More traffic means more tires, only in this case, we’re referring to website traffic. Since people have been buying tires for more than a century “offline,” one would think a website needn’t be a critical element of a tire dealer’s business model. However, more and more people are relying on the Internet to make purchase decisions, if not actual purchases. A business without a website—or an outdated website, which is sometimes worse—is at a distinct disadvantage in the credibility department.

Colony Tire, a regional tire retail chain based in Edenton, NC, with more than 40 locations in North Carolina and Virginia, approached Strategic Insights about developing an entirely new site from scratch. More than five years old, their previous site was nearing obsolescence, in both design and functionality.

David Ford, Strategic Insights’ Director of Web Services, worked directly with Ashley Aydlett, Colony Tire’s Marketing Manager, to improve the site’s look and performance. “They needed to be more competitive in search results, so we built the site to be extremely SEO-friendly,” commented Ford. “We also customized a light content management system for them so they could keep the content fresh in areas of the site that need to be updated frequently. Being able to change their Deal of the Week,  and post news and customer testimonials will keep things interesting and keep their visitors coming back.”

The new site, featured prominently in Colony Tire’s recent TV campaign, offers rotating testimonials, instant e-quoting and a Google map widget showing local installer locations.