10 ways to get your auto website right

What is an automotive brand website really for in 2026? Neel Desor from What Car?, marketing leader Richard Hughes and Sophus3 lead analyst Sam Robson explored the question at our April webinar.

Ten points to take back to your team

• 1. Prioritise the roles. Research, leads, ownership support and brand engagement all matter, but not equally on every page.
• 2. Avoid a universal template. There is no single correct model for every brand’s objectives and traffic.
• 3. Learn from simpler sites. Some newer brands reduce friction with focused, lead-oriented experiences.
• 4. Manage depth actively. Large sites can offer useful detail while also creating navigation problems.
• 5. Measure business outcomes. Page views and time on site are not sufficient definitions of success.
• 6. Expect return visits. Journeys are non-linear; a short visit may be a successful one.
• 7. Design for the wider ecosystem. Dealers, marketplaces and AI tools also influence decisions.
• 8. Read traffic sources in context. Paid-heavy and organic-led strategies can have different purposes.
• 9. Protect trust. Brand websites remain important sources of authoritative information.
• 10. Challenge internal silos. Website complexity can reflect organisational boundaries rather than customer needs.

Start with one journey

Choose a task customers need to complete. Review whether its content, navigation and measurement serve that task. The aim is not fewer pages for their own sake, but less unnecessary work for the visitor.

Adapted from Sophus3’s LinkedIn post dated 2026-04-17. Figures and market observations relate to that original update.