As marketing professionals, we spend an inestimable amount of time weathering the slippery slope of automotive marketing philosophies and the expectations that are tied to them. Bridging the gap between the way things used to be, and the changing steps to success isn’t entirely unlike the risks of the old west. We’re all just doing our best to carve out our own destiny and provide a brighter future for those depending on us. 

Sure, there’s a lingering relevance to traditional marketing. And, no matter how many times experts have declared such platforms dead, television & radio spots, print ads and signage continue to deliver a respectable ROI and improve overall visibility. But, assuming that you’re already well aware of their inherent limitations, the reasons why such avenues should only account for a small portion of your overall spend is best left to a separate conversation. Because we’re not here to explain why digital marketing is what provides forward motion for any business, we’re here to explain why your dealership might already be falling behind. 

The Car Search

The search for any vehicle begins online. A prospective buyer initiates a search, be it for a specific vehicle or simply ‘dealerships near me’. What you may not realize is that the results might currently be out of your hands. You may not realize just how easily you’re losing business without even trying. 

Simply put, the all-seeing eye of Google tells us the average car-buyer visits a total of two dealerships during their search for a new vehicle. And since those dealerships are usually located as part of a keyword search, it’s imperative that your SERP rankings are high for all pertinent inquiries. 

As most of you know all too well, there are complexities inherent to automotive Marketing. From the tandem offering of both new and used models, to OEM restrictions placed upon the marketing of each, right down to the nuances of your dealership’s operational footprint, most dealerships have a lot of balls in the air. How is it possible for a singular online presence to juggle all of them without allowing any to fall?

This is where the expertise of a committed and reliable digital marketing partner comes into play. While it’s conceivable that a dealership could build their own in-house team to fulfill such a role, it would be quite a burden to do so. First off, it would require the hiring of multiple professionals, experts in web development, design, technical & content-based SEO, research, writing, editing, web publishing, social media, reputation management and multimedia production (among others). And if the idea of that kind of overhead doesn’t already cripple your in-house aspirations, well, it’s likely that most hires with those skill sets would still need to be retrained in order to traverse the rigors of the automotive landscape. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way… A trusted partner, skilled in automotive marketing, SEO and overarching digital campaigns understands both the perils and pitfalls that must be navigated. And it goes without saying that a ‘one-stop shop’, employing all of the skilled professionals listed above, and scaled for economy, minimizes the burden placed upon your bottom-line. It’s something our clients have come to love, enjoying the quality and attentiveness of a concierge service provider, without the stress of day-to-day management. While this blog isn’t meant to serve as self-aggrandizing testimonial to our own services, we’d be pretty substandard digital marketers if we failed to convey the benefits of digital automotive marketing. That said, let’s dial in a bit, and explore some of the important considerations that drive that point home. 

The All-Seeing Eye of Google

A great eye, lidless, wreathed in flame; it was said that few could endure its terrible gaze. Okay, fine…that was a description of the Eye of Sauron paraphrased from The Lord of the Rings but it serves as an ideal allegory for what Google has become.

Always watching, always listening (if you don’t believe us, check your smartphone and Alexa settings) and ever-present, Google has evolved from a simple user-fed search engine to an all-encompassing facilitator of knowledge. And while it sees and hears all, it lends favor to those who play loyally by the rules it sets forth. In other words, do right by Google and it will do right by you. Fail to do so, and face the consequences. 

It was recently estimated that 3.5 billion Google searches are performed every day, with that number growing by 10% every year. In fact, Google lays claims to a staggering 90% of all online searches. They have indexed hundreds of billions of web pages, so it goes without saying that only a relative few of those are owned by your dealership. 

So, if the average Google search session consists of 1-4 keywords, and lasts just under a minute with the user favoring the top three rankings, how confident are you that your online presence is configured to place you among those rankings? There’s more to it than you think. Keyword stuffing is the stuff of rank amateurs from ten years back, and Google can spot anyone foolish enough to try it, or any other outdated strategies. Google, and their algorithms are in a state of continual evolution, and thus a reputable SEO company must evolve in kind…and to do so effectively, we must always know (and adhere to) the rules laid out. And it all starts with GMB.

Google My Business

To ensure visibility, a dealership must understand that a properly configured Google My Business (or GMB) needs to rest at the core of your online presence. Now, we know that some of you might be rolling your eyes back in your heads while uttering some variant of “No sh*t, Sherlock” under your breath, but you might be surprised. 

It’s been estimated that, while countless industries have restricted themselves around best practices for digital marketing, the automotive industry as a whole lags behind by roughly five years. Thus, the first step for many dealerships looking to wrangle control of their own destiny is to claim and verify their respective GMB’s. The effective equivalent of introducing yourself to Google and (for the old-schoolers out there) handing them your business card, a GMB quite literally places you on the map. Imperative for local SEO purposes, it’s the first step of empowering a Ford Dealership in Bethesda, Maryland to pop up when someone searches “Ford Dealership Bethesda MD”. Considering that 28.88% of online searches result in a visit within 48 hours, can you really afford not to have that kind of visibility. 

But, specifically in regard to dealerships, GMB’s are also used to deliver traffic to each door included within your operational footprint. A family of dealerships, for example, must be easily distinguishable from one another; and your sales floor must be distinguishable from that of your service center. Failure to acknowledge this, and build your online presence accordingly, severely damages your ability to appear in local searches and hampers users’ ability to find you the way Google intends.

With that in mind, are you delineating the distinct properties that exist within your operations as a whole? Are you making them easily searchable and locatable by those seeking your services? Allow us to make it easy to answer that question…if you’re not showing up in Google’s Local 3-Pack for any applicable search, you’re not doing enough.

The Elephant in the Room

Making yourself visible to Google is only one part of the puzzle; after all, it still needs to like what it sees. And let’s be honest, it’s entirely possible that your website is horrible. Organization, functionality, navigability (and yes, design) all count towards the creation of an ideal user experience. To put it bluntly, if your website sucks, no-one will spend any time on it; and if no-one spends any time on your website, Google knows and determines that your website (and your dealership as a whole) is not a reliable resource. 

In the eyes of Google, the three pillars of SEO are as follows: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E.A.T.). We’ll talk more about each of those in a bit, but let’s get back to your lackluster website, why it’s likely that you’re stuck with it, and what you can do about it. 

As we mentioned earlier, the automotive industry has been lapped several times by other lucrative industries. The nearly-obsolete state of most websites and CRMs are perfect examples of how the majority of technologies found within the industry are out-of-date. Restrictions imposed by the OEM’s as to which web vendors a dealership can use limits the ability of those dealerships to remain competitive within the digital realm. When it comes to choosing the right vendor – one who offers both OEM compliance and the advantage of a competitive product – it’s important to first recognize that there aren’t many. It’s also important to accept that it would be easy for a less-aware dealership to buy into the promises of a flawed service provider. 

And in that regard, yes, we know the players that are worth having on your team. Part of the expertise that we offer is an analysis of your current vendor, their platform and your overall presence to determine if you have the right fit. To date, we haven’t encountered a single client who does, or one whose results can’t be improved with a handful of strategic alterations. 

Establishing Your Expertise

The first pillar of SEO is Expertise. When discussing Expertise in this context, its interpretation is largely the same as it would be when used casually. In other words, it’s about being recognized as skilled and knowledgable, and a valuable resource to anyone in need of your skillset or services. In terms of the automotive industry, a dealership known for online expertise might curate well-informed, well-researched content in order to better inform the general consumer. Albeit a dated reference, it’s not unlike the movie ‘Field of Dreams’…more specifically, that famous line, “If you build it, they will come”. It may not happen overnight, but in the world of local SEO it’s important to have high-quality content framed within an enticing and user-centric site. With time and exposure, more prospective buyers or those in need of automotive service will seek you out. This helps to establish your level of perceived ‘expertise’.   

Asserting Authoritativeness

The next pillar of SEO is Authoritativeness, which can be broken down into two primary contexts. First, Page Authority, which anticipates how well a web page will perform among SERP rankings. The second is Domain Authority, which correlates all data generated by a domain/site in order to establish its popularity. These, combined with the frequency and strength of linking to the aforementioned content, help Google to determine whether or not a dealership is considered to be an authority to consumers in need of guidance.  

Once you’ve established yourself as an authority, players within other facets of the industry are likely to link their content to yours, citing you as a trusted authority. This kind of third-party validation conveys to Google that you are creating content that others find relevant to their own and, in a wider sense, the traffic enjoyed on either end of a link help to show Google that you’re ‘in touch’ with current search trending. 

Matters of Trust

All of this factors into Google’s assessment of Trustworthiness, which is the third and final pillar of SEO. A dealership who simply regurgitates their own inventory as online bait in the hopes of hooking a prospective buyer does nothing to differentiate themselves from their competition. But a dealership that creates well-researched, informative content – relevant to prospective buyers – asserts themselves as a trustworthy resource whose page might prove helpful in an online search. Thus, not only have you made yourself visible to the all-seeing eye of Google, but you’ve potentially won its favor…at least for now. 

Never Stop Moving

Here’s some food for thought: it’s estimated that Google changes their search algorithm 600+ times a year. It doesn’t take a math prodigy to figure out that equates to once or twice per day! 

This serves to emphasize the simple fact that improving search engine optimization is a constant and cumulative process. It never rests. It never stops. And before you can even realize that you might have the right combination of factors in play, the game has already changed. And while some changes might be major algorithmic updates, the majority are subtle, nuanced and about as hush/hush as you can get. Bottom-line, it’s imperative to have the right people on your side to ensure that you achieve, and maintain, optimal SERP positions. But there’s more to the ideal automotive marketing partner than just SEO. 

Social Media Marketing

Having drawn some attention to some of the inherent limitations placed upon some dealerships by their OEM, let’s shift our attention to some of the wide-open spaces where dealerships are allowed to roam free; namely Social Media. 

Do you realize that 53% of businesses (large and small) utilize social media advertising as part of their marketing strategy? But part of the reason why the automotive industry is trailing other industries in the realm of digital marketing is their relatively modest willingness to do so. This means that the majority of dealerships are likely to be part of that other 47%, a number which is only likely to dwindle lower with each passing year. It makes us wonder why a dealership wouldn’t want to embrace social media ASAP, setting themselves apart as quickly as possible. 

We quite like the fact that many OEM’s have yet to hobble the power of social with restrictive compliance regulations. In fact, what regulations currently exist are fairly minimal, fairly non-invasive and there doesn’t seem to be any writing on the wall that it’s going to change any time soon.

Of course, each and every dealership is beholden to the respective laws of their state (what they can and can’t advertise, disclaimer compliance, etc) and the Terms of Use dictated by the social media platform itself, but still — that’s a decent amount of wiggle room, and it really only applies to the advertising side of social media use. 

You’d have to be living under a rock not to recognize the role social media plays in today’s world. The modern equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing, it’s imperative that a dealership controls its social media presence, in addition to its overall presence online. 3.48 billion people utilize social media (a 9% jump from last year alone) and every business (dealership or otherwise) has the choice to be part of that conversation or accept the potential loss of revenue or hits to reputation resulting from their absence. 

Embracing Your SEO Potential

We’ve talked about making your dealership visible. We’ve discussed the need to make it an engaging, and credible resource. We’ve specified the ways that you can carve a distinctive path to success, unencumbered by your local competition. 

Ultimately, SEO (and most elements of digital automotive marketing) could be described as relatively unregulated space. A dealership’s success, or potential for success, are limited primarily by their desire, effort and willingness to remain fluid in order to yield the best results in an ever-changing landscape. But it also comes down to a dealership’s choice of partner, and that partner’s ability to achieve success. 

Assuming that a dealership is amenable to those expectations and paired with the proper professionals, the possibilities are endless. A successful SEO strategy is based around the curation of superior content, making it inherently compliant to OEM regulation. In other words, with the right guidance, you’re rewriting the rule book by burning the old one. And as long as we recognize and respect Google’s authority as the ultimate law around ‘these here parts’ it really is the ‘wild, wild west’ – ready for the taking. 

As an automotive advertising company, we fall subject to a wide range of expectations regarding the wealth of services that we offer. Truth be told, we doubt you’d be surprised by the vast majority of them, seeing as you’re probably aware of the traditional role played by digital marketers. And yet, there are those expectations that are less-publicized…such as the expectation that we are intuitive mind-readers or clairvoyants.

Last time we checked, we were unable to peer inside the human mind or transcend the laws of space-time. However, our inability to bend the laws of the universe to our whim doesn’t leave us exempt from the expectation. Far from it. Dealerships (and the other kinds of businesses that we work with) expect us to get a jump on trends, to notice patterns in their infancy and to have an inherent understanding of any thought, and every whim. Fortunately, technology offers us a number of tools that prove supportive of our own instincts. And thus, we continue to fuel the illusion.

Mind you, we’re not complaining. Not one bit. We like what we do (and like to think that we’re pretty good at it, too) but our abilities shouldn’t minimize the responsibilities that our clients have…to themselves. Specifically, a willingness to brand fearlessly.

Allow Us To Explain

Recognizing the branding limitations that most franchised dealers are beholden to, we’d be remiss if we preached emancipated branding as though it were an option that was open to everyone. And yet here we are, ready to do exactly that. Why? Because (i) not every dealership is handicapped by such restrictions, and (ii) it’s important for any organization to own their own branding. That sense of self should be purposeful, well-defined and consistent through every facet of the organization’s being; the union of its public face and private culture embodied by recognizable iconography.

It’s up to the individual dealership to identify the level of wiggle-room they have in terms of iconography, color scheme and overall aesthetics. But those are just the tangible elements of your branding, intended to tie various elements together while reinforcing the brand. What about the intangibles? What about the unique approach that you take in order to differentiate yourself from competitors? What about the adaptability of your message and content for a wider audience, or the kind of sentiment crucial to the stirring of emotion?

These are the components of your brand that you have exclusive control over. And it’s about time that you embrace the power of that control, and how effectively it can drive your online conversions enhancing your various revenue streams. It’s time for you to start branding fearlessly; and if you need any inspiration in that regard, let’s look at some of the lessons we’ve learned from major players who have embraced the power of fearless branding, earning all the more success as a result.

GoPro

Kicking things off, the handheld cameras of GoPro have taught us two very important lessons, over the past decade-and-a-half. The first is simple, and helped to fuel the current push towards video content. By inspiring (and making affordable) user-supplied content, GoPro’s burden in terms of marketing budget was minimized. Today, over 6,000 user-branded GoPro videos are uploaded to YouTube every day!

But more than that, GoPro changed the way that we looked at things. First-person perspective allowed us to view an activity through the eyes of an enthusiast, rather than as a simple bystander. As such, the content contributions were not-only-numerous, but a completely organic means of generating brand excitement.

Applied to a Dealership: Video content is king. It should be the foundation of your marketing strategy, and adapted to multiple formats, as needed, in order to succeed on various platforms. Thanks to GoPros, drones and advances in cell-phone cameras, a dealership can provide fresh new perspectives on both vehicle walk-arounds and test drives. That’s right…NEW PERSPECTIVES. Not just ‘new’ in terms of how your dealership has marketed in the past, you might be delivering something brand new to the eyes of prospective customers. And when it comes to cars, trucks and SUVs, why wouldn’t you want to show a vehicle through the eyes of an enthusiast (rather than a salesperson)?

Life is Good

Who can remember the point in the mid-to-late 1990’s when ‘Life is Good’ shirts and hats began to appear indiscriminately? Whether or not your hand is in the air, answer me this: when have you ever seen a commercial for ‘Life is Good’? How did a brand, formed by two brothers in 1994, boast $50 million in sales within the first decade and reach $100 million by their twentieth anniversary? According to the founders, they relied “on the good vibes of social power of their community to spread the word”. In other words, they took a simple message and relied upon the consumers (who the message resonated with) to build the brand.

Applied to a Dealership: What kind of culture do you offer, both to your customers and employees. Is it positive? Is it tangible in your marketing? Does it resonate with your target demographic(s)? No-one wants to be told about a ‘low-pressure sales environment’ by the dealership (especially if it’s not true). If true, let them hear it from the satisfied customers who felt benefited by the positive culture you’ve created. To quote a thirty-year-old movie, “if you build it, they will come”.

Crossfit

I believe the joke goes something like this…

“A vegan, an atheist and a Crossfitter walk into a bar…everyone knew within minutes, because they wouldn’t stop telling people about it.”  Jokes aside, the exercise phenomenon known as Crossfit is a billion-dollar business, and the ultimate key to its success was based on “harnessing a natural camaraderie”. This inspiration of ownership in a brand has empowered members of the Crossfit community to live their lives as brand advocates. United (and continually supported) by one another’s shared values, that community continues to grow (in almost cult-like fashion).

Applied to a Dealership: like it not, there is a time and place for zealotry. After all, what brand wouldn’t exchange a ‘satisfied’ customer for an ‘enthusiastically loyal’ one? Simply put, you should tailor your online presence to generate excitement and tailor your real-world culture to support and validate that excitement.

Bringing it Home

It’s easy to fall into the pitfall of redundancy. It’s why we’ve spent a lot of time this month trying to get people to recognize the trappings of their echo chamber. When we only heed the input of the like-minded, and avoid new or different approaches, we grow stagnant in everything that we do.

The brands above were willing to step outside of the norm, be it by choice or by chance. In doing so, they changed the game, proving that the same old methodologies would only bring a business so far in terms of generating excitement and increasing revenue.

Bottom-line, be open to new ideas and perspectives. More importantly, seek them out. Learn the lessons offered by the success of others, while recognizing that the landscape is evolving just as quickly as the expectations of your customers are. The same old, same old mindset just won’t work anymore…and you need to start branding fearlessly.

When we talk about Automotive Social Media Marketing, we’re surprised by just how many people fail to grasp the breadth of the topic. In fact, looking across any number of industries only serves to reinforce the shocking realization that many businesses are attempting to market themselves in a state of ignorant bliss.

Of course, we mean ‘ignorant’ in the most passive of interpretations. In many cases, businesses are either (i) unaware of platforms available to them (ii) unaware of how to best utilize those platforms, or (iii) unaware of the differences between said platforms. Even worse are those businesses who seem unaware that social media has all-but replaced traditional marketing methods including, in many ways, word-of-mouth.

With that in mind, it’s imperative for dealerships to increase their understanding of the options available to them. But it’s even more important for them to increase their understanding of the rules – and the sensitivities – that will help to determine their continued success (or lack thereof).

“But we’re on Facebook!”

While intended as an affirmation of one’s modern marketing sensibility, it’s been quite some time since a (most likely ill-formatted) Facebook profile was capable of optimizing one’s social media presence. Since you’re a successful dealership, we’re going to assume that you’re all too aware of this and have long-since determined the best platforms to deliver various messages and campaigns, based on the specific strengths of each platform. We’re certain you don’t have all your eggs in one basket. 

But for just one second, let’s pretend that Facebook IS the only platform that you need to be concerned with. Why Facebook? Simply because it’s the most universal and relatable to Millennials, Gen X-ers and Baby Boomers alike. This will, of course, change with Gen Z-ers entering the consumer marketplace, but let’s focus on the platforms most commonly supported by the consumer demographics who control the majority of spend. The ideas explored can be extrapolated across various other platforms, PLUS it’s worth pointing out that Facebook provides easy sharing across most platforms so why not start there?

Desirable Viral

Scrolling through our newsfeeds, we’ve all experienced viral content. From hilarious videos to political propaganda, content of all kind is shared enthusiastically by social media users who appreciate it. That appreciation might be superficial, but it can also be quite sincere. In fact, one would be hard-pressed to argue that the latter helps to present social media at its best. Remember the Boston Marathon Bombing (almost six years ago)? The speed and enthusiasm with which information was being shared was instrumental in helping authorities to track down the suspects. And while it’s an unfair comparison to something as trivial as marketing, it’s one of the best indications of the power held by social media platforms.

Switching gears back to marketing, the goal is to create engaging content. If your existing customer base is willing to sing your praises, the right social media campaign doubles as a microphone and power amp, amplifying the volume of their accolades for the benefit of a larger audience. That’s where engagement becomes its most potent. You just need to know the rules…

The Rules of Engagement

When it comes to the creation of engaging social media content, there are a handful of ‘rules’ to keep in mind. Okay, not really ‘rules’ per se, but valuable considerations designed to help

• Determine the Goal – what are you looking to achieve? Identifying the objectives of a marketing initiative
• Choose the Platform – while there is an ever-growing selection of Social Media platforms out there, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat still sit atop the heap. Of these, each has its own strengths and limitations. It’s important to know the difference and adapt your content accordingly
• Know Your Audience – it’s the first thing they teach you when it comes to public speaking. The same applies to marketing, ensuring that you’ve tailored your content to the sensibilities of the audience that you’re appealing to. Otherwise you might be guilty of doing more than saying the wrong thing – you might be speaking the wrong language altogether
• Stir Emotion – no-one’s stopping you from creating another video where your principal (or an aesthetically pleasing member of your team) stands in front of your impressive inventory. Unfortunately, you’ve already lost your audience. People want to be invested, more than ever. The challenge is up to you to find out how to form that connection with prospective customers…while looking no further than the common ground you share
• Understand the Importance of Timing – get topical. Posting to commemorate a local sports victory might be the most simplified version of (i) utilizing timing to (ii) stir emotion with (iii) the local community on (iv) Facebook to (v) drive up engagement on your page. But there are so many more creative ways to go about it; all you need is a continued awareness of what’s going on in the world around you, and a willingness to curate content around it

Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Once you understand the rules of content creation, it’s important to remind yourself that playing it safe tends to yield a median result. This month, we’ve been talking a lot about the inherent dangers of existing within an echo chamber. And the rationale behind stepping outside of cyclical thinking surely applies to marketing.

All-too-often, principals and marketers become so obsessed with brand identity that stagnancy sets in. A brand becomes tired, redundant and its appeal diminishes with each tired rehashing of the same style, color palette and message. This is why automakers continue to tweak their offerings between major restylings; they understand the power of keeping things fresh.

Now think of the Super Bowl. While one might argue that some of the impact of Super Bowl ads is diminished by early internet leaks (I, for one, agree) there is no greater televised forum for innovative ad placement. And in 2019, a 30-second ad to be aired by CBS during Super Bowl LIII will range from $5.1 to $5.3 million.

It’s really no wonder that so many risks are taken. It’s about setting (or re-setting) the bar so that your commercial is the one people are talking most about. And while few local dealerships have the luxury of marketing at that level, the mindset applies. Set aside the tired tropes of your corporate brand, or your preconceived notions regarding image. Conceive a fresh approach. Personalize the message. Inject personality. Have fun. The revitalization of your dealership’s advertising through fresh, organic content presented to them on their preferred social media platforms will help to recharge your initiatives and propel you forward.

Take It Away

In the eyes of today’s consumer, your social media presence is an extension of everything your business stands for. In fact, by digital marketing standards, an investment in social media stands as one of the most affordable investments in brand awareness (monetarily or resource-wise) with some of the highest potential for return.

If you don’t consider social media to be a cornerstone of your marketing strategy, the ugly truth is that your efforts might already be outdated by the better part of a decade. But if you’re simply failing to recognize all the ways that social media can be put to work for you, there’s still time to correct your course.

Choose the right platform (or platforms). Tailor your content and approach for those platforms and their respective audiences. Reinforce your brand in bold and refreshing ways. Utilize targeting and promotional capabilities to increase visibility and engagement.

From that point on it, your potential for success comes down to the strength of your service and the appeal of your approach in the eyes of the consumer. That said, no-one remembers the ads and campaigns that play it safe, repeating the same old methods while expecting new results.

This month, we’re spending a lot of time talking about the need to step outside of your intrinsic strategy. As a marketer, it’s all too easy for you to wear the blinders of branding, slaved to a singular way of thinking by the echo chamber which you operate within. By falling into this trap, you minimize your own effectiveness, limiting the audience that is receptive to your message and reducing your potential of increasing revenue. But some results are better than no results, right? Okay…maybe? But for how long? And if your automotive SEO strategy (or lack thereof) fails to recognize the danger that blind personalization poses to your dealership’s continued success…well…let’s just say that you might want to keep reading.

For the Noobs

Just kidding (regarding the ‘Noob’ comment), but then again…you might be surprised by how many of your competitors still aren’t employing an active SEO strategy. Hopefully, you can’t count yourself among such short-sighted organizations but, in case you do, we’re here to open your eyes a bit.

Boiling it down to its simplest terms, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a means of analyzing your online presence, and restructuring it to ensure improved visibility, by increasing your value in the eyes of each engine giants (such as the ‘all-seeing eye of Google’).

That said, it’s a common misconception that an effective SEO strategy can be launched after a quick read of ‘SEO for Dummies’ (and yes, there is such a thing). Acknowledging that search engines (and the internet, as a whole) are ever-evolving organisms, any fixed text or guidelines would be obsolete long-before they even went to press or publishing. Constant analysis and an evolving strategy are crucial to ensure the continued growth of your dealership within an ever-evolving consumer landscape. Without it, you’re doing the marketing equivalent of locking yourself behind an impenetrable wall, unable to see or be seen.

The Wall

Even if you have the most important message to share, that message will be little more than an echo thrown back at you if you’re screaming it at a wall. And while the metaphor stands when describing the trappings of in-house strategy, it also exposes the risk posed by an echo chamber.

Now, to be clear, when speaking of SEO as part of an overall marketing strategy the term ‘echo chamber’ evolves a bit. We refer simply to the inclination of any business (dealership or otherwise) to default to a mode of self-validation.

By not respecting (and adapting to) impartial analytical data, you trap yourself within the limitations of self-validation. In other words, a dealership satisfied by marginal success and dedicated to the in-house strategies it attributes that success to, isn’t seeing the forest for the trees. The marketplace is ever-changing. The expectations of consumers are ever-changing. The tools made available to consumers and dealers alike are ever changing. As such, it’s crucial to employ unbiased statistical evidence to create an effective strategy, and that begins with an SEO analysis.

Taking Aim

It’s 2019. And while word-of-mouth is still important, isn’t it just about time that we call in the coroner to proclaim traditional marketing ‘dead’ once and for all? These days, your visibility to prospective customers is directly attributed to online accessibility (ie: SERP rankings). Dealerships who rank high in search results will reap the majority of the opportunities, while low-ranking competitors will be overlooked.

To arm itself against failure, a dealership must view their operation through objective goggles. Focusing on one’s weaknesses is more important than bolstering one’s strengths; after all, it’s the only way to identify the opportunities that you’re missing.

An independent SEO analysis does exactly that and more, including evaluation of:

• Responsiveness
• Page layout, and structure
• Content in terms of quality and identification of potential redundancies
• Effectiveness of keywords
• Page performance including (but not limited to) load-speed and navigability
• Quality and effectiveness of linking strategy
• Integration with social media accounts

These are just a small portion of the data segments that can be mined from an SEO analysis; and each of these variables plays a very important role in terms of your page’s valuation in the eyes of search engines. But those roles are not exclusive, in fact each one influences your ranking, both independently and as an intrinsic part of the greater whole. And while there are a variety of services which allow a dealership to evaluate their own analytics, there is an inherent risk of misinterpretation due to in-house bias.

Avoiding Analytical Bias

Humans have a tendency to look for, and even find, patterns where there are none. It’s a simple truth that has led to everything from unfair convictions to medical misdiagnosis. But equally as guilty is our willingness to adapt the facts to support our opinion, rather than adapt our opinions to support the facts. Welcome to the concept of ‘Analytical Bias’ in its purest and most dangerous form.

By placing your trust outside of your organization you’re likely to gain more accurate insights, not just in terms of analytic interpretation, but in terms of overall strategy. Such valuable direction can reposition you and help you to navigate the ever-changing terrain of digital marketing, empowering you for optimized success. And that’s just the beginning. A proven digital marketing consultant will offer you brand-new strategies in terms of your online ad placement, social media profiles and reputation management as well as empower you with the creation of high-quality content, all of which is designed to improve your rankings. Doing so might force you to deviate from the strategies that feel organic to you, but true growth requires us all to step outside of our comfort zones.

Don’t fall into the same trap as your competitors, dealerships trapped within the blinding walls of their own echo chamber. Bottom-line, you might know a hell of a lot about selling cars. But a skilled SEO analyst knows a lot about strengthening your online presence. If your marketing strategies are starting to feel like a dead-end, you might simply have come face-to-face with a wall of your design. And…

Long Story Short

You can’t see what’s in front of you if you’re staring at a wall. More importantly, no-one even knows that you’re behind that wall. So, while your online presence might feel like an open gateway to opportunity, it’s crucial to recognize the thing you might be doing (or not doing) that render your dealership invisible in the eyes of the average consumer.

At the end of the day, you offer products and services that people are in need of. More importantly, there is an endless string of customers in search of those very products and services. Why would you want to self-sabotage your own success by preventing them from seeing you?

The assistance offered by a trusted partner, specializing in SEO analysis and strategy, empowers you with an outsider’s perspective on what you’re doing (be it right or wrong). It allows you to shoot holes in the impenetrable wall created by short-sighted in-house strategy, increasing your own visibility, and empowering your dealership for greater success. Unless of course, you prefer to keep the blinders up…

Now that we’re firmly implanted in 2019, susceptible to both the pitfalls and perils most-evident and well-hidden, we’d be spotlighting a lack of foresight if we failed to acknowledge one of the greatest threats to your automotive marketing strategy. More accurately, it’s one of the greatest threats to any marketing strategy, regardless of industry or intent (and arguably, to a happy, aware and satisfying existence as a whole). Of course, we’re talking about the dreaded (and oft-lamented) echo chamber.

On a personal note, echo chambers tend to be most evident on our social media newsfeeds. If your newsfeed is anything like ours, it’s endured the last decade littered by a distractingly annoying barrage of political commentary. And, regardless of your political leanings, you’ve inevitably made the mistake of tossing yourself down the proverbial rabbit-hole (be it to debate or simply to read the comments) at one point or another. Regardless of the frequency at which you’re personally guilty of subjecting yourself to such misery, this is where the echo chambers prove their power. They falsely empower like-minded parties to delude themselves, believing that strength in numbers is equitable to factual validation. And if this phenomenon (on a case-by-case basis) isn’t bad enough, it is then compounded by the exponential threat of viral sharing.

But how does this equate to marketing, especially within the operational landscape of a dealership? Simple. Excusing the gender-specific terminology, it comes from a “Yes-Man” or “Yes Ma’am” culture, feeding whichever ego decides the corporate direction. And while it’s incredibly important for any employee to govern their respective areas of a dealership’s operations with (what we like to call) ‘the eyes of the owner’, it’s equally important for new ideas to be heard, appreciated and (if deserving) implemented –  even if they’re new or different from the of the dealership’s principal.

When it comes down to it, the comfort level at which a dealership accepts new ideas speaks to both its culture and the strength of its hiring practices. To attract superior talent, one must offer a receptive and empowering environment. And in building a more capable team, management must be willing to set aside their ego, and be ready to accept what could be valuable new insights. Failure to do so traps a dealership within an endless cycle of the same results, restricting growth and defying any expectations of increased revenue or operational improvement. This is where an echo chamber transforms from a source of validation, into a means of accelerated self-destruction.

But hiring insightful, goal-oriented personnel and empowering them with responsive implementation is only part of the solution. It’s equally as important to place one’s trust in a partner whose sole focus is to contribute to the goals which have been set; a partner unburdened by culture or insider politics. Doing so arms a dealership with a new skillset and arsenal of ideas designed to identify operational shortcomings, sidestep them and support successful growth in untapped areas. This is why companies of all sizes have spent the last four decades hiring independent consultants to fine-tune their infrastructures and culture in the hopes of optimizing their success.

And therein lies the value of a digital marketing consultancy. With the right partnership in place, it allows a dealership to avoid the inherent dangers of the dreaded echo chamber – in both the corporeal and digital landscape – allowing for a greater likelihood of long-term success.

Have we blown any minds with our recommendation of employing a digital marketing expert, or said anything that you weren’t already aware of? Probably not. But let’s explore the dangers of the echo chamber a little deeper, to show just how easy it is for a dealership to self-sabotage its own growth.

The Echo Chamber and Your Digital Marketing Strategy

The threat of the echo chamber applies equally to the macro and micro. To put this into perspective, let’s take a hard look at the big picture. What propels humanity forward? Our ability to observe and then translate our informational and experiential cognizance in a manner that’s easily interpretable by the majority, incorporating the lessons learned into our collective knowledge base and implementing directional changes that benefit our growth as a species. In other words: the sharing of new ideas.

But what happens when we begin to compartmentalize our ideas, fragmenting our knowledge base? What happens when we stop working towards our collective best interests? We stop growing. Rest assured, we’re not preaching socialist rhetoric here (quite the opposite, actually). We’re simply stating that blanketing ourselves in the fake security of non-threatening ideas does nothing to help us grow. It stifles us within an endless cycle of ego-stroking, and false validation.

But that’s just the macro. Extending the same mindset to your marketing initiatives, we can see the threat for what it is. Your digital marketing strategy, for example, utilizes content as a foundation. By managing content generation internally, you’re far more likely to create a one-sided entity, more appealing to yourselves than to existing and prospective customers alike. And while that content may feel ‘on-brand’ to you, it may feel self-serving to those customers, spitting in the face of the customer-centric experience that they are looking for.

So, let’s define the problem. Let’s break down the echo chamber, deconstructing it into its base components. Let’s work to understand the reason ‘why’ we’re so inclined to find comfort in an echo chamber, so that we can understand why an outside voice is so crucial.

• First, we talked about the false comfort offered by ‘safety in numbers’. Referred to as the Herd Instinct, humanity is hard-wired to associate with like-minded individuals. This, of course,  is the driving force behind both religion and political affiliations (and guess what has inspired the lion’s share of war in the human era?) Without getting too touchy-feely here, we need to stand in defiance of our Herd Instinct when it comes to marketing. We need to balance safe investments with high-risk, high-return concepts – presented by knowledgable parties – helping to serve to advance us forwards. And yes, this means tailoring your content to be bold, unafraid to distinguish itself from competitors.
• Refusal to heed new information, especially that which conflicts with one’s belief(s) is what fuels polarization. It’s what seems to justify the decision of a person or party to stay to one side of a conversation, seeking comfort and validation by the like-minded. That said, such comfort and validation is an illusion. The effects of the decision however, are very real, as it limits the appeal of your message catering only to a fraction of the audience you seek. And selective exposure to any idea(s) tend to create diametric opposition, with people on either side of the topic blind to the pros and cons found along the spectrum. If you’re creating personalized content in a responsible manner, it’s less about bending the facts to meet your claim, but adjusting your claim to embrace the facts. In doing so, you’ll ensure your appeal to a wider audience.

Responsible Personalization of Content

In a recent study, Columbia University reported that 61% of the news that we absorb is received second-hand, delivered by peers and that 59% of those headlines were digested without the articles even being read.

This alone necessitates the need for a social shift. No longer should we be content in creating tailored content designed to yield a unilateral result. At the risk of utilizing an exhausted trope, you need to step outside the proverbial box. From blogs to social media posts, your dealership needs to cultivate honest, engaging content that will drive up your dealership’s perceived value as a resource. Unfortunately, that quality of content management is unlikely to come from in-house contributors.

If you’ve doubted the benefits of collaboration up until now, we hope that we’ve (at least) got you thinking. With all due respect to your corporate vision, there is something to be said for the implementation of new ideas. Otherwise, your marketing efforts might be futile…because your dealership might only be speaking to itself.

As a dealership, you might have struggled with the question of whether or not you should partner with an automotive advertising company or digital marketing partner. Unfortunately, the increasing importance of services that a digital marketer can provide emphasizes the crucial nature of making that change now (if you have yet to do so).

Marketing has always been an ever-evolving organism, requiring both foresight and a willingness to adapt. And yet, this new year that we find ourselves in might be the best possible representation of the technology-driven shift seen in recent years. Technology has evolved, changing our expectations (as consumers) in the process.

As such, greater demands are placed on in-house marketers every day. And unless you’re interested in losing market share, its important that you find a partner who will subsidize in-house efforts with next-level service, knowledge and insights. Here are a just a few ways that a skilled partner can help you to secure the cornerstones of your digital marketing strategy.

Web Design & Content Management

Of the four cornerstones we’ve alluded to above, web design is likely to rank atop the list as the one marketers are the most comfortable with. Design trends aside, most everyone understands the need for responsive design, ensuring usability regardless of the device a site is accessed upon. But the growing demands of eCommerce, inventory management and customer support emphasize a few of the changes many dealerships still struggle with.

But what about the need for superior content? Google’s algorithm is designed to assign a higher value to sites that create an immersive experience for its customers. From informative, technical content to a wealth of insightful blog content, successful conversion of online visitors requires a commitment of both time and talent. If you’re not prepared to curate such content for your visitors, you could be devalued with Google favoring local competitors willing to deliver what people are looking for.

SEO

We mention Google and their algorithm for ranking websites, which introduces the need for a comprehensive Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. While we list it as one of the four cornerstones, the truth is that SEO encompasses each one in order to deliver the best possible SERP rankings. This means (i) a responsive, well-designed web design with informative, up-to-date content (ii) diligent social media presence, increasing visibility and engagement and (iii) thorough management of one’s online reputation. Each of these factors filter into Google’s valuation of a dealership. Understanding that could mean the difference between a successful dealership with top ranking on page one, or an overlooked competitor buried below the fold.

Social Media Marketing

With the increased role played by social media, as part of any digital marketing strategy, it’s easy to forget that the value doesn’t come from the platform — but how it is used.

This new year straddles a paradigm shift in marketing sensibilities, emphasizing a personalized and re-humanized approach. It means telling the story rather than pushing the product. It means a focus on the consumer rather than profit. It means the creation of an experience, rather than the production of a receipt or invoice. And yet, despite the interpersonal nature of our evolved expectations, that positive customer-centric experience is conceived (in most cases) online.

Diligent management of a social media account is no longer a part-time job to be handled during someone’s off-hours, or handed-off to the part-time intern. Employing a skilled Social Media manager provides a number of benefits, including (but not limited to):

• Increase of Brand Awareness
• Creation and Curation of High-Quality Content
• Highlighting Products & Services
• Advertising Sales, Promotions & Events
• Initiating Viral Campaigns
• Engagement with Customers (Existing and Prospective)
• Building & Strengthening Relationships
• Furthering Word-of-Mouth advertising
• Maintaining
• Ad Placement & Management
• Real-Time Analytics
• Contribution to Improved SEO Rankings

Even with this bulleted oversimplification, it’s easy to understand the important role played by a dealership’s social media marketer. And while the demands of today’s marketing landscape makes it hard to appreciate anyone’s lack of ability to justify the cost of hiring someone to fill such a position, it highlights the value to be offered by an automotive marketing partner. Which brings us to…

Reputation Management

The transition to digital marketing means that word-of-mouth advertising is faster and more visible than ever. And while that’s incredibly beneficial when it comes to the sharing of positive feedback, it proves exponentially more damning when it comes to criticism. Factor in that negative experiences are more likely to inspire posting on public platforms, and it’s easy to see how important it is to manage one’s online reputation. After all, misery loves company, and negative people are all-too quick to validate (what might be) the jaded opinion of another, especially in today’s online victim culture.

But, ‘bad press’ aside…one must understand that negative reviews and commentary on social media platforms might limit the platforms willingness to accept your ad revenue. In addition, negative commentary on Yelp! and other review sites can devalue your business in the eyes of Google, jeopardizing your SERP rankings. In other words, the risk is real.

The solution, however, comes in the resolution. The ability to address such concerns promptly, transitioning the conversation to a less public venue and directing the complaint to the proper point of authority at your dealership is imperative. By doing so, a dealership is able to display the pride it takes in responsiveness. It minimizes the risk of escalation (as well as inflammation from unwelcome sympathizers).

This is where reputation management comes into play; and, as the final cornerstone of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, it might the most easily overlooked. While many might discount negative opinions and criticisms on the grounds of their being subjective, one shouldn’t disregard the damage of their public nature.

A full-suite digital marketer can offer solutions designed to minimize this risk. Whether included as part of a social media package, or separated entirely, it’s an increasingly important service to request.

Do You Need to Partner With an Automotive Digital Marketer?

For most of you, the answer is undoubtedly ‘yes’. In fact, we might have already passed the point where you can afford not to be. Let this beginning of 2019 represent the point where you reprioritize your marketing spend to reflect the evolving face of marketing. That is, of course, unless you enjoy throwing away money and losing sales opportunities every minute of the day.

Perception is reality.

Arguably, the best piece of ‘big picture’ advice that I’ve ever been given. One would be hard-pressed to debate the fact that we form decisive conclusions based on our individual perception. From the worthiness of interpersonal relationships and evaluation of professional competence to the businesses we support and political candidates that we elect, our lives are driven largely by subjective opinion. And if you think this shouldn’t factor into your Automotive Social Media Marketing strategy, you’re in for a rude awakening.

A full twelve months have come and gone since Facebook enacted a policy designed to combat “bad shopping experiences”. Quite possibly the strongest pro-consumer move, this frightening act of control aimed to limit the advertising options of businesses that don’t meet consumer expectations. And while it was never designed to be a light switch (incorporating one-on-one follow-ups from Facebook to at-risk advertisers) one couldn’t help but wonder where things would go from there.

Also in 2018, Facebook’s review strategy was modified to elicit a binary Yes/No response on whether or not consumers would recommend a particular business they’ve patronized. The could then be followed up with a ‘Rich Endorsement’ allowing the reviewer to elaborate, include photos etc. That said, the greater likelihood of a negative experience to elicit a response created concerns. After all, criticisms of a damning nature (even unsubstantiated) could minimize that business’ opportunities to market themselves on Facebook. So how can a dealership protect itself against the threat of perception?

Make it NOT About You

We talk about a lot of ideas and areas of focus for 2019, but one of the most important pieces of advise that we can offer is to create a truly customer-centric experience. Doing so by today’s standards calls for a tandem approach, crafting such an experience online as well as IRL. One must then acknowledged a cyclical cause and effect relationship between the two points: online engagement fuels customer conversion, which influences further online engagement.

Granted, consumer trust of Facebook hit an all-time low in 2018, enabling some to argue that any restrictions placed upon advertisers can be downplayed. But, as marketers, how many of us would actually agree? Even more importantly, how many of us would take that chance? (Anyone? Anyone?)

The bottom line is that Social Media endures as a cornerstone of any digital marketing strategy worth its salt. With traditional marketing awaiting the last of the nails to be hammered into its coffin, online visibility has asserted itself as the lifeblood of any thriving business. And with that visibility comes the realization that engagement is king.

Reviews are only part (albeit an important part) of the puzzle. Best practice comes in diligent management of one’s online engagement, ensuring that every single one serves as a continuation of a customer-centric experience. Whether positive, negative, casual or indifferent each and every comment provides an invitation for response. And with that invitation comes the responsibility of making sure that the public-facing side of that interaction makes the best possible impression. Failure to do so could have a dire impact on your valuation in the ‘all-seeing Eye of Google’.

Battling the Haters

We’re not here to talk about the positive reviews, are we? If we were, we probably wouldn’t have started with the phrase ‘Perception is reality’. We’re here to talk about the negative reviewers, the naysayers and the haters, insatiable in their inability or unwillingness to be satisfied by your best efforts to please them. In this sense, perception is everything.

Because Facebook provides everyone with a public forum, a megaphone, billboard and does so free of charge it became an incredibly useful and visual tool. With the click of a mouse, or the swipe of a finger, a hater can present their experience to the court of public opinion…and (as you probably know all-too-well) misery loves company. And yes, we’ve talked about the potential damage this could do to your online marketing strategy, but let’s not diminish the damage of a more personal nature. So what strategies should you employ when dealing with the un-pleasable. What steps can you take to minimize the risk of a negativity maelstrom?

• Time is of the essence. The downside to technology is that the expectation of immediacy has never been greater (and sometimes unreasonable). The same old tactics and timetable are no longer effective, and we’ve been challenged to be faster, better and more responsive to meet the expectations of today’s consumers. In execution, that means that a response should always be prompt, even if only as a courtesy acknowledgment intended to redirect the conversation to a more private setting.
• Recognize that there are no universals. This means that, acknowledging that each scenario is different and recognizing that each response should be proportionally unique. Some will call for a light touch, while others will call for a firm hand. Some will value the warmth of a human (and humane) discourse, while others want to get down to business.
• Adaptability is key. And in most cases, social media professionals find that a prompt response that is sensitive to the uniqueness of the situation will allows for some degree of positive resolution. Why? People appreciate effort, even if they may not be fully satisfied with the outcome. But what about those who don’t?
• Hide / Ban / Block. Yes, these decisive mono-syllabic words seem harsh. But the truth is that some people will never be pacified, despite your best efforts. Even worse is their willingness to vandalize your social media pages with relentless commentary that could deter prospective customers from doing business with you. As such, more drastic efforts are needed and Facebook provides a wealth of tools to minimize the visibility of such comments, or silence the user altogether.

Being Proactive

Speaking of Facebook tools, there are also a number of tools intended to proactively manage and moderate one’s social media activity. For example, you can ban specific keywords from public comments, making any post that contains those words hidden pending review. While it’s certainly worst-case scenario, this can be helpful with words like ‘lawsuit’, ‘court case’ etc.

You can also configure your page in a manner that regulates posting, or requires approval of any comment before they go public.

Okay. So it’s a Little About YOU

Ultimately, your online presence should be (and usually is) an extension of your physical presence. If your dealership offers a customer-centric experience with countless pleased customers, it’s likely that your social media will reflect the same. But be honest with yourself, prior to waging war against anyone you perceive as a hater.

Sure perception is reality but remember, you’re only looking at it from your own point of view.

Is there any better opportunity to assess one’s goals than the beginning of a new year?  Even when you step outside the norm of personal New Years Resolutions, it’s a perfect opportunity for the less-diligent to gain both perspective in hindsight while creating forward-thinking strategies. Then again, some might argue that you should have been on top of your new year strategy long before the ball dropped. That said, what sort of Automotive SEO strategy are you planning to enact (or might already have in place) for 2019? What tactics will you be employing to maximize SERP rankings, increase your conversions and drive up revenue?

Let’s take a look at some of the recommended areas of focus so that you can see just how well-aligned (or out of alignment) your strategies are.

Meeting the Expectations of Your Audience

It’s the iron rule of marketing: know your audience. Aside from being the inside track to establishing your voice and tone, the direction of your approach and nature of content to ensure the best possible ROI, it conveys a sense of respect for the consumers that you’re looking to gain the attention of.

And in 2019, the inevitable evolution of this idea is more important than ever. Why? Because just as important as the considerations listed above is an understanding of how your approach will be translated across the vast landscape of digital marketing. For example, what platforms are preferred (and used most frequently) by your target demographic? If choosing from text, images, video or podcast which format of content are they most responsive to? What search methodology do they use?

While Google has yet to engineer an algorithmic crystal ball, the act of anticipating the expectations of your audience is not entirely unlike foresight. Look beyond your preoccupation with keywords. Even before the first keystroke of a Google inquiry it’s imperative to understand what a customer might be looking for, and know that you’ve already created optimized content that will be immediately accessible and meet (if not exceed) their expectations. With that in mind, let’s pretend a prospective customer has found you, and revisit those questions again.

Are you offering quality content that answers their query? Does it reflect the ideal tone, and is it prepared with the right voice for the intended audience? Is it presented in the right format for that audience to consume? Does the format compliment your brand identity? Is it reflective of current trends?

And even if that content is perfectly composed, it offers little value to those customers who are looking elsewhere for answers; and it does even less for potential customers who might not be actively looking. Prospective clients that may not necessarily know what they are looking for will be enthralled if you’ve already answered their questions and are can be found easily. The best content in the world will need to be seen in order to be relevant, and increasing that visibility will look better to the all-seeing eye of Google and other search engines.

“But what about keywords?” Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten. Simply put, evolve your mindset to meet the audience’s expectations. They expect thorough answers from well-informed resources. So anticipate the follow-up questions, understand where the rabbit hole of that initial search will lead to, and format your keyword strategy accordingly. If you can answer the initial question but none of the follow-ups it will come back to bite you.

Growth Outside of Google

It’s all-too-common for us to refer to the “All-Seeing Eye of Google”, visualizing it as a Tolkien-esque Sauron as depicted in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ franchise. And while Google remains the undisputed ruler of all things SEO, the simple fact is any strategy should be expanded to consider other influences.

The strongest brands are utilizing a multi-faceted approach, recognizing that (in order to be found) quality content exist where people might be searching for it. This means optimizing content within app stores, podcast syndication and increasing the overall visibility of your brand.

It also means recognizing the growing role of voice search (in home assistants like Alexa) or other audio-only devices. Ultimately, there is an ever-growing variety of platforms that a message can be shared upon, but one must be conscious of the manner in which the search experience is changing and adjust accordingly.

Refocusing on Quality

Above, we touched on the importance of creating content that meets the expectations of consumers. But in doing so, we are doing more than advocating on behalf of the customer, we are continuing the lessons learned from Google’s 2018 updates to their search algorithm. And while that algorithm is being continually tuned and refined, it provides the course of which we are currently staying.

Because superior quality content with immersive depth has been proven to exponentially improve search rankings. The days of lazy keyword stuffing within ineffectively superficial ramblings are done. Content needs to pull the reader in, answer their questions, solve their problems, move them, motivate them and help to form a lasting connection.

Esteem, Valuation & Optimization

E-A-T- guidelines (Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness) play a role in anyone’s rankings by Google’s algorithm and are a major focus in 2019. The gauntlet being thrown down is to say, “Okay. You’ve prepared great content, optimized for the audience. You’re visible in all the right places. You’ve SEO’d the hell out of it.” The question that remains is whether or not you’ve asserted yourself as an authority.

Think of it in these terms: who would you go to for advice, a well-established authority or an untested loudmouth? Gaining the esteem of consumers, peers, industry publications and trusted resources adds to your valuation in the all-seeing eye of Google.

Such support can be shown in the form of general engagement, link sharing, and strategic tagging as well as an increased presence in trusted blogs and online resources designed to offer core topic expertise. Only in doing so are you truly optimizing your presence.

Just the Beginning

Make no mistake, this is far from being a comprehensive listing. That said, it touches on many of the road markers you’ll need in order to measure your progress between now and the next ball drop. Assess your progress by these standards and you’ll already be positioning yourself for greater success in the year to come. Disregard them and…well, do so at your own risk.

The ultimate takeaway is that your success in 2019, in terms of digital marketing initiatives, will be based largely on where you already are. If you haven’t already established yourself as a top-ranking authority, a focus on engaging, and thoughtfully-engineered content is imperative in order to do so. And if you’ve already defined yourself by these standards, stay the course, but keep a constant ear to the ever-changing expectations of your audience with a willingness to adapt.

Now that we find ourselves firmly implanted inside of another new year, it becomes easier to separate ourselves from the imaginary line that we’ve just crossed over. Whether you think of it as a new beginning, the turn of a calendar page, or another journey around the sun, the significance of a ‘new year’ is largely sentimental. But it’s the significance that we assign to it which makes it something more. New goals. New trends. New areas of focus. Each of these asserts itself, helping to guide this next 12-month stage of our respective (and collective) journeys. And with that said, your automotive marketing strategy should be no different; it should focus on recognizing any shortcomings or failings of the year past while resolving to remedy them. And while I’ve never been big on the idea of lofty annual resolutions (preferring manageable daily goal-setting) one can’t argue that the clock is ticking to implement any changes of value. In fact, if you’re reading this in February (or later) you’ve lost at least 1/12 of your allotted time. So, let’s get on track, with the help of trend analyses which have already helped to mark some of the signposts we should aspire to pass in 2019.

And while (to our loyal readers) some of these might feel redundant, remember…a continuing trend is one which has proven itself capable of perseverance. So, take in the old alongside the new, recognizing the reprioritization of marketing focus as this fully-connective decade begins to wind down, looking backwards in order to move forward.

Restoration of Consumer Confidence

First and foremost, let’s talk social media. While not intended to downplay the importance of any other component of your marketing strategy, recent years have offered countless lessons as to the important role that social media plays. Providing more than a simple bolstering of brand recognition, social media engagement has asserted itself as the judge, jury and (yes, in some cases) executioner for brands of all kinds – be they commercial, personal, political or something else entirely.

And it was the surging influence of social media platforms in 2018 which began to draw criticism. Primary free-of-charge, leading platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have firmly asserted themselves upon users of all generations. And as with any free service, the only product offered up is the user themselves – now subjected to an onslaught of ad revenue. Growing awareness of this, combined with looming security threats (as highlighted by last year’s senate hearings) have certainly chipped away at people’s unquestioned adoration of social media. And yet, it’s done little to minimize usage; take Facebook, for example, which boasts over 2 billion active users on a monthly basis. So where does the criticism manifest itself?

Largely in a burden being silently placed upon the shoulders of the advertiser / marketer. That’s right, you. Why? Because the manifestation of consumer criticism takes the form of distrust in the disingenuous. In other words, consumers have ‘dialed up’ the sensitivity on their bullshit-meter, and are growing increasingly expectant of sincere marketing campaigns and genuine engagement, built around their personal demands of satisfaction.

So, if you’re looking to make a professional New Years Resolution in the interest of improving your social media presence, focus on what’s real.

Telling the Story

Earlier, we touched on the ‘imaginary line’ of a new year. Let’s pretend it’s a real one, even if just for a moment. Look back at everything you’ve done online to market your dealership and ask yourself, “Have we done everything possible to tell our story?” If the answer is no, you need to remind yourself that you’re now on the other side of the line.

Since its inception, social media has been intended as a means of telling one’s story. Through individual posts, check-ins, and timeline events we build a narrative of our own lives, and a dealership’s social media presence should be no different. Our exposure is what makes us relatable to others, and accessibility fuels personal contact. In other words, if you’re looking to attract new customers organically, let them get to know you.

This means a number of things: from employing the ever-increasing power of video to back-fill the story of your dealership, to utilizing post engagement to create a stronger bond in real-time. Everything you do should be part of your story, and you should be in a rush to share that story with the world. After all, no-one else will.

Humanizing Your Story

It doesn’t take a skilled salesperson to tell you that insecurity is poison to business. And insecurity is a funny thing that can rear its ugly head in a number of ways. One of the most dangerous, by today’s standards, is the reluctance of a dealership’s leader or principal to put themselves ‘out there’. Why? Remember, customers want to get you know you. They want to hear your story in the most genuine manner possible. That said, it’s important to reinforce the humanity behind the dealer plates. From appearances in scripted videos to live-streaming content, even blog posts and podcasts, a high-level leader can strengthen your dealership’s image by increasing its relatability.

Reimagining the Selfie

It’s no coincidence that we’re talking about ‘stories’ at a point that almost every platform offers short-form video ‘stories’ to the services offered. In the case of spoken short-form, these videos empower a user to reach their audience. And regardless of how many times you might ‘X-out’ of live video notifications and repetitive story content, the truth is that it’s proving to be some of the most heavily consumed content among younger consumers.

So with Generation Z having dipped their collective toes into the water of car-buying, it’s important to ask yourself if your dealership is making use of this more personal way of advertising everything from current inventory to buying culture? You should be. After all, you’re on ‘this’ side of that imaginary line now, and you need to tell your story as it grows. People are listening.

Quality > Quantity

Slow your roll, though. Before you go whipping out your phone to start barraging your followers with real-time content, remember the importance of moderation. Inundation means nothing if the content you deliver is uninspired. The goal is to engage your customers, which requires a strong and purposeful message but to do so in a genuine and meaningful way. Only in doing so will your content have the impact you’re aiming for, otherwise it becomes the equivalent of self-sabotage, rebranding yourself as a heavy-handed follower.

Knowing Your Platforms

The need for targeting (in a macro sense) can be easy to overlook. That said, any attempt to define your respective audiences should include consideration of the various social media platforms, and the demographics of their users. Failure to do this is another means of exhausting your resources and diluting the strength of your message.

Walk Before You Run

“We can do this” might be a powerful affirmation, but it can also be a toxic statement if it results in hasty action. Working with a skilled digital marketer can help you to gain insights into your existing and prospective customer base while guiding you through the perils of social media engagement and video content production.

All-too-often, someone reads a think-piece like this and looks down at their smartphone thinking “We can do this! We make videos. We post them. We attract new business.” And while, yes, new opportunities may come, it’s hardly a strategy.

At the end of the day, we’re not here to tell you how to sell cars. We’re just here to tell you how you can sell more cars in 2019. As we’ve said a few times so far, remember what side of the imaginary line you’re on now. Stop self-sabotaging yourself with outdated and disingenuous marketing tactics. Tell your story, and instill others with confidence. Engage your customers with quality content, and trust in the guidance of an experienced partner.

Tick all of those boxes, and you’re bound to have a prosperous new year!

Imagine that you had an Ace-in-the-Hole, a hidden advantage over your competitors that positioned your dealership, products and services more favorably in the eyes of prospective customers. Imagine that you could gain insights into the needs and expectations of today’s car-buyers unique to your offerings in order to identify your strengths and weaknesses. What if it would make you the name on the tip of everyone’s tongue when it came time for a referral. Imagine that; now ask yourself why you have yet to employ the services of an automotive advertising company to create an engaging online presence guaranteeing a higher ROI. Maybe you have. But if so, the question is, are you taking all the right steps?

Whether in-house, or a hired consultant, any marketer worth their salt understands the importance of a personalized experience. Hell, it works both ways. Case in point: we can only assume that they’ve personalized everything from their initial pitch to the manner in which they provide your reporting. Tailoring something to the sensibilities of the audience is the most effective means of courtship and, basically, Marketing 101. Anyone who tells you different is probably looking to do the bare minimum in terms of increasing brand visibility for your dealership. 

And such a distinction has never been more important than it is today, because personalization and the creation of a bespoke experience is quickly becoming the base expectation of all consumers. Forged in the e-Commerce transition from ‘brick and mortar’ to ‘click and order’, the expectation speaks to a desire to translate the overall ‘in-store experience’, to online interaction. A dealership is no different. And with more of the due diligence associated car-buying occurring online, at the customer’s time and on the customer’s terms, it’s time to embrace the steps you need to take to “make it about them”. 

A recent study by Pure360 indicates that a surprising percentage of retailers (across all industries) still have yet to prioritize personalization. As a result, they are limiting themselves in terms of their ability to engage prospective customers. They are minimizing the audience of any marketing initiatives they might launch. They are failing to put their range of products and services in front of the people in search of them. Bottom-line, they are failing to update their marketing to reflect current methodology. 

In fact, it was reported earlier this year that only 7% of businesses considered ‘personalization’ their top priority when designing their online presence. Taking it a step further, only 25% would consider it to be anything approaching a priority. In the report, ‘content and experience management’ earned the top spot, followed by ‘analytics’, ‘audience and data management’ and ‘omnichannel marketing’ respectively. And while those are a crucial part of any marketing strategy, the analytical factors do little to engage customers.  So what if we told you that only 22% of today’s consumers are satisfied with the level of personalization that they are offered? Would you reorder your priorities in order to answer the unanswered demands of 78% of your customer base? More importantly, can you afford not to?

Because personalization can spur a consumer to act on their impulses it can convince a buyer to purchase a product or service they had not originally intended. It can prompt selection of one supplier over another (for the same product or service). It can even help a buyer to rationalize an upsell, or general disregard to pricing. Why? Because simple acts of personalization are crucial in the formation of any relationship. 

In a survey of over two-hundred marketers, a staggering 96% confirmed the ability of personalization to further customer relationships, based solely on their own experiences. In fact, 88% were able to confirm a documentable increase in sales as a result of their personalized efforts with a majority also able to document spikes in customer experience ratings.

But we digress. Feeling that we’ve offered a fairly compelling summary of why you need to commit some time, energy and resources in the personalization of your marketing, let’s touch on three areas you should be focusing on. 

Build a Language of Loyalty

Whom is your website designed for? Was it designed to emulate that of a dealership that you respect, or possibly a competitor? Is it easily navigable, thorough in the information it provides, and assistive in the tools which it offers? Does it make car-buying easier? Bottom-line: was your website designed with the customer in mind?

Define your social media presence (first off, do you have one?) Do you make use of multiple platforms in order to appeal to a wider and more diverse audience? Do you create content designed to engage your followers? Do you actively engage those followers, communicating with them in order to build a language of loyalty?

The difference between those that do, and those that don’t, is the marketing equivalent of the difference between building friendships or building acquaintances. It comes down to the time, attention and effort that one invests into the relationship. In return, analytics are made available for website traffic and social media engagement. From those analytics you are then able to refine your approach through the creation of customer personas (even sub-personas and multi-personas). In doing so, you are utilizing the tools available to define your audience, their goals and preferences. It also allows you to gauge the dynamics of various campaigns, and target the audiences to which a campaign might prove most effective. 

Combined with the strength of your dealership’s culture, these steps can help to ensure that your interaction with customers (whether online, or on the sales floor) are as positive as they can be. And in creating a customer-centric shopping, buying and owning experience you can establish a language of loyalty, setting yourself apart from less conscientious competitors. 

Reap the Whirlwind

Still don’t believe us as to the importance (and relative ease) with which you can transform your customer experience by personalizing it? Above, we mention the availability and value of analytics, but it’s worth mentioning that the growth and evolution of artificial intelligence and deep-learning technologies will also play a large part. 

Not only is data crucial to determining your own success, and the value of any marketing initiative, but it can serve as the voice of your customer ‘in absentia’. This, effectively, makes it easier to look both backward and forward, determining what your next step should be. This combined with data on industry trends, as well as consumer behavior and intent, could be the most valuable means of strengthening your marketing signal. 

The Technology is There 

With the accessibility provided by technology, you can make these personalized experienced a central part of your dealerships daily operations. It can fuel performance from the bottom up. Why would any dealership choose to operate as an island, as a self-contained echo chamber oblivious to the voices which should be helping to direct its forward motion? 

Understanding that we’ve covered a lot of territory it helps to point out the importance of trusted partner in the continued success of your dealership. One that provides valuable insights as well as the ability to execute them in a manner tailored to your dealership. In this age of technology, it seems penny-wise and pound-foolish to settle for anything less. Especially when that partner could be your Ace-in-the-Hole.