DealerRefresh Automotive Technology Forums http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/ The purpose of the support forums on DealerRefresh is to provide Automotive Dealers a place to discuss best practices and seek help in automotive sales, service, and parts technology. CRM, ILM, Inventory, Web Site Hosted platforms, DMS Integration, and search engine practices are a few of the items for dealership support on DealerRefresh. en Sun, 26 May 2013 08:46:31 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/images/styles/DealerRefresh/misc/rss.png DealerRefresh Automotive Technology Forums http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/ Penguin 2.0 Is Here! http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/penguin-2-0-here-3342.html Thu, 23 May 2013 04:31:11 GMT Google announced this afternoon that Penguin 2.0 was going live, and later said that the roll out is complete. Anyone see major changes to their search results? Google announced this afternoon that Penguin 2.0 was going live, and later said that the roll out is complete. Anyone see major changes to their search results? ]]> cmjerry4531 http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/penguin-2-0-here-3342.html Looking for Marketing Account Managers for the Automotive Industry!! http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f47/looking-marketing-account-managers-automotive-industry-3341.html Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:44 GMT Image:...

SENIOR RESULTS MANAGER (Based in the SF Bay Area)
DealerCMO.com is a fast-growing Interactive Results Agency for the automotive industry. We are expanding rapidly nationwide and are looking for a sharp, upbeat, detail-oriented Senior Results Manager. This is more than just an account management position; the Senior Results Manager will play an integral role in recommending and implementing strategies for driving results for our clients. If you are passionate about getting results this is the position for you!
Responsibilities & Required Skills:
•Ability to establish rapport with Owners, General Managers and their staff.
•Ability to address clients’ urgent needs and manage deadlines to achieve client results.
•Utilize research and inventory reporting tools.
•A good understanding of the digital market with exposure to search advertising, auto websites, inventory management and implementation.
•Knowledge of how to effectively use various forms of digital advertising to drive traffic and maximize a client's budget and Return-On Investment.
•Team player with the ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.
•A positive attitude and professional demeanor is essential along with the flexibility to work in a rapidly changing environment.
•Demonstrate ability to take ownership and accountability.
•Strong troubleshooting skills, with creative ability to overcome challenges and achieve resolution.
•Passion and desire to play a key role in driving a new business to success in the auto industry.
•Customer-first mentality and ability to work with advertisers with differing goals.
•Ability to thrive in an environment that is developing and growing quickly.
Experience:
•Minimum of two years in digital marketing, account management or auto experience.
•Outstanding knowledge of marketing campaigns such as search, display, Auto portals, etc.
•Strong understanding of Excel and Power Point.
•Good technical understanding of ad serving, traffic, tagging, site architecture, rich media, etc.
•Ability to clearly communicate verbally and in writing and persuasively present to a wide variety of audiences.
•Strong organization and project management skills.
•Degree preferred but not required.

Dealercmo.com offers an exciting start-up atmosphere that is also fun and relaxed. There is massive potential for growth in an ever-expanding industry. All full-time staff will receive a comprehensive benefits package, including stock options. This is a full-time position for immediate hire. Please visit our career page on our website at: www.dealercmo.com to apply today! ]]> Automotive Industry Jobs Classifieds DealerCMO http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f47/looking-marketing-account-managers-automotive-industry-3341.html The Element of Surprise - Contest! http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f69/element-surprise-contest-3339.html Wed, 22 May 2013 13:40:50 GMT Attachment 1655 (http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/attachments/f69/1655-element-surprise-contest-dr-surprise.jpg) *Unleash the power of surprising your customers, employees and managers!* When was the last time you went above and beyond? Been humbly helpful lately? The rewards from surprising your customer can fill your... DR surprise.jpg

Unleash the power of surprising your customers, employees and managers!

When was the last time you went above and beyond? Been humbly helpful lately?

The rewards from surprising your customer can fill your pocket - but, so can surprising your boss and even your employees.

Mike Haeg over at Century Interactive has written an awesome article about The Element of Surprise and its benefits to you and those around you. BUT! He, oh-so-graciously has included a contest for you.

Check out the details!

P.S. Does anyone else notice that Mike's articles seem to often mention wine?
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]]> Articles from the Blog JessicaRuth http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f69/element-surprise-contest-3339.html Oklahoma tornado tragedy http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/oklahoma-tornado-tragedy-3336.html Tue, 21 May 2013 13:16:14 GMT All @ CarChat24 send thoughts, prayers & deepest sympathy to all tornado victims in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Donate Donate Funds | Donations | Giving to American Red Cross ]]> Off-Topic TomLaPointe http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/oklahoma-tornado-tragedy-3336.html Federal sting on Google http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/federal-sting-google-3334.html Sun, 19 May 2013 15:05:36 GMT Unrelated to the automotive industry but interesting for those of you involved on SEM. This is a short story about a guy that built a pretty good business selling steroids online and that got Google to help him do so. How a Career Con Man Led a Federal Sting That Cost Google $500 Million |... Unrelated to the automotive industry but interesting for those of you involved on SEM.

This is a short story about a guy that built a pretty good business selling steroids online and that got Google to help him do so.


How a Career Con Man Led a Federal Sting That Cost Google $500 Million | Threat Level | Wired.com


“We started to joke that we could tell the AdWords people, ‘We want to kill baby seals,’ and they’d tell us how to do it.” ]]> Off-Topic yagoparamo http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/federal-sting-google-3334.html When was the last time you put on your customer hat? http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/when-last-time-you-put-your-customer-hat-3331.html Fri, 17 May 2013 21:34:36 GMT Girl-at-Computer.jpg

I'm your potential customer and I just heard your radio ad, saw your TV Commercial, drove by a billboard, heard a coworker mention you at the water-cooler, or remembered your name from a classified site I was cruising during that boring webinar this afternoon.

It's Friday night, I'm in market for a car, and I'm thinking about going out to put my hands on one tomorrow morning.

For some reason I can't find a yellow pages ;). I Google your business name.

What do I see on Page 1 for your business name only?


(Log yourself out of Google and search for your name only. If your brave, or proud for that matter, take a screenshot and share it with the forum. Are your customers seeing what you want them to be seeing?)
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]]> Ryan Leslie http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/when-last-time-you-put-your-customer-hat-3331.html Are you making it easier for your salespeople? http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/you-making-easier-your-salespeople-3330.html Fri, 17 May 2013 13:07:59 GMT So, I was shamelessly self promoting an article I wrote on the blog a few years back through twitter last night & Jeff seemed to think it was relevant enough still today to ask these questions here.


Take a read and ask yourself, Are we making it easier or are we confusing our salespeople who need help to adapt and then complaining that "they don't get it".

Technology and Sales in the Car Dealership - What Are You Doing to Make it Easy?

Remember, it's our job to help make sure that they "get it". ]]> Off-Topic Craig http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/you-making-easier-your-salespeople-3330.html What drops in leads are you seeing? http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f46/what-drops-leads-you-seeing-3329.html Thu, 16 May 2013 17:52:54 GMT I know, from various discussions with various people from various locations, that leads in general appear to be on the decline. However, I'm looking for some specific metrics on just how bad this is.
Some of the stores I'm working with are down 60-80% from last year, but it's not all in one area.

Specifically I'm wondering about website leads - not so much third party leads, AutoTrader, etc ]]> 3rd Party Leads and Automotive Classifieds Websites craigh http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f46/what-drops-leads-you-seeing-3329.html Bob Hastings Buick-GMC in Rochester, NY is hiring! http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f47/bob-hastings-buick-gmc-rochester-ny-hiring-3328.html Thu, 16 May 2013 15:36:28 GMT Bob Hastings Buick-GMC is the Rochester-area's top Buick and GMC dealer. Our commitment to customer satisfaction in why we were named the 2013 DealerRater Dealer of the Year for BOTH Buick and GMC in New York State! We offer a dynamic work environment and a great location!

We are looking for candidates to join our team who have a winning attitude, integrity and a team work ethic. All position are full-time and include benefits.

Positions available include:

  • New and Used Sales Consultants
  • Experienced Automotive Technicians


If you are interested in applying, please visit us in person at 800 Panorama Trail, Rochester, NY, or email your resume to human resources at admin@bobhastings.com.

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]]> Automotive Industry Jobs Classifieds jvanheusen http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f47/bob-hastings-buick-gmc-rochester-ny-hiring-3328.html <![CDATA[Google Astrology- It's all in the stars]]> http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/google-astrology-its-all-stars-3327.html Thu, 16 May 2013 14:29:45 GMT Mike Blumenthal blogged yesterday about Google's return to the industry standard 5 star system yesterday:

Google Local Returns to a 5 Star System In New Maps | Understanding Google Places & Local Search

I've been critical of Google's review platform here on DealerRefresh, but I'm genuinely happy about the changes they've been making since August of 2012. Strengthening the TOS in December has clearly cut down on the rampant gaming and I'm glad to see them abandon the weird, and frankly confusing, 30 pt scale too.

The one constant with Google is change! ]]> Ryan Leslie http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/google-astrology-its-all-stars-3327.html DealerRater Analytics (Or lack thereof) http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/dealerrater-analytics-lack-thereof-3326.html Wed, 15 May 2013 15:14:44 GMT DealerRater offers ad space (http://www.dealerrater.com/directory/17201/Toyota/?sortBy=distance) on their Dealer Directory Page(s), but I found out that they do not offer any Impression or CTR reporting. *So, I have 2 questions for DealerRater...* 1) Why is this info not available? If I pay for... DealerRater offers ad space on their Dealer Directory Page(s), but I found out that they do not offer any Impression or CTR reporting. So, I have 2 questions for DealerRater...

1) Why is this info not available? If I pay for banner advertising, I would like some way of measuring its effectiveness.

2) I am curious, since there are not any measurements available to us, does DealerRater have an idea of how many of its visitors are in the buying stage and actively looking for a dealer versus consumers who already purchased and are there to leave their feedback?

Thanks in advance,
Emily
 ]]> emilymoore http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/dealerrater-analytics-lack-thereof-3326.html Fixed Ops Websites http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/fixed-ops-websites-3325.html Wed, 15 May 2013 11:42:03 GMT I am looking for some good examples of fixed ops websites. I snagged a really good url, but have to have something to really build around it. If anyone has some great examples, please let me know. I am looking for some good examples of fixed ops websites. I snagged a really good url, but have to have something to really build around it. If anyone has some great examples, please let me know. ]]> jimbell http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/fixed-ops-websites-3325.html How to Read Your Analytics - Content Analysis http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/how-read-your-analytics-content-analysis-3324.html Wed, 15 May 2013 02:22:09 GMT How to Read Your Analytics - Part 1 - Traffic Sources (http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/how-read-your-analytics-organic-traffic-3321.html)* Website Content* I spend most of my time in Google Analytics looking at how people got to my client websites - most of my clients are looking for growth... How to Read Your Analytics - Part 1 - Traffic Sources

Website Content
I spend most of my time in Google Analytics looking at how people got to my client websites - most of my clients are looking for growth in visitor numbers, so this has become my primary focus. However, arguably the most important data set we get from analytics is the way in which these visitors use our websites. We need to not just look at page views, but we need to look at how the visitor got to that page, where they went from that page and what page they are exiting the website on. However, in order to view these stats in the right light we need to acknowledge our goals:

1. Do we want visitors to find what they're looking for as fast as possible?
2. Do we want visitors to view as many pages as possible to gain as many "information sets" as possible before they leave the website?
3. Do we want visitors to absolutely see a specific page or set of pages?

Once we have determined that, we can analyze the different statistics and compare them to the goals we are trying to achieve.

Page Views

Page views are the most basic form of content usage analysis - it breaks down all your pages by the number of views they receive. This information in itself is invaluable when determining where to focus time and resources (I recommend the top 5 pages and the bottom 10 pages typically).


Avg Time on Page
Average time on page can be seen in the above chart beside the page views stats. Average time on page can indicate a few things, but typically I find that it is a genuine indicator of interest in the content of a page. Articles, good VDPs and good inventory listing pages have a decent time on page. Arguably, even better inventory listing pages have a lower time on page because the customer finds what they are looking for faster.

If we sort the listings by time on page, we can also see which pages are either really engaging or consuming significant time. In the graph above, I can tell you that I am not very happy about a 13 minute average time on a Trade In form (although only 2 visitors, so not a very informed statistic). I can then apply that information to my website and create a trade-in form that takes 30 seconds to fill out and see if it results in better interactions.

Bounce Rate
Google Analytics offers us 2 key "exit" statistics about our pages - the number of people who leave the page to go back to the page they came from, without interacting with the page at all (bounce rate) and the number of people who leave the site from a page entirely, even if they did interact with the page (exit percentage).

To me, the bounce rate is a bit more informative than the exit percentage, simply because it includes the fact that the user does not interact with the page. To the best of my knowledge, this means the user does not click anything, scroll down the page or otherwise interact with the page. A high bounce rate on a page is a key indicator that a page is simply not working. In my experience, 0-15% is a great rate to achieve, 15%-25% is good and anything over 25% is indicative of a problem.

Fun Fact: One of our sites reduced their homepage bounce rate from 35% to 3% by adding a homepage popup. The homepage popup is a page inside a popup though, so we can also track that this popup had an exit % of 55%. That's when the numbers analysis gets fun.

Exit Pages
Exit pages are, in my opinion, a double edged sword. They can be indicative of a problem, but they can also indicate that a page is succeeding. Confusing? Let me explain two common scenarios that I assume from my exit rate:

1. I have a web page with a high exit percentage (Over 50%) and it has over 50 page views. I look at the page and I realize that almost the entire page is images, there is no valuable content and some of the imagery is just obnoxious colors and poor graphic design. I think it is safe to assume that this page has failed and that there is a problem.
2. I have another page that allows my customers to book service online or submit a form to request service. This page is functional, simple and receives quite a few number of submissions each month. This page also has a high exit rate and percentage. Common sense dictates that after a customer has booked their service, they are simply leaving the website. Although this page was successful, it indicates that maybe I should have a post-submission call to action that keeps them on the website.


What I really don't like to see is a high number of exits and a high exit percentage on my inventory listing pages - this indicates that the customer did not find what they were looking for. High exits on my VDPs indicates the customer may have found the vehicle they wanted and left the site satisfied, but exits on the listing pages tells me that we didn't even get that far.

Visitor Flow
For some reason Google placed this information under the Visitors section, rather than the Content section of the analytics.

Visitor Flow is a really neat tool, but it's also a bit finnicky to play with at times. The idea behind this tool is that it shows you how visitors travel through your website, showing common paths and "funnels" as they sort themselves into different action paths. This basic usage of the tool is great, but it can be used to show interesting traits and behaviors if you twist it a bit.

As you can see on the graphic above, it's quite a bit of information compressed into one chart. The chart above is showing my entry pages and where visitors are travelling after they have landed on the website. You can choose any of the nodes in this chart and choose to show traffic that flows through that node or show the details of nodes that contain multiple pages. I can even break it down and inspect what pages customers visit if the Pre-Owned Inventory page is their 2nd interaction:

If you want to get more information from the tool, use the navigation on the left side to slide to the right - this will continue through the chart and show you how users travel through the site, based on how many pages/interactions they have.

Although the information isn't always easy to parse through, it will show you which page groups are retaining users as they pass through the site. Often you will see that Inventory listing pages last into the 10th interaction and beyond - this is a good sign, indicating that your inventory pages are engaging users and drawing them in. As you progress through the interactions, it will also show you how many visitors are dropping off at each stage - this helps to create a picture of how many valuables pages each visitor sees, a worthwhile expansion on the over-simplified "Pages per Visitor" statistic.

Site Speed
There is another section that is worth checking every few weeks - under Content again there is a subsection called Site Speed. If we navigate there and then choose "Page Timings" we get a slightly accurage view of how long it takes our pages to load for clients. This chart is a general indicator of page load times that you may want to decrease, but I simply use it to show pages with ridiculous times that indicate too many images, uncompressed images or links to hanging content.

Use this chart to identify these pages and fix them. Load times can be a huge turnoff and an easy way to lose customers. If you have staff members using your CMS, definitely keep an eye on this list so you can help optimize pages they create. On the flipside, you should also check the average load time on all your most popular pages and find any way possible to reduce load times - not only for the sake of speed, but also because these pages are loaded the most often, so any sizable images or assets will also affect your server bandwidth. ]]> craigh http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/how-read-your-analytics-content-analysis-3324.html <![CDATA[Google's Upcoming SEO Changes]]> http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/googles-upcoming-search-engine-optimization-changes-3323.html Tue, 14 May 2013 14:48:20 GMT Google's Matt Cutts pre-announced changes Google will be implementing to the ranking and indexing algorithms in the next few months. Specifically, he mentioned about ten changes coming to Google's search results and algorithms over this summer.

  1. Major Penguin Update
  2. Advertorial Spam
  3. Spammy Queries Being Looked At
  4. Going Upstream At Link Spammers
  5. More Sophisticated Link Analysis
  6. Improvements On Hacked Sites
  7. Authority Boost In Algorithm
  8. Panda To Soften
  9. Domain Clusters In SERPs
  10. Improved Webmaster Communication


Here's his video:
]]> emilymoore http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/googles-upcoming-search-engine-optimization-changes-3323.html Major issue with this new dealership I work at http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/major-issue-new-dealership-i-work-3322.html Tue, 14 May 2013 05:02:12 GMT ok, so there's 4 guys on my team........one of the guys points out ups and expects to get a half deal......WTF??..........has this happened to anyone before?.......how did you resolve it?

:mad: ]]> Off-Topic MauricioVincenzo http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f40/major-issue-new-dealership-i-work-3322.html