Description Templates

What are Description Templates?

Have you ever found yourself typing in the same old things over and over again on your descriptions?  Maybe the fact you have a deal on finance?  Or maybe you have a vigorous multi-point inspection policy that you like to tell your customers about?  Well, Description Templates is the perfect solution for you.  Create a Template that you can insert into multiple vehicle descriptions.

Write it just once.  Send it everywhere.

You can now create as many Description Templates as you like.  You can have one for the warranties you have on offer, one for out of hours contact details and anything else you would like to have shown in your vehicle description section on your site.  Another great feature about Description Templates is that you can choose to include them in your vehicle feeds.  This means they can show up on the likes of AutoTrader, Ebay and any other feeds you have set up.  You can even choose whether or not you would like to add your template at the start or end of your description.

So, how do you use them?

Simple.  In Engine Room, where you normally fill out your description, there is a new dropdown box where you can select a template.  But first we have to create one.

Creating a Description Template

• Click on Description Templates (found below the description box)
• Give your Template a name
• Choose where you would like your Template to show.  This can be either before or after your main description
• Add the required wording to your Template
• Tick the ‘Include this template when sending to feeds?’ option if you would like the template to be included in your vehicle description that gets sent out to third party services such as AutoTrader
• Click Submit and your Template will appear in the list of available Templates

Editing or Deleting a Template

You can edit a template by clicking ‘Edit’ in your list of available Templates.  Editing a template will change any vehicles that are currently using this Template.  Similarly, you can delete a Template by clicking ‘Delete’ and this will remove the Template and take it off of any vehicles that currently have it.

Have questions?

We’re here to help, so if you need more help you can contact us on 0845 095 1990.  However, do check out our FAQs below that answer common questions and highlights any limitations.

Q. How many Templates can I have?
A. You can have as many templates as you like. 

Q. Can I add formatting, pictures or code to my Template?
A. No you cannot.  Because of how Templates are handled and the fact they get sent out in feeds to third parties, we must limit the templates to plain text. 

Q. How much can I write?  Is there a limit?
A.  There is no limit, however be aware that third parties do impose a limit on the description they will show on their site.  Because of this, we suggest that if you have a long Template, you should add it after the main description of your vehicle - just to be on the safe side.

Q. If I add a Template, will my colleagues be able to use it?
A. Yes.  This is a shared resource.

Q. Where will my Description Template show on my site?
A. This will be different for every site due to the fact that sites are designed with different layouts.  Your Template will become part of the description block that is visible on your Vehicle Description page.  Depending on whether you add it before or after the description will obviously affect where it will show on that page.

Q. I use Silent Salesmen/Brochures, will it appear on them?
A. No.  Silent Salesmen have only a limited amount of space, so we only show the key information on these.