ActivEngage
Is Your Dealership's Domain Name Under Attack?
I think we have a pretty great attitude in the auto dealer online community. For as long as I’ve been a part of it, I’ve observed dealers helping each other by sharing marketing tactics and Internet strategies. The daily posts about new ideas and enthusiastic cheers reinforces the idea that we’re all in this together. But the auto industry is a competitive marketplace, and sometimes dealers might forsake a friendly perspective in exchange for an edge over the competition.
So says this article that Ralph Paglia reblogged on ADM a few days ago. Though a dealership is prohibited by trademark law from using a competitor’s proper name in the text of a paid search ad, some wily dealers are buying their rivals’ names when bidding for search terms to direct traffic. Dealership A might buy Dealership B’s name as a search term so that when shoppers search for Dealership B, they get a Google Ad that directs them back to Dealership A. Pretty sneaky, right?
Google claims that this practice is legally sound, but dealers usually have “gentlemen’s agreements” not to buy each other’s names. However, some dealers breach this unwritten rule just to throw a wrench in the competition’s spokes. What can you do about this problem?
Bid on your dealership’s domain name. You can get around this problem entirely if you’re up on your Adwords campaign. Google holds a continuous auction for specific ad words and phrases that allow dealers bidding the most for those phrases to attain top position on a Google search page. Since advertisers only pay when shoppers click on the ad, you may really want to consider bidding on your dealership name.
Search for your store frequently. See your search results through a customer’s eyes by frequently running searches on your own dealership. You’ll know if someone else has bid on your name if you see a competitor’s paid ad appear. Make sure to protect your ad position by checking up on your search practices!
Personally, I consider this practice predatory and borderline unethical. There are tons of ways you can increase your website presence without resorting to lowballing other stores around you. Follow the unwritten dealer code, and remember that we’re all in this together.
_
Follow Stephen and the ActivEngage marketing team by subscribing to our blog for daily updates!
ActivEngage
Is Your Dealership's Domain Name Under Attack?
I think we have a pretty great attitude in the auto dealer online community. For as long as I’ve been a part of it, I’ve observed dealers helping each other by sharing marketing tactics and Internet strategies. The daily posts about new ideas and enthusiastic cheers reinforces the idea that we’re all in this together. But the auto industry is a competitive marketplace, and sometimes dealers might forsake a friendly perspective in exchange for an edge over the competition.
So says this article that Ralph Paglia reblogged on ADM a few days ago. Though a dealership is prohibited by trademark law from using a competitor’s proper name in the text of a paid search ad, some wily dealers are buying their rivals’ names when bidding for search terms to direct traffic. Dealership A might buy Dealership B’s name as a search term so that when shoppers search for Dealership B, they get a Google Ad that directs them back to Dealership A. Pretty sneaky, right?
Google claims that this practice is legally sound, but dealers usually have “gentlemen’s agreements” not to buy each other’s names. However, some dealers breach this unwritten rule just to throw a wrench in the competition’s spokes. What can you do about this problem?
Bid on your dealership’s domain name. You can get around this problem entirely if you’re up on your Adwords campaign. Google holds a continuous auction for specific ad words and phrases that allow dealers bidding the most for those phrases to attain top position on a Google search page. Since advertisers only pay when shoppers click on the ad, you may really want to consider bidding on your dealership name.
Search for your store frequently. See your search results through a customer’s eyes by frequently running searches on your own dealership. You’ll know if someone else has bid on your name if you see a competitor’s paid ad appear. Make sure to protect your ad position by checking up on your search practices!
Personally, I consider this practice predatory and borderline unethical. There are tons of ways you can increase your website presence without resorting to lowballing other stores around you. Follow the unwritten dealer code, and remember that we’re all in this together.
_
Follow Stephen and the ActivEngage marketing team by subscribing to our blog for daily updates!
No Comments
ActivEngage
Top Blogs and News for Auto Dealers: June 18 - 22
The most trusted name in live chat brings the top ten blog posts, trends and auto news stories right to you! We monitor industry trends, current events and the auto dealer community every week to bring you the top blogs and automotive stories from around the globe. This weekly edition – driverless cars, a foolproof blog formula, and AutoTrader goes public!
What Comes After Driverless Cars?
Someone in Washington told this writer that they hope to get rid of the driver in the car. Doubt that is likely, seeing that people enjoy driving (unless you’re stuck in traffic). Read more to see input on this matter.
The Foolproof Formula for Writing a Blog, According to HubSpot!
Finally! Something that all marketing teams EVERYWHERE have been waiting for. A cheat sheet on writing the foolproof blog. (I really hope you sensed my sarcasm there…)
Toyota Toys With Childish New Concept Car
Move over Power Wheels! Toyota unveiled the three-seat Camatte concept car this week at the Tokyo Toy Show to better target its hypothetical market –- children and their well-heeled parents. This toy car can reach a top speed of 25 mph!
Xbox aside, this is probably one of the best things Microsoft has put out in the past years. According to this article, “Microsoft didn’t just break the mold. It smashed it into a million little pieces, chucked them all into the furnace and set the temperature to obliterate. There really is no precedent for what Microsoft did this week.”
Internet Strikes Back After Bus Monitor is Harassed
Talk about the degradation of our youth, this poor woman is harassed by some middle schoolers to the point of tears and beyond. Bright side of the story is that people on the Internet took notice and started a fund to send this woman on a nice vacation and hopefully raise enough so she can retire. You can see the video, but to warn you, it’s explicit, it’s horrible, and it’s just plain terrible how cruel these kids are to her.
The automotive community lost a great thought leader this last week. ActivEngage wishes our heartfelt condolences to the family of Kerry Moore, co-founder of Car-Mercial and beloved member of the automotive community.
Joe Webb pays tribute to the recently deceased Adam Yauch by combining his favorite band with some dealer tips. Read up on how the Beastie Boys can teach dealers to stay ahead of the curve.
How To Change The Automotive Industry
Ian Nethercott says that the problem with automotive retail lies in employee compensation and giving customers false expectations. What are you telling your customers? How do you pay your employees? This post definitely belongs on this week’s top ten blogs.
Facebook Lets You Pay Your Way To A Better EdgeRank
Facebook attempts to prove its social media platform is profitable by charging money with its “Promote” option. For a fee, you can give more visibility to each of your posts. Is this a legitimate business practice or a last-ditch effort?
So you know that AutoTrader has filed its initial public offering, but you don’t have time to read all 250 pages of the document. Check out this blog post about the revenue, expenses, and major acquisitions of the car aggregate to learn more about its profitability.
_
Did we miss anything important? Like what you see? Leave us a comment below! Or if you really can’t wait for your automotive fix, follow @activengage on Twitter for daily updates on auto industry news!
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ActivEngage
Top Blogs and News for Auto Dealers: June 18 - 22
The most trusted name in live chat brings the top ten blog posts, trends and auto news stories right to you! We monitor industry trends, current events and the auto dealer community every week to bring you the top blogs and automotive stories from around the globe. This weekly edition – driverless cars, a foolproof blog formula, and AutoTrader goes public!
What Comes After Driverless Cars?
Someone in Washington told this writer that they hope to get rid of the driver in the car. Doubt that is likely, seeing that people enjoy driving (unless you’re stuck in traffic). Read more to see input on this matter.
The Foolproof Formula for Writing a Blog, According to HubSpot!
Finally! Something that all marketing teams EVERYWHERE have been waiting for. A cheat sheet on writing the foolproof blog. (I really hope you sensed my sarcasm there…)
Toyota Toys With Childish New Concept Car
Move over Power Wheels! Toyota unveiled the three-seat Camatte concept car this week at the Tokyo Toy Show to better target its hypothetical market –- children and their well-heeled parents. This toy car can reach a top speed of 25 mph!
Xbox aside, this is probably one of the best things Microsoft has put out in the past years. According to this article, “Microsoft didn’t just break the mold. It smashed it into a million little pieces, chucked them all into the furnace and set the temperature to obliterate. There really is no precedent for what Microsoft did this week.”
Internet Strikes Back After Bus Monitor is Harassed
Talk about the degradation of our youth, this poor woman is harassed by some middle schoolers to the point of tears and beyond. Bright side of the story is that people on the Internet took notice and started a fund to send this woman on a nice vacation and hopefully raise enough so she can retire. You can see the video, but to warn you, it’s explicit, it’s horrible, and it’s just plain terrible how cruel these kids are to her.
The automotive community lost a great thought leader this last week. ActivEngage wishes our heartfelt condolences to the family of Kerry Moore, co-founder of Car-Mercial and beloved member of the automotive community.
Joe Webb pays tribute to the recently deceased Adam Yauch by combining his favorite band with some dealer tips. Read up on how the Beastie Boys can teach dealers to stay ahead of the curve.
How To Change The Automotive Industry
Ian Nethercott says that the problem with automotive retail lies in employee compensation and giving customers false expectations. What are you telling your customers? How do you pay your employees? This post definitely belongs on this week’s top ten blogs.
Facebook Lets You Pay Your Way To A Better EdgeRank
Facebook attempts to prove its social media platform is profitable by charging money with its “Promote” option. For a fee, you can give more visibility to each of your posts. Is this a legitimate business practice or a last-ditch effort?
So you know that AutoTrader has filed its initial public offering, but you don’t have time to read all 250 pages of the document. Check out this blog post about the revenue, expenses, and major acquisitions of the car aggregate to learn more about its profitability.
_
Did we miss anything important? Like what you see? Leave us a comment below! Or if you really can’t wait for your automotive fix, follow @activengage on Twitter for daily updates on auto industry news!
No Comments
ActivEngage
Facebook Lets You Pay Your Way To A Better EdgeRank
Facebook’s EdgeRank is the elusive, mystical formula that calculates whether your story is interesting enough to be featured on your friends’ newsfeeds. One site compared the EdgeRank to a credit history: It’s important, unique to each user, invisible, and no one knows exactly how it works. Mathematically stated, the EdgeRank formula would look something like this:
Confused? Yeah, me too. The important thing to know is that the higher your EdgeRank rating, the more people see what you post, and the more viral your content becomes. So it’s especially important to brands that are focused on social media to maintain a high EdgeRank. You can check out this blog for more info about the EdgeRank and how to raise yours.
But that blog won’t tell you about the newest and fastest way to raise your score: pay money.Ever since its lukewarm public offering, Facebook has struggled to come up with ways to prove that social networks can be profitable. So far, their answer seems to be to charge users with new fees to optimize their EdgeRank.
That’s right, you can now use cash to amplify your reach – and your normal Facebook posts conveniently reach a mere 12% of your fans on average. That means that the $15 billion company is withholding your posts from 88% of your fans – unless you fork over some dough. It might be cynical to say that Facebook is artificially hiding your posts for the sake of profit; then again, it might be the truth.
Of course, the entire purpose of the EdgeRank algorithm is to populate your newsfeed with stories that Facebook thinks you want to read – and the notion of robots predicting human behavior is inherently problematic (you can read an earlier discussion about that issue here).
What do you guys think? Is the pay-to-promote option a valuable service, or is Facebook trying to jump start its own economy?
_
You can read more by Stephen and the rest of the ActivEngage marketing team by following our Facebook page or subscribing to our blog!
No Comments
ActivEngage
Facebook Lets You Pay Your Way To A Better EdgeRank
Facebook’s EdgeRank is the elusive, mystical formula that calculates whether your story is interesting enough to be featured on your friends’ newsfeeds. One site compared the EdgeRank to a credit history: It’s important, unique to each user, invisible, and no one knows exactly how it works. Mathematically stated, the EdgeRank formula would look something like this:
Confused? Yeah, me too. The important thing to know is that the higher your EdgeRank rating, the more people see what you post, and the more viral your content becomes. So it’s especially important to brands that are focused on social media to maintain a high EdgeRank. You can check out this blog for more info about the EdgeRank and how to raise yours.
But that blog won’t tell you about the newest and fastest way to raise your score: pay money.Ever since its lukewarm public offering, Facebook has struggled to come up with ways to prove that social networks can be profitable. So far, their answer seems to be to charge users with new fees to optimize their EdgeRank.
That’s right, you can now use cash to amplify your reach – and your normal Facebook posts conveniently reach a mere 12% of your fans on average. That means that the $15 billion company is withholding your posts from 88% of your fans – unless you fork over some dough. It might be cynical to say that Facebook is artificially hiding your posts for the sake of profit; then again, it might be the truth.
Of course, the entire purpose of the EdgeRank algorithm is to populate your newsfeed with stories that Facebook thinks you want to read – and the notion of robots predicting human behavior is inherently problematic (you can read an earlier discussion about that issue here).
What do you guys think? Is the pay-to-promote option a valuable service, or is Facebook trying to jump start its own economy?
_
You can read more by Stephen and the rest of the ActivEngage marketing team by following our Facebook page or subscribing to our blog!
No Comments
ActivEngage
Four Social Networks To Look Out For
When we hear social media, most of us instinctively think of Facebook and Twitter – but new networks spring up all the time, and some have the potential to be just as popular. Below we’ve outlined the four most promising up-and-comers in the social media world. Keep your eye on these:
Social media marketers are constantly trying to find ways to measure their influence – through engagement metrics, total reach, or “likes” and “followers” – but Klout is the first real attempt to refine all of your social media efforts into one number – your Klout score. Though many analysts have completely disparaged Klout’s methodology (one commentary in particular infamously likened it to “internet herpes”), we consider Klout a first-mover in the extremely valuable sector of measuring total social worth. What’s your Klout score?
“These sores will absolutely RUIN my Klout score.”
How Does It Work?
Using Klout really couldn’t be easier – just log in with your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ account and watch excitedly as the social application runs all of your profiles through its extremely complicated algorithm. The number it produces is your Klout score – a total measure of your influence that considers a wide array of data, such as how influential your Facebook friends are, how many dead accounts follow you on Twitter, and how many unique mentions you get. Though the Klout score is still controversial, we believe that a refined social media score could be a highly valuable metric in the near future.
The unstructured time that Google allots for its employees has historically produced some interesting results, but Schemer might be chief among them. A group of Google engineers think this latest social network might just be the cure for boredom. Self-described as an app for “doing awesome stuff,” Schemer is a kind of online bucket list that helps you set goals and alerts you to fun things happening nearby.
“They’re all schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds.”
How Does It Work?
The app is populated with user-uploaded “schemes” – goals such as “Learn to Ride a Unicycle,” “Climb the Sears Tower,” or “Outfit My Dealership Website With Some Awesome Live Chat Software.” As you add schemes to your account, Schemer learns what you enjoy and gives you more personal, customized suggestions. Users also can add friends as “accomplices” and team up to accomplish their schemes together. Though currently in closed testing, we expect that this network’s strong Google pedigree will launch it to the top of the social media charts later this year.
Path
When it comes to relationships, Path prefers quality over quantity. Imagine a platform similar to Facebook or Twitter, in which you can share your intimate experiences and personal photos – except you can only have 50 friends! That’s right, Path limits your following to 50 of your closest friends and family (which may lead to some tough decisions).
“THERE CAN ONLY BE 50!!!!”
How Does It Work?
Unlike almost every other social network, Path is extremely user-centric – there are no ads, brand pages or promotional content. This means that communication is intimate and personal, leaving the popularity contests of Facebook and Twitter behind. However, Path provides a glimpse of what a social network of the future might look like. When you don’t have to worry about fighting for everyone’s attention, you might end up actually listening to someone. Path is currently only for iPhone and Android users.
Are you ever surprised to learn that your coworker knows your best friend from high school? Or maybe the lead singer of your favorite band is at the same restaurant as you – but you didn’t even realize it. With Sonar, you’ll be aware of these hidden connections right away. This mobile app alerts you when your friends, your friend’s friends, and other interesting people are nearby. Users will discover that it’s a small world, after all
.
“An ex-girlfriend is nearby? Fire the torpedoes!”
How Does It Work?
Imagine going to a conference and getting a readout of who will be there and how you’re connected to them. Sonar connects with your Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts to bring your social networks to life in the real world. The radical concept of introducing complete strangers to each other through social media brings us one step closer to a true geographic network.
_
As we see the social media world evolve around us, we wonder about how long Facebook can sit on the throne.
No Comments
ActivEngage
Four Social Networks To Look Out For
When we hear social media, most of us instinctively think of Facebook and Twitter – but new networks spring up all the time, and some have the potential to be just as popular. Below we’ve outlined the four most promising up-and-comers in the social media world. Keep your eye on these:
Social media marketers are constantly trying to find ways to measure their influence – through engagement metrics, total reach, or “likes” and “followers” – but Klout is the first real attempt to refine all of your social media efforts into one number – your Klout score. Though many analysts have completely disparaged Klout’s methodology (one commentary in particular infamously likened it to “internet herpes”), we consider Klout a first-mover in the extremely valuable sector of measuring total social worth. What’s your Klout score?
“These sores will absolutely RUIN my Klout score.”
How Does It Work?
Using Klout really couldn’t be easier – just log in with your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ account and watch excitedly as the social application runs all of your profiles through its extremely complicated algorithm. The number it produces is your Klout score – a total measure of your influence that considers a wide array of data, such as how influential your Facebook friends are, how many dead accounts follow you on Twitter, and how many unique mentions you get. Though the Klout score is still controversial, we believe that a refined social media score could be a highly valuable metric in the near future.
The unstructured time that Google allots for its employees has historically produced some interesting results, but Schemer might be chief among them. A group of Google engineers think this latest social network might just be the cure for boredom. Self-described as an app for “doing awesome stuff,” Schemer is a kind of online bucket list that helps you set goals and alerts you to fun things happening nearby.
“They’re all schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds.”
How Does It Work?
The app is populated with user-uploaded “schemes” – goals such as “Learn to Ride a Unicycle,” “Climb the Sears Tower,” or “Outfit My Dealership Website With Some Awesome Live Chat Software.” As you add schemes to your account, Schemer learns what you enjoy and gives you more personal, customized suggestions. Users also can add friends as “accomplices” and team up to accomplish their schemes together. Though currently in closed testing, we expect that this network’s strong Google pedigree will launch it to the top of the social media charts later this year.
Path
When it comes to relationships, Path prefers quality over quantity. Imagine a platform similar to Facebook or Twitter, in which you can share your intimate experiences and personal photos – except you can only have 50 friends! That’s right, Path limits your following to 50 of your closest friends and family (which may lead to some tough decisions).
“THERE CAN ONLY BE 50!!!!”
How Does It Work?
Unlike almost every other social network, Path is extremely user-centric – there are no ads, brand pages or promotional content. This means that communication is intimate and personal, leaving the popularity contests of Facebook and Twitter behind. However, Path provides a glimpse of what a social network of the future might look like. When you don’t have to worry about fighting for everyone’s attention, you might end up actually listening to someone. Path is currently only for iPhone and Android users.
Are you ever surprised to learn that your coworker knows your best friend from high school? Or maybe the lead singer of your favorite band is at the same restaurant as you – but you didn’t even realize it. With Sonar, you’ll be aware of these hidden connections right away. This mobile app alerts you when your friends, your friend’s friends, and other interesting people are nearby. Users will discover that it’s a small world, after all
.
“An ex-girlfriend is nearby? Fire the torpedoes!”
How Does It Work?
Imagine going to a conference and getting a readout of who will be there and how you’re connected to them. Sonar connects with your Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts to bring your social networks to life in the real world. The radical concept of introducing complete strangers to each other through social media brings us one step closer to a true geographic network.
_
As we see the social media world evolve around us, we wonder about how long Facebook can sit on the throne.
No Comments
ActivEngage
What Mad Men Had To Say About Car Guys
Ken grimaced and got up to leave. “Well, we wanted to be in the car business.”
Sunday’s installment of Mad Men, AMC’s award-winning 1960s drama, had a lot to say about the car business – and none of it was good. Don Draper, the show’s main focus and advertising wunderkind, pitched his Jaguar campaign with the tagline, “At last, something beautiful you can truly own.” In an episode largely about trading women like commodities, the slogan seems eerily appropriate. In a dimly-lit diner, one character consoles another: “Car guys are scum.”
Of course, these are fictional characters in a time period free from sexual harassment lawsuits and the poison of negative press. But do “car guys” still carry this old reputation as womanizing predators around with them? Ad Age reports that Jaguar received Sunday’s episode with equal parts of shock and amusement. David Pryor, Jaguar’s VP of brand development, says that “at the end of the day…we’re confident that people know it’s a fictional character.”
The “car guy” is historically one of the most reviled professions in America, right up there with lawyers, telemarketers, and even advertisers – but what has the industry done to distance itself from the demons of its past? Despite a few recent instances of bad publicity, our profession as a whole has completely reinvented itself within the last decade. Car sales is now a business that is completely consumer-oriented – so much so that sites like these exist to discuss how we can improve our customers’ experience not just in physical dealerships but on their websites as well.
I am proud to be a part of outstanding networks like Automotive Digital Marketing, DealerElite, andDrivingSales. On a daily basis, I watch car guys raise industry standards by banding together, sharing advice, and making the Web feel like a true community. With the spirit of partnership and unity found on these forums, I believe that harsh critiques like those in Sunday’s Mad Men will soon be a thing of the past.
_
For more automotive marketing insights and blogs, subscribe to ActivEngage’s email feed!
No Comments
ActivEngage
What Mad Men Had To Say About Car Guys
Ken grimaced and got up to leave. “Well, we wanted to be in the car business.”
Sunday’s installment of Mad Men, AMC’s award-winning 1960s drama, had a lot to say about the car business – and none of it was good. Don Draper, the show’s main focus and advertising wunderkind, pitched his Jaguar campaign with the tagline, “At last, something beautiful you can truly own.” In an episode largely about trading women like commodities, the slogan seems eerily appropriate. In a dimly-lit diner, one character consoles another: “Car guys are scum.”
Of course, these are fictional characters in a time period free from sexual harassment lawsuits and the poison of negative press. But do “car guys” still carry this old reputation as womanizing predators around with them? Ad Age reports that Jaguar received Sunday’s episode with equal parts of shock and amusement. David Pryor, Jaguar’s VP of brand development, says that “at the end of the day…we’re confident that people know it’s a fictional character.”
The “car guy” is historically one of the most reviled professions in America, right up there with lawyers, telemarketers, and even advertisers – but what has the industry done to distance itself from the demons of its past? Despite a few recent instances of bad publicity, our profession as a whole has completely reinvented itself within the last decade. Car sales is now a business that is completely consumer-oriented – so much so that sites like these exist to discuss how we can improve our customers’ experience not just in physical dealerships but on their websites as well.
I am proud to be a part of outstanding networks like Automotive Digital Marketing, DealerElite, andDrivingSales. On a daily basis, I watch car guys raise industry standards by banding together, sharing advice, and making the Web feel like a true community. With the spirit of partnership and unity found on these forums, I believe that harsh critiques like those in Sunday’s Mad Men will soon be a thing of the past.
_
For more automotive marketing insights and blogs, subscribe to ActivEngage’s email feed!
No Comments
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