August 26th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
Every dealer I work with knows that search engine optimization is vital to their site being found online. But all the ins and outs of SEO? Well, even though they know a lot, that’s for sure, they know they don’t know everything. So how can you be sure you’re doing everything you can to ensure you’re at the top of the rankings for the most important keywords?
Find out at PTMS’ SEO Seminar. It costs $399 for a four-hour session, and you’ll leave with an SEO manual, PLUS a report of what you’re doing well with SEO for your site - and what you need to improve.
Sign up here.
Tags: Internet Marketing, Search Marketing, Seminar, SEO
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 21st, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
The Television Bureau of Advertising announced last week that television revenue fell by 27.6% in the first quarter. Adding to that, spending in the automotive category of local broadcast TV fell a whopping 52.1% in the first quarter of the year.
Has the economy finally forced local automotive dealers to rethink their television advertising budgets? I hope so. Television is a traditional medium that offers questionable
Traditionally holding the top spot among individual spenders, autos are hitting local stations’ revenues particularly hard. While bad for local broadcast stations, I think there is some silver lining to this dark cloud. Has the economy finally forced local automotive dealers to rethink their television advertising budgets? I hope so.
Television is a traditional medium that offers questionable ROI or tracking ability. In today’s world, dealerships are looking to advertise more and spend less. This isn’t going to happen with TV ads. Autos have long loved this medium where they can catch consumers’ attention, usually at the expense of their dignity. Am I calling for an end of “Crazy Eddie’s Used Cars” commercials where Eddie literally saws something in half to demonstrate their slashed prices? Kind of. While TV spots can useful for dealers, there are so many other ways (more ROI and tracking friendly ways) to reach targets. Only you know what works for your dealership, but some mediums I think will gain traction are:
- Email marketing
- Using YouTube to launch commercials
- Social Media
- Direct Phone calls to customers (especially for service work)
- Targeted PPC campaigns
- Radio
- SEO
So what are you doing with your ad budget?
Tags: Online Marketing, ROI, strategy
Posted in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing | No Comments »
July 6th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
The economy and the auto industry are in turmoil and dealerships are jumping on any cost-savings strategies they can. I often hear dealerships talking about taking their advertising in-house as a way to save money, but does this strategy really save money? Or could you end up spending even more than with an agency? Well, it depends.
If you’re considering bringing your Internet marketing in-house, first you’ll want to make sure these characteristics fit you :
- You have staff with time to spare. Lots of time. Managing online marketing campaigns takes time and planning to ensure success. If you don’t have the time to manage budgets and tweak ad copy, don’t bother. You’ll end up costing yourself more in the long run.
- You (or your staff) have experience running campaigns. Dealerships aren’t in the position to be guinea pigs for trial campaigns. You need experience working with the major search engines and writing effective ad copy to run a solid campaign; otherwise valuable time and money could be wasted.
- You know your business. I know this seems like a given, but in order to build a list of keywords that will convert for your dealership you must know what people are searching for to find you. Of course “manufacturer + DMA” is a start, but what other keywords drive traffic to your site? Professionally run campaigns typically begin with hundreds (or even thousands) of keywords, and are narrowed down over time to keep the best converting terms.
- You have measurements and goals set to keep the campaign accountable and on-track. Clear metrics defining campaign success are imperative. If analytics aren’t in place and conversion rates aren’t tracked then there is no way to see if bringing the advertising in-house actually saved money. This is a key point for all advertising, whether in house or out.
If you agree with the above points, great! This can be a good option for dealerships with experienced staff that makes in-house advertising a priority. But for many dealerships just hoping to save a few bucks bringing it in-house generally isn’t a real cost-saving option. Be sure you know what you’re in for before you make the transition.
Tags: Agency, Auto Dealer Traffic, Automotive, Internet Marketing, Online Marketing, planning, strategy, Tracking
Posted in Internet Marketing | No Comments »
June 22nd, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
As my boss pointed out in
his blog, Google announced in mid-May that they’re planning to lift their ban on trademarked terms in ad copy. It was scheduled for June 15
th, but I haven’t heard whether it’s officially happened or not. This is supposed to be big news, but this seems kind of like it’s happening with a whimper instead of a bang. And I think that’s because of the reasons that
Todd points out here.
Here are the key issues:
- Companies like Lexus and Toyota have spent a great deal of time and money building their brands. How likely is it that they’ll let their brands be diluted by allowing others to use their trademarks without a fight?
- Cost per click is likely to go up if more companies are allowed to use the terms. This is mainly going to be an issue for Toyota and BMW, as they’re the brands who currently enforce their trademarks. Good for Google, maybe not so good for everyone else?
- Used car dealers or dealers with multiple brands to sell will finally be able to run a PPC campaign for specific inventory.
Nothing is cut and dried here. What do you think about the issue?
Me? I’ll be keeping my ears out to hear if Google changes their mind about their decision.
Tags: Google, Online Marketing, Search Marketing, trademark
Posted in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing | No Comments »
June 9th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
Many auto dealers are having to make drastic cuts in their advertising budgets. The most cost effective advertising medium today is the internet, but many dealers are unsure how to get the most out of their internet advertising.
That’s why, together with the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA), Auto Dealer Traffic is offering a special webinar to learn real world best practices that can immediately impact your business. Auto Dealer Traffic is the Affinity Partner of the AIADA.
This FREE 30 minute webinar will offer strategies to help dealers more effectively execute internet marketing strategies and how to effectively spend their internet budget. We’ll cover:
- Online inventory
- How is inventory displayed in classifieds
- Where are your efforts focust
- Getting the most real leads online
The strategies we’ll cover will help dealers get the most from their internet marekting and help cut advertising spend.
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 - 2:00PM EDT
Moderators: Todd Swickard, CEO & Founder of Auto Dealer Traffic and Tanesha Bennett, Director of Sales for Auto Dealer Traffic
To register now, click here.
Tags: aiada, Internet Marketing, Search Marketing, strategy, webinar
Posted in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing | No Comments »
May 18th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
With Google’s recent launch of its “search options” feature, the web is buzzing. Since this is still new technology, I’m still unsure what I think about it or exactly what the ramifications of these new options could be. For those who haven’t heard, Google is now allowing users to filter their searches by categories of results (ie: video, reviews, and forums), recency, as well as through the “wonder wheel” – which shows related searches. You can also opt to see images or more text in the results.
Personally, I’m a fan of the Wonder Wheel. Through this, user can see related searches. It’s really a visual aid to see how different related topics are clustered together. When you click on any spoke of the wheel, it then causes that search term to be at the center. Now I know this technique isn’t new, but I don’t know anyone else who has given it such a high profile by inserting it on the main search page.
So, as an example, say gas shoots back up to $4/gallon. As a user, I google “hybrid cars”. I can now see related searches like “hybrid vehicles list” and clearly see different hybrid models – and even find out about the energy tax credit associated with buying a hybrid. I can also select to see images from the page, and check out pictures of each model.
I’m also really interested in testing out the recency filter. At its Searchology event, Google admitted that its #1 problem with search was “finding the most recent information”. Understandably, real-time search is still largely unsolved. Obviously, even with its new recent results filter, the recent results are only as “real-time” as Google can get. I wonder how this will affect vehicle listings on dealer sites? Will site updates and date tags affect organic listings? I guess we’ll find out soon enough…
Even with the questions surrounding real-time searches, Google has taken a step forward in pioneering this new display and filtering of search results. The real thing to watch now is to see what SEO and web development firms take notice and alter their strategies to take advantage.
Tags: Google, Search Marketing, SEO
Posted in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Uncategorized | No Comments »
April 13th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
I was reading this article the other day and was shocked by its statistics. The industry pressures dealers to advertise online, but this study really showcases a flaw of many people’s Internet marketing campaigns: they have no clue if it’s really working because they didn’t take the time to benchmark where they were when they started, and they aren’t using analytics to track the current status of the campaign once it’s in motion.
Before businesses decide to do anything aggressive online you must first determine what defines success for your online efforts? While this question sounds basic, it deserves some thought and attention. Is success increasing the number of unique visitors? Just getting consumers to call or submit information? Placing an order? Before even thinking about starting your campaign you need to know what success means in real, quantifiable language. Otherwise you, and your marketing partner, will be doomed to failure from the get-go.
This shouldn’t be new news – in fact, I’ve said it before, right in this very blog: Once your campaign is kicked off, you better be tracking it. While this sounds like common sense, the Media Post study says that less than half (47%) of marketing professionals say they currently use analytics to measure online campaign results. What’s the point of having all those “cool analytics” if you have no idea where you came from and where you are now, and where you plan to be tomorrow. You’ve got to have a documented benchmark in order to show measurable results.
I believe the lack of campaign ROI is because of these reasons stated above. I think businesses are finally realizing these issues with lack of planning and goal setting now, after jumping on so many Internet marketing programs that they forgot the fundamentals. As, businesses actually start to document their progress, I think we will see an increased ROI across the board.
Have you set your benchmarks?
Tags: Internet Marketing, ROI
Posted in Internet Marketing, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
April 9th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
I came across this timeline of changes the major search engines have gone through over the past 10 years or so.
What struck me is that Google has been keeping it simple since the beginning – and they continue to be the dominant player online.
We can learn from this. Google is a great example of how to keep things simple. This KISS philosophy (keep it simple, silly) should also be applied to your business. Google’s success is because they concentrate on their core “search” capabilities, and don’t let themselves get distracted like their competitors do, with “overcrowding” their information. They keep their focus on what’s really important in what they provide: SEARCH.
What’s your business? What can you eliminate so that you can be focused on your most important capability?
Tags: Google, Marketing
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
March 9th, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
The economy blows. It says so in every newspaper you open.
In this tough economy, fewer people are buying - and those that are buying are doing their homework. That means online research: making sure they’re choosing the right car for their needs, at the right price, from a dealer they trust. The days of customers driving around to different dealerships to check out prices are long gone.
Search results can make or break you in this economy.
Here are five tips for your SEO campaign:
- Get local. Most people purchase within a 50 mile radius of where they live. Buy for local search. Include maps. Show people that you’re nearby for a look.
- Don’t just optimize your home page. A good SEO agency will try to bring people to your home page, but they’ll also optimize the other pages in your site to improve results.
- Put your inventory to work. Each page of inventory should include title tags and META data. Each should occupy a unique URL, so that each page can rank independently. Imagine the results you’ll get if every single one of your cars shows up for a search term. If your SEO agency doesn’t know how to do this, find one that does.
- Check your results and adjust your SEO strategy. SEO is always evolving. Different terms may be the ones to get the best results. Make sure your agency provides you with analytics. Ask them what they’re doing to get you and keep you at the top of the rankings.
- Make sure your website is inviting. After all, if they get to your site and then can’t find what they need there, it’s a totally wasted effort. Inviting also means the overall feel should generate trust. Take a good look at your site and see: would you buy from you? Why? Now more than ever, this needs to be defined and addressed on every page of your site.
Take a good look at your own site for the five points above. Rate your site with 0-20 points for how well you do on each point. That’s your effectiveness percentage. And in this market, anything below 80% is asking for trouble.
How well did YOU do?
Tags: Internet Marketing, Inventory Marketing, SEO
Posted in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing | 2 Comments »
March 3rd, 2009 by Tanesha Moody
So you’re running an Internet marketing campaign - be it pay per click, SEO, or display ads. If you’re not, it’s about time you got up to speed, advertising like the industry has been doing for years.
You’re probably working with a marketing/search provider that promised you the world when they sold you, and you’ve seen yourself on Google a few times. Times are tough and your boss is asking you if this campaign’s actually working and if it’s worth the money. I’ve listed a few pointers to gauge your Internet marketing campaign’s effectiveness on my personal blog. You can check out the full post here.
To summarize, make sure you do the following:
- Set a Benchmark before you begin
- Set reasonable, measurable goals
- Make sure your expectations are reasonable
- Track your progress
These simple rules will start you off in the right direction for your campaign.
If you’re working with a company that hasn’t gone through these points with you, talk to them about it. If they refuse to assign accountability, or cannot explain your ROI, it might be time to find a partner that can deliver the results you need.
Tags: Internet Marketing, ROI, SEM, SEO, Tracking
Posted in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing | No Comments »
Start a Discussion
Add Friends
Upload a Video
Upload a Document
Rate a Vendor
Post a Blog
Create a Group
Share a Strategy
If I Tell More, Will I Sell More