PUREDEALER | Automotive Internet Marketing | SEO | PPC | Custom Dealer Websites

There are a number of available channels to market your dealership online. The question is which one will work the best. Is it better to go deep into one area or synergize using several? First let’s look at some of the available automotive internet marketing channels to consider:

Automotive marketing

1. Low-maintenance, fully customizable, dealer web sites
2. Multi-franchise automotive portals
3. Automotive Microsites promoting specific makes and models tied into your dealership(s)
4. Automotive Landing pages to catch your PPC and organic traffic and direct customers to immediate sales and incentives
5. Sponsored Automotive Blog sites to drive consumers from information resources back to conversion points
6. electronic Press Releases for your dealership and RSS feeds to get fresh information into online channels that get picked up by sites and search engines looking for your news
7. Automotive Squeeze pages to direct consumers towards custom, private sale opportunities
8. Automotive Search engine marketing (SEM) to serve your ads to consumers searching by relevant phrases with needs your dealership can satisfy
9. Proxy sites to serve up pages with different text and images and direct prospects to call services and information resources that can be tracked
10. Data broadcasting of dealer inventory to multiple lead services as well as other information sites
11. Audio/Video broadcasting any promotional materials you have through channels such as YouTube which will drive up impressions and potential site visitations
12. Social Network sites to connect with consumers where they meet online

Now the question is how to utilize these channels and get the most out of them. To begin with, particularly in today’s economy, the goal is always to minimize overhead and maximize ROI. Therefore you should consider the advertising investment in each of these carefully. Then you must also consider the metrics by which you determine whether you are actually achieving results. However something that is often overlooked is the importance of building effective link relationships. If you don’t know how to do it then you need to find someone who does before you wind up at the bottom of the search list beneath your competitors who have figured this out already.

Dealer Web sites

Every dealer has a web site and if they don’t then they are clearly missing the boat. The value of an online presence goes well beyond the leads that the dealership takes in if you consider the long-term value of a marketing presence. What isn’t always considered is the usability and the flexibility afforded to the dealership to sculpt something to meet their specific needs.

Every dealership needs to differentiate itself and the days of cookie-cutter sites are gone because its dog eat dog and personalization is what both consumers and businesses need to separate themselves. That means flexibility to do something unique and not conform to someone else’s standards because it’s more profitable to do so. That said consider what you are spending to wear someone else’s vision of your business. If your site doesn’t reflect your vision rather than someone else’s then consider the impact that may have on a consumer’s perspective about your dealership.

If you’re going to buy tools then learn to use them. Why spend thousands of dollars for top notch technology and then not use it? Why does it require so much technology to sell something anyway? Sales were good before they were online so it stands to reason that what’s important is the impression you make on the consumer. If they feel you have a unique presence, trust in the reliability of your business, and recognize that you understand their needs by putting some very fundamental things in front of them when they first show up then they are going to feel better about buying from you. That doesn’t require technology it requires people. Don’t be fooled into believing that your web site is doing all the work and make sure your people are trained and understand their roles in using even the simplest of solutions and you will see big results.

Multi-franchise automotive Portals

If you work as part of a franchise or a dealer group here is an opportunity to put all your inventory together and offer more choices to consumers. Even better however is the opportunity to introduce offerings online at a variety of levels. Consumers understand search and they want simplicity. They don’t want too many choices and complexity, they want logical choices that get them to a solution quickly. Then they want all their available options right in front of them and to know they have one or more places to compare those options. If those options are within the same dealer group is presents an opportunity to keep those leads in-network.

Is it difficult to create a portal? Not really. You could do it within your own web site if you really wanted to by sharing inventory. You could however consider the opportunity of offering personalization features to consumers so they can connect with friends and family through social network channels which can boost your viral marketing efforts.

Automotive Microsites

Microsites offering consumers a scaled-back look at key areas of your business. Instead of overwhelming them with options a microsite can offer them the opportunity to see something that is focused on specific sales and incentives and when tied in with your search engine marketing efforts can be a useful way to boost organic listings over time.

Break your existing site into critical areas and simplify what is there and you have a microsite. Now concentrate it on something specific such as specials or specific models and now you have content that reaches people with a very specific need. In the age of search engine marketing and consider that some feel search engine marketing is dying it’s still benefits consumers to get them to the best opportunities you have to offer as quickly as possible and simpler can definitely be better.

Automotive Landing Pages

What is a landing page? Some might say it’s clutter and others might say it’s a clever promotional tool devised to help someone looking for very specific keywords to be driven to very specific opportunities with the least amount of decision making required. The goal is to reward consumers who are searching for opportunities with your best offers and take them right down the sales funnel. No messing around, just straight to the sale.

So is it clutter? Perhaps to some, but it doesn’t have to be and the message you sculpt is your own and don’t let someone else decide that message for you because your business has a unique quality and that should be communicated simply and effectively.

Additional multi-media is an effective way to also keep the attention of consumers who might otherwise shy from static content. Smart shoppers however are not looking for glitz, they are looking for bargains and the goal is to give them a reason to fill out that test drive or quote request. The rest then is up to your sales people, assuming they know how to close those leads.

Automotive Blogs

By now there isn’t anyone that doesn’t know about blogging, but have you considered the value of getting your message or sponsored message into circulation? If you want to reach people go where the people are. People communicate within large blog networks and that’s a perfect opportunity to reach them. It’s also another opportunity to build effective link relationships and get your keyword phrases picked up by major search engines. You can even embed them into your own site.

Electronic Press Releases & RSS feeds

One thing that is guaranteed to get your message into circulation is press releases and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. Why because the sole purpose of these sources is to get news into circulation which other sites and search engines will pick up on. One release can drive your message right to the top of the search engine rankings with the right keyword phrases. If that release or feed starts getting linked to by other people (this is where social networking has some value) you will start to see your ranking go through the roof. Regular scheduled distributions can keep your message in front of people for a long time and you will definitely start to notice your organic traffic growing which will lower your PPC costs over time.

Automotive Squeeze Pages

Consider that consumers like bargains and others like to feel exclusive. The squeeze page can satisfy both because it says, “This is for you and you’re special”. It says this is a unique opportunity that not everyone knows about and it says this is limited time offer and you might want to take advantage of it before it goes away.

The squeeze page is simple, affordable, and can be tracked and measured. It shouldn’t be complicated because by it’s very nature it’s about simplicity. It’s very cost-effective and it will ultimately lead consumers right to the carrot and they will be glad you did if you reward them with satisfying offers.

Automotive Search Marketing

This subject is far too vast so let’s cut to the chase. PPC is a cost and like traditional automotive advertising it’s a necessary cost but it’s a whole lot cheaper than traditional and as far-reaching as you are willing to take it. What’s good about it however is when you tie it in with other forms of content. Building effective link relationships with your other forms of online media is ultimate how you will develop strong relationships with your content and drive your visibility up.

Understand the power of the right keyword phrases and be sure use appropriate geo-targeting to ensure you are reaching the right people at the right time. Don’t buy in to false promises of results. Read your own analytics and stats and if you’re not seeing good referrals then you need to question that. Look at the keywords and also make sure you have a say in that as well. You may not always know the best phrases, but you should learn what they are so you can tell if you’re being snowed by someone buying up bad keywords on your dime and wasting money on fruitless conversions. If you’re looking to throw money away then click here to learn how to do it.

Proxy Sites

If you’re online you’re probably using 800 numbers too so you can track every area of your business. With proxy sites you can serve up pages and swap out numbers and other forms of media on-the-fly. Perhaps even offer different options to different consumers with different needs. This also offers the opportunity for multivariate testing so you can learn how consumers respond to your offers. Remember Marketing is about testing. Testing is a cost, but also a necessary cost in order to learn what works and what doesn’t. Otherwise you’re just throwing away money on ideas like pennies in a sea of possibilities. Chances are if you’re wasting money you’re spending someone else’s and if they catch wind of it you may need a “B” plan.

Data Broadcasting

If you’re not doing it you’re missing the boat again. You can deliver inventory to more sites than you can shake a stick at and most services support ADF format which is the industry XML standard. If you don’t know about this then read up. Your inventory can be everywhere including your site maps which search engines like Google will smile upon.

Audio/Video

You can turn your traffic around in a day by simply uploading your promotions to YouTube and embedding them on your site and other online resources. Tied to Google YouTube will get more eyes on your ad than you can, again…shake a stick at. You can literally watch the traffic views grow quickly and with proper analytics and stats in your sites you can begin to measure the referrers from it if you embed links in your content as well.

Social Networking Sites

No doubt you know about Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites. But do you know that they appeal to different demographics based on some studies performed by independent sources. Facebook for example appeals to a more upscale, educated audience so perhaps if you’re selling exotics that’s a consideration. If you’re selling domestics and reaching a younger crowd perhaps MySpace is the better place to be.

Every page of your site should offer users the ability to bookmark their pages in the favorite social networking sites. If you’re not offering that then you missing another viral opportunity and the ability to benefit from strategic link placement that could ultimately compliment your overall search engine strategy.

So with all that said, how do you fire on all cylinders? To begin with, create a budget. Compare costs and then consider that to be seen you must understand how to build relationships with your online content. Just throwing it up there isn’t enough. Seek resources to understand how to tie those channels. What I have outlined are but a few and it’s the ability to understand how to connect the dots that will allow you to leverage the potential of each area better.

For more information please contact:

Michael Sweigart, President PureDealer, Inc. http://automotiveseoblog.com/