CAR Dealer is looking to celebrate the best digital dealers in the business with the relaunch of our popular Ewards – and now’s the time to get involved!

A dealer’s online presence is more important than ever in 2020 and many businesses have really raised their game in recent years.

It used to be the case that the phrase ‘digital dealership’ just meant having a website where customers could look at pictures of your cars and maybe read a bit about them.

Nowadays, dealer websites need to offer so much more.

Video, live chat, finance calculators, and maybe even the ability to complete a purchasing transaction online…. the game has moved on at a rapid pace since the Ewards were last held.

As we relaunch an event that is sure to be a huge success once again, we will be looking to hand awards to the very best dealers and manufacturers online, and we’ll be giving out gongs for other digital achievements too.

The winners will be honoured at a special ceremony at this year’s CDX, which takes place at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre on Tuesday, April 28.

Trophies and certificates will be presented, with marketing and publicity material available too so our winners can really shout about their success.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER OR NOMINATE

How can I enter?

Dealers can now nominate themselves or others for an award in each category and these, along with recommendations from the judges, will go forward to the next stage.

Car Dealer’s editorial team will work with our panel of judges to pick the very best in each category.

Those judges, made up of sponsors of our awards and the Car Dealer editorial team, will compile a shortlist of five finalists in each category.

Our head judge, Car Dealer founder James Baggott, will have the casting vote in the event of a tie.

When will the winners be revealed?

The Ewards winners will be announced on the Car Dealer Live Stage in the afternoon of CDX, the UK’s leading motor trade expo. This year the event is being held on April 28 at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre.

All five shortlisted dealers in each category will be invited to attend CDX where the Winner and two Highly Commended firms in each category will be announced.

Winners will be invited to the stage to accept their awards and the results will be announced online and in the following issue of Car Dealer Magazine.

What categories are there?

Dealer Websites – four categories

• Franchised Dealer Website of the Year
• Independent Dealer Website of the Year
• Car Supermarket Website of the Year
• Manufacturer Website of the Year

Our Website of the Year winners will be judged not only on their usability and looks, but their innovation, engagement and how they serve customers. Each judge will have a guide on what to look for, but will use their own experience and knowledge to hand out their points.

Social Media Awards – three categories

• Best Use of Twitter
• Best Use of Facebook
• Best Use of Instagram

For the Social Media Awards, we’ll be looking at those dealers who use the aforementioned social media platforms and the judges will choose between the businesses who they feel use each platform most successfully. Engagement, variety and innovation will be celebrated.

Other Awards

• Online Marketing Campaign of the Year

Whether it’s an advert on social media, a YouTube campaign or another digital marketing masterpiece, this award will be handed to a dealer or manufacturer who has excelled with an online marketing campaign.

• Best Use of Video

Dealers and manufacturers are experimenting with all sorts of video usage, from showing off their stock, bespoke videos for potential customers or innovative advertising. This Eward will look at them all and honour the very best.

And the BIG one… Digital Dealer of the Year

Our overall winning digital dealer will be the operator who has all digital bases covered. They’ll excel across the digital field and we’ll be celebrating their success with this overall winner’s Eward. It will really be something to shout about!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER OR NOMINATE