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An Extreme Close-Up on Your Digital Channels. Schaaaawinggggg!
ADP_Cobalt PushingWheels DEALERnerd KonigCo VelocitySales dealersocial axsnyder dealerrefresh don't mention it! 
An Extreme Close-Up on Your Digital Channels. Schaaaawinggggg!
- By Cobalt
Some people think they’re rock stars when it comes to digital marketing, and I’ll admit--- I’ve met a handful of them over the last several years. But sometimes people who think they have digital figured out need to dig a little deeper before they attempt to play that riff on stage solo in front of Pippa Middleton. Schaaawinggggg! (Don’t ask – she just has a great name.)
Hey--- let’s hang with the rocker analogy--- effective digital marketing is like putting together a great rock show; you want to have a strong percussionist, a talented bassist, a charismatic lead guitarist, and somebody on keys or rhythm guitar. They all have to play well together and link harmonically.
As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, the same is true for an effective, multi-channel digital marketing effort. It’s not enough to do one or two things well. You have to be an expert at all the instruments and make sure they’re all in tune with one another in order to make sweet marketing music.
Look at some questions and comments I regularly hear from dealers and managers:
At first glance, these may seem like sound reasons for cutting or realigning automotive digital ad spend. But before you give away your backstage passes for Alice Cooper, let’s explore these topics in a little more detail to see why you can't judge each channel as if it were a solo artist.
Game On!
1. Why should I spend money on Paid Search when I almost always appear first in organic results?
Ex-squeeze me?
The reason you should continue to engage in paid search campaigns even though you're at the top organically is this: there are a finite number of positions on any search engine results page (SERP), and you want to occupy as many of those slots as possible. Every space, paid and organic, that you fill keeps your competition at bay. If you’re there, they can’t be!
(Insert guitar riff – waaaaoooooiiin!)
2. I think you guys bid too high for PPC placement.
Three things about PPC and bidding:
(Insert guitar riff – (rrrrrraaaaoooinnn!)
3. The cost of digital outweighs my ROI...
...not.
Advertising is, and always has been, an expenditure. Digital spend is much more trackable than traditional spend. But if you’re demanding a specific return on that spend, you’re probably going to struggle to prove it. Of course, the billboard you’re paying for doesn’t really show any ROI either. Neither do your TV spots or, for that matter, your newspaper ads.
When you listen to the open to Welcome to the Jungle, it’s hard to know if it’s Axl’s screaming vocals, Slash’s screaming guitar or Duff’s mesmerizing baseline that sends chills up and down your spine. And if you can pinpoint one instrument & artist--- would they sound the same without the rest of the band?
Digital ad spend spread across all the digital channels in your band should, at its core, deliver quality traffic to your website and to your dealership.
(Insert guitar riff – chittachittachittawaaam!)
4. I want more website traffic, and Company X says they can deliver that.
Speaking of traffic, effective digital marketing doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Company X may indeed be able to deliver more website traffic for you, but what will the quality of that traffic be? It’s great to bring unique visitors, but if that doesn’t convert to inventory views, Hours & Directions page visits and contact opportunities, you’re wasting your money. Think quantity? Yes. But think quality too.
A friend of mine told me how he came to understand the difference between traffic and quality traffic. His dealership partnered with a rock radio station in his community by offering them the use of what they termed their “Rock & Roll Dream Machine,” a customized van provided by the dealership for a period of time. In return, the station gave them multiple radio spots to fill.
Well, the station made a big deal on air about the day they were going to pick up the van and even slated a local rock band to play on site that day. The gist of the story is, on van delivery day, the place was a madhouse! There were people everywhere with so many tattoos and piercings that, to paraphrase Dennis Miller, it looked like half the audience fell down the stairs carrying tackle boxes.
The unfortunate part? They didn’t sell a single vehicle. Half of the sales staff was hunkered down in their offices to guard their stuff from being stolen.
Presto! Traffic! Just not necessarily the type that buys.
(Insert guitar riff – (woooahh-ubbaubba-trik!)
Remember--- effective digital marketing is about performing well across multiple channels. So don’t try to be a one hit wonder when you could be the Aerosmith of digital marketing.
Do you have a front man in your marketing band? Or do all your channels take center stage?
Party on...
And hear more from a dealer who plays all the right notes in his multichannel messaging in our upcoming webinar...
Featured Webinar
Master Your Marketing Mix - How Auburn Volkswagen Increased Sales by 40%
Thursday September 12, 2013
8:30am PT | 11:30am ET
MultiChannel is a buzzword. But how do you turn it into action? Auburn Volkswagen’s General Manager & Principal Matthew Welch will reveal exact steps for incorporating MultiChannel marketing into your dealership in this informative webinar.
Register Now
Hey--- let’s hang with the rocker analogy--- effective digital marketing is like putting together a great rock show; you want to have a strong percussionist, a talented bassist, a charismatic lead guitarist, and somebody on keys or rhythm guitar. They all have to play well together and link harmonically.
As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, the same is true for an effective, multi-channel digital marketing effort. It’s not enough to do one or two things well. You have to be an expert at all the instruments and make sure they’re all in tune with one another in order to make sweet marketing music.
Look at some questions and comments I regularly hear from dealers and managers:
- Why should I spend money on Paid Search when I almost always appear first in organic results?
- I think you guys bid too high for PPC (Pay-Per-Click) placement.
- The cost of digital outweighs my ROI.
- I want more website traffic, and Company X says they can deliver that.
At first glance, these may seem like sound reasons for cutting or realigning automotive digital ad spend. But before you give away your backstage passes for Alice Cooper, let’s explore these topics in a little more detail to see why you can't judge each channel as if it were a solo artist.
Game On!
1. Why should I spend money on Paid Search when I almost always appear first in organic results?
Ex-squeeze me?
The reason you should continue to engage in paid search campaigns even though you're at the top organically is this: there are a finite number of positions on any search engine results page (SERP), and you want to occupy as many of those slots as possible. Every space, paid and organic, that you fill keeps your competition at bay. If you’re there, they can’t be!
(Insert guitar riff – waaaaoooooiiin!)
2. I think you guys bid too high for PPC placement.
Three things about PPC and bidding:
- First, if you’re appearing where you want to be, then you’re bidding correctly.
- Secondly, you only pay if they click your ad. If you’re indeed showing up at or near the top organically, Research from GroupM UK and Nielsen tells us that searchers choose an organic result 94% of the time. Why bother showing up in the paid search listings if they’re rarely clicked? Your appearance there will help you monopolize the SERP, increasing your mind share with searchers and your chances that your organic listing will get clicked--- all at no additional cost to you.
- Third, if you feel you’re paying too much in PPC, perhaps you should examine your keyword choices and consider moving away from short-tail in favor of long-tail keywords. For example, “GMC Washington state” is going to be a lot more expensive than “Downtown GMC sales Tacoma.”
(Insert guitar riff – (rrrrrraaaaoooinnn!)
3. The cost of digital outweighs my ROI...
...not.
Advertising is, and always has been, an expenditure. Digital spend is much more trackable than traditional spend. But if you’re demanding a specific return on that spend, you’re probably going to struggle to prove it. Of course, the billboard you’re paying for doesn’t really show any ROI either. Neither do your TV spots or, for that matter, your newspaper ads.
When you listen to the open to Welcome to the Jungle, it’s hard to know if it’s Axl’s screaming vocals, Slash’s screaming guitar or Duff’s mesmerizing baseline that sends chills up and down your spine. And if you can pinpoint one instrument & artist--- would they sound the same without the rest of the band?
Digital ad spend spread across all the digital channels in your band should, at its core, deliver quality traffic to your website and to your dealership.
(Insert guitar riff – chittachittachittawaaam!)
4. I want more website traffic, and Company X says they can deliver that.
Speaking of traffic, effective digital marketing doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Company X may indeed be able to deliver more website traffic for you, but what will the quality of that traffic be? It’s great to bring unique visitors, but if that doesn’t convert to inventory views, Hours & Directions page visits and contact opportunities, you’re wasting your money. Think quantity? Yes. But think quality too.
A friend of mine told me how he came to understand the difference between traffic and quality traffic. His dealership partnered with a rock radio station in his community by offering them the use of what they termed their “Rock & Roll Dream Machine,” a customized van provided by the dealership for a period of time. In return, the station gave them multiple radio spots to fill.
Well, the station made a big deal on air about the day they were going to pick up the van and even slated a local rock band to play on site that day. The gist of the story is, on van delivery day, the place was a madhouse! There were people everywhere with so many tattoos and piercings that, to paraphrase Dennis Miller, it looked like half the audience fell down the stairs carrying tackle boxes.
The unfortunate part? They didn’t sell a single vehicle. Half of the sales staff was hunkered down in their offices to guard their stuff from being stolen.
Presto! Traffic! Just not necessarily the type that buys.
(Insert guitar riff – (woooahh-ubbaubba-trik!)
Remember--- effective digital marketing is about performing well across multiple channels. So don’t try to be a one hit wonder when you could be the Aerosmith of digital marketing.
Do you have a front man in your marketing band? Or do all your channels take center stage?
Party on...
And hear more from a dealer who plays all the right notes in his multichannel messaging in our upcoming webinar...
Featured Webinar
Master Your Marketing Mix - How Auburn Volkswagen Increased Sales by 40%
Thursday September 12, 2013
8:30am PT | 11:30am ET
MultiChannel is a buzzword. But how do you turn it into action? Auburn Volkswagen’s General Manager & Principal Matthew Welch will reveal exact steps for incorporating MultiChannel marketing into your dealership in this informative webinar.
Register Now
Authenticity for Car Dealers: Engaging Generation C
In response to Jordan Hyatt’s Presentation at Digital Summit at Mountain View
At the Digital Summit at Mountain View, Jordan Hyatt, Google’s Senior Product and Solutions Specialist of Automotive, gave a presentation called “The Power of YouTube: Video for Dealers,” in which he discussed the concerns of Generation C: the YouTube Generation.
Mr. Hyatt called attention to the fact that our living rooms are fragmenting. A family’s main TV might still be on in the evening, while everyone seated before it divides their attention between it and their own personal devices. This example sums up the crossroads our society finds itself at, with the flagging consumption of passive media and the rising consumption of user-generated active media all mixed up into one flashy mess of distraction.
For business-generated content, this democratization of reach potential creates new opportunities as well as a different set of obstacles to audience acceptance. Four key ideas, Mr. Hyatt went on, should be kept in mind when creating content for Generation C:
Arguably, the last three items on the list could be rolled up into the first -- Authenticity. People won’t share your content unless it’s real. Moments don’t matter unless they’re real. Celebrity can be artificially manufactured, but talent cannot. Google, through its tireless commitment to improving user experience, has authenticity to spare, but how can a dealership go about developing authenticity through their internet video content?
Instructional videos are an obvious choice. If the information presented is correct, complete, and useful, the motive behind the presentation is irrelevant. Information stands on its own merit. But what else? I’ll share an example...
On August 3rd, we helped sponsor the Youthville Chalk Art Festival, which supports children in foster care across our state. In addition to our financial commitment, I saw an opportunity to help promote the event with a YouTube video. They were happy to participate, and loved the result:
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O65-G6VvK40
Notice we didn’t slap our logos all over this video. I didn’t coach anyone on what I wanted them to say. In keeping with the spirit of the event, I wanted this to come from a place of generosity, and the video (which took about four hours to make, all in all) reflects that. I asked one of my best friends if I could use some of his music for the soundtrack of the video, and he was more than happy to say yes.
Once I sent the link over to our contacts at Youthville, they started lighting Facebook up with the holy grail of social engagement -- the share button. Among the notable posts, F5 Newspaper, an arts, music and culture weekly, posted the video on their Facebook wall:
Bluebird Arthouse, a local art supply store, where several of the Chalk Art Festival’s featured artists work, also shared the video to their 2300+ fans:
And so forth. I only regret I didn’t think of this idea sooner.
The event itself was a huge success. Around three thousand people attended the event, and we showcased a new Outback and talked with many chalk dust-covered festival goers.
Unintimidated by the dozens of photographers and film crews at the event, I took as much video as I could, realizing that the most important aspect of the recap video would be turnaround time. I finished the video the following Monday, and the festival organizers were happy to share again. Notice the video thumbnail -- that’s my wife Reby drawing the Subaru logo in chalk.
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOKq7LXeVjo
Takeaway? Before providing usable content, we were just one of many sponsors on a list. By going the extra mile, we distinguished ourselves through the power of generosity. Also, speed matters. The stream stops for no one, and the recap video got a boost from catching everyone in the afterglow of a wonderful time.
I’m not suggesting that it would make sense to take this exact approach with every vehicle brand. Subaru of America’s marketing messages have reached out extensively to outdoorsy, creative types with families, and this event fit perfectly within that.
We talk a lot about the paths to conversion that take place online, ignoring completely the path between the digital realm and real life. With as dazzling as online marketing is now, it’s important to remember that no matter what, consumers will adapt. What’s cutting edge today will be SOP tomorrow, and filtered out as noise the day after that.
The path toward conversion is more impactful when digital and real life experiences are combined. Maybe the missing piece of your social media strategy, then, is not another online “assist,” but one that takes place in person. I’m done choking down infographics with “best practice” recommendations from national megabrands. Social media communities are not interchangeable--what works for Walmart, for instance, has nothing to do with what will work for us.
There are no rules. Get creative with your approach to content creation, and you just might be amazed with the results.
Like Kevin, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who made Digital Summit at Mountain View 2013 happen. It was a wonderful conference, and I had a great time meeting so many DealerRefreshers in the flesh!
Also, I'm pleased to announce that I'll be a breakout speaker at this year's Driving Sales Executive Summit, where I'll be discussing more techniques and past examples of bridging the gap between online and real life through social media on behalf of the dealership:
At the Digital Summit at Mountain View, Jordan Hyatt, Google’s Senior Product and Solutions Specialist of Automotive, gave a presentation called “The Power of YouTube: Video for Dealers,” in which he discussed the concerns of Generation C: the YouTube Generation.
Mr. Hyatt called attention to the fact that our living rooms are fragmenting. A family’s main TV might still be on in the evening, while everyone seated before it divides their attention between it and their own personal devices. This example sums up the crossroads our society finds itself at, with the flagging consumption of passive media and the rising consumption of user-generated active media all mixed up into one flashy mess of distraction.
For business-generated content, this democratization of reach potential creates new opportunities as well as a different set of obstacles to audience acceptance. Four key ideas, Mr. Hyatt went on, should be kept in mind when creating content for Generation C:
- Authenticity is everything.
- Sharing is the social currency.
- People want to watch moments that matter.
- Talent is valued over fame.
Arguably, the last three items on the list could be rolled up into the first -- Authenticity. People won’t share your content unless it’s real. Moments don’t matter unless they’re real. Celebrity can be artificially manufactured, but talent cannot. Google, through its tireless commitment to improving user experience, has authenticity to spare, but how can a dealership go about developing authenticity through their internet video content?
Instructional videos are an obvious choice. If the information presented is correct, complete, and useful, the motive behind the presentation is irrelevant. Information stands on its own merit. But what else? I’ll share an example...
On August 3rd, we helped sponsor the Youthville Chalk Art Festival, which supports children in foster care across our state. In addition to our financial commitment, I saw an opportunity to help promote the event with a YouTube video. They were happy to participate, and loved the result:
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O65-G6VvK40
Notice we didn’t slap our logos all over this video. I didn’t coach anyone on what I wanted them to say. In keeping with the spirit of the event, I wanted this to come from a place of generosity, and the video (which took about four hours to make, all in all) reflects that. I asked one of my best friends if I could use some of his music for the soundtrack of the video, and he was more than happy to say yes.
Once I sent the link over to our contacts at Youthville, they started lighting Facebook up with the holy grail of social engagement -- the share button. Among the notable posts, F5 Newspaper, an arts, music and culture weekly, posted the video on their Facebook wall:
Bluebird Arthouse, a local art supply store, where several of the Chalk Art Festival’s featured artists work, also shared the video to their 2300+ fans:
And so forth. I only regret I didn’t think of this idea sooner.
The event itself was a huge success. Around three thousand people attended the event, and we showcased a new Outback and talked with many chalk dust-covered festival goers.
Unintimidated by the dozens of photographers and film crews at the event, I took as much video as I could, realizing that the most important aspect of the recap video would be turnaround time. I finished the video the following Monday, and the festival organizers were happy to share again. Notice the video thumbnail -- that’s my wife Reby drawing the Subaru logo in chalk.
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOKq7LXeVjo
Takeaway? Before providing usable content, we were just one of many sponsors on a list. By going the extra mile, we distinguished ourselves through the power of generosity. Also, speed matters. The stream stops for no one, and the recap video got a boost from catching everyone in the afterglow of a wonderful time.
I’m not suggesting that it would make sense to take this exact approach with every vehicle brand. Subaru of America’s marketing messages have reached out extensively to outdoorsy, creative types with families, and this event fit perfectly within that.
We talk a lot about the paths to conversion that take place online, ignoring completely the path between the digital realm and real life. With as dazzling as online marketing is now, it’s important to remember that no matter what, consumers will adapt. What’s cutting edge today will be SOP tomorrow, and filtered out as noise the day after that.
The path toward conversion is more impactful when digital and real life experiences are combined. Maybe the missing piece of your social media strategy, then, is not another online “assist,” but one that takes place in person. I’m done choking down infographics with “best practice” recommendations from national megabrands. Social media communities are not interchangeable--what works for Walmart, for instance, has nothing to do with what will work for us.
There are no rules. Get creative with your approach to content creation, and you just might be amazed with the results.
Like Kevin, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who made Digital Summit at Mountain View 2013 happen. It was a wonderful conference, and I had a great time meeting so many DealerRefreshers in the flesh!
Also, I'm pleased to announce that I'll be a breakout speaker at this year's Driving Sales Executive Summit, where I'll be discussing more techniques and past examples of bridging the gap between online and real life through social media on behalf of the dealership: