Map listings on Google and other search engines are gaining in importance every day. Once a small source of traffic, they have blossomed over recent months to be exceptional traffic-generators for car dealers.

Clicks

Maps generate clicks. It's that simple. It can be said that having the proper SEO, maps, and PPC strategy giving a dealership the "triple threat" on the search engine results pages can dramatically increase the potential for that dealership to get search traffic.

Tip #1: Make certain your listing is linked to your website!

It seems simple, but a surprisingly high number of dealers do not log into their local business listings to put in the right information, including the website attached to the listing.

Phone Calls

If you are uncertain whether people are getting your number from maps listings, put in a unique tracking phone number. You should be doing this for every venue of advertising you have, but maps listings often get forgotten. DON'T FORGET!

Tip #2: Use tracking phone numbers.

You can't manage what you don't measure. Tracking phone numbers are the easiest way to measure your map's effectiveness.

Directories

Maps listings are relatively simple. Beyond editing your listing and making it as easy to find you as possible, you can increase your rankings on the various maps listings simply by getting your address indexed on various websites, particularly those that the search engines look to for location information.

Tip #3: List your dealership on web directories.

Reviews

Google in particular is putting adding more review sites from which it pulls it's data for star-rankings. The more reviews you get, the easier it is to manage your reputation online. An entire post can be written about reviews (and probably will be by JD Rucker sometime in the future) but know this tip...

Tip #4: The more reviews you get, the better your rankings on the maps listings will be.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this piece. Read more about TK Carsites on our Tumblelog.

Map listings on Google and other search engines are gaining in importance every day. Once a small source of traffic, they have blossomed over recent months to be exceptional traffic-generators for car dealers.

Clicks

Maps generate clicks. It's that simple. It can be said that having the proper SEO, maps, and PPC strategy giving a dealership the "triple threat" on the search engine results pages can dramatically increase the potential for that dealership to get search traffic.

Tip #1: Make certain your listing is linked to your website!

It seems simple, but a surprisingly high number of dealers do not log into their local business listings to put in the right information, including the website attached to the listing.

Phone Calls

If you are uncertain whether people are getting your number from maps listings, put in a unique tracking phone number. You should be doing this for every venue of advertising you have, but maps listings often get forgotten. DON'T FORGET!

Tip #2: Use tracking phone numbers.

You can't manage what you don't measure. Tracking phone numbers are the easiest way to measure your map's effectiveness.

Directories

Maps listings are relatively simple. Beyond editing your listing and making it as easy to find you as possible, you can increase your rankings on the various maps listings simply by getting your address indexed on various websites, particularly those that the search engines look to for location information.

Tip #3: List your dealership on web directories.

Reviews

Google in particular is putting adding more review sites from which it pulls it's data for star-rankings. The more reviews you get, the easier it is to manage your reputation online. An entire post can be written about reviews (and probably will be by JD Rucker sometime in the future) but know this tip...

Tip #4: The more reviews you get, the better your rankings on the maps listings will be.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this piece. Read more about TK Carsites on our Tumblelog.

I was doing some research earlier this week on search engine ranking methodologies and came across a recent patent that was granted to Google this month.  The patent was titled "system and method for modulating search relevancy using pointer activity monitoring".   While I don't believe cursor movement would ever be a factor in rankings for obvious reasons, I do believe the search engine wars are continuing to heat up. 

Yes, Google still holds a commanding lead but the question is will it last forever.  Better yet, is the lead enough to ignore other search engines?  Bing and Yahoo have experienced impressive gains over the last year and I would not be surprised to see this continue.  Additionally, I firmly believe that no company, no matter how large, is unstoppable.   Take a look at Apple for example.   Everyone thought they were headed for the scrap pile in the 90s and now look at them.  

Most dealers we talk to at TK only care about how we do on Google.  When we try and demonstrate our power on Yahoo and Bing, there is simply no interest whatsoever. While I do understand the big focus on Google, I don't understand why people could care less about Yahoo and Bing.   I believe if you are betting it all on Google and ignoring the rest, you might want to think twice.  They are the leader by a long shot but they still only control 63% of the market.  That leaves 37% to Yahoo, Bing and the rest (yes, I can still do simple math).   If you want to maximize your effort in Automotive SEO, you should focus on the big three search engines.   37% is a huge number when competition is so fierce among dealers. 

I was doing some research earlier this week on search engine ranking methodologies and came across a recent patent that was granted to Google this month.  The patent was titled "system and method for modulating search relevancy using pointer activity monitoring".   While I don't believe cursor movement would ever be a factor in rankings for obvious reasons, I do believe the search engine wars are continuing to heat up. 

Yes, Google still holds a commanding lead but the question is will it last forever.  Better yet, is the lead enough to ignore other search engines?  Bing and Yahoo have experienced impressive gains over the last year and I would not be surprised to see this continue.  Additionally, I firmly believe that no company, no matter how large, is unstoppable.   Take a look at Apple for example.   Everyone thought they were headed for the scrap pile in the 90s and now look at them.  

Most dealers we talk to at TK only care about how we do on Google.  When we try and demonstrate our power on Yahoo and Bing, there is simply no interest whatsoever. While I do understand the big focus on Google, I don't understand why people could care less about Yahoo and Bing.   I believe if you are betting it all on Google and ignoring the rest, you might want to think twice.  They are the leader by a long shot but they still only control 63% of the market.  That leaves 37% to Yahoo, Bing and the rest (yes, I can still do simple math).   If you want to maximize your effort in Automotive SEO, you should focus on the big three search engines.   37% is a huge number when competition is so fierce among dealers. 

Over the years, the debate has raged over the priorities when it comes to search engine marketing. Most understand that search engine optimization and pay per click advertising are both valid sources of traffic for car dealers, but the disagreement comes up in regards to which is more important and which deserves the "lion's share" of the Internet marketing budget. Throw the local business "Maps" section into the equation and suddenly it's a 3-way-race.

We are looking for people within the industry to discuss this matter in an open forum -- friendly-debate-style.

If anyone is interested, please contact me here in comments or via email: jrucker@tkcarsites.com.

Over the years, the debate has raged over the priorities when it comes to search engine marketing. Most understand that search engine optimization and pay per click advertising are both valid sources of traffic for car dealers, but the disagreement comes up in regards to which is more important and which deserves the "lion's share" of the Internet marketing budget. Throw the local business "Maps" section into the equation and suddenly it's a 3-way-race.

We are looking for people within the industry to discuss this matter in an open forum -- friendly-debate-style.

If anyone is interested, please contact me here in comments or via email: jrucker@tkcarsites.com.