Designing an auto finance website is a lot of work, but that’s no excuse to copy “SomeoneElsesCarLoanWebsite.com” and be done.
Drawing inspiration from other websites and looking to industry leaders for concept ideas is something that you should do, however ripping off a competitor’s entire website design is problematic for a host of reasons:
1. You could get sued
If you copy the exact design or steal content, you are putting yourself at risk of being sued. Although it’s rare, and typically a cease and desist letter comes first, sometimes you can be held liable for damages when stealing content and design.
2. Search engines will hate you
Search engines are a lot smarter than we think – they can recognize what website had the original content uploaded to the internet first. It’s not uncommon for search engines like Google to penalize the copy-and-paste thief in search rankings.
3. Customers will notice
Even if it’s just a little bit different, people will notice. Customers are very smart and aware of what they have and haven’t seen while surfing the internet. When a person is doing research online and see a website that looks noticeably similar to a site they previously visited, warning bells go off. Opting for the watered-down version of a website will do damage to the relationship with your customer and turn potential car buyers away.
Instead of copying another company’s website, look to them for inspiration. Take the elements you like and incorporate your own elements in a way that represents what your business is. Create original content that will engage current and potential customers, and always test what’s working and what’s not. Testing your websites can help it improve 200 – 300 per cent in less than three months. It’s these little changes that will make a huge difference.
