My friend Chris Walsh from Vets-Cars posted a link to a blog today about the Facebook Dark Post Bandwagon starting to roll.

I was surprised to see him share the link and assumed it was an old piece.  Like - a REALLY old piece.  In it, the author talked about the bandwagon "preparing to roll out".  But I was thrown off because Facebook Dark Posts have been around for about two and a half years now.  So why is it that dealerships are just starting to catch on?

I looked back through our account on Facebook and sure enough, our first dark post was created April 4, 2013.  TWO YEARS AGO.

It was for a restaurant group looking to target engaged women.  The ad was a quick success - driving 17 people through the door after a TWO HOUR run and a $25 budget.

We were hooked.

In the past two years, we've run hundreds upon hundreds of Facebook dark post ads for companies ranging from restaurants and retail locations to, yes - you guessed it, car dealerships.  We've seen the cost of clicks SKY ROCKET.  But when I talk about soaring prices - check this out.  We've seen the average CPC rise to about $1.37 - from $.14 two years ago.

But after reading the piece...I was left a little confused.  How is it that the bandwagon is just now about to roll out?  How is it that the automotive industry isn't just a little behind on this - it's two and a half YEARS behind?

So I put on my thinking hat and flashed back to when I was employed by an automotive group running their marketing.  What was one of the biggest selling points for the owner when a new vendor would come in?  Simple - the fact that they ONLY served the automotive industry.

Don't get me wrong - that's got it's perks.  Then again, considering how far behind the industry tends to be with markeitng, it's also got drawbacks.

Look at Meerkat and Periscope, for example.  How many dealerships are actively using them?  What about Snapchat?  Anyone else out there beta-testing video software like OptimizePlayer (Vimeo on steroids)?

Here's my tip of the day.  The automotive industry is asleep at the wheel when it comes to marketing.  When you're looking at ways of advancing your marketing strategy in this rapidly evolving world...sometimes it's best to look ALL around - and not just at what your industry is doing.

Looking for the ultimate handbook in Facebook Dark Posts?  You can find it here.  Make sure to follow me on LinkedIn for more.

In our experience, dealerships across the country have forgotten that social media is actually supposed to be about being social.

Come on - you guys know exactly what I'm talking about.  Shoving specials and inventory down the throats of Facebook followers is common practice.  Apologizing to people as a response to a lousy review is often the most time many dealerships spend on Facebook.

We decided to have a little bit of fun with one of our clients and turn that upside down.

Today, they launched their #ChevyIntervention campaign.

They've got a series of video shorts that are being dripped onto Facebook - you can see their page here.

They bought ChevyIntervention.com.  They've rolled in a remarketing campaign...along with "behind-the-scenes counseling sessions" shot with their "licensed and certified Chevy transition counselor"....that guides you through subsequent pages.

What would I do if I were the competing Chevy dealership?  Fire back, of course.  What would you do?

Check out a couple of the sample videos below.  Enjoy!

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Chances are, most of the people who read these blogs do so because they want knowledge.  They're hungry to learn and they're hungry to grow.

So when you hear the "experts" talk about all of the bells and whistles of SEO (search engine optimization), you get excited.  You pull out your wallets.  Because CLEARLY they know what it's going to take to help your website rank.

In the past week, we've talked to no fewer than FIVE companies who are contracting someone to handle their "SEO".  Why did we get the phone calls?  Because several of these companies can't seem to find their business online in a very simple Google search.  Two more of them had concerns over just what they are getting for their money from their "SEO guy". 

Let me start with this.  The Silent Partner Marketing is NOT an "SEO" company.  Which is why you should read very, very carefully - because we have no skin in the game.  We're not here to sell you on "SEO services".  Our team designs and executes marketing strategies for businesses.  

So why am I writing this?  Frankly, I'm sick and tired of seeing companies get screwed over because they don't have all of the information they need to make the right decisions.  They're paying hundreds - or in many cases thousands - of dollars a month for "SEO"...but these same companies aren't even generating unique and relevant content.  

So let's dive into all of this by starting with a general statement that's going to get some people seriously fired up.

SEO Is Dead

When you do a search on Google - doesn't matter what you're searching for - which would you rather find?  A website that used every single SEO trick in the book to game their way to the top?  Or would you rather find a website that has exactly what you're looking for - backed by authoritative and reliable content?

I know - it's a rhetorical question.  Of course you want a relevant site.  Guess what?  So does Google.  Google doesn't make a dime off of "optimized sites".  As a matter of fact, Google found that these "optimized sites" worked AGAINST what they were trying to do.  They found that users weren't pleased with the search results they were getting when the top appearing sites weren't filled with the most relevant data...but with junk that had been "gamed" to the top.

How do we know this is the case?  Without diving into the specifics of the Penguin, Panda and Hummingbird updates - we can demonstrate it with one simple move that Google made in 2013.  The web giant stopped providing information about keyword popularity.  Huh?  That's right - it was a direct attack on "SEO guys" who were using keyword popularity to stuff metatags on the websites with top keywords.

The other big attack?  The idea of "link farming".

Prior to Google's big updates, "link farming" was all the rage.  Simply put, you'd get a whole bunch of websites to link back to YOUR website.  Google would go "oh, wow - look how many sites are referring to these guys - they must be highly relevant".  Google's updates acted as a big "ah ha" moment - and crushed websites that were using these strategies.  While there's still a role in back-links to grow your SEO - it's only in STRONG, RELEVANT, QUALITY websites linking back appropriately.

With that being said, the fact of the matter is that SEO in and of itself isn't actually dead.  But there's a lot of information you need to know to determine whether your "SEO guy" is the real deal or a wolf in sheep's clothing.

SEO YOU CAN'T IGNORE

What's the type of SEO you should actually be doing?

First of all, you need a well-organized, content-rich site.  The site has to be highly relevant with data that your customers are looking for.  It needs a strong focus on the user experience, helping the potential customer to navigate the site as easily as possible and find exactly what they're looking for.

The site needs authority.  Great information specific about products.  Properly optimized pictures.  Longevity of the domain.  No stuffing of keywords.  A very well-ordered site map.  No duplicate content across the entire site or off-site.  Integration of video.  There's lots of stuff you CAN be doing and SHOULD be doing.  

But here's a little tip.  If you're NOT contributing content to a website on a regular basis, your "SEO guy" should be revamping the back end of your site ONCE - not on a monthly retainer.  Unless he/she is PRODUCING unique and relevant content, chances are good that more harm than good is being done.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

Let's face it.  SEO is, in many regards, the snake-oil of the web.  It's a big industry.  "State of Digital" reports that 863 million websites across the world mention the term "SEO".  The site reports that 105 people search for "SEO" links on Google - usually "services" or "companies" every second.

The guys that know what they're doing understand this:

Google had about a dozen major updates last year alone and changed the algorithm on average 65 times a month.  They completely overhauled HOW Google searches when they launched Hummingbird.  Among what Google NOW looks at is this:

• How rich is your content?
• How clean is: your content, your meta tags and your links.
• How quickly does the site load?
• Where and how is the site hosted and served?
• How are the pages laid out?
• How are you moderating comments and dealing with SPAM?
• What does the advertising look like on site and does it load before or after content?
• Are you generating unique and relevant video?
• What is your social media integration like?

And so on and so forth.

Here's what you need to ask when it comes to hiring the next "SEO guy":

1. What's your background like?  You'll want to know how long this "expert" has been in business and how they've dealt with Google updates.
2. What are your success stories and failure stories?  Most companies that have been doing SEO for some time now were negatively impacted by the updates.  That's not a problem.  The problem is how they handled it.
3. How will you help me grow?  You'll want to know their strategy and structure.  If they PROMISE they'll rank you "at the top"...throw a martini in their face and run away.  Quickly.
4. What will our communication be like?  Find out how they plan on reporting back to you.  You'll want to know how often you'll be contacted and how...and what the reports will entail. 
5. How long will you be "married" to each other?  Is there a contract?  Do they want to be around for the long-run or for a quick-stint?  Get as much info as you can.

Here are some warnings that you're probably dealing with a scammer.

1. He talks about "gray hat" techniques.  Let's be very clear about this.  There's good stuff and there's bad stuff.  The stuff in the middle?  You're playing with fire.  If they talk about "gray hat" techniques - run.
2. They offer "bundled SEO solutions".  Most of these "bundles" include a ton of back-links and are as cookie-cutter as you get.  That's great...if we are doing business in 1990.  IF it brings you temporary results, they are only temporary.  Chances are, they're going to get your site blacklisted in the long-run.
3. They guarantee you'll be on the first page.  Scam.  Scam.  SCAM.  They can't guarantee this.  Nobody can.  "Entrepreneur" ran a great article in August about this topic and brought up a valuable point: "What happens when a competitor wants the same keyword?  Who receives priority?"
4. They claim to have "inside knowledge".  Bottom line is this.  They don't.  They are lying to you.  Most of Google's own employees don't even know.  That would be like your neighbor who brews beer in his garage telling you he's got Sam Adam's Octoberfest recipe.  Chances are, he's been sipping to much of his own potion.
5. They tell you that there's always a chance that if Google changes again, your site could disappear.  This means they are trying to game the system.  Right now, you're at the casino and you're up $300.  Great job.  Except you forgot one little detail.  The house always wins.

There are lots of questions you should ask as part of the SEO litmus test.  But let's make this nice and simple.  Focus on quality content.  Have an audit done of your website to see how well your SEO on the back end has been handled.  Get into video marketing.  The keys to success are in your hands. 

Do me a favor.  Tell me about your experiences.  Ask questions.  But most importantly - share this blog or re-post it.  Don't do it for me - do it for everyone else out there who needs to hear it.

By Kyle Reyes

Yeah, I knew that would get your attention.

There's a lot of excitement out there among many businesses who've found that they could buy "likes" and "friends" on social media.  

I'd imagine many of these people were the "cool kids" in high school.

So as I continue our "Fixing Your Facebook Failures" series, here are the top reasons why you should buy Facebook likes.

1.  You want to DECREASE the number of actual real people who see your post.

Until you achieve a high level of engagement from fans, each post only reaches 4-6% of your followers.  So do the math on that one.  Buy a 1,000 followers for $4.50, and watch as the number of actual people you reach decreases...and the level of engagement decreases as well.

2.  You want your paid posts to be a waste of money.

When you pay to "boost" your post (as opposed to a more targeted Facebook advertising approach through Ads Manager, you reach a higher number of your fans.  Let's think about this.  You've bought 1,000 followers for $4.50, then spent $20 to promote your post and have now reached 1,000 fans.  Congrats.  You've now wasted approximately $24.50.

3.  You want your level of engagement to drop.

The better your post, the more people will engage with it.  Which means the more people that will have it populate in their newsfeed.  But simple math here dictates that with these fake likes, even a higher level of engagement among fans will be a lower overall percentage than it would have otherwise...which means that Facebook won't be nearly as impressed as it would have otherwise been.

4.  You want Facebook to shut you down.

Buying likes is against Facebook's terms of service.  That means they can shut you down indefinitely.  And that's DEFINITELY not going to help your cause.

But is it ONLY purchased likes that are low-quality likes?  Nope.

Here's where I'm about to sound unappreciative.

Many people "liked" The Silent Partner Marketing on Facebook recently.  Not that I blame you.  We're sort of likeable.  But many of you did so only to ask for us to "like" you back.  Which, of course, we did.

But here's my question to you...and one you should ask everyone.  Why should I like you?  What value are you going to provide to me...as someone who may potentially live thousands of miles away from you?  If you aren't providing value...then my "like" is no different from one that you've purchased.

So what does it take to provide a high level of engagement?  Keep checking back.  Our next blog in the series will discuss adding value to your customers.

By Kyle Reyes

If you've been debating whether or not to "give away the farm" to get people to "like" you on Facebook...then this policy change by Facebook should take care of that.

The social media giant tweaked some Platform Policies last week - but this is a big one.

The concept of offering access to applications or content in exchange for Likes "often done through Like-Gating" is now banned.

Check out the new policy:

You must not incentivize people to use social plugins or to like a Page. This includes offering rewards, or gating apps or app content based on whether or not a person has liked a Page. It remains acceptable to incentivize people to login to your app, checkin at a place or enter a promotion on your app's Page. To ensure quality connections and help businesses reach the people who matter to them, we want people to like Pages because they want to connect and hear from the business, not because of artificial incentives. We believe this update will benefit people and advertisers alike.

The changes have to be made by November 5.  What does that mean for you?  Better start getting creative.

What are YOU doing to grow your following?

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Kyle Reyes is the President and Creative Director of The Silent Partner Marketing, a boutique marketing firm focused on helping businesses grow in an age of exploding technology.  You can find him on Google+, Facebook and Twitter.  He's the Chuck Norris of marketing.  It's outrageous - we know.  That's kind of the point.

Last summer, Friendly's restaurants - a chain based here in New England and known for their great ice cream and KILLER peanut butter sauce - launched a new campaign.

They ran a series of radio ads - no doubt spending gobs of money - to tell people they had screwed up.

They talked about how over the years, they'd lost their way...and let the service slip.

They asked people to come back and give them another chance.

But they made a mistake.  They were all talk.

We've gone back countless times - but not because of their marketing.  We've gone back because their peanut butter sauce is like crystal meth.

They talked the talk...but didn't walk the walk.

That would be a marketing fail.

Perhaps they should have taken an approach sort of like this:

"Here at Friendly's, we know our service sucks.  What do you expect when the average tip on the tab for a family of four is $2?  But quit your complaining.  We know we've got the best ice cream ever.  Isn't that enough?  Where else can you feed your whining, spoiled brats and both parents for under $20 and let them launch waffle cones filled with fudge across the restaurant?  So cut us some slack.  Eat your ice cream and shut up about the service.  Another chain once said - 'when you're here, you're family'.  But this family wants you to quit your complaining...unless you want to help with the dishes."

If you're going to launch a marketing campaign...you'd better live it and breathe it.  If not...don't bother.

One, two, three into the four...this blog contains a rap video...and lots, lots more.  

I received a ton of feedback last week after sharing a blog about how I gave my real estate agent a little boost in marketing when it came to selling my house by creating a video.

Here's what it comes down to - content marketing.

How are you nurturing your leads and prospects?  Are you constantly providing them value?  

In this digital age, you have leads that you don't even know you have yet - eyeballs that are watching what you are doing and digesting your content.

That content shouldn't always be a sales pitch.  Sell people on the value of why they should do business with you by constantly providing them engaging content.

I have exponentially more eyeballs on my brand on Facebook through my personal page than I do through the business page...and it's driven massive amounts of business.  The best part?  I NEVER sell on my personal page.

And that, my friends, is why I used a special video to make a little family announcement.

No sales pitch.  No special offer.  Just engaging content.

Content that left many people asking...who the hell made that video and how can we hire them?

Watch the video.  Share the video.  But most of all...enjoy.  Because it's a miracle my wife didn't kill me for making her take part in this piece of outrageous marketing.

Looks like Google is at it again.

Another major algorithm update has come down, and although Google hasn't "named" it yet...it's being dubbed "Google Pigeon" by Search Engine Land.  Why?  Presumably because they are Search Engine Land so they can name whatever they want...

Anyway, here's the basics behind it.  The update specifically targets local search results rankings in US English results.

Google tells Search Engine Land that it ties into deeper searches and is meant to improve distance and ranking parameters, which should help make local searches more accurate.

The update officially rolled out on July 24.

Let's look a little more closely at what it means.

Prior to the update, when searching for something local, you'd see carousel results first followed by organic results.  With this change, you'll actually see directories showing up in some of the results below the carousel.  For example, you'll see sites like Trip Advisor and Open Table.  Tech-savvy restaurant managers are popping bottles of champagne as you read.

What does it mean for you?  Make sure you "own" your location and have all of the correct info about your business listed.  And as always, content, content, content!  Google continues to want to see unique, relevant and fresh content on your website.

By Kyle Reyes

I bought my first house when I was a bachelor.

And as you might expect, I turned it into the ultimate bachelor pad.

Never anticipating getting married, I dumped tens of thousands of dollars into the new house.  

Ugly siding...gone.  New siding...in.  

Extra yard space?  Adios.  Hello second patio where you could step down into a hot tub.

And don't even get me started on the man-cave that I created.

Then life threw me a curve ball and I reconnected with the girl I was in love with throughout high school.  Cue wedding bells.

The problem?  We each had our own house.

The real estate agents in the area tried to tell me what the price would be based on the comps.  But after pouring blood, sweat and tears - along with a ton of money - into the house...I wanted to be able to dictate the price a little better.

So how did I do it?  A few cocktails...a video camera...and then an open house.

Although this video was far from the quality of video work that our agency usually provides, it racked up tens of thousands of hits pretty quickly.

How did we do it?  Tell you what.  Click here to watch the video.  Then in the next blog...I'll tell you how a blog...a video...and bartending at an open house helped sell it and save the bottom line.

Here's the big question - what's your dealership doing that's outside the box to sell vehicles?  Are you incorporating videography or blogging?  What about some cross-promotional marketing?  What sets YOUR dealership apart?

So tell me - how are YOU marketing in the digital age?   

By Kyle Reyes