Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

A dealer warns the community about Local Splash, a marketing company that called with aggressive sales tactics claiming they could guarantee Google Maps visibility for $199/month. Multiple respondents confirm the company has a reputation as a scam and advise against engaging with any vendor using high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic guarantees, with the consensus being that legitimate SEO firms don't operate this way.

Jeff Kershner highlights how Cobalt effectively used social media monitoring to do real-time reputation management after a dealer publicly complained on Twitter about having their splash page disabled without warning. Cobalt's team caught the tweet, reached out proactively, and turned a negative moment into a PR win — earning praise from the community and sparking discussion about whether Cobalt is genuinely changing its culture, with some veterans still harboring skepticism based on past experiences.

The thread debates whether mobile websites should be included as a free add-on to standard dealership websites. While Alex Snyder argues mobile sites are temporary and will become unnecessary as mobile browsers improve, mattwatson81 counters that mobile optimization for touch interfaces and smaller screens will remain important regardless of browser capabilities. The discussion eventually shifts to emerging mobile technologies like pico projectors and responsive browsers, with most participants agreeing mobile sites should be bundled as value-added features rather than charged separately.

Dealers discussing Mitsubishi's restrictive search advertising policies that prohibit bidding on generic Mitsubishi terms to avoid competing with the manufacturer's own campaigns. The consensus view is that the restrictions are impractical and largely unenforceable—particularly since Mitsubishi offers minimal co-op funding—with several dealers noting that dealer-specific PPC ads are actually more effective for conversions anyway, making the manufacturer's concern misguided.

John Quinn seeks advice on cutting advertising expenses while maintaining sales, specifically questioning whether dealership branding efforts are necessary when they operate 14 brands and can trace only 25% of sales to digital channels despite digital spending representing 35% of their budget. The discussion reveals that his Wilkes-Barre market is demographically older with unusually strong newspaper readership (generating 1100+ monthly calls from Yellow Pages), making traditional media still effective despite industry-wide trends toward digital. The key insight is that optimal marketing strategy is market-dependent—rather than following industry dogma, dealers should "fish where the fish are" by advertising in the channels their specific demographic actually uses.

Automotive professionals discuss their preferred Twitter management tools across desktop and mobile platforms, with TweetDeck emerging as the clear favorite for desktop use, while mobile users recommend a mix of apps including Twitterrific, UberTwitter, and Echofon depending on device. The thread also touches on using Twitter strategically for dealership customer engagement and social media presence, with one newer user asking whether it's worthwhile to join late—receiving reassurance that Twitter adoption continues to grow.

Dealers discuss the Ford window sticker lookup tool (available for 2007+ vehicles via VIN), which allows them to instantly access original manufacturer specifications for used inventory to improve vehicle descriptions and appraisals. The conversation reveals that Chrysler, GM, and some Toyota/Lexus dealers also have similar tools with varying accessibility and limitations, though Ford's is notably the most convenient since it works regardless of vehicle status. While several dealers find these tools valuable for marketing and appraisal purposes, GM's tool appears to have restrictions and other manufacturers largely lack public-facing options.

Google's decision to block referrer keyword data for logged-in users sparked concern among automotive marketers about losing critical SEO measurement capabilities and being forced to rely on Google's own (paid) Webmaster Tools. While initial impact was expected to be small, participants worried the policy would eventually expand to all searches and viewed Google's practice as anticompetitive—blocking organic search data while preserving it for paid search—with predictions that excessive market dominance could eventually trigger congressional regulation similar to historical antitrust actions.

Alex Snyder challenges the concept of "Mobile SEO" as a distinct strategy, arguing it's a myth that conflates mobile search with local search optimization, and shares an article debunking the term. The discussion clarifies that what vendors should actually focus on is mobile optimization—ensuring sites render well and load quickly on mobile devices without creating duplicate content issues through separate mobile domains. The key insight is that effective mobile strategy means having one responsive site that works across all devices, not treating mobile as a separate SEO discipline.

Dave Erickson questions whether TrueCar's new subdomain structure (dealer.truecar.com/state/city/model) is ranking ahead of actual dealer websites in organic search results. Jeff Kershner confirms this is an established practice across multiple automotive platforms and criticizes dealers for funding these services that compete against their own SEO efforts, while ryanlucia counters that these platforms likely use ranked pages to drive broader site traffic rather than steal direct dealer business.

Dealers and vendors debate whether microsites deliver enough ROI to justify the effort, with the original poster skeptical and others noting low conversion rates compared to well-optimized main dealership sites. The core insight is that a flexible CMS on your primary website often outperforms a sprawl of microsites, and by 2011 the conversation had shifted further as OEM restrictions on domains made microsite strategies increasingly impractical. The thread also surfaces a recurring frustration: dealer website vendors are too rigid to support targeted marketing campaigns, leaving dealers to seek custom-built solutions.

Dealers reported receiving notifications from Google that their Places listings would be automatically updated with data from Google's various sources, but several users discovered the updates contained inaccurate information (wrong phone numbers, service area changes) that contradicted their manually entered details. The thread highlights frustration that Google's automated scraping and updates override dealer-controlled information, and recommends checking Mike Blumenthal's blog for more technical details on how the automatic update feature works.

The thread highlights the rapid growth of mobile web traffic and its implications for car dealerships, citing Cisco and TechCrunch data predicting a 40x rise in mobile traffic over five years. Commenters agree that dealerships need mobile-optimized sites because mobile visitors tend to be serious, near-purchase shoppers rather than casual browsers. The key insight is that mobile calls-to-action should be deliberately designed to convert high-intent buyers, not just replicate the research-heavy traditional website experience.

Katie discusses the importance of diversifying lead sources beyond repeat and referral business, emphasizing that dealers should periodically audit their current lead providers for effectiveness and explore alternative sources. The post advocates for a proactive approach to lead generation and sourcing, suggesting that dealers research available options through Google and other means to ensure they're accessing quality automotive sales leads.

Joe Pistell shares his auto dealership's "Comment Generator" tool that automatically creates unique vehicle descriptions, receiving constructive feedback on SEO optimization, URL structure, and copywriting refinement. Key insights include TVGBrian's recommendation to rewrite URLs from query parameters to descriptive paths for better search traffic, and CliffC's observation that exact mileage figures disrupt the natural flow of read-aloud descriptions and should be softened to ranges like "under 9000 miles." The thread demonstrates how dealers can leverage automation for inventory marketing while maintaining quality and natural-sounding content.

Dealers discuss key management systems and solutions for tracking vehicle keys across sales, service, and body shop departments, with experiences ranging from simple pegboard systems to electronic solutions like KeyTrack. The thread reveals common pain points including employee negligence, security vulnerabilities of glass-mounted keyboxes, and the difficulty of finding durable, affordable alternatives to expensive systems like KeyRegister. The most practical consensus emerges around mid-range solutions: either color-coded pegboard systems with rolling metal cabinets for lot accessibility, or electronic tracking systems like KeyTrack that offer accountability through username/fingerprint authentication and integration with dealership software.

A dealer shares a cautionary tale about YourOtherYou, a prank service that Toyota partnered with, which resulted in a $10 million lawsuit for emotional distress—highlighting how poorly conceived marketing concepts can create serious legal liability. The discussion reveals that while the plaintiff voluntarily clicked links, agreed to terms, and completed a personality test sharing personal information, she sued Toyota (the deeper pocket) rather than the friend who initiated the prank, prompting debate about frivolous litigation and corporate risk management in unconventional marketing campaigns.

Automotive industry professionals discuss Google's newly released Real-Time Analytics feature, debating whether it will be included in the free version and what its practical applications are for dealerships. The consensus is that the feature will likely be free (or very low-cost), with limited but useful functionality—particularly for measuring immediate traffic spikes from offline marketing efforts like radio or TV spots and Craigslist posts. While one user mentions already paying for a competitor product with more advanced features, most see Real-Time Analytics as a valuable free addition despite its basic reporting capabilities.

A dealer asks for PPC marketing advice covering budget, vendor selection, and ROI tracking. After initial skepticism from a large dealer group citing poor results, Joe Pistell argues that PPC failure stems from poor campaign setup rather than the channel itself, emphasizing that success depends heavily on the PPC manager understanding the dealership's unique profile, inventory, market size, and goals. The thread concludes that PPC can be effective when executed properly, particularly for dealers with substantial inventory and appropriate geographic targeting, though it requires sophisticated campaign management to avoid wasting budget on low-intent keywords.

Dealership staff often manage multiple email accounts (work, admin, sales, leads, body shop, personal) across various platforms, creating inefficiency. The thread discusses solutions including using email aliases, creating separate mail boxes in Outlook, and forwarding all accounts to a single CRM or primary email account. The consensus suggests that aliases and consolidated forwarding are the simplest ways to streamline multi-account email management without requiring staff to manually check each account separately.

A BDC manager reports that their Craigslist vehicle postings are appearing in their account backend but not displaying in public search results across multiple dealership locations. The community identifies "ghosting" (invisible listings due to Craigslist's anti-spam filters) as the likely cause, with the primary culprits being IP blocking, posting too frequently, or issues with the Dealer Specialties posting tool's code template, and recommends either switching to a managed posting service or manually testing with a generic ad to isolate the problem.

Dealership professionals discuss strategies for generating Google reviews following recent platform changes, with particular focus on email automation, customer targeting, and integration with existing CRM systems. A significant point of contention emerges: while some advocate for DealerRater's new "push" feature to migrate reviews to Google, others argue that DealerRater itself remains superior for conversion rates and building dealership culture around review collection. The key insight is that successful review strategies depend less on the platform itself and more on having a systematic process in place—whether that's segmenting customers by email type or using physical touchpoints like iPads and handout cards.