Business & Operations
Dealership website checklist — everything your site must have
A checklist of every page, feature, and element that a professional dealer website needs. Use this to audit an existing site or as a guide when setting up a new one.
Key takeaways
- Every vehicle detail page needs a unique title with year, make, model, and location
- Multiple lead capture options increase your chances of converting visitors
- Mobile speed and SSL are baseline SEO requirements in 2025
- Provincial dealer license number is a legal requirement on most dealer sites
Essential pages
Homepage with clear inventory access and a strong call to action. Inventory page with search and filter functionality. Vehicle detail pages with full specs, multiple photos, and a financing calculator. About Us page with your dealership story and team. Contact page with phone, address, email, and a contact form.
Lead capture features
Vehicle inquiry form on every vehicle detail page. Live chat widget (or AI chat for after hours). Contact form on the contact page. Appointment booking for test drives. Clear phone number in the header on every page — buyers on mobile should be able to tap to call.
SEO requirements
Each vehicle detail page should have a unique title tag including year, make, model, and your location. Meta descriptions on all pages. Fast page load speed — test on a mobile connection. Schema markup for your business (name, address, phone). SSL certificate (HTTPS). Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console.
Legal and compliance
Provincial dealer license number displayed (required in most provinces). Privacy policy page. Terms of use page. Accurate pricing with any applicable disclaimers (prices plus tax). If you collect financing applications, additional compliance requirements apply.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my website's mobile performance?
Use Google's PageSpeed Insights (free) to test both desktop and mobile performance. A mobile score above 70 is a reasonable baseline. The most common issues are large unoptimized images and slow third-party scripts.
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Ready to put this into practice?
Automo Soft gives you the tools to run a more efficient, more profitable dealership. Start your 14-day free trial today.