM Web Pros Website?
Our Listing App allows you to feature cars and products you’re selling through back-end access to your website. Whenever you like, you can upload photos and content and fill out designated fields for the vehicle make, model, year and description. Once you’re done, your listing will automatically appear on your website. DriveTM Web Pros, however does not offer a shopping cart for direct sale of products.
Will I be able to review my website before it goes live?
Yes. We want you to be involved in the web design process. Before your website goes live, you will be given the opportunity to review your website, and once we have your approval to launch, you can make one more round of changes after your site is live. Then your site will be maintained by you and your web service representative, and you can always make updates to content—both images and text.
Once You're Up & Running...
How soon will I see my new website in search engine results?
Generally, it takes search engines four to six weeks to begin indexing a new website, which is also when you’ll start to see it in search results. As soon as your website is live, however, there are many ways you can help drive traffic and attention to your site, for example:
• Send an email announcement to your customers, asking them to check out your website.
• Announce your website on Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media you use. Ask your friends and family to do the same.
• Add your website to all of your promotional materials, business cards, and stationary.
• Announce and/or update your contact info (to include your website) with community groups, associations, and membership organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce.
• Encourage happy customers to write reviews you can post to your website.
You can also count on your web service representative to provide you with tips and advice to help you meaningfully connect with your customers through your website.
Does DriveTM Web Pros track my website’s traffic for me?
Yes. We closely monitor your website’s traffic, and let you know how your site is performing. Google Analytics provides full charts and numbers gauging your web traffic, which we analyze and share with you for complete transparency regarding your site’s success and effectiveness at generating hits and bringing in customers.
What are website updates?
Updates are basic changes to your website that keep your site current and fresh. Examples of updates include adding content, adding or changing a special or coupon offer, adding or changing images, adding social media links, and adding logos or affiliations. Your DriveTM Web Pros website includes a certain number of update credits per month. The number of credits assigned to an update depends on the time it takes to complete the requested update.
To request an update, you simply email your update to [email protected]. Your web service rep will then let you know how many credits your requested update will use, and take care of the update for you.
How long does it take for updates to take effect and improve my traffic?
When we receive update requests, we take care of them ASAP, which means you can go to your website and see your updates within a day or two of sending them to us. However, it takes longer to determine how your updates are effecting your web traffic. We recommend waiting at least a month before checking for increased traffic due to the changes.
I already have a DriveTM website, but I would like to upgrade to a modern look. How can I do this?
Great! Thanks for having a DriveTM website. If you’re interested in upgrading the overall look and feel of your site, talk to your Service Advisor about a “redesign”—a great option for improving your site while maintaining your brand identity. Your redesigned site will also be responsive, which means it will automatically adjust to the size of the screen on which it’s being viewed.
Tech Questions
Can you guarantee first page results on Google?
Be wary of any web design company that guarantees first page results on Google. Search engines frequently change their algorithms (how they conduct searches) to make sure digital marketing firms aren’t manipulating the system. This means it’s impossible to promise specific results without using unscrupulous methods, and even then, you may not achieve a first page ranking. If Google thinks you’re engaging in practices that are against its webmaster guidelines, it may even penalize your site by dropping your ranking.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. A search engine, like Google, is a tool that generates lists of websites based on words and phrases that people search, with the goal of providing the most relevant websites available on a given topic. Optimization is the process of making something as effective as possible. Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving the visibility of a website in a search engine’s results (not including paid-for ads).
Best practices for SEO have changed significantly over the years, from not thinking much about keywords to cramming content with location references and word-for-word phrases. Today, effective SEO involves strategically and naturally weaving searched-for terms into reader-friendly, informative text (believe us, it can be challenging and it’s only becoming more complex). At DriveTM Web Pros, we stay up-to-date on best practices for SEO, so your website has the best chances of ranking well on search engines.
What is local SEO?
All of the elements that apply to general SEO apply to local SEO; however, for local SEO you also need a local profile on Google Places with your name, address, and phone number, along with positive customer reviews. Local SEO is important for any business that has a physical address where customers are expected to go, and it’s especially important for auto repair shops—you can generate a lot of business based on location and great reviews.
What is responsive design?
Responsive design is the concept of developing a website that readily adapts to the device on which it’s being viewed—laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. Depending on the device’s screen size and/or resolution, the website actually changes—by shifting and rearranging itself—to appear and function at its best. Having a responsive design is important for your business because many people search for auto shops on their phones while they’re on the go.
What is HTML?
HTML is the current global Internet standard for developing web pages. Sites that are HTML compliant perform correctly in modern browsers, such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox, and they work whether you are using a PC, tablet, or smartphone.
What is CSS?
Along with HTML5, we also use CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to create user-friendly websites. CSS allows us manipulate content and style separately, so that we can easily change a visual aspect of your site without disrupting your core content.