Definitions & Glossary
Understanding the metrics and terminology used in Auto Audit Pro
Audit Categories
Basic Connectivity
Tests fundamental website functionality to ensure the site is accessible and secure.
Examples: SSL certificate validation, DNS resolution, server response time, redirect handling
Performance Testing
Evaluates how quickly your website loads and responds to user interactions. Uses Google's Core Web Vitals as benchmarks.
Examples: Page load speed, Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
SEO Analysis
Checks search engine optimization elements that help your website rank higher in search results.
Examples: Meta tags, heading structure, schema markup, XML sitemap, robots.txt
User Experience
Assesses how easy and intuitive your website is for visitors to use across all devices.
Examples: Navigation clarity, form functionality, mobile responsiveness, accessibility features
Content Analysis
Reviews the quality and completeness of your website's content, especially critical dealership information.
Examples: Inventory accuracy, contact information visibility, business hours, specials and promotions
Technical Validation
Validates the technical quality of your website's code and resources.
Examples: Broken links, image optimization, JavaScript errors, CSS validation
Brand Compliance
Ensures your website meets manufacturer guidelines and legal requirements.
Examples: Proper logo usage, pricing disclaimers, legal statements, manufacturer branding guidelines
Lead Generation
Evaluates how effectively your website captures and converts visitor interest into leads.
Examples: Contact forms, call-to-action buttons, chat integration, conversion tracking
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Terms
Meta Title (Title Tag)
The clickable headline that appears in search engine results. Should be 50-60 characters and include your dealership name and location.
Good example: "Smith Ford | New & Used Cars | Dallas, TX"
Bad example: "Home" or title over 60 characters
Meta Description
A brief summary of your page that appears under the title in search results. Should be 150-160 characters and include a call to action.
Example: "Visit Smith Ford in Dallas for great deals on new and used Ford vehicles. Browse our inventory online or call (555) 123-4567 today!"
H1 Tag (Primary Heading)
The main heading on your page. Each page should have exactly one H1 tag that clearly describes the page content.
Good: One clear H1 per page
Bad: Multiple H1 tags, missing H1, or H1 that doesn't match page content
Alt Text (Alternative Text)
Descriptive text for images that helps search engines understand image content and assists visually impaired users.
Good: "2024 Ford F-150 Platinum exterior front view"
Bad: "image1.jpg" or missing alt text
Schema Markup (Structured Data)
Code that helps search engines understand your business information and can create rich snippets in search results.
Dealership schema includes: Business name, address, phone, hours, reviews, inventory
Local SEO
Optimization strategies focused on appearing in local search results and Google Maps for "near me" searches.
Key factors: Google Business Profile, NAP consistency, local keywords, reviews
NAP Consistency
Ensuring your business Name, Address, and Phone number are exactly the same across all online listings.
Critical for: Local SEO rankings, Google Maps visibility, customer trust
Canonical URL
A tag that tells search engines which version of a page is the "master" copy when you have similar or duplicate content.
Important for: Inventory pages, avoiding duplicate content penalties
Mobile-First Indexing
Google primarily uses the mobile version of your website for indexing and ranking in search results.
Impact: Mobile responsiveness is critical for SEO rankings
Page Speed
How fast your web pages load. A critical ranking factor that affects both SEO and user experience.
Target: Under 3 seconds for mobile, under 2 seconds for desktop
Internal Linking
Links from one page on your website to another page on the same website. Helps users navigate and distributes page authority.
Best practice: Link to relevant inventory, service pages, and contact information
XML Sitemap
A file that lists all important URLs on your website to help search engines discover and crawl your pages efficiently.
Location: yourdealership.com/sitemap.xml
Should be submitted to Google Search Console
Robots.txt
A file that tells search engines which pages they can and cannot crawl on your website.
Location: yourdealership.com/robots.txt
Common use: Block admin pages, thank you pages
HTTPS (SSL Certificate)
Secure version of HTTP that encrypts data between the browser and website. Required for SEO rankings and customer trust.
Look for: Green padlock in browser, "https://" in URL
Rich Snippets
Enhanced search results that show additional information like ratings, prices, or availability directly in Google search results.
For dealerships: Star ratings, inventory count, price ranges, business hours
Keyword Optimization
Strategic placement of relevant search terms throughout your website content to help pages rank for those searches.
Examples: "Ford dealer Dallas", "oil change near me", "2024 F-150 for sale"
Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page. High bounce rates can negatively impact SEO.
Good: Under 40% | Average: 40-55% | Poor: Over 55%
404 Error
An error message when a page cannot be found. Too many 404 errors can hurt your SEO and user experience.
Common cause: Deleted inventory pages without redirects
301 Redirect
A permanent redirect from one URL to another. Preserves SEO value when moving or removing pages.
Use for: Old inventory URLs, changed page locations, outdated specials
Performance Metrics
Core Web Vitals
Google's set of specific factors that are important to a webpage's user experience.
Includes: LCP (loading), FID (interactivity), and CLS (visual stability)
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Measures loading performance. To provide a good user experience, LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of when the page first starts loading.
Good: ≤2.5s | Needs Improvement: ≤4s | Poor: >4s
First Input Delay (FID)
Measures interactivity. To provide a good user experience, pages should have a FID of 100 milliseconds or less.
Good: ≤100ms | Needs Improvement: ≤300ms | Poor: >300ms
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Measures visual stability. To provide a good user experience, pages should maintain a CLS of 0.1 or less.
Good: ≤0.1 | Needs Improvement: ≤0.25 | Poor: >0.25
Time to First Byte (TTFB)
The time it takes for a user's browser to receive the first byte of page content from your server. Indicates server responsiveness.
Good: <200ms | Acceptable: <500ms | Poor: >500ms
First Contentful Paint (FCP)
Marks the time when the first text or image is painted on screen. Users see that the page is actually loading.
Good: ≤1.8s | Needs Improvement: ≤3s | Poor: >3s
Time to Interactive (TTI)
The time it takes for a page to become fully interactive - when users can click buttons, fill forms, and interact with elements.
Good: ≤3.8s | Needs Improvement: ≤7.3s | Poor: >7.3s
Total Blocking Time (TBT)
The total time between FCP and TTI when the main thread is blocked and unable to respond to user input.
Good: ≤200ms | Needs Improvement: ≤600ms | Poor: >600ms
Speed Index
How quickly the contents of a page are visibly populated. Lower numbers mean faster visual loading.
Good: ≤3.4s | Needs Improvement: ≤5.8s | Poor: >5.8s
Page Size
The total download size of your webpage including all resources. Directly impacts load time, especially on mobile.
Target: <2MB for mobile | Warning: >3MB | Critical: >5MB
Number of Requests
Total HTTP requests needed to load the page. Each request adds latency and impacts performance.
Good: <50 requests | Acceptable: <100 | Poor: >100 requests
Mobile Performance Score
Overall performance rating for mobile devices, where most dealership traffic originates. Based on lab data simulating mobile conditions.
Good: 90-100 | Needs Improvement: 50-89 | Poor: 0-49
Desktop Performance Score
Overall performance rating for desktop computers. Usually higher than mobile due to better processing power and network speeds.
Good: 90-100 | Needs Improvement: 50-89 | Poor: 0-49
Image Optimization
Properly sized, compressed, and formatted images. Vehicle photos are often the largest files on dealership sites.
Best practices: WebP format, lazy loading, responsive images, compression
JavaScript Execution Time
Time spent parsing, compiling, and executing JavaScript. Heavy scripts can block the main thread and make sites unresponsive.
Good: <2s | Needs Improvement: <4s | Poor: >4s
Render-Blocking Resources
CSS and JavaScript files that prevent the page from displaying until they're fully loaded. Should be minimized or deferred.
Impact: Each blocking resource adds 100-500ms to initial render time
DOM Size
The total number of HTML elements on the page. Large DOMs slow down page interactions and use more memory.
Good: <800 nodes | Warning: <1,400 nodes | Error: >1,400 nodes
Server Response Time
How quickly your web server responds to requests. Affected by hosting quality, server configuration, and traffic load.
Target: <200ms | Acceptable: <500ms | Slow: >500ms
Cache Hit Rate
Percentage of resources served from cache instead of downloading again. Higher rates mean faster repeat visits.
Good: >80% | Acceptable: 50-80% | Poor: <50%
Technical Terms
SSL Certificate
A digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity and enables an encrypted connection (HTTPS).
Important for: Security, SEO rankings, customer trust
Schema Markup
Structured data that helps search engines understand your content and display rich snippets in search results.
Examples: Business info, reviews, inventory, events
XML Sitemap
A file that lists all important pages on your website, helping search engines discover and crawl your content.
Best practice: Should be submitted to Google Search Console
Robots.txt
A file that tells search engine crawlers which pages or files they can or can't request from your site.
Location: yourwebsite.com/robots.txt
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of servers distributed globally that deliver web content based on user location. Speeds up image and file loading.
Benefits: Faster load times, reduced server load, better uptime
Minification
Process of removing unnecessary characters from code (spaces, comments, line breaks) without changing functionality. Reduces file sizes.
Applied to: CSS, JavaScript, HTML | Size reduction: 20-40%
GZIP Compression
Server-side compression that reduces file sizes by up to 70% before sending to browsers. Essential for performance.
Works on: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON | Not for: Images, PDFs
Browser Caching
Storing website resources on visitors' devices so they don't need to download them again on repeat visits.
Recommended: 1 year for static assets, 1 hour for HTML
Responsive Design
Website design that automatically adjusts layout and content to fit any screen size, from phones to desktops.
Key breakpoints: Mobile (<768px), Tablet (768-1024px), Desktop (>1024px)
API (Application Programming Interface)
A way for different software systems to communicate. Dealerships use APIs for inventory feeds, CRM integration, and financing.
Common uses: Inventory updates, lead submission, credit applications
Lazy Loading
Technique that delays loading images and videos until they're about to enter the viewport. Improves initial page load.
Best for: Vehicle images, gallery photos, below-the-fold content
Progressive Web App (PWA)
Web technology that makes websites work like mobile apps - installable, work offline, send notifications.
Benefits: App-like experience, offline inventory browsing, push notifications
WebP Image Format
Modern image format that provides 25-35% better compression than JPEG while maintaining quality. Faster loading vehicle photos.
Browser support: 95%+ | Fallback needed for older browsers
JavaScript Framework
Pre-written JavaScript code libraries that provide structure for building interactive features. Common in modern dealership sites.
Popular: React, Vue, Angular | Used for: Inventory search, calculators
Broken Links
Links that lead to non-existent pages (404 errors). Hurt user experience and SEO rankings.
Common causes: Deleted inventory, removed specials, site restructuring
Cross-Browser Compatibility
Ensuring your website works correctly across different web browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge).
Test priority: Chrome (65%), Safari (19%), Edge (5%), Firefox (3%)
Mobile-First Design
Design approach that starts with mobile layout then expands to larger screens. Critical since 60%+ of traffic is mobile.
Key elements: Touch-friendly buttons, readable fonts, fast loading
Database Query Optimization
Making database searches faster and more efficient. Critical for inventory searches and filtering.
Impact: Can reduce search time from seconds to milliseconds
Compliance Terms
MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)
The price that a manufacturer recommends for retailers to sell their product. Required to be displayed on many automotive websites.
Must include: Clear pricing, disclaimers about additional fees
Pricing Disclaimers
Legal statements that clarify what is and isn't included in advertised prices.
Common disclaimers: "Plus tax, title, and license", "See dealer for details"
Equal Opportunity Statement
A legal requirement stating that the dealership does not discriminate in lending or employment.
Required by: Federal and state fair lending laws
ADA Compliance (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Legal requirement ensuring websites are accessible to people with disabilities. Includes screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation.
Requirements: Alt text, proper headings, color contrast, keyboard access
WCAG Guidelines
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that define how to make web content accessible. Current standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Key areas: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust (POUR)
Privacy Policy
Legal document explaining how your dealership collects, uses, and protects customer data. Required by law in many states.
Must include: Data collection, usage, sharing, customer rights
Cookie Policy
Disclosure about website cookies and tracking technologies. Required for compliance with privacy laws.
Types: Essential, analytics, marketing, third-party cookies
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
European privacy law that may apply if you have EU visitors. Requires explicit consent for data collection.
Requirements: Consent forms, data portability, right to deletion
CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
California privacy law giving consumers rights over their personal data. Applies to businesses serving California residents.
Rights: Know, delete, opt-out, non-discrimination
FTC Guidelines
Federal Trade Commission rules for automotive advertising. Requires clear and conspicuous disclosures.
Key areas: Pricing clarity, financing terms, availability claims
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
Federal law requiring clear disclosure of credit terms and costs. Applies to financing and lease advertisements.
Must disclose: APR, down payment, payment amount, term length
Monroney Sticker (Window Sticker)
Federally required label on new vehicles showing MSRP, features, and fuel economy. Often displayed digitally on websites.
Required info: Base price, options, destination charge, total MSRP
Terms of Service
Legal agreement between your dealership and website users. Sets rules for website use and limits liability.
Covers: Usage rules, disclaimers, dispute resolution, limitations
Data Security Standards
Requirements for protecting customer information, especially financial data. Includes PCI compliance for payment processing.
Key elements: Encryption, secure forms, regular updates, access control
Advertising Disclaimers
Legal text clarifying terms, conditions, and limitations of advertised offers. Must be clear and conspicuous.
Examples: "To qualified buyers", "Limited time offer", "See dealer"
NAD/NADA Guidelines
National Automobile Dealers Association best practices for ethical advertising and business conduct.
Focus: Transparent pricing, honest advertising, fair dealing
State Licensing Requirements
State-specific dealer license information that must be displayed on websites. Varies by state.
May include: License number, regulatory agency, complaint process
Manufacturer Compliance
Requirements set by vehicle manufacturers for authorized dealers. Includes branding, content, and technical standards.
Areas: Logo usage, color schemes, content accuracy, co-op advertising
Lead Generation Terms
Conversion Rate
The percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action (fill out a form, call, chat, etc.).
Industry average: 2-3% | Good: 3-5% | Excellent: >5%
Call-to-Action (CTA)
Buttons or links that encourage users to take a specific action, typically leading to conversion.
Examples: "Get ePrice", "Schedule Test Drive", "Check Availability", "Value Your Trade"
Lead Form
An online form used to capture visitor information and generate leads for the sales team.
Best practices: Keep it short (3-5 fields), make phone optional, clear value proposition
Lead Scoring
System that ranks leads based on their likelihood to purchase. Helps sales teams prioritize follow-up efforts.
Factors: Pages viewed, time on site, form completions, vehicle interactions
Lead Nurturing
Process of building relationships with potential customers through targeted communications until they're ready to buy.
Methods: Email campaigns, retargeting ads, personalized content, follow-up calls
Landing Page
Standalone web page created specifically for a marketing campaign where visitors "land" after clicking an ad or link.
Best for: Model-specific campaigns, service specials, seasonal promotions
A/B Testing
Comparing two versions of a webpage or element to see which performs better for conversions.
Test elements: CTA buttons, form length, headlines, images, pricing display
Heat Mapping
Visual representation of where users click, scroll, and spend time on your website. Identifies engagement patterns.
Insights: Most-clicked areas, scroll depth, ignored elements, user confusion points
Conversion Funnel
The journey visitors take from first visiting your site to becoming a lead. Each step should guide toward conversion.
Stages: Homepage → Inventory → VDP → Lead Form → Thank You Page
Lead Magnet
Valuable content or offers given in exchange for contact information. Incentivizes visitors to become leads.
Examples: Price quotes, trade-in values, payment calculators, buyer's guides
Form Abandonment
When visitors start filling out a form but leave before submitting. High rates indicate form problems.
Common causes: Too many fields, technical errors, unclear value, required phone number
Chat Widget
Live chat or automated chatbot feature that allows instant communication with website visitors.
Benefits: 24/7 availability, instant response, lead capture, appointment scheduling
Click-to-Call
Phone numbers that mobile users can tap to instantly call your dealership. Critical for mobile conversions.
Best practice: Prominent placement, department-specific numbers, tracking enabled
Lead Response Time
How quickly your dealership contacts a lead after submission. Faster response dramatically improves conversion.
Benchmarks: <5 minutes (78% contact rate), <1 hour (50%), >24 hours (10%)
Progressive Profiling
Gradually collecting lead information over multiple interactions instead of asking for everything upfront.
First visit: Email only | Second: Add name | Third: Phone and preferences
Exit Intent Popup
Targeted message that appears when a visitor shows signs of leaving your website without converting.
Triggers: Mouse to browser bar, rapid scrolling up, tab switching
Social Proof
Evidence that others have had positive experiences with your dealership. Builds trust and encourages conversion.
Types: Customer reviews, testimonials, awards, "XX sold this month" counters
Retargeting Pixels
Code that tracks website visitors and allows you to show them targeted ads after they leave your site.
Platforms: Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, Microsoft Advertising
Lead Attribution
Tracking which marketing channels and touchpoints contributed to a lead conversion.
Sources: Organic search, paid ads, social media, direct traffic, email
Micro-Conversions
Smaller actions that indicate interest but aren't full lead submissions. Steps toward the main conversion goal.
Examples: VDP views, calculator usage, brochure downloads, video plays
Thank You Page
Page shown after lead submission that confirms receipt and sets expectations for next steps.
Should include: Confirmation message, response time expectation, additional CTAs
Priority Levels
High Priority
Critical issues that significantly impact user experience, lead generation, or compliance. Should be fixed immediately.
Examples: Site not secure (no SSL), forms not working, no contact information, mobile site broken
Medium Priority
Important issues that affect performance or user experience but don't prevent basic functionality.
Examples: Slow page load, missing meta descriptions, limited CTAs, poor image optimization
Low Priority
Minor issues or enhancements that would improve the site but have minimal impact on core functionality.
Examples: Missing favicon, no breadcrumbs, limited social media integration
Critical Issues
Problems that completely prevent website functionality or pose immediate security/legal risks. Require emergency attention.
Examples: Website down, malware detected, data breach, no SSL on payment forms
Revenue Impact
Issues directly affecting your ability to generate leads and sales. Priority based on potential business loss.
High impact: Broken forms, missing CTAs, inventory not loading, phone numbers wrong
User Experience Priority
Problems that frustrate visitors and cause them to leave your site. Focus on friction points in the customer journey.
Key areas: Mobile responsiveness, page speed, navigation clarity, form simplicity
SEO Priority
Issues affecting search engine visibility and rankings. Important for long-term organic traffic growth.
Focus areas: Title tags, meta descriptions, page speed, mobile-friendliness, schema
Compliance Priority
Legal and regulatory requirements that could result in fines or lawsuits if not addressed.
Must fix: ADA violations, missing privacy policy, incorrect pricing disclaimers
Quick Wins
Easy-to-fix issues that provide immediate improvements with minimal effort or cost.
Examples: Add meta descriptions, fix broken links, compress images, update hours
Scheduled Maintenance
Regular updates and optimizations that should be planned as part of ongoing website maintenance.
Monthly: Content updates, performance checks | Quarterly: Full audits, UX reviews
Enhancement Opportunities
Improvements that aren't fixing problems but could provide competitive advantages or better user experience.
Ideas: Add virtual tours, implement live chat, create interactive tools, add video
Mobile-First Priority
Issues specifically affecting mobile users, who represent 60%+ of dealership traffic. Mobile problems = high priority.
Critical: Touch targets too small, text unreadable, forms unusable, slow loading
Performance Budget
Setting limits on page size, load time, and resources to maintain fast performance. Helps prioritize optimizations.
Targets: <3 sec load time, <2MB page size, <50 requests, >90 performance score
Security Priority
Vulnerabilities that could compromise customer data or website integrity. Always high priority regardless of size.
Issues: Outdated software, weak passwords, no HTTPS, exposed databases
Brand Consistency
Ensuring all website elements align with dealership and manufacturer branding guidelines. Affects professional appearance.
Check: Logos, colors, fonts, messaging, imagery style, tone of voice
Competitive Parity
Features and functionality that competitors have which you're missing. Priority based on market expectations.
Common gaps: Payment calculators, comparison tools, video walkarounds, live chat
ROI-Based Priority
Ranking fixes based on expected return on investment. Balance cost/effort against potential revenue increase.
High ROI: Fix broken forms, add CTAs, improve mobile | Low ROI: Cosmetic changes
Seasonal Priority
Issues that become more important during specific times of year based on shopping patterns and promotions.
Examples: Holiday specials pages, model year-end promotions, tax season offers
Technical Debt
Accumulated technical issues from quick fixes or outdated code that eventually need proper solutions.
Signs: Slow performance, frequent bugs, difficult updates, security warnings
Analytics & Insights
Website Score vs. Lead Conversion Correlation
A scatter plot visualization showing the relationship between website quality (0-100 score) and actual sales conversion rates. This powerful metric reveals whether poor performance is due to website issues or sales process problems.
How to interpret:
• On the trend line: Your conversion matches your website quality
• Above the line: Excellent sales process maximizing website potential
• Below the line: Sales process issues preventing website ROI
• Expected correlation: 70+ website score = 15-20% conversion rate
Expected Conversion Rate
The conversion rate your dealership should achieve based on website quality. Calculated using industry benchmarks: Base 5% + (Website Score/100 × 15%). A dealership with an 80/100 website should expect ~17% conversion.
Examples: 60/100 website = 14% expected | 80/100 website = 17% expected | 90/100 website = 18.5% expected
Performance Gap Analysis
The difference between your actual conversion rate and expected conversion rate based on website score. Identifies whether improvement should focus on website optimization or sales process enhancement.
Positive gap: Outperforming website quality (strong sales team)
Negative gap: Underperforming website potential (process issues)
Action: Gaps over 3% warrant immediate investigation
Combined Insights Dashboard
Unified view correlating website audit results with lead performance metrics. Shows how website issues directly impact lead conversion and revenue, providing data-driven prioritization for improvements.
Key correlations: Mobile issues → lower conversion | Fast response → higher close rate | More CTAs → more leads
ROI Projection Model
Calculates potential revenue increase from website improvements based on: current lead volume × conversion rate improvement × average deal value. Each 1% conversion improvement typically equals $200K+ annually.
Example: 100 leads/month × 2% conversion improvement × $30K average = $720K annual revenue increase
Network Performance Benchmarking
Comparison of individual dealership metrics against network or industry averages. Identifies whether performance issues are isolated or systemic across the organization.
Benchmarks: Avg website score 72/100 | Avg conversion 16% | Avg response time 45 min | Top 20% achieve 85+ score
Conversion Rate Attribution
Breaking down which factors contribute most to conversion rate: website quality (30%), response time (25%), follow-up process (20%), pricing (15%), market factors (10%).
Website improvements can only impact ~30% of conversion rate; remaining 70% depends on sales execution
Lead Velocity Rate (LVR)
Month-over-month growth rate in qualified lead generation. More predictive of future revenue than current sales. Healthy LVR is 10-20% monthly growth.
Calculation: (Leads this month - Leads last month) / Leads last month × 100 = LVR%
Website Health Score
Composite 0-100 score combining all audit categories weighted by impact on user experience and lead generation. Scores: 85+ Elite | 75-84 Strong | 65-74 Average | <65 Needs Improvement.
Weights: Lead Gen 20% | UX 20% | Performance 15% | SEO 15% | Mobile 15% | Content 10% | Technical 5%
Confidence Indicators
Visual markers (✅ ⚠️ 🔍) showing the reliability of automated detection. High confidence means direct detection, moderate means indirect indicators found, manual review means human verification needed.
✅ High: SSL certificate present | ⚠️ Moderate: Forms may load dynamically | 🔍 Manual: Schema might be JavaScript-injected