Building a global digital destination for an automotive tech leader

After 40 years of expansion, our client wanted to build a more cohesive digital destination for their global customer base. Centific delivered the strategic agency services to build a content-rich, multi-lingual website localized for more than 25 countries.

Aerial view of a winding road cutting through a lush, green forest.

A preeminent name in the dealership technology industry, the client was a market leader in a fast-moving space. However, the client’s online presence was fragmented, with more than 40 existing websites serving more than 30 countries, with unique service offerings for each market. Meeting the demands of this global audience would require these websites – and their content – be centralized in a way that made business sense and always focused on the human.

Employing a highly disciplined strategic approach, Centific developed a global website; cataloged, produced and translated a significant content load; and localized each experience to effectively serve a global market.

KEY SUCCESSES

Developed a complex, multilingual website with Drupal 8 on Acquia
Refreshed the design and brand of a market leader
Produced 325+ original pages of on-brand content

72%

increase in site visitors

32%

reduction in bounce rate

55%

increase in pages per session

DISCOVERY + STRATEGY

The foundation of the team’s approach was a comprehensive audit that measured performance of the client’s many existing websites. In parallel, a series of more than 30 stakeholder interviews allowed the Centific team to gather the business insights they would need to execute the process moving forward.

Equipped with this information, the team developed a foundation of strategic recommendations and user personas, as well as a sitemap, to lay out a clear path for digital success

ARCHITECTING FOR SCALE

The needs of auto, marine and industrial dealers are multifaceted and highly varied. Because of this, the client offered a wide range of products, which were also adapted to their various markets.

To solve for this, the Centific team built individual sitemaps for each country that reflected each unique service offering, facilitating the translation and localization process.

CONTENT + DESIGN

This vast catalog of products called for original content that reflected the concerns of its audience. More than 325 pages of original copy were written for the US version of the site, informed by our strategic foundation and crafted in the client’s new brand tone. These pages were informed by research and an understanding of dealer pain points, making them a strategic tool to drive conversions and build customer loyalty.

Our network of language professionals translated and localized this content into 26 different languages for international audiences.

Until engaging Centific, the client’s many websites lacked a cohesive look and feel. Informed by previous designs and an in-depth design process, the team conceived, developed, and employed a brand-new visual style for the brand that prioritizes clarity and quality of the user experience.

A GLOBAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT

The Centific team replatformed the site to Drupal on Acquia, completing frontend and backend development to WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance and employed a stringent QA process to ensure consistent website quality and usability. To accommodate 25+ international websites, custom CMS functionality was developed and delivered according to client needs, with SEO preservation protecting existing search equity.

RESULTS

When the client engaged Centific, it was in the hopes of achieving a cohesive global presence and improved performance. By employing a sound strategy and leveraging our global reach, they now had a user-friendly platform for all their digital experiences — and a foundation for a successful future.