Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

George Nenni inquires about Cars.com's new social media targeting product (Cars Social), seeking user experiences and performance data from dealers already using it for Facebook retargeting and conquest advertising with regional exclusivity options. The thread appears to be an information-gathering post from a vendor or consultant seeking real-world success metrics to evaluate the offering's viability for their dealer customers. No conclusion or responses are provided in the excerpt.

Chris Leslie sought help integrating Leadsbridge with Dealersocket after experiencing issues with lead delivery, citing unhelpful support from Leadsbridge. Nancy Hernandez identified a common culprit: test leads lacking phone numbers or email addresses are rejected as invalid by CRMs. Chris ultimately resolved the issue, though the specific solution wasn't detailed in the thread.

Chris Leslie's lead ads were being disapproved with a forced-download error message, affecting only one of his ad accounts. Mike Sayre identified the likely culprit as a pop-up on the landing page (specifically an OEM survey), and Chris confirmed the issue was resolved by changing the form from a "visit site" action to a "phone call" action, which was approved immediately. The key takeaway is that Facebook lead ad disapprovals citing forced downloads often stem from pop-ups or survey elements on the landing page rather than the ad itself.

Steve Stauning argues that Toyota dealers collectively waste roughly $108 million annually on fraudulent or ineffective SEM—primarily display and pay-per-click advertising—estimating about $6,000 per dealer per month in wasted spend. He uses the Toyota-vs-Ford market share battle as a hook to illustrate how significant that misallocated budget could be if redirected toward legitimate targeted advertising. The thread frames ad fraud and poor SEM management as a systemic, industry-wide problem with massive aggregate consequences for OEM competitiveness.

Cars.com introduced a new "Hot Car" badge feature that uses machine learning to analyze over 50 market factors and automatically identify inventory likely to sell quickly, helping dealers generate additional demand. The badge appears prominently on Cars.com listings to highlight these in-demand vehicles to shoppers. The feature represents Cars.com's effort to enhance their price contextualization tools and help dealers turn inventory faster.

Brandon Voov seeks dealer feedback on launching a new automotive advertising platform, asking what features and pricing would appeal to franchised and independent dealers. Respondents emphasize that the market is already saturated with classified listing sites and that success requires demonstrable results rather than novel features, with one commenter noting that only Gurus has meaningfully challenged the incumbents (Cars.com, AutoTrader) by delivering actual dealer ROI. The implicit conclusion is that new entrants face a high bar—dealers are skeptical of unproven platforms and will only adopt them if they drive measurable lead quality and sales, not based on flashy features alone.

Dealers discuss essential features and pain points of call tracking software, with participants debating whether contract flexibility, number portability, and advanced attribution matter more than basic reliability and cost. CallRail emerges as a popular choice praised for affordable pricing and user-friendly dynamic call tracking that attributes calls to specific keywords and campaigns, though some users report technical issues like call lag; the broader consensus is that foundational functionality and ease of use often outweigh specialized auto-industry features that may come with less stable performance.

Google has rolled out infinite scrolling on its mobile app for iOS and Android, replacing the traditional "Next Page" button with continuous scrolling through search results. The original poster provides screenshots and directs others to update their Google app to see the feature, which represents a shift in how mobile search results are displayed and navigated.

A dealer group wants Google organic sitelinks to display individual store locations rather than generic category links, prompting discussion about whether this is controllable. The consensus is that Google has automated sitelinks with limited manipulation available—users can no longer demote unwanted links in Search Console—though best practices like optimized site structure, quality internal linking, and updated sitemaps may improve results. A practical workaround mentioned is using paid search brand campaigns with sitelink extensions instead, which provide more control and reliable visibility.

Joe Webb uses a tongue-in-cheek metaphor about STDs to warn dealers against impulsively switching or adding digital vendors after conference season. The core insight is that chasing shiny new tools without vetting them thoroughly can leave dealerships worse off, and loyalty to a proven partner often beats experimenting with the latest pitch. Dealers are encouraged to evaluate vendors critically rather than being swayed by the polished conference floor presentations.

A Syracuse dealer questions whether to cancel Cars.com due to rate increases and poor ROI, sparking debate about the value of third-party listing sites versus their costs. Responses are mixed: some dealers defend the platforms as affordable classifieds compared to traditional print advertising, while others express frustration that dealers lack unified negotiating power and struggle to measure actual ROI from these vendors. The thread reveals a common dealer dilemma—most feel trapped in a cycle of paying multiple third-party sites without clear proof of return, yet fear canceling will hurt sales.

A dealer asks whether creating fun, quirky YouTube videos alongside standard walk-around videos would benefit their dealership, but faces pushback from their digital marketing rep. The community largely supports the idea, with consensus that public walk-around and entertaining videos can drive engagement and traffic when properly titled, tagged, and promoted on social media, though personalized customer videos should remain private. The key insight is that creative, differentiated video content works well for dealerships—the challenge is execution through proper SEO optimization and strategic placement rather than the concept itself.

Jeff Kershner opens a discussion about where dealers are falling short in digital and customer experience, referencing a Google guidebook that highlights how consumers now visit fewer than two dealerships before buying and expect a frictionless online process. The thread explores the gap between where the industry says it needs to be and how dealerships are actually executing on digital strategy. Key insight centers on the disconnect between acknowledging digital's importance and genuinely delivering a modern, consumer-driven purchasing experience.

Multiple Cadillac dealers' Facebook pages simultaneously posted an article about using human blood to poison mosquitos, raising concerns about wasted advertising spend and quality control. A respondent diagnosed the issue as a content management problem where a deleted Cadillac article was redirected to Brink Wire's homepage, causing Facebook to pull an unrelated mosquito story's image due to missing Open Graph tags. The thread highlights the risks of outsourced social media management and emphasizes the importance of dealers creating their own original content with proper quality assurance processes.

A dealer inquires about Yelp's WiFi offering and whether it's worth granting the platform access to customer data. The discussion compares Yelp's paid WiFi system unfavorably to free alternatives like Facebook WiFi and Cloud4Wi, with participants weighing the tradeoffs between customer data collection and marketing benefits, ultimately concluding that consumers are generally willing to trade personal information for free WiFi and relevant ads.

A dealership marketer transitioning from agency work struggles with tracking form submissions and abandonment on CDK Global and Dealer.com platforms, which lack standard thank you pages needed for ROI measurement. Responses recommend using Google Analytics custom goals and event tracking as workarounds, with Google Tag Manager as a last resort, while acknowledging that vendor lock-in and OEM requirements intentionally limit flexibility in automotive dealership software. The thread highlights a broader frustration with automotive industry practices around analytics transparency and control compared to open web standards.

Dealers debate the effectiveness of new car promotions, with discussion ranging from gimmicky giveaways like $20 gas cards (which may attract tire-kickers rather than serious buyers) to more strategic approaches like targeted emails, model-specific offers, and creative cross-promotions tied to local institutions or industries. The consensus emerging is that true specials require a well-thought strategy with proper website presentation, inventory curation, and email campaigns—not just flashy incentives—and that managers need to measure actual conversion rates to distinguish between customers already in-market versus those genuinely attracted by the promotion itself.

Daniel Brandon Able seeks recommendations for managing marketing operations across four dealerships, including organization tools and communication strategies. Multiple professionals recommend project management platforms like DivvyHQ, Asana, Wrike, and Notion as superior alternatives to Trello for handling multi-store campaigns, with several emphasizing that tool selection matters less than proper organizational discipline and integration with communication systems like Slack.

DealerRater announced an enhancement to Salesperson Connect that allows shoppers to view salesperson profiles, reviews, and biographies on Cars.com and contact salespeople directly before visiting the dealership. The feature reportedly increases closing rates by 89 percent for customers who select a salesperson based on reviews, highlighting the significant value of salesperson-level ratings for both dealer conversion and consumer decision-making.

At NADA 2018, Cars.com launched Cars Social, a new social media advertising product designed to help dealers reach in-market shoppers more effectively. The company also announced it would offer Conversations™, an AI chat solution from recently-acquired Dealer Inspire, to select dealers visiting their booth. The announcements reflect Cars.com's strategy to expand beyond classifieds into integrated digital marketing and customer engagement tools.

The thread critiques self-proclaimed internet "gurus" who use modest income levels as proof of success while giving financial and business advice, arguing that such credentials lack credibility. Participants note that DealerRefresh has avoided attracting this type of personality due to strong moderation that encourages respectful challenge of ideas, contrasting this with the automotive industry's tendency to follow flashy personalities and buzzwords. The key insight is that genuine credibility comes from sustained, proven results and humble communication rather than ostentatious displays of wealth or credentials.

Dealer Inspire announced two new technology products at the 2018 NADA Show: Website Voice Search, which enables customers to search vehicle inventory using voice commands instead of typing, and Metal, a next-generation inventory management system. The announcement highlights the company's focus on modernizing the digital car-shopping experience to adapt to evolving consumer preferences and dealership needs.