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Social Media Success Video 
There is a great deal of “buzz” going around about Facebook and Twitter and how the major search engines are going to index real-time content.
I have to say that I have been less than impressed with the car dealer Facebook pages that I check each week. It seems that too many dealers are just pushing out their latest newspaper ad or newest car that just came into their inventory.
I believe that after a few weeks of posts from car dealers who add 10 cars for sale a day to their Facebook feed, that the average “fan” will stop following them and block their feed. Everyone who follows your dealership knows that you sell cars. Don’t blow the opportunity with a one-way sales pitch 24×7.
Quality Facebook Content
If this is true, then I would like to start the conversation about what dealers can share on Facebook that adds value to the readers and establishes your dealership as a Trust Agent. Here are a few topics that car dealers can discuss on Facebook and provide meaningful content for those that follow their feed:
1. Advice on Scams - All your customers and followers have received a postcard in the mail or a phone call telling them that their car warranty is about to expire and that they need to act now! How about a post that helps them understand the difference between manufacturer warranty plans and third party plans.
2. Advice on Parts- If your customers are cost conscience and want to do repairs on their own, what articles are you providing them that at least encourages them to buy genuine OEM parts from you and do the repairs themselves. Don’t assume the you can’t compete with Pep Boys, R&S Strauss, etc.
3. How To Value Their Cars - How about advice on how to read the Kelly Blue Book charts and what they can expect when they trade in a car. Help them work through the decision whether to trade in a car with your dealership or to sell a car on their own. Show them both sides of the decision.
4. Advice About Selling Cars on Ebay - How about educating your readers on the risks of selling their cars direct and what they need to watch out for with eBay scams and shipping issues. There are many people who think that eBay is the way to get the most value for their car. Do you have an opinion to share?
These are just a few topics that show the people that are following your dealership that you are not 100% about the sale and that you add value to their lives.
If anyone has other topics that you have found that have received a positive response from your followers, please add them here.
Reminder: If you are going to Digital Dealer Conference in Nashville, make sure you book your schedule to attend my Internet Marketing and SEO seminar on Sunday November 1st at 1:00 pm. If you ask a good question, I may throw you a collector’s PCG hacky sack.
Tags: automotive facebook marketing, car dealer facebook pages, facebook posts
Brian, I must say that I am seeing the light on blogs and their importance. I think it takes a lot of strategy and good intentions prior to hireing or trying to manage on your own but, I think it is an important part of the overall strategy. I spoke to Jared (Driving Sales) yesterday and he said that some companies have hired 3 or 4 professionals to fill their SEO/blogging/microsite needs. I feel as though we are doing some things great and others we have not taken the time to understand. Now (AfterDriving Sales) I realize we must MAKE the time.
Joe
That’s what makes good conferences a great investment. You get to see what others are doing and making work for their dealerships. Blogging and social media portals are part of a robust Content SEO strategy and you can further enhance your success with some carefully placed microsites powered by WordPress.
I do agree but to me the most important part of a dealers SEO is still getting my dealers web site or billborad portals all over my market area on every Sales, new, used, parts and sservice viable search phase as possible.
Yes, these WP microsites can be the best billboards for your business when placed on strategic domain names that cover all areas of operations. For examples, I have helped dealers sell an additional 100+ extended warranty plans a month, based on effective microsite strategies. This adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue in self-insured plans.
Dealers who have a strategic SEO plan can leverage their brand name and their franchise like never before. Like you said, they operate like Internet billboards and when done properly, create engagement.
I am hoping to have a discussion with you on Pirating dealers names. How do you feel about “Pirates” taking space on dealers Ocean Front property to attempt to steal traffic and attention? By that I mean the top 10 organic spots on a dealers legal name that they spend their life time building their brand? We at the Hannah’s have done a solid job creating an Online reputation and dealer web presence. We have waited to blog or build micro sites until we have a 100% undrerstanding and directive so we begin with the end in mind.
Dealer Name optimization is a very strategic part of any SEO plan. It’s important to own all variations of the franchise name but that still does not block disgruntled customers. By added a few words before or after a business name can still rank.
The law states that any person can purchase a domain name that includes your dealership name as long as the consumer is not let to believe that its your store. So it can’t have your logo or imagery that makes it look like a Honda store. Secondly, as long as the website is not making a profit selling something using your name, there is no recourse.
BMW Called
I had BMW attorney call me one day because I had a BMW SEO case study website up on http://www.bmwseo.com. They said that since I was in the business of making money from SEO, I can’t use the BMW in the domain even though it may help their dealers.
I brought up the point that user communities use the BMW phrase in their domains and make money by inserting Adwords campaigns. BMW said that since their overall purpuse was non-commercial, they would not fight them right now.
So, someone can create a website http://www.dickhannahhondasucks.com and as long as it’s a site about their experience or other people’s reviews, you have no recourse. You have recourse if the website is selling cars which would cause public confusion.
Articles Can Rank - Not Just Domains
Aside from domains, well ranked websites can post an article that includes your dealership name in the Page Title and content and it can rank well on your name. This is unavoidable but there are ways to block most of these types of articles with better SEO.
Keep in mind, if Edmunds.com wrote a keyword optimized profile page on your Dealership, it will most likely stay on Page One forever. So, dominating Google Page One and/or Page Two needs aggressive SEO strategies.
Not everyone who calls themselves an SEO professional can implement Page One blocking strategies that can be easily picked off. Since you allowed five third party review websites on your Google Page One search result for “Dick Hannah Honda” you are an easy pickoff candidate.
Brian-
I can’t agree with you more. It seems once there is a new technology, dealers are instantly trying to find ways to monetize it. To wit: A local dealer put a young man in charge of their Twitter account since he was texting all the time. They have no strategy whatseover except to try to “sell” a car on Twitter.
I am curious, what is your take on a widget that would post the dealers inventory to their profile, but NOT their status page. I have come across a program I think I will add to my repertoire as this seems to be where people are GOING to be shopping for a vehicle.
What are your thoughts?
I’m not sure. I think that drawing consumers to your dealership inventory is easy once you establish value. They know you are a car dealer and they know that your website has inventory and specials. If you can draw them to your site because they appreciate your assistance, ideas, and your style the selling should come easy. Anything, if done tastefully, should be ok…until I see the actual technology on a facebook page its hard to say more.