In recent weeks I have been asked to rank the top factors for optimizing car dealer websites. Google reports to having over 200 factors, while the other search engines show similar, undeclared complexity within their own algorithms.

We posted the Top 10 Automotive SEO Factors on our blog a couple of months ago, an article that also appeared in Auto Dealer Monthly, but it was a cursory look. Here at Driving Sales, we will explore each more thoroughly. Those that we have little or no control over, such as the age of the domain, will not be covered, but we'll take a look at everything you CAN improve.

Let's start with...

Inbound Links: Diversity

In the original article, we discovered that:

"This is the least important aspect of the most important factor in SEO: link-building. Diversity is when you’re getting inbound links from many different websites on different Class-C IP addresses. The more diverse, the better, but no matter what anyone tells you, an inbound “spam” link is still worthless even if it’s diverse. More on that later."

The rise of cloud computing has made the need and ability to have diversity of Class-C IP addresses less relevant, but it is still something that should be considered. Dealers and the vendors who work with them should be building a diverse range of links to their websites. This does not mean anything artificial should be employed; if you have quality content and a strong site, building links is often a matter of asking for them.

From a dealership perspective, links can come from many different places. Posting your site in directories is somewhat antiquated but can still have an effect of adding that necessary diversity. Getting links from local publications, automotive enthusiast groups, and even vendors can help as well.

The most important thing to consider is content. If your website is all inventory and no content, chances are that you will have a difficult time getting people to link to your site. While having indexed inventory is an important SEO factor, by itself it will only help to get more long-tail keywords. To get the "money terms" that drive mass traffic, you'll need links. To get the links, you'll need content that compels others to link to it.

One way that dealers can have a direct influence on their link-building is to contribute to other publications. You're an expert in something. You're probably an expert in many things. Whether it's offering content in a blog about the Ford Fusion or details about the hybrid system in the Honda CR-Z, you have knowledge that others want. Offer your expertise and link back to your site within the body. Diversity happens as a result.

Few vendors are offering good link-building products with their SEO and even fewer are doing it right. Taking more control over it from a dealership perspective is a way that you can have a direct impact on your own marketing efforts. You're here on Driving Sales, so chances are you want to make a difference. This is one way to do it.

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We will be covering the other major factors in Automotive SEO regularly in the upcoming weeks.

As was posted on one of the official NADA Blogs, the convention will be a social media "tipping point" for many. Dealers are ready to make the jump into Web 2.0 and what better venue to learn and choose a social media partner than in a place where EVERYONE is selling social media services? While it's a good idea to take advantage of what the NADA Convention presents as a place where everyone who has services will be pitching them, be warned: there are good ways and bad ways of engaging in social media, and both sides will be represented at NADA. Believe it or not, it isn't easy. As simple and straight-forward as social media as an entity is, there are pitfalls that dealers must avoid. Here are a few of them:

• Mass Account Creation without Management - There are benefits to creating dozens, even hundreds of social media profiles to help cross-link and generate strong search engine reputation management potential, but there are also times when this can be a detriment. Stagnant accounts can be viewed poorly by engaged members and therefore cause negative responses for the dealers. If you can't handle the accounts (or worse, attempt to automate posts) you can do more harm than good.
• AutoFeeds of Inventory and Specials - In the car business, we are so used to marketing and advertising by getting our names and vehicles out to as many people as possible. In social media, particularly on Facebook and Twitter, feeding inventory or specials as status updates is the easiest way to be labeled as a spammer. It's about conversation, engagement, and connections. Having a tab that has your inventory available on Facebook is fine, but feeding the items directly into status updates or wall posts will not only give you a bad reputation and make you lose fans and followers, it can even get you banned form the sites in extreme cases.
• Cross-Platform Content - There's a right way and a wrong way to post content across multiple social media sites. Posting the exact same content on all of them is the wrong way. Here's a brief example of the right way: shoot a video testimonial and post it to YouTube, then embed the video on your blog with a few paragraphs about the experience, then post the blog onto your Facebook fan page describing what it's about, then post the blog, video, and Facebook update on Twitter at 3 different times. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's really only 15-30 minutes if done with the right tools, the right way.
• Training vs Management - This is a personal decision each dealer must make. Do you want a service that manages your social media completely, one that trains you how to manage your own social media, or a hybrid that helps you manage your social media while giving you the freedom to do it all yourself sometimes while knowing that it will be taken care of if you're not available. Companies should offer variations of each - one size does not fit all in automotive social media.

There are other things to watch out for, but those are the biggies. I will be available for questions and consultation at the NADA exhibit hall in room W102A (one level down from the expo floor). We are holding social media workshops there with our partners at KPA. These are STRICTLY INFORMATIONAL - no pitching or discussion of products will happen during the workshops. For a complete schedule of our events, please check out the NADA Expo events calendar.

Should OEM's be more active in helping their dealers in social media? I have my own opinions, but I want to start by asking the question and seeing how the community at Driving Sales feels. Stop, think about how you currently feel, then read on. As I've stated in previous posts, social media is a personal experience that is best handled on the local level when it comes to automotive. When I posted Car Dealer Social Media Basics: YouTube, the idea was that dealers would be able to have all of the tools that they needed to put together a proper video marketing plan. Brian Pasch did the same with Car Dealer Facebook Page Tips, and Paul Rushing showed us Automotive Blogging Advice - both of which are self-service, do-it-yourself style posts that dealers can use. My next question is: "Why are we having to do this?" Shouldn't the manufacturers be putting out a gameplan for their dealers? Shouldn' t they be offering training, support, and resources for their dealers to use when they're ready to take the plunge into social media? I posted a long and "ranting" post about OEM's and Social Media that didn't quite address the problem, but at least brings to light that there is a problem. Do manufacturers realize it exists? Do dealers? Vendors certainly do, and many are starting to take advantage of it. I often get sickened by some of the things recommended, but then I get equally impressed by many of the ideas that vendors are pouring out there for dealers. The biggest problem that dealers face today when it comes to social media is recognizing what is real and what will hurt. That's the challenge. Unlike other forms of marketing, social media done wrong can do much more damage than any other form of marketing. It's here where I would love to see the manufacturers get involved. They have resources that dealers do not in determining what social media strategies make sense and which ones do not. While I do not advocate an iron-fist-approach to dictating social media from a corporate level, I do believe that some guidance is desperately needed. Will it happen? Of course. It should have happened already, and in some places with some manufacturers the ball is rolling. Now, back to the original question: How active should OEM's be in their dealers' social media?

More time has been spent watching videos online in 2009 than reading emails. This is the first time that has happened in a year, but it won't be the last. YouTube is the biggest video site on the Internet, so we will discuss it as the primary source of video marketing, but it's definitely not the only one. This is one part of a five part series that will be posted on various sites. It covers the basics: a 30,000 foot view of the various social media sites as well as easy, practical ways that the sites can be used.

Why Do Car Dealers Need YouTube?

Videos are the easiest way to get a message out. Why? People will watch videos before they'll read. It's that simple. Videos require the least amount of effort, offer visual and audio stimulation, and are often associated with emotional responses. Some are funny, others are gross. Some are exciting, others are boring. Regardless of the intent, video encompasses what people are looking for on the Internet in a quick and neat little package. YouTube (and the other video sites) gives car dealers an effective method of delivering their messages. They can be found on YouTube.com itself and can also be embedded on blogs, Facebook, and other Web 2.0 sites. Perhaps most importantly, they rank exceptionally well in Google for specific searches and can take up a valuable position on the search engine results pages.

Getting Started with YouTube

If you haven't created a YouTube channel, do so now. You'll want to attach it to a Google account (if you don't have one, create one of those first).  The login and account creation processes are very simple and should take less than 2 minutes. Once you have an account, you can start uploading videos immediately. I recommend starting with an introductory video, one that says who you are and what you will be posting on the site. You can use your webcam to record directly to the site or upload from a digital camera. I recommend purchasing a Flip for your dealership's Internet department.

What Videos Should a Car Dealer Post?

With YouTube, more is better, but spam is not tolerated. As with most social media sites, the idea is to generate conversation and engagement. There's nothing wrong with uploading some promotional videos including television ads, but you shouldn't stop there. Here is a list of some ideas that you can use to create and post effective videos:

• Customer Testimonials - If you have an exceptionally happy and outgoing customer (perhaps someone who has bought multiple vehicles from you over the years) and they are willing to give you a testimonial, record it. You can then embed it on your various web properties.
• Dealership Tours - With a basic account, you have up to 10 minutes to create a message. Taking a "tour" of the dealership introducing several key players within your organization and highlighting special areas of your dealership can be very effective at putting smiling faces and the "human factor" into a business that many consider adversarial.
• How-To Videos - How many times does a salesperson or service adviser receive calls asking how to work the DVD player? What about upgrading the navigation? Changing a tire, replacing a battery, setting the clock - these are all bits of information that people may need. Wouldn't it be nice if they search online to find the information and you're there to help them?

Getting Personal With YouTube and a Flip Camera

As more people explore dealer websites through the Internet, the market area grows. People from far away can search your inventory and possibly find the perfect pre-owned vehicle for themselves, but they want more. They may not want to drive 100 miles until they are comfortable that the vehicle they see online is as good as it looks. Equipping your Internet department with a video camera gives them the ability to generate and secure more distant appointments. Think about this scenario: "Mrs. Johnson, this vehicle seems like the right one for you, but I know it's a long drive. If you can give me 10 minutes, I'll touch the vehicle myself, start it up, and do a complete walk-around for you on video. I'll send you the link shortly. Is there anything specific you'd like me to check out?" 10 minutes later, your soon-to-be customer has a video of their next vehicle helping them to become comfortable with both the vehicle and the dealership ("Wow, he made a video just for me!") and they're getting excited about driving 2 hours back to their home in their shiny pre-owned vehicle.

Beyond the YouTube Basics

There is so much more to go over, but these basics should get you headed in the right direction. Brian Pasch, Paul Rushing, and I will be putting on an Automotive Marketing Boot Camp the day before NADA 2010 in Orlando with more advanced, hands-on training. More details are coming, but plan on coming a day earlier to participate. For now, you can continue to the next part of this series, Car Dealer Social Media Basics: Twitter. * * * Read more about Car Dealer Internet Marketing on this blog.

If car dealers thought they needed to worry about getting negative reviews before, now there's something else to fear - the paid review. This screenshot was taken from Mechanical Turk, a site that specializes in letting businesses "outsource" mundane activities for pennies. Worried now? You should be. Here is a respected site that is PAYING people to review your dealership. What are the people going to write? It doesn't matter. The idea is to get enough unique content on the pages to help them to rank for your dealership name. This ties in well with next week's show (9am PST, 12pm EDT every Wednesday) about "Controlling Google Page 1 for your Dealership Name". More than ever, people are checking businesses, including car dealers, to find out what others are saying about you. They are looking for reviews, social media buzz, and anything that they can use to determine whether or not to call on you for their next purchase. Is it right that you may lose a potential sale based upon a review that some random person who likely never visited your dealership writes? * * * Read more about Car Dealer Internet Marketing on this blog.

Listen to 10 important minutes of Jared Hamilton's keynote speech at Driving Sales Executive Summit in Las Vegas on October 14, 2009.  Jared discusses the evolution of automotive marketing over the last 25 years and how social media and other online marketing tactics are replacing the old ways of marketing more and more every day.

On thing was definitely made clear at the Driving Sales Executive Summit in Las Vegas: even the fiercest competitors can agree when it comes to how to do proper Internet Marketing. Paul Rushing, Brian Pasch, and I went on stage in preparation for a fire storm. There was little doubt that in the highly competitive field of Automotive SEO, putting 3 of the industry leaders was certainly going to bring about clashes, debates, arguments, and perhaps even a little bloodshed. It didn't happen. The discussion was not only cordial and informative, but it was evident that we were preaching the same sermons. That's the beauty of Automotive SEO - there's a right way to do it and many wrong ways to do it. Luckily, the three on stage on October 13, 2009, all know the right way to market to dealers. Fortunately (or unfortunately) there was no bloodshed. Here is a teaser clip of the discussion. As you'll see, it's easy to agree when everyone believes in the right ways of doing things. More discussions will be had, as Paul, Brian, and I are working on a weekly show. More information to come! * * * Read more about Automotive Digital Marketing on this blog.

Through Twitter and a couple of different blogs, we will be covering the Driving Sales Executive Summit in Las Vegas. Follow it here or on the homepage to see what's happening, when it happens.  Most of it will be brought via Twitter feed. If you have something to say about it, whether you're here or not, join us by using the hashtag #DSES on Twitter. More information about Driving Sales Executive Summit is available here. Update 1: Skip Streets from Compete.com discusses behavior, helping marketers build their digital intelligence.

• Takeaway 1: Nobody buys a car unless they're interested in a car, but they may be interested in a car without buying it.
• Takeaway 2: Cash for Clunkers was a nice boost, but sales, traffic, and conversion have gone down since.
• Takeaway 3: Until recently, market demand has been in decline Y/Y.
• Takeaway 4: OEMs are making progress in getting traffic to their sites while 3rd party sites have been declining until very recently.
• Takeaway 5: Tier 2 Sites may be a waste of money.
• Search importance increases the closer people get to buying a vehicle.

Update 2: Dennis Galbraith from RevenueGuru.com is showing an amazing slide about what to do with marketing for car dealers.

• Takeaway 1: There are a TON of things that go into selling cars in today's Internet World.
• Takeaway2: Gary May said "Galbraith: Dealers have a mess on our hands when it comes to what needs to get done & compliant"
• Takeaway 3: Brian Pasch said "Dennis Galbraith urges dealers to think about the bigger picture in dealership operations and technology before adding more..."

More updates coming! * * * Read more about Driving Sales on this blog.

The first thing that many car dealers will think when they read the headline is, "I'm not interested in going to a party. I want to sell cars!" Dealers and businesses in general have been walking a fine line between "having fun and being interesting" on social networks like Twitter and Facebook and truly using them for business. What most dealers do not understand is that having fun (and more importantly, being interesting) is the first step towards being able to promote your business through social media.

In Paul Rushing's post about how dealers shouldn't spam social media, he clearly lays the framework for what I'm about to say.

Future posts will outline what to do and how to do it on social networks. Automotive social media is about conversations and engagement, so first it is important to understand how they work.

Going to a Dinner Party

Whether you go to social events or not, you can imagine the scene...

You walk in and there are dozens, even hundreds of people standing in groups, walking around, chatting, laughing - generally enjoying themselves.  You start to mingle, look for people that you know, and perhaps walk up to a group of people talking.  They notice you and smile. Someone in the group may say, "Hello, I'm Jennifer."

You say, "We have a special on certified-preowned Accords right now. Only 5 left, so let me show you where to find them!"

Everyone's smile in the group disappears and they turn to each other. One might say, "That's nice. Thanks for sharing."  Otherwise, they start ignoring you.

You walk up to someone alone at the bar.  They notice you and say, "Man, I really don't do well at these types of things, but my wife made me come."

You say, "I just traded for a 2004 Ford Mustang Coupe. It's SWEET! You can see it right through that window."

Startled, your new "friend" walks over to the window, looks at what you're talking about, nods, and walks away.

Someone spots you and walks up to you. Excited, you have your pitch ready this time. "Hey, we have a special for people at this party only - a $9.99 oil change! Just say you heard about it here."

The person who walked up to you is still smiling. So far, so good, right! He says, "Earn money from home while you sleep. Get my new MLM ebook. It's free!"

Other people, also smiling, spot the two of you talking and join the conversation. One says, "Let me show you how to get 300 people a day to YOUR dinner party."

An attractive girl walks up and says (with an oddly masculine voice), "Take a look at my pics of me with a goat. It's hot!"

At this point, you start wondering, "Why haven't I sold a car yet? Why are people pointing at me in their groups with looks of disgust? Why don't I have a ton of people gathering around me to hear about all of the wonderful inventory and specials I have to offer?  Who are all of these weird people that ARE talking to me?"

You leave the party and think, "Wow. These things just aren't for me."

Going to a Social Network

The same thing happens on Twitter and Facebook every day. Car dealers join, try to make friends, try to sell cars, and wonder why nobody other than spammers is willing to talk to them.

The key to using social networks properly is to be interesting and interested. Remember these key points:

1. People like to talk about themselves and things that interest them.
2. People like others to hear about themselves and be interested in them.
3. If you are interesting as a member and show sincere interest in others, many will want to get to know you.
4. The more people that get to know you, the better your chances are of being found by someone interested in buying a car from you.
5. The easiest way to get others to want to know you is to be passionate about your interests as they relate to others. In other words, be real.
6. Talking about things that are important to you, truly important to you, is the key to being real.

Again, the specific actions and ways of utilizing social media for business will come in future posts, but here is a great place to start: you don't have to be mundane to use Twitter and Facebook. As much as it appears that these sites are about sending messages such as "Playing with my cat right now" or "I just discovered that I like goat cheese", the reality is that those who are truly successful say a lot more than that.

You, as a car dealer, can be interesting without pitching your stuff. Join conversations. Start conversations. Ask questions. Reply to people.

This stuff just isn't that hard.  Here are some examples of Tweets and Facebook status updates that can get you heading in the right direction:

• "Which American hotrod is king of the road today: Mustang, Camaro, or something else?"
• "Wow, NYTimes reports that Ford made a big profit last quarter. <link> Is this the beginnning of the rebound in the industry?"
• "I just traded for an '81 DeLorean. That's right, the Back to the Future car. Anyone have a flux capacitor handy? <link to pic>"
• "The best part about Saturday tent sales: free hotdogs and burgers. Firing up the grill now."

This could turn into a longer post than it should, so I'll end the "tips section" with that. The point is this: you wouldn't walk into a party and start spouting specials and inventory items to random people. On the other hand, if you are interesting and interested in others, someone is eventually going to ask, "So what do you do for a living?"

When you tell them that you sell Toyotas in Los Angeles, eventually someone will say, "Nice. My sister in LA needs a minivan. What can you do for her?"

How you respond to that is very important, but we'll discuss that in the next post.

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Read more about Car Dealer Social Networks on this blog and follow me on Twitter.

 

I get teased at work sometimes.

"Aren't you supposed to be going after Google? Why are you spending so much effort on Twitter?"

When I tell them that Twitter is the future of search and the reason that Google has shown so much interest in buying them, they normally laugh. "What, are people going to search for 'What's JD Rucker doing right now?'"

With changes made yesterday to Twitter search, it appears that CNET, Mashable, and Techcrunch/Washington Post are finally starting to agree with me.

Twitter is going to start to index the links that are posted on their site in Tweets. This is a significant development in the world of search engine optmization as the need for real-time data that Google and the other search engines have never been able to master will come to life in the world of Twitter.

Most believe that the interest shown by major companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook in buying Twitter has been a result of its exponentially-increasing popularity on the Internet and in mainstream media. Celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Oprah, and President Obama have made thousands of headlines with their exploits and uses of Twitter.

While the popularity is definitely a factor, the real value in Twitter is in the accumulation of limitless amounts of data. What's hot? What's the best for this or that? In essence, an advancement in Twitter search is positioning it to become a major player in the search engine marketplace.

What does this mean for Automotive SEO? If Twitter is able to pull this off either by itself or through partnership/acquisition by Google, Microsoft, or someone else interested in getting into the search market, they will become the most relevant source for data that people look for every day. It isn't that they'll become a replacement for Google. They will become a real-time source for information on what people need now.

For car dealers, this means that people may use Twitter search over other search engines when looking for a "Used Toyota Camry in Baltimore". Where Google can give decent results for this kind of search, they are not always current. If a dealer adds one to inventory today, chances are it won't appear on the search engines front page very quickly.

On Twitter, it will appear seconds after it's posted.  Can you see why people will use it?

Now, the problem that car dealers will face is in getting their "word" out to the people. There will be an algorithm added to the Twitter search sometime in the future that will take into account several factors. Spam will overrun much of the Twitter results, so there will be a "Trust Rank" added similar to Google Page Rank that takes the source of the data into account. It won't just be the link but also the linker as well.  Otherwise, spam will rule the results and Twitter will fail.

There is nothing in print anticipating this currently.  In other words, you're hearing this before anyone else.  I am going to give a few details about me and my company (against my better judgment) because it's important that you understand my credibility in this department. If you read any of my posts on here, you will not find self-promotion.  Still, it's important that I "brag" a little because there will be more written about this topic in the coming days and weeks and I want you to understand that the perspective I'm presenting you is reliable.

There seems to be many "Twitter Experts" popping up in the automotive industry. I have followed the activities of all of the ones that I've found so far and their techniques in using their own accounts as well as molding the accounts of others are amateur at best.

• On WeFollow, I am the top Automotive Twitter user with over 55,000 followers
• We have been offering Twitter and other social media services for 2 years, well before most automotive marketing firms had their own Twitter accounts
• My team includes 32 Twitter users who each have more experience and followers than any other automotive "experts" offering their services

Again, I want to make certain that this doesn't sound like a pitch. I simply want you, the reader, to understand and be wary when Twitter "experts" come knocking offering their tremendous-amazing-superawesome services to you. Twitter and social media in general are hot items being sold to car dealers right now and nothing bugs me more than to see dealers paying good money for worthless services that do nothing to truly help them attain their goals.

If you have any questions about Twitter, SEO, or social media, I promise that I won't pitch you. I will gladly and freely help any dealer by answering questions and offering advice on the use of social media in the automotive industry.  All you have to do is ask.

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Read more about car dealer social media on this blog.