AutoBurst Webs is meant to be a product showcase that shares what we do and what is available to small businesses and marketing agents. You will notice when you visit the site that we are drawing a distinction between our products, services, and solutions. This approach has come with a bit of controversy because many people consider these things one and the same. We however do not.

The services we provide are generic. We do email marketing, search marketing, website design, and other Internet-specific things people and businesses need on the web. We classify them as “services” because we can provide these things in a variety of ways under different budgets with unique goals and objectives.

The solutions we offer are the software systems we use and can provide to people and businesses as either stand-alone purchases or in bundles. We offer voice solutions such as our call tracking system AdTrack™ and our call review service CallRevu™ which is beyond just tracking and listening to phone calls. It’s about reporting, analysis, and making adjustments. We also offer video hosting and streaming, coupon creation and management software, list-building software and more. The software behind these things requires training, support, and and understanding of the technology. The software is meant to solve specific and common business problems which is why we classify them as solutions.

Our products, of which you will see only 3 are listed – AC Video™, AC Social™, and AC List Builder™ – are unique combinations of these services and solutions fused together to achieve certain goals and objectives. We offer these products and a variety of combinations at different budgets based on your organization’s exact needs. Ultimately this is what we sell and so we classify them as products.

So take a look around the new site. There are some minor loose ends still being addressed at time of this writing but hopefully you get a better idea of what we are all about and how we go about doing what we do. There are two new pages that have been added which we plan to enhance which shows the technology behind what we do and the businesses contributing to our product by providing solutions and services.

Thank you to everyone that has been a part of this long journey to get the site where it is today. It was your feedback and input that helped shape and form this representation and I hope (and am confident) that where it is at now will more effectively communicate what AutoConversion is all about when it comes to meeting the needs of small businesses. IT may appear like we do everything in the world but reality is that these are but only some of the primary essential tools business need to market themselves on the web.

Our shift to utilize Facebook in behalf of our clients is specific to Facebook “Pages”, which were introduced by Facebook last year in response to business creating profiles on Facebook. Profiles were not originally meant for businesses, only individuals, and the Facebook folk were smart about rolling out the “Page” product.

If you are a business and have had a profile for a while then it might not be realistic to transition to a Page, but if you are new to Facebook (as a business) then definitely refrain from creating a profile for your business and go with a Page. The reason why is due to two specific things…

a.) Profiles by default are set to private and so unless you specify it to be public people will have to request to be your friend. Pages by default are public and so anyone can become a fan.

b.) Profiles, unless public, are not indexable by search engines. Pages are, and you most definitely want the search engine benefits you can experience with a Page.

Which leads to my point…

Last month it was announced that both Google and Microsoft are putting together formal plans with Twitter and with Facebook to start including them in searches on google.com and bing.com. THIS IS HUGE!

Since Twitter hit the scene people have been grappling for the best business use of it. Some argue Twitter is a mass media tool, some argue it is best for one-on-one or small group communication, others might argues it is good for running specials and events. Quite frankly these are all good uses. The challenge is finding the right approach with it for your business and sticking with it. At least that has been my challenge.

But if everybody’s “Tweets” are soon to be indexed by search engines and start appearing as listings in peoples’ search results, this could be as far reaching as having the ability to literally search the minds of everyone in the world. Well, maybe that is an exaggeration but it does mean you would be able to search thethe conversations that people are publishing to their Twitter and Facebook accounts.

You thought blogging made it easy for the every day guy, gal, or business to have a voice, think of what Twitter and Facebook will make possible once this information can be sought out on search engines.

Anyhow, I am excited about this and believe it justifies our decision to start using Facebook with our clients. We have held off utilizing Twitter for clients but with this announcement we are already preparing to incorporate this too. Below is a video supplement to this post for your viewing pleasure. It’s trippay…

One such instance has occurred which I came across today by happenstance, and it affects one of my clients. I came across a Facebook profile yesterday by the name of Holbert Dealership-Story. My initial thought was, “cool”, my client is taking a proactive stance using Facebook to communicate a non-solicitous message, something we preach over here at AutoConversion. But then this morning I receive an invite to a Facebook group that made me realize this was not so cool after all.

The Facebook group is called Dealership Experience Repository. As I read it it became clear this was a group created by a disgruntled customer, the one whose profile originally reeled me in.

I am not one for complaining, especially digitally or in print. It usually bites you in the ass down the road. So regardless of this dealership being a client, I don’t like the vibe of this group and the agenda behind this person, but I understand his frustration.

Last year I had a major setback with Verizon and wanted to denigrate them to the highest degree. However I refrained and took my beef to the top, and I mean the very top, to get things resolved with them. I just didn’t want to be another winey pest using the Web to retaliate against Verizon.

But now Holberts has a dilemma on their hands. If you look at the 42 friends this disgruntled Facebook user has you may notice a lot of them are other dealerships. I would not hold it past these dealerships that they chose to be Facebook friends with this profile with the hope to further expose this customer’s beef with Holberts. You know the old adage, “look good and make others look bad”. So I imagine this person will get plenty of buy-in from other dealerships.

What I am most curious to see is how this holds up with the Facebook user policy. It is against their policy to create profiles, pages, and groups posing as other business or misrepresenting others, which I think their profile does, but not necessarily the group. This is one of those uncharted areas of the ether web that we lack on in policy.

My guess is that Facebook will frown up on this. The last thing they want is for Facebook to become a haven for complaints and denigration on businesses and individuals. That’s what sites like DealerRater.com are for.

Anyhow, it will be curious to see where this goes, if anywhere. Regardless the circumstance definitely poses new questions in the use of Facebook for business organizations.

Attention Philadelphia Area Dealerships…

AutoConversion and Wired 96.5 FM (WRDW), Philadelphia’s leading hits and hip-hop station have teamed up to sponsor this year’s “Back to Old School” concert Saturday September 19th at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton NJ. We are reaching out to area dealerships to participate in this event.

This throwback concert features club legends such as Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Coolio, Tone Loc, C&C Music Factory, 2 Live Crew, Rob Base, JJ Fad, Snap, and other artists appealing to more than 1.5 million 25-40 year-old music fans in the Philadelphia metro area.

AutoConversion would like to extend to dealerships an opportunity to participate in our ticket giveaway. We are offering a marketing kit that includes 25 general admission tickets plus 5 VIP tickets you can use to give out to customers, employees, family, and friends of your choice.

To help with the giveaway, we have prepared an ad on our blog that you can use on your blog, website, and/or in email promotions. The digital version includes the radio announcement that runs twice an hour on 96.5 FM until the day of the show. In the announcement, AutoConversion.net is recognized as a sponsor with the tag line “Philly’s Finest Cars”. When people visit the website they will see a selection of the latest models from various manufacturers with links to area dealerships participating in our programs.

As a participating dealer, your dealership would be listed in our directory where people are sent to for obtaining their free tickets. This means that people we are reaching out to that that win tickets could be directed to your dealership to pick up the tickets they have won. Thus not only will this promotion drive visitors to your website but also to your showroom.

To take advantage of this unique opportunity, please contact us today.

Remember the old Hip-Hop days? You know, Salt-N-Pepa and Coolio? Well guess what…for one night only, these legendary artists and others from the early 90s are back. AutoConversion and Wired 96.5 have teamed up to throw the biggest “back to school” party in the Atlantic City area with the “Back To Old School” Throwback Concert Saturday Sept 19th at the Sovereign Bank Arena.

This throwback concert will be featuring gigs such as the legendary Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Coolio, Tone Loc, C&C Music Factory, 2 Live Crew, Rob Base, JJ Fad and Snap.

AutoConversion is giving away tickets to this event…You know you want to come out for the Back to Old School Throwback Concert and hear classic songs like, Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise”, Tone Loc’s “Wild Thing”, and Salt-N-Pepa’s “Whatta Man”. For more details, click play on the audio player below to hear our radio promotion.

Tickets are limited and available on a first-come first-serve basis. To claim a free pair of tickets, all you have to do is:

• Leave a comment on our Facebook page describing your favorite memory of the acts performing at the “Back To Old School” Throwback Concert. If you want to qualify for up to four (4) tickets, post a video of yourself describing your favorite memory of the acts performing at the show. Be sure to leave us your email and we’ll get in touch with the winners.

• OR if you’re not a Facebook member, simply leave a comment on this blog post sharing your favorite memory from one of the acts scheduled to perform at the “Back To Old School” Throwback Concert.

It’s like the late great Tupac Shakur said, “What more could I say? I wouldn’t be here today if the old school didn’t pave the way”, so come out and support the artists who paved the way for today’s top musicians.

For more information about this event visit the Wired 96.5 website or to purchase additional tickets go to www.sovereignbankarena.com.

For one, you have a page dedicated to a central theme or purpose which is to address the disparity of facts and fiction among people and the media. This is a good example of what I often call “single point focus”, which is a proven or known method for getting your point across in marketing.

To communicate this message, the page consists of numerous high-grade videos from experts in the field which in this case are people working in or close to the current administration. Video is one of the most effective ways to communicate a message especially when it’s done by real people and not actors.

Now the part that I personally really appreciate is what you see on the right side of the page – links to their Facebook page and Twitter lines in addition to a subscription form. Facebook and Twitter are taking the world by storm right now and for the White House to be on the ball like this, which is a reflection of the administration’s marketing vision and tenacity, gives a large number of visitors a sense of comfort and familiarity. Highly effective.

Not only do you see links to these things but also you see towards the top of it all a share gadget which enables visitors to share this page with friends via email, friends on Facebook, and on Twitter. Giving your audience this ability is known to be highly effective too.

As many have noted over the past year or so, the Obama camp has been highly effective at digitizing its message in a contemporary fashion and this is yet another example of this. Despite whether or not you are on board with the administration’s policies and agenda you must respect its ability to deliver it to this particular audience which by the looks of their Facebook page has accumulated about 306,539 fans.

Or maybe note? According to my math, 306,539 is 0.44% the number of people that voted for Obama in 2008. That is fewer than 1% of his voters. You have to wonder if this is a reflection of how few people are on Facebook or how a measure of interest Facebook users have in the message?

Look at all of the great new choices!

The Smorvette!

The Smaudi A3 AWD!

The Smamborghini!

The Smorsche!

The Smerrari!

And last, but not least,

The Smustang,

According to reports, bing.com is primarily focused on 4 sectors of search:

1. planning a trip
2. finding a local business
3. researching a health condition
4. making a purchase decision

You find when using bing.com some peculiar similarities with Google search such as the font and color display of listings and their basic construct. What’s different however is the left sidebar which automatically displays sets of similar phrases to what you just searched, much like a tagging system. Also different, and most notably so, is that bing.com does not mix multi-media types in its searches like Google Universal Search does. What this means is that video clips are not going to appear in your searches unless you specifically use the Video search option.

I don’t plan to follow up with this much. I don’t think it’s a big deal but I did deem it important for you to know why bing.com may be appearing in your site analytic reports and to understand some basic things about it. If you want to stay on top of this you can start by visiting ReadWriteWeb which is where I sourced most of the information in this post.

With the iFrame, you diminish your SEO influence. An iFrame is like a box inside a room. It’s its own room, but secluded from everything around it. You can link to the blog’s main page, but from an SEO standpoint you are really linking to a box you can not see inside. A search engine knows it is there, but can not see the contents.

You can link to a page within the blog but then you loose the website shell meant to surround it, so you forgo the visitor experience you initially set out for. Additionally, when you link from the blog, visitors remain in the iFrame unless you insert the parent syntax within the frame tag.

target="_parent"

Another issue is that not all systems and browser support frames. Most today do, with the exception of mobile devices, and most blogs naturally do well on a mobile device. With the iFrame you risk mobile visitors not being able to access your blog at all.

From what I can tell, this blogs looks quite new. It has a few posts and the blogger is clearly sharing himself in addition to the dealership. This is good. Although you must be conscientious of what you publish. The NINJA post pushes the bubble. It will appeal to some, but could throw off others still important to the dealership. There is a threshold for everything, including dealer blogs.

Their facebook group has 53 members, including me. I just became a fan. I look forward to seeing how FB shapes the auto industry. I like what Baron is doing off the bat.

This looks to me like the dealer/blogger discovered the site the other day, set it up, posted a blog and left. For all we know the user never returned.

I see this occasionally. It probably occurs more than we know. When I first started blogging I created multiple new blogs over the course of a few months. It took a while to find which information to publish where. As I did, some of the blogs faded out, but others remained. BlogPro Automotive is really the only one that thrives today from those initial months. It has come a long way for sure. You can visit the original BlogPro site on blogger.

Today I run several sites and am always feeling them out as things progress. It takes time for a blog to evolve. Like raising a child or even growing up yourself. You have to feel it out over time. Conditions and circumstances change and you must re-establish your voice. Listen. Respond. Listen. Respond.

However, consistency proves to pay off over time too. The longer you stick with your niche, however large or small, the more can come out of it. I think that DealerRefresh is a good example of this. Jeff Kershner has been around longer than most, and his tune resounds well with many. When you change your tune, you go sideways (or backwards for some). I know that I have experienced this.

So, where do you take a site like the exoticcars’s blog? I would begin by getting off of that platform. Our WordPress system on BlogPro would suffice. I then would get my logo up there and apply a good-looking theme to the site. There are numerous free themes and themes you can purchase. Themes are like a dress you slip on to your WordPress blog or website. Finally, start posting content on a regular basis. During your first six months to a year you must be posting 2-3 times a week mimally in the dealer world to truly compete.