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stevecravens · Feb 15, 2011

I just did a local search for Checkered Flag in Virginia Beach and noticed a store (Scion) using an 866 i.e. Toll-Free number in the Google Places entry, which even I don't recommend! Perhaps that has something to do with it. Also, were you using some type of third party application to update Google Places in bulk? I've worked on this some myself and had no problems changing the phone number field to a *local* tracking number.

Feb 15, 2011

Thanks for the response Stephen. Unless something with Google Places recently changed, it has been my experience that the phone number matching is the quickest way to get things straight and matching.

I used to place tracking numbers all over the place, at Checkered Flag, and it totally messed our Google Places pages up. As soon as I matched the phone numbers across the review sites, Google Places, and our store landing pages Google linked everything up.

I've only been out of Checkered Flag for a little over 7 months - did something drastic change in that time I'm not aware of?

DennisGalbraith · Feb 15, 2011

Outstanding input Joe!

The general point here is that measurement of consumer activity cannot be captured at the expense of being found by consumers. I'll go so far as to say if you know you are buying a listings service at $0.30 per VDP and your break-even is $1.00 per VDP, then you don't really need to measure how many phone calls you receive from that service.

Tracking chats and emails is painless to the customer-retailer relationship. Tracking phone calls is not. Ideally, you would want every customer to have your one and only phone number in their phone systems. It's okay to break away from that with a tracking number, but it better be information you can profit from and not just nice to have.

stevecravens · Feb 15, 2011

Hi Alex, and thank you for reading the post. My point was more that call tracking service isn't some mythical force that can only be procured in conjunction with CRM, web development, media buying etc. I was highlighting how the business itself can own the numbers if it wants. That being said, there's no denying, as you point out, the immense value of a vendor who can do it all.

Feb 15, 2011

I disagree to a certain extent with #3. If you can get something from a vendor that gives you a leg up over the other call tracking services out there whether it's because it just works better with their product (better reporting) or they offer something you can't really get anywhere else, I think going through the vendor is worthwhile.

For example, what if you could tie salesperson's name, customer's name, and the specific piece of inventory the customer was calling about together and automatically kick that info into your CRM? Pardon the advertisement, but we can do that for a few different websites.

stevecravens · Feb 15, 2011

Thank you for reading the post, Ryan. From a very high level, there's a balance that must be struck. What if takes a report that says "10% of calls come from Google Places" before a dealer will lift a finger to optimize his Places page with pictures, hours of operation, customer reviews etc. If the dealer doesn't even appreciate Google Places in the first place and has a lackluster profile, isn't that worse than a rank of "C" versus "B" in the Map but having an engaging profile? I'm just suggesting that in many cases, knowing with certainty that Google Places deliver x% of your call volume resonates with business managers more so than the theoretical risks posed on the margin.

Feb 15, 2011

Hmmm.... fascinating possibilities Stephen! Excellent info, I hope you're right! I'll read it up asap!

stevecravens · Feb 15, 2011

And thank you, Alex and Jeff, for providing a stellar forum for discourse. We need more of it! Google's provides rules of the road to prevent abuse. If your Google Listing profile is who you say you are, in the physical address you're representing, I don't believe it's Google's will to harm your standing. Furthermore, I've never seen any test results that would suggest otherwise. My view of the bottom line is that a meaningful amount of traffic comes from listings sites, and it's worth knowing how it breaks out. This knowledge allows dealers to continuously go up the funnel to further optimize their marketing budgets.

stevecravens · Feb 15, 2011

Thank you for the impassioned response, Joe, and it's emblematic of the vibrancy of the DR forum! I'm not suggesting using toll-frees, but rather placing *local tracking numbers* in your Google Places and other listings. Google's intention is not to disallow phone response measurement, but rather to make sure you're not creating a ghost presence in metros across the country.

We have users all the time, every day put *local* tracking numbers in each listing site and therefore know with certainty how the phone lead pie breaks out. We monitor our clients campaigns closely and have never noticed any demonstrable harm.

I'm not saying the practice doesn't come without risks, but just like driving a car to work every day in the morning, the benefits of tracking far outweigh the potential downside. To read more, here's a post I wrote on the topic: http://www.centuryinteractive.com/you-really-can-...

Feb 15, 2011

Phone numbers is but one part of the business record. For the highest quality scores, not only do phone numbers need to match, ALL records must match... letter perfect! Name, address, phone numbers & zips. Start at your business certificate filing at your local government level, then move that perfect info everywhere. Make sure the white pages has your info aligned, everything must be just right.

One of my Examples:
Sun Chevy (nope)
Sun Chevrolet (better)
Sun Chevrolet Inc. (almost)
Sun Chevrolet, Inc. (has comma now it's perfect!)

Take that letter perfect info and push it everywhere!
Here it is on this store's landing page: http://www.usedcarking.com/SunChevroletInc/

Sun Chevrolet, Inc.
104 West Genesee St. Chittenango, NY 13037
(315) 687-7231

What you see above Google calls a "citation". A citation is the complete business record. For the best possible score, YOU NEED IT ALL, LETTER PERFECT and COPIED EVERYWHERE. Local SEO's believe that the MORE citations you have the more authority your local listing has. This only works if your info matches everywhere.

ryan.leslie · Feb 15, 2011

Alex stole my thunder, numbers must match to get the data to flow reliably. One other quick note on this though. If you do decide to change the contact info on your places page it will take Google 4-6 weeks to accurately scrape and display review content on your places page. Decide what you want to do and stick with it. If you change your mind every 4 weeks, you'll never have review data post.

Feb 15, 2011

Thanks for writing this article Stephen - definitely brings to light quite a few things many are puzzled by.

I do have to echo on a bit of what Joe is saying on the first point as it relates to Google Places. One of the key things Google uses to match your business to your places page and all those reputation websites is a phone number. When you have a differing phone number on these various sites Google doesn't link them together.

For Example: If you're paying for DealerRater, you should have the same number on your DealerRater page, your Google Places page, and your website.

It is up to you whether the customer experience or your ability to track things is more important.

Feb 15, 2011

Woa Stephen! Wow, you really need to re-think comment #1, you ask:

"...Can I put a tracking number in my Google Places (Maps, Local Listings, 7-pack, whatever your name for it is) entry?"

I about fell out of my chair when you replied:

"...You absolutely can. SEO bloggers publish theories to the contrary, but I’ve never seen a local merchant displeased with using a tracking number in Google Places...."

Gulp! A bold ASSUMPTION on your part Stephen, but, in this example only, I'll step up and WARN Dealer Refresh readers that (from my seat) this is flawed advice with a great deal of risk..

DO NOT USE TOLL FREE NUMBERS IN GOOGLE PLACES (aka Google Local).

First, there are 2 types of traffic from Google Places.
#1). Your business name (i.e. a phone book search)
#2). A general product search (i.e. "used cars for sale")
Both searches fire off the Google Maps results (with push pins).

In example #1, the "white pages" phone book request, there is little competition and using a toll free number should not impact the Dealer from being seen.

but...

Example #2 is like a "yellow pages" phone book request and the competition is far greater and more difficult for Google to figure out how to reward the winners. In this example, this is where having a toll free number on your google places listing can result in a total FAIL.

My stores have many listing challenges and my Google Places ranking is far from perfect, yet, it's "yellow pages results" sends me several hundred shoppers per month... FREE. Getting strong local listings can make a huge impact on traffic to a website (which trickles down to sales). It's so important that over the years, I have a few hundred hours of research into Google Places. I've hired the best consultants in the biz to assist me along the way and read their blogs often.

Getting ranked on Google Local is not black or white... not win or lose, it's not yes or no, businesses are listed on a sliding scale of rank. Google looks for all kinds of "quality signals" to verify the businesses that go back all the way to the DBA's and telco white pages. Generally speaking, The more matches it finds the better quality.

Google and ALL of the Local Search Community will recommend that you don't use Toll Free numbers in Google's Place (local) listings.

--Google Places Quality Guidelines--:
Phone: Provide a phone number that connects to your individual business location as directly as possible.
* Use a local phone number instead of a call center number whenever possible. http://www.google.com/support/places/bin/answer.p...

--2010 Local Search Ranking Factors--
SEE:
*Quality of Citations from Major Data Providers + IYP Portals
*Including Local Area Code Phone Number on Places Landing Page http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-fac...

Summary: If you're looking to get your business onto the 7pack for yellow-pages like listings (i.e. "car dealer near city, state"), or, if your business is already in the 7pack map listings and you don't want to risk falling off the 7 pack, DONT USE A TOLL FREE NUMBER.

TEST YOUR DEALERSHIP NOW: Moz Local - Your All-In-One local SEO tool and software

Feb 14, 2011

Car Dealer Call Tracking FAQ's

With so much buzz in the automotive world about what marketing tools are now at your disposal, I feel I owe it to the DealerRefresh community to share some of the insights on the tool I know best – call tracking.

DealerRefresh readers are entrepreneurs. We don’t get out bed for general trends, but rather for insights that allow us to take action right now to improve our sales and marketing performance. As such, I put together this list of “what’s going on right now” topics in call tracking that may be just the nugget to help you make a more informed decision on how to implement a new measurement tool.

1. Can I put a tracking number in my Google Places (Maps, Local Listings, 7-pack, whatever your name for it is) entry?

You absolutely can. SEO bloggers publish theories to the contrary, but I’ve never seen a local merchant displeased with using a tracking number in Google Places. Let’s think about the big picture; if a meaningful amount of calls are coming from a particular listing site, you need to know about it. And it’s not just Google. Cars.com, AutoTrader, EveryCarListed etc are all asking for a greater percentage of your budget. Some of these are, in fact, worthy of upgrading to the premium package. Know which ones you should be serious about.

2. What’s the deal with keyword-level tracking? Wait, organic too?

Yes, you can see search queries from callers from your website who clicked on an organic link as well. The “keyword-level call tracking” service most commonly offered by call tracking vendors shows a unique phone number just for paid click visits. While this is useful, the preferred way to track calls from your website is to capture every referring source (PPC, organic, listing site referral, email and display). Intellectually, it’s more honest to take a holistic approach to call tracking rather than isolate and over- spotlight one particular lead source.

3. Can I get my own numbers?

I’m tired of people who are trying to sell me stuff owning the numbers. All things being equal, the publisher (directory site, website company, newspaper etc.) will own the numbers and use it as a churn reduction tool. Hey, they introduced you to the idea of call tracking, right? While this is part of doing business, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have access to your own inventory of tracking lines, to add / cancel as you wish. It’s just a matter of opening your own account with a car dealer call tracking service provider.

4. Can I get call data to integrate with Application X?

I saved the most commonly asked question for last, “Do you integrate with Google Analytics?” For better or worse, Google doesn’t have an inbound API, so the integration is crude and less than ideal. Call counts are the extent of it, which is why I would suggest you choose the call tracking provider with a robust analytics package. Get the most out of what call tracking specialists can offer first, and then decide if a third-party integration will provide the missing piece (if there even is a missing piece). There are providers who can break out phone calls from web sessions in a compelling fashion. However, if you are set on an AdWords integration, your best bet will be via a PPC management platform like Marin, Clickable or Acquisio, each of whom integrates call data.

My goal each day is to help dealers fit technology into their own unique set of operations. I’m on the front lines of receiving feedback from dealers while simultaneously pushing and testing development realities in-house to find the optimal balance. Point being, there’s lots of innovation and compromise I live and die by everyday. Enough, at least, to have perspective on what will move the needle versus what’s yet another meaningless feature.

May 17, 2011

If lawsuits were the outcome of this, those take time to formulate. If it was a future protective/preventative measure, then we may never hear anymore about it.

philipzelinger · Mar 2, 2011

Tom ... I thought that was why G-D created commas? LOL! Seriously though, the word "constructive" came through loud and clear and I appreciate your advice, (I like that word better than criticism).

Atre all, that's what friends are for!

tomwhitejr · Mar 1, 2011

Phil... Love your stuff, but seriously - your second paragraph is ONE SENTENCE... Are you speaking to us dealers? This is the problem with current marketing efforts... Too complex and WAY TOO LONG... Give me some short and sweet bullet points because I can't wrap my brain around what you are saying... (and for the record, I get it)... Just say what's on your mind without the big words and long sentences...

Still love your stuff, just some constructive criticism...

philipzelinger · Feb 26, 2011

As far as adding my own inpit to this thread,

I don't want to open a dialogue that could contribute to any legal challenges, or even assert that there will be any since as Israel commented the real issue is the recognition of his initial vision.

That said, the value of the SiSTeR Video Production marketing platform lies in the scalabilty of their solution including human voice vs. text to speech, integrated full motion video clips synched with the audio for a more professional finished production, multi level interactive schema layers within the video allowing for linked info -- like a Carfax report, lead generator, graphics, etc -- a linked application called vShock which allows a dealer to establish business rules to select similar inventory on a micro-site linked to the dealer's site for added vSEO with the initial vehicle video serving as a place holder on the search engines, their established video channel and their dedicated API to You Tube as well as their automated distribution to all online marketing platforms, their backend tool that automatically advises SiSTeR and the dealer of any problems in the production or placement of the video, the ability to monitor the open rate and length of time the video played and a new mobile application that will serve as a new data collection point to take pictures on a PDA and start the production process with no need for a third party provider --- to name a few feature/benefits!

Again, this does not address the potential impact of the patent but hopefully you can understand why I decided not to address that issue on a public forum. Suffice it to say that the value -- or not -- of a patent is above my pay grade. However, the time, energy, effort and funds invested in acquiring it appear to have been worthwhile if for no reason than to say -- SiSTeR was recognized for their contributions to the automated video vertical which has become an integral part of any comprehensive online marketing plan and they have earned their position in the pages of automotive avertising history.

philipzelinger · Feb 26, 2011

Hellom to all,

As you know, SiSTeR Technologies is a valued vendor client of AdAgencyOnline.net and I have a personal vested interest in their success. I asked Israel Alpert, my friend, client and co-founder of SiSTeR, how I should reply to this post. I was proud of his answer so I saw little reason to edit or add to it:

"First and above all, SiSTeR's patent is a stamp of recognition and pride to the entire automotive industry – without the support and the loyalty of the industry SiSTeR couldn't have done it and we shall all be proud for having kept the innovation, productivity and "born in the USA" spirit while developng our video production/marketing platform!

Most of the other providers have been SiSTeR resellers and partners in the past. I assume that just as they chose to enter into an agreement with SiSTeR and enjoyed the fruits of such relations that they will honor the spirit of competition within the boundaries of the law and mutual respect of intellectual property.

In any case, SiSTeR's product and results are considered superior and the company always demonstrated its willing to share and contribute for the benefit of the entire dealer group."

My only additional comment is --- What are friends for!

Feb 16, 2011

Ask your new bosses, Alex...

Feb 16, 2011

Your mention of competing companies and the interactions they had with Sister Technologies is all speculation. IF letters are exchanged between attorneys and IF court cases/settlements are made then we'll know the outcome.

Feb 14, 2011

I'm hopeful that no one writing on or commenting on this blog is advising dealers or vendors on patent liability. The Sister patent is HUGE and anyone who is using similar processes and not bowing to them (like Dealer.com, Unity, Dealer Specialties, etc...) could find themselves in court.

You CAN patent a process, and that's what these guys did. As much as I am not a fan of Sister, they did try to work with all of the companies I named above and all of them told them to pound sand - "we can build it ourselves." Oops.

JohnScott · Feb 13, 2011

Im confused, it looks as if they're just taking an image and panning left to right with a voice over.

Couldnt that easily be done with a basic script?

Feb 11, 2011

Jay, you can patent a process according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Feb 11, 2011

It won't affect them at all. You can patent software but not a process. If a company creates it's own software technology then it's ok. Sister and Unity Works I believe have different software. This would be like me saying I am going to get a patent for giving customers test drives to try and sell the car. It can only be for the software...not the process.

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