Webmaster Pay Plan

[bpreston]

Hello,

My dealer group is looking to hire a full time webmaster to create, update, and maintain our dealer websites and psuedo sites. It will be relatively affordable to split the cost of the position between our 6 stores. However, I just wanted to see what recommendations there are for a pay plan. What does a skilled, well qualified webmaster make? (I know it depends on the market, job responsibilities, etc.) Furthermore, does anyone have a performance based pay plan, if so how does that work? Also I know one of the biggest pains is trying to get the dealer website providers to update in a timely manner and without charging you every time they do it! Does anyone have a webmaster who build and maintains your website?

Thanks for your help.

[Alex Snyder]

Are you planning to continue with an automotive website vendor or are you planning to bring things completely in-house with this webmaster?

[bpreston]

I'm open to either, and realize the pay plans would be different.

And that's what I am getting at is that for what I'm paying for 6 child sites and a splash page, I think I can afford to pay someone to build and maintain our site for me. Plus this would take a lot of work of my manager's hands.

Just wanted to see what people's play plans were either way and if there is anyone who does it in house, and how they like it.

[Jeff Kershner]

This could be a loaded question. So many things to consider here. Will they be on charge of content, copy, SEO as well?

[bpreston]

For discussion sake I would say yes, additionally our market is something to consider as well as we aren't in the most metro, tech savvy area in the world. We are in a relatively suburban area on the border of Ohio and PA, midway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Because jobs such as this tend to be relatively difficult to come by in this area and because average pay is lower in our neck of the woods, I think we can get someone very skilled relatively affordably....

[umer.autojini]

Starting at 30K... so around 42K should give you a webmaster in your market. Checkout Salary.com or PayScale.com as well...

Are you looking for a webmaster, graphic designer or web programmer... as all are different.

Webmaster in general is just for HTML/CSS and bit of graphic works and for doing static updates... knows enough programming to break the system. knows enough system admin functions for a kernel panic.. knows enough networking to bring the site down.

Before you bring this in-house... few things to consider...

1. Where will you host. (Go with shared, dedicated etc...)
2. How will you pull your inventory from DMS.
3. How will you do VIN Decoding
4. How will I connect to my CRM
5. How will I send my inventory to Third Party sites.
6. Will this person be around
7. What programming language will be used
8. Who will provide the data for new vehicle virtual showroom...

P.S. I'm available on contract/hourly basis.

[bpreston]

I am looking for a webmaster... I have a couple of guys who can do graphic design.

2, 3, 5, 8 - Can't Dealer Specialties or Homenet provide solutions for all this stuff

6 - yes I would like this person to be on site

4 - I can't imagine this would be too hard simply have to have forms send in XML/ADF format to my CRM's email

1, 7 - I don't know

I understand the issues with doing it in house, further more if someone leaves the company that raises another issue because who would then update/maintain the website. However, what I am trying to figure out is if anyone does do it in house and (obv i understand this is conditional upon finding the right person, but if you find the right person/people) if it is successful?

[Alex Snyder]

Number 1 of Umer's questions is the first question for sure. If you're staying with Dealer.com then you don't need a webmaster - you need a designer with some web knowledge.....and that is probably the same case for any automotive website hosting company you go with.

If you're stepping outside of the automotive website solutions then you've got a totally different ball game on your hands and the rest of Umer's questions then need to be answered.

[umer.autojini]

Getting it to be successful would depend all on the right person, right vendors, right technology and the funds available for the project. I work with clients where they moved to in house and then repackaged the solution to other dealers... so to me that is a successful implementation as you are happy with it and can offset your cost by expanding your base.

But it is a costly undertaking. As you will replace your website vendor... with third party inventory companies... add the cost of a webmaster... graphic designer and outside consultants for programming... and hosting...

[CAORYAN]

Bobby,

All the things you are asking are very simple actually. Call me and I will point you in the right directions. Not sure if 1 person will be the solution but once you get it set up 1 person can maintain it with a little bit of knowledge.

A very savvy college grad that takes direction well from someone who knows what needs to be accomplished and can point and explain what it does and he can make it happen is what you need.

You need to fully understand the pieces that need to be placed and your upfront cost will be pretty high but after that you should have a set monthly cost of the 3rd party hosting/inventory/webmaster and you are rocking and rolling. I believe you will see more dealers moving this way eventually.