2 posts tagged “cars”
When car dealers ask how to improve their internet presence, they are normally looking for a simple answer. The simple answer is that there is no simple answer, that each dealership and market is completely different from the rest, and that the cost of marketing on the internet depends on so many factors, it cannot be generalized.
With that said, there are four points that should be considered when putting together an internet marketing campaign. Are there more? Of course! But the four listed below should be the primary methods that a car dealer uses to improve their internet sales.
Two things need to be assumed before continuing. First, the dealership's website needs to be top-notch. Second, they must be willing to spend money. Too often, I see dealers shell out tens of thousands of dollars a month, then balk at a couple of thousand to spend on internet marketing that will actually yield more sales. It could be an ego thing, or it may be just old-school prejudice against the internet, but either way, a successful car dealership that wants to continue to succeed into the next few years needs to loosen the straps on the cash bag (or simply redirect wasteful spending on traditional advertising) and put out a real internet product.
1) Advanced Search Engine Optimization -- People use the search engines to find information about cars and the dealers that sell them. It's that simple. While most automotive website providers offer SEO services, they often do not have a program that really works for their people. It used to work, but it's way to competitive out there to rest on that. Find a good company to help.
2) Search Engine Marketing -- Despite what many say, pay per click marketing is not a waste of money. Even dealers who are at the top of the organic listings still need a strong SEM campaign. Why? Because a good portion of people still click on whatever is at the top, regardless of whether it is sponsored or organic. Being at the top of both is the best way to ensure that clicks are not missed.
3) Email Marketing -- This is butchered by 95% or more of the dealerships and website providers out there. Internet marketing should be real people who want the emails (previous customers, sign-ups, etc.). Spam is not acceptable, especially from car dealers. Also, the emails should be basic. Multimedia emails never make it to the inbox. If it cannot make it past the spam filters, it's useless. Finally, emails should come from a trusted source. The vast majority of the emails used by dealers, whether through their CRM tool or the OEM, or even from their own domain, are completely worthless. If you aren't getting 80% or more of your emails through, you're missing out.
4) Microsites -- It's the buzz word. Why? Because it flat out works. Brielfy, microsites are what the third-party lead providers like Autobytel and Dealix use to get the leads that they sell to dealers. An unbranded dealer microsite will yield the same results, but the leads will be exclusive and much less expensive.
Car dealers, please investigate and learn these things. Ask for more details on Automotive Microsites or call Jim at 949-310-1727 with questions on these products.
After sitting in on several Content Gathering Sessions where auto dealers discuss what they want on their website as it is being created, I have come to a few conclusions.
Flashy
So far, only a handful of dealers care about what their website says. Bottom line, as most car dealers are "bottom liners", is that they really want the best looking websites in their market, while content is pretty much irrelevant.
There have been a handful of dealers who take complete control of their content, word for word, but generally, I would be surprised if they actually read any of the content. If the homepage is eye-catching, that's all that really matters. From a designer and an automotive search engine optimization point of view, this is ideal.
A great looking site the is considered cutting edge in the area of flash is Hollywood Honda Dealers. Having their inventory pop up immediately is a nice feature that many dealers are utilizing.
2005
Most dealers are trying to put content on their site that would have optimized it in 2004 or 2005. This is not their fault. Most automotive web design firms use antiquated methods to optimize their websites. SEO is such a dynamic artform that it takes too much research for car dealers and their designers to keep up to date.
Leads
Car dealers don't care what it takes, as long as they are getting leads. From an SEO and design point of view, this is also an ideal stance. Just as many dealership lots are poorly designed, so too would their websites be if they ha complete control of their websites. This isn't a knock against dealers -- they are in the business of selling cars, not architecture and website design.
Most research shows two different kinds of website viewers. There are the Z viewers who look at the top left, move their perspective to the right, then cut diagonally down to the bottom left and back over to the right. See Toledo Pontiac Dealers to see how this looks.
The other kind of standard viewer uses the F style. Top left to top right, then top left down to bottom left, then middle left to middle right. Albuquerque used cars is a perfect example of F-style format.
Either way, dealers will try to show as much as possible in the middle, but for true lead building, it is best to put the lead generating buttons to fit one of the two design structures.
Conclusions
Designing automotive websites is not rocket science. Dealers who go after a good look and feel but who utilize the expertise of their designers (assuming they have a good designer) is their best bet.
