Automotive News, Press Releases, and Events

The thread covers Google's August 2010 announcement allowing large, high-authority websites to appear more than twice in organic search results, a shift from the previous two-result-per-domain limit. Participants highlight that strong site architecture is critical, as Google's own guidance can help dealers earn sitelinks that improve visibility and conversion rates by surfacing specific content in one click.

PCG Digital Marketing announced that 45 automotive website platforms will be evaluated in their 2010 ASMA research report, up from 35 platforms reviewed in 2009. The platforms will undergo a series of tests with top performers recognized for excellence and eligible for the coveted ASMA award, of which only 9 of 35 companies earned the distinction in the prior year. The thread serves primarily as an industry announcement for dealers and vendors interested in how dealership website technology is being benchmarked.

The thread announces that applications for the 2010 Automotive Search Marketing Architecture (ASMA) Awards, underwritten by PCG Digital Marketing, are now open for automotive website design companies. The study recognizes top automotive website platforms for digital marketing, with an application deadline of August 2 and final data due August 27, 2010. Notable for 2010, the evaluation criteria expands to include mobile apps, chat, video technology, and iPad applications.

iMagicLab announced the submission of what it claims is the automotive industry's first dealership CRM app for iPhone and iPod Touch, with Android, BlackBerry, and iPad versions also in development as of July 2010. The app, called DealerCRM for iPhone, aims to give car salespeople mobile access to CRM functionality previously tied to desktop computers. The thread appears to be a press release announcement with no visible community discussion or debate captured in the excerpt.

The thread reacts to CarFax's launch of a history-based vehicle pricing tool, with dealers, consumers, and industry observers pushing back hard against CarFax's authority to assign dollar values tied to accident history. A dealer recounts a 32-minute call where even a CarFax rep couldn't explain the pricing methodology, while another dealer scheduled a formal meeting demanding transparency on the book value and criteria used. The key takeaway is that dealers feel CarFax is overstepping into valuation territory it isn't qualified for, and several announced they're switching to AutoCheck as a result.

The thread covers ADP Dealer Services' planned acquisition of Cobalt Group for an estimated $350-$400 million, announced in July 2010. Brian Pasch sees strategic logic in combining ADP's SkySong digital marketing with Cobalt's OEM relationships, while a dealer commenter argues ADP should fix existing product glitches before expanding. The overall community reaction is muted — most participants treat the consolidation as unsurprising, with skepticism about whether dealers will benefit.

Jeff Kershner flags a free Cars.com webinar scheduled for July 9th focused on using video to enhance online vehicle listings and drive sales. The session promises a panel of video experts sharing practical tips on creating clips for third-party listings and dealership websites, with Kershner noting curiosity about who the panelists will be. The core premise is that video helps shoppers take a virtual test drive and assess a vehicle's condition before visiting a dealership.

Attendees of a DealerRefresh webinar on Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools share overwhelmingly positive feedback after the session hosted by Jeff Kershner and presenter Brian. Despite some early technical difficulties, participants praised the accessible breakdown of these free tools and noted practical takeaways around SEO, keyword tracking, and measuring marketing ROI. A recurring theme was frustration that some dealer website providers restrict access to Webmaster Tools, with broad enthusiasm for a follow-up advanced session.

DealerRefresh and Brian Pasch announced a paid webinar ($25) covering Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics, and Google Insights for Search — three free tools that Pasch argues are underutilized by Internet Sales Managers. Replies are overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with industry peers vouching for Pasch's practical, immediately actionable style. Pasch himself chimes in to advise attendees to confirm their Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools access before the session, noting that Webmaster Tools requires a META tag or root-directory file set up by their website provider.

A press release from June 2010 announces Client~ConneXion, LLC entering the automotive internet marketing space with a suite of products including live web chat, after-hours lead response for GM dealerships, social media management, email marketing, customer surveys, and SEO/SEM services. The post appears to be a vendor announcement with no visible community discussion or dealer feedback attached. It offers a snapshot of the tools dealerships were being pitched in the early days of automotive digital marketing.

A vendor post from CarChat24.com promotes their 24/7 staffed automotive live chat service and announces a second two-month dealer chat case study launching June 1, 2010. The company claims dealers can increase website sales leads by 50-60% and is offering a 30-day free trial to US and Canadian dealerships. The thread appears to be primarily a promotional announcement rather than an organic community discussion with significant dealer feedback.

vAuto announced the May 2010 launch of its iPhone and iPod Touch app, giving dealers mobile access to its used car inventory management and live market appraisal tools at no extra cost. The app was built for Apple devices first due to their dominance in web browsing activity, with live market appraising as the initial module available via the iTunes App Store.

Dealix announced the launch of Hassle Free Lead Return 2.0, an upgrade to its existing lead quality program that gives dealers longer return windows and easier submission processes. The program ties into Dealix's Quality Pledge, which promises dealers only receive leads with genuine sales potential. The update reflects direct dealer feedback and reinforces Dealix's positioning around lead quality accountability.

Industry peers congratulate Alex on his career move to Dealer.com, where he'll be working alongside Rick. Commenters express enthusiasm about the pairing, with Brian Pasch noting the combination should worry competitors, while others wish Alex well on his relocation to Vermont.

Dealers discuss a webinar on using Foursquare, the location-based check-in app, as a social media marketing tool for car dealerships. Reactions were mostly positive, with several dealers signing up and setting up their dealerships on the platform, though one attendee criticized the webinar for excessive promotional content before getting to the actual material. The general takeaway was that location-based social media holds real marketing potential for dealers, but remains a long-term, not-yet-mainstream strategy.

A press release announces the launch of Web2Carz.com's native iPhone application for browsing auto dealer inventory, featuring national search, vehicle images, detailed listings, and CARFAX integration with one-touch dealer contact. The thread generated minimal professional engagement, with the only reply being an off-topic comment from a guest user looking to buy a car. No meaningful industry discussion or critique emerged.

A 2010 DealerRater poll of 5,530 car buyers found that a hassle-free experience and dealer reputation ranked as the top two factors in purchase decisions, above price, location, and service promises. Replies push deeper, with one commenter questioning what 'hassle-free' actually means to consumers and how dealers can build trust before the showroom visit. The thread is brief but raises a worthwhile strategic question about translating survey data into actionable dealer behavior.

Contact At Once! and Cobalt announced a 2010 partnership integrating ContactAtOnce! live chat software into Cobalt's dealer website platform. The goal was to help dealerships engage more online shoppers through real-time conversations, converting website visitors into sales opportunities. The partnership aimed to extend the value of dealers' digital marketing investments by supporting more natural communication preferences for car shoppers.

DealerRefresh pulled an April Fools' Day prank claiming Digital Dealer 8 had been rescheduled due to overbooking, complete with a fake press release and offer of a free iPad. The joke sparked real reactions, with at least one commenter claiming to have canceled a flight, and site owner Jeff Kershner noted the incident revealed how much the community treats DealerRefresh posts as authoritative news.