Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

A dealer argues that current dealer apps are too limited in functionality (merely offering service appointment scheduling) and proposes creating more innovative, customer-centric applications that serve as real-time communication tools between dealerships and customers. The post suggests integrating customer demand tracking and activity monitoring directly into inventory management systems to create a viral-worthy app that would incentivize downloads and engagement across the dealership organization.

Dealers discuss vulnerabilities in Google Places listings where user-generated content like "At a Glance" keywords and images can be added or edited by anyone, even on claimed listings, potentially allowing competitors or bad actors to sabotage business information. The thread highlights specific problems including incorrect location markers, unwanted vehicle images crawled from websites, and the inability to prevent malicious edits, with participants humorously suggesting crowdsourced experiments to demonstrate how easily listing data can be corrupted. The key insight is that claimed Google Places listings need stronger verification controls and notification systems, as current community editing features create significant risk for dealers without adequate protection mechanisms.

An internet sales rep seeks advice on personal branding strategies for individual salespeople, asking whether to invest in a dedicated website or leverage existing social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The community recommends a multi-channel approach including building a WordPress website, getting customer reviews with his name mentioned, creating niche microsites around specific vehicle models in his market, and strategically posting inventory on platforms like Craigslist—with the key insight that owning your online presence across multiple touchpoints is more effective than relying solely on dealership marketing channels.

Alex Snyder's post uses his personal decision to cut cable TV as a launching point for a broader argument that the future of automotive marketing will be driven by customer deeds, brand reputation, and social word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. The thread evolves into a debate about how negative customer experiences silently compound on social media, how Google reviews are quietly displacing third-party review sites, and how demographic shifts will eventually force dealers to rethink awareness strategies entirely. The key takeaway is that dealers who ignore the invisible, privacy-shielded social conversation around their brand risk a slow, unexplained erosion of business that no ad spend can fix.

A guest asks where to purchase new luxury Mercedes vehicles without warranties for export, prompting skeptical and sarcastic responses from forum members who suspect the inquiry involves stolen or illegally obtained vehicles. The thread concludes that legitimate "no warranty new cars" don't exist through normal channels, and that cars exported overseas naturally lose manufacturer warranty coverage—suggesting the original poster may be attempting to source vehicles through illicit means.

The thread critiques the proliferation of opportunistic SEO sales pitches to dealerships, particularly from vendors (chat companies, directories) who lack genuine SEO expertise and propose outdated tactics like simple meta tag swaps without strategic collaboration. Replies emphasize frustration with "buzzword bandwagoning" vendors and stress that dealers have a responsibility to educate themselves on legitimate SEO strategies rather than blindly paying for ineffective services.

Mitch Gallant asks for feedback on YouTube video advertising campaigns he's testing at the dealer level, specifically about management workload, cost-effectiveness, and scalability for running multiple comparative vehicle videos. He seeks input from other dealers on whether this strategy is worth pursuing and what alternative platforms might be worth exploring beyond YouTube. The thread essentially seeks practical guidance on whether YouTube video ads are a viable marketing tool for dealerships given the operational demands.

A dealer warns the community about Local Splash, a marketing company that called with aggressive sales tactics claiming they could guarantee Google Maps visibility for $199/month. Multiple respondents confirm the company has a reputation as a scam and advise against engaging with any vendor using high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic guarantees, with the consensus being that legitimate SEO firms don't operate this way.

Jeff Kershner highlights how Cobalt effectively used social media monitoring to do real-time reputation management after a dealer publicly complained on Twitter about having their splash page disabled without warning. Cobalt's team caught the tweet, reached out proactively, and turned a negative moment into a PR win — earning praise from the community and sparking discussion about whether Cobalt is genuinely changing its culture, with some veterans still harboring skepticism based on past experiences.

The thread debates whether mobile websites should be included as a free add-on to standard dealership websites. While Alex Snyder argues mobile sites are temporary and will become unnecessary as mobile browsers improve, mattwatson81 counters that mobile optimization for touch interfaces and smaller screens will remain important regardless of browser capabilities. The discussion eventually shifts to emerging mobile technologies like pico projectors and responsive browsers, with most participants agreeing mobile sites should be bundled as value-added features rather than charged separately.

Dealers discussing Mitsubishi's restrictive search advertising policies that prohibit bidding on generic Mitsubishi terms to avoid competing with the manufacturer's own campaigns. The consensus view is that the restrictions are impractical and largely unenforceable—particularly since Mitsubishi offers minimal co-op funding—with several dealers noting that dealer-specific PPC ads are actually more effective for conversions anyway, making the manufacturer's concern misguided.

John Quinn seeks advice on cutting advertising expenses while maintaining sales, specifically questioning whether dealership branding efforts are necessary when they operate 14 brands and can trace only 25% of sales to digital channels despite digital spending representing 35% of their budget. The discussion reveals that his Wilkes-Barre market is demographically older with unusually strong newspaper readership (generating 1100+ monthly calls from Yellow Pages), making traditional media still effective despite industry-wide trends toward digital. The key insight is that optimal marketing strategy is market-dependent—rather than following industry dogma, dealers should "fish where the fish are" by advertising in the channels their specific demographic actually uses.

Automotive professionals discuss their preferred Twitter management tools across desktop and mobile platforms, with TweetDeck emerging as the clear favorite for desktop use, while mobile users recommend a mix of apps including Twitterrific, UberTwitter, and Echofon depending on device. The thread also touches on using Twitter strategically for dealership customer engagement and social media presence, with one newer user asking whether it's worthwhile to join late—receiving reassurance that Twitter adoption continues to grow.

Dealers discuss the Ford window sticker lookup tool (available for 2007+ vehicles via VIN), which allows them to instantly access original manufacturer specifications for used inventory to improve vehicle descriptions and appraisals. The conversation reveals that Chrysler, GM, and some Toyota/Lexus dealers also have similar tools with varying accessibility and limitations, though Ford's is notably the most convenient since it works regardless of vehicle status. While several dealers find these tools valuable for marketing and appraisal purposes, GM's tool appears to have restrictions and other manufacturers largely lack public-facing options.

Google's decision to block referrer keyword data for logged-in users sparked concern among automotive marketers about losing critical SEO measurement capabilities and being forced to rely on Google's own (paid) Webmaster Tools. While initial impact was expected to be small, participants worried the policy would eventually expand to all searches and viewed Google's practice as anticompetitive—blocking organic search data while preserving it for paid search—with predictions that excessive market dominance could eventually trigger congressional regulation similar to historical antitrust actions.

Alex Snyder challenges the concept of "Mobile SEO" as a distinct strategy, arguing it's a myth that conflates mobile search with local search optimization, and shares an article debunking the term. The discussion clarifies that what vendors should actually focus on is mobile optimization—ensuring sites render well and load quickly on mobile devices without creating duplicate content issues through separate mobile domains. The key insight is that effective mobile strategy means having one responsive site that works across all devices, not treating mobile as a separate SEO discipline.

Dave Erickson questions whether TrueCar's new subdomain structure (dealer.truecar.com/state/city/model) is ranking ahead of actual dealer websites in organic search results. Jeff Kershner confirms this is an established practice across multiple automotive platforms and criticizes dealers for funding these services that compete against their own SEO efforts, while ryanlucia counters that these platforms likely use ranked pages to drive broader site traffic rather than steal direct dealer business.

Dealers reported receiving notifications from Google that their Places listings would be automatically updated with data from Google's various sources, but several users discovered the updates contained inaccurate information (wrong phone numbers, service area changes) that contradicted their manually entered details. The thread highlights frustration that Google's automated scraping and updates override dealer-controlled information, and recommends checking Mike Blumenthal's blog for more technical details on how the automatic update feature works.

The thread highlights the rapid growth of mobile web traffic and its implications for car dealerships, citing Cisco and TechCrunch data predicting a 40x rise in mobile traffic over five years. Commenters agree that dealerships need mobile-optimized sites because mobile visitors tend to be serious, near-purchase shoppers rather than casual browsers. The key insight is that mobile calls-to-action should be deliberately designed to convert high-intent buyers, not just replicate the research-heavy traditional website experience.

Katie discusses the importance of diversifying lead sources beyond repeat and referral business, emphasizing that dealers should periodically audit their current lead providers for effectiveness and explore alternative sources. The post advocates for a proactive approach to lead generation and sourcing, suggesting that dealers research available options through Google and other means to ensure they're accessing quality automotive sales leads.

Joe Pistell shares his auto dealership's "Comment Generator" tool that automatically creates unique vehicle descriptions, receiving constructive feedback on SEO optimization, URL structure, and copywriting refinement. Key insights include TVGBrian's recommendation to rewrite URLs from query parameters to descriptive paths for better search traffic, and CliffC's observation that exact mileage figures disrupt the natural flow of read-aloud descriptions and should be softened to ranges like "under 9000 miles." The thread demonstrates how dealers can leverage automation for inventory marketing while maintaining quality and natural-sounding content.