Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

CFrentzen inquires about LiquidMotors, a tool offering pricing analysis and automated multi-platform inventory uploads, prompting discussion of competing services like AutoJini, VinSolutions, and AutoElead in a crowded market. Key concerns raised include outdated browser requirements (IE-only portals) and Craigslist's enforcement against dealers posting multiple vehicles weekly, which threatens the viability of fully automated posting services. The thread concludes that dealers should evaluate multiple vendors carefully while being aware that Craigslist's restrictions may limit the effectiveness of some automated posting claims.

Jeff Kershner highlights Seth Godin's new "Brands in Public" service on Squidoo, which aggregates social media commentary about companies for a reported $400/month fee, and speculates it could eventually expand to car dealers. Umer.autojini and other participants debate whether Squidoo still provides meaningful SEO value, with disagreement over whether the platform's search engine benefits have declined since its early days, ultimately questioning whether the service's cost justifies the ROI compared to other marketing channels.

Alex Snyder shared two humorous YouTube videos about social media, apparently questioning whether it's a passing trend or a genuine shift in communication, though the videos themselves aren't accessible in this excerpt. The thread generated minimal engagement, with only one reply that was tangential nostalgia rather than substantive discussion of the actual topic.

JohnScott alerts the community to Google's launch of the DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a new marketplace that applies Google's successful AdWords model to display advertising following its $3.1 billion DoubleClick acquisition. Jeff Kershner responds positively, noting that this development could make display advertising a more practical and cost-effective option for car dealers compared to previous solutions. The key insight is that this new platform may democratize display ad buying for automotive retailers, similar to how AdWords transformed search advertising.

A dealer shared a discovery about a Google feature allowing users to search for content from the past few minutes or seconds, potentially signaling Google's movement toward real-time search capabilities. The feature was noted as novel and potentially useful, with the original poster mentioning practical applications like fantasy football updates. The thread generated minimal discussion, with only one brief acknowledgment from another member.

Dealers and salespeople debate whether Facebook effectively generates car sales, with consensus emerging that it works best when individual sales staff use personal profiles to build genuine relationships rather than as a corporate marketing channel. The key insight is that social networking in automotive sales mirrors traditional relationship-building—success comes from authentic personal connections and conversations, not promotional content, with participants emphasizing that salespeople have the most to gain by leveraging their personal networks on these platforms.

Dealers debate whether social media ROI can be quantified, with one commenter arguing that human interactions aren't numerically measurable, while another shares concrete metrics from BMW of South Atlanta showing 39% increased website traffic and 5% traffic lift from Twitter over 12 months through strategic blogging and content tagging. The thread suggests that while traditional ROI calculations are challenging, social media's value is demonstrable through website traffic gains, search rankings, and consumer engagement metrics rather than direct sales attribution.

The thread discusses whether dealers should allow sales and service staff to access CRM systems and respond to customer emails from home or mobile devices outside of work hours. Jeff Kershner explains that accessibility depends on the CRM platform—server-based systems require RDP/remote desktop connections while web-based systems allow login from anywhere—and JohnScott argues that optional, brief off-hours responses (10-15 minutes) could improve customer retention and loyalty by preventing customers from going to competitors.

Automotive dealers discuss the viability of online negotiation software, with mixed results reported. While some participants like Alex Snyder had moderate success using MyLiveOffer as a supplementary tool, most agree these platforms have largely failed due to poor user interfaces and limited consumer interest in negotiating online; WideStorm is mentioned as a newer option, though shop-testers and other dealers found it cumbersome and uninviting. The consensus is that online negotiation tools offer marginal value at best and that dealers might achieve similar results using existing desking tools and traditional quote methods.

Dealers share their experiences and frustrations with the Cash for Clunkers rebate payment processing, which was experiencing significant delays with only about 1% of claims paid as of the discussion date. The thread reveals common submission rejections (improper title documentation, missing insurance proof, unsigned forms) and confirms that approved claims weren't being automatically notified via email, requiring dealers to manually check the portal. While some dealers had deals in "ready for payment" status after 5-10 days, actual bank deposits had not yet been received, indicating substantial processing delays throughout the system.

Internet directors and dealers discuss marketing strategies to capitalize on the proposed Cash for Clunkers legislation, with several expressing concern that customers are delaying purchases in anticipation of the bill passing. A key opportunity emerges when Alex Snyder shares details about Brian Pasch's Cash for Clunkers Participating Dealer Program, offering leads at $10 each through dedicated websites, with particular demand from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Chevy, and Ford brands. By the thread's end, dealers report that customers are actually beginning to purchase again after realizing the legislation may not pass.

Automotive dealers discuss strategies for managing their online reputation across social media, review sites, and forums, debating whether to actively engage in these spaces or rely primarily on delivering good service. Key consensus emerges that authentic, long-term participation (such as having knowledgeable techs answer questions) builds credibility and customer loyalty, while transparent review encouragement and careful, non-defensive responses to negative feedback are more effective than aggressive marketing tactics. The overarching insight is that reputation management works best when it's genuine community engagement rather than damage control or promotional spam.

A customer service professional audited multiple dealership websites and found their chat applications poorly executed—relying on generic responses and immediately requesting contact information rather than answering substantive questions, which discouraged engagement rather than capturing leads. The discussion reveals that effective dealership chat requires trained operators who provide genuine value through answers before requesting information, with Brent Palen demonstrating a superior approach of earning contact details by offering to email detailed vehicle specs. The key insight is that poorly implemented chat functionality actively damages customer perception and loses sales opportunities across both sales and service departments, while strategic chat can capture over 90% of leads when operators treat it like phone sales with genuine problem-solving.

Amanda, managing websites for a 7-dealer automall, asks the community for recommendations on consolidating her current providers (Reynolds and Dealerskins) into a single platform. Respondents recommend Dealer.com most frequently while highlighting key evaluation criteria including SEO capabilities, customization options, reporting analytics, mobile optimization, and quality of support. The thread emphasizes that choosing a website provider should be driven by an in-house Internet Marketing Director who understands the platform's strategic value as one of the dealership's top three assets.

Dealers participating in the Cash for Clunkers program are experiencing 2-3x lead volume increases but face operational challenges: some are cherry-picking leads due to staffing constraints from recent layoffs, while others struggle with inventory mismatches between high-demand vehicles (like Jeep Compass/Patriot) and available stock. The discussion reveals that despite industry claims of treating all leads equally, dealers are actively managing volume through lead provider adjustments, staffing decisions, and strategic lead capture timing rather than uniformly processing the surge.

A group of automotive dealers and marketers debate whether Microsoft's Bing search engine can realistically compete with Google's market dominance. While some participants note Bing's growing presence through default homepage settings and positive features like travel search, consensus emerges that Google's entrenched user habits and established market position make it unlikely for Bing to meaningfully overtake it. The thread reflects early 2010s skepticism about Bing's threat to Google despite initial market gains.

Andy Decker seeks advice on proposing a social media marketing campaign to his dealership owner, wanting to present it professionally rather than casually. Respondents suggest framing the initiative as relationship-building and public relations rather than direct sales, and recommend involving the dealership directly through in-store sign-ups and community events to maximize impact and buy-in. The consensus is that positioning social media as long-term brand value creation—similar to building customer rapport on the sales lot—is the most persuasive angle for securing owner approval.

A dealer questions whether to pause social media marketing during a 90-day website transition to TK Carsites, concerned that promoting their "100% guaranteed credit approval" offer on social channels will drive traffic to a website lacking financing details. Responses suggest either building a dedicated credit application landing page quickly or proceeding with social efforts while the new site is developed, with one responder emphasizing the importance of defining what success means for social strategy beyond lead generation.

The user asks about Google Analytics data refresh frequency and mentions seeing unusually high pageview numbers compared to benchmarks. Respondents clarify that GA data typically lags 4-24 hours behind actual traffic, and debate whether real-time analytics tools like Woopra or Omniture are necessary for dealers—with consensus emerging that daily or weekly reporting is sufficient for most dealerships rather than obsessive real-time monitoring.

Dealers discuss whether pre-ordering new vehicles from manufacturers qualifies for Cash for Clunkers (CFC) rebate submissions, initially uncertain due to conflicting information. After skepticism and rumors, a dealer cites an Automotive News article from August 2009 confirming the U.S. government approved factory-ordered vehicles for CFC deals, resolving the question affirmatively. A remaining procedural concern about certificate of origin documentation timing is raised but not fully resolved.

A dealer seeking graphic design help for promotional content on their Dealer.com website asks the community for referrals to outside designers. Respondents suggest several practical options: hiring local photo studio designers, connecting with college students or interns (sometimes at reduced rates), using freelance platforms like Elance, or working with specialized automotive marketing firms that can customize graphics for dealer websites. The consensus is that quality graphic design work is readily available through local networks, educational institutions, and specialized vendor partners—dealers don't need to rely solely on their website platform's built-in capabilities.

A dealer new to PPC advertising seeks recommendations for management platforms and best practices to scale his campaigns beyond manual management, citing time constraints and the need for keyword expansion and conversion optimization. Respondents recommend several solutions including Dealer.com's Total Control Dominator, ReachLocal, and Clickmotive, with emphasis on using dedicated landing pages and structured campaign organization across multiple ad groups. The consensus emerging is that successful PPC management requires both the right tools to automate bid management and a disciplined approach to campaign structure, keyword grouping, creative testing, and data-driven optimization over time.