Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

Eric Miltsch kicks off 2018 with his annual automotive marketing predictions post, reflecting on shifts in consumer behavior, vendor solutions, and dealer complacency after six consecutive years of record new car sales. The thread explores where dealers and vendors are falling short and what changes are needed to maintain a competitive edge. The central insight is that prolonged success has bred stagnation, and those ignoring market signals risk being left behind as the industry evolves.

A dealer discovered a competitor using Nabthat, a lead-capture tool that promises "secret pricing," but found the experience broken: the initial CTA showed prices already advertised publicly, while a follow-up automated email quoted a price $2,000 higher. The thread evolved into a broader discussion about how dealers over-complicate their tech stacks by adopting "cool widgets" without proper implementation, integration, or resource allocation, ultimately creating poor customer experiences and contradicting their own pricing strategies.

Alexander Lau initiates a discussion about AdWords Extensions for automotive dealers, sharing an article that Ryan Everson critiques as outdated and incomplete regarding newer extension types like message, price, and promotion extensions. The conversation evolves to reveal that while most automotive agencies do use extensions, the real performance gains come from proper account segmentation, targeted keywords, and robust negative keyword lists rather than extension implementation alone. Ryan shares concrete metrics (14% CTR on 140K searches) demonstrating the impact of moving paid search in-house with better strategic optimization.

A dealer inquires about purchasing DMV lead lists of businesses that own specific vehicle makes/models to support their new commercial department's outbound calling efforts. Respondents confirm that such lists are available from third-party vendors, though one poster notes that while names, make/model/year, and addresses are typically obtainable, email and phone numbers usually are not included. The thread suggests this is a viable but imperfect lead generation strategy, with one vendor having experienced mixed results.

Greg Schafer asks if anyone has software that displays real-time wait times for Quick Lane services on dealer websites. The thread generates interest but receives limited responses, with only one actionable recommendation: paulray endorses workstiming.com as a solution that provides waiting room, web, and text updates on service progress and availability, though it requires proper setup and staff discipline to work effectively.

The thread discusses leveraging online sales tools during holiday closures, citing data showing that Christmas and Christmas Eve are peak times for used car purchases. The original post presents statistics from Drive Motors' CEO indicating significant spikes in online orders during mid-to-late December (with increases of 39-67%), suggesting dealers should enable online shopping and checkout functionality to capture sales when showrooms are closed. The thread appears incomplete, with a follow-up reply suggesting the original post may have been cut off.

Steve Stauning argues that dealerships are unknowingly funding their vendors' lavish perks — from NADA booths to personal touches like branded swag — through inflated pricing, drawing a parallel to how casino gamblers unknowingly pay for the Bellagio's opulence. The thread challenges dealers to scrutinize vendor overhead costs and question whether they're paying for results or for the vendor's image. The key insight is that a vendor's 'personal touch' and flashy presence are often signals of higher costs passed on to the dealer, not indicators of better performance.

DealerRater announced enhanced versions of its Connections product suite (Connections Plus and Connections Premier) designed to automate review generation and connect salespeople with ready-to-buy shoppers. One commenter expressed optimism about the new features, while another clarified confusion about the timeline—these enhanced products were newly released in December 2017, separate from the initial Connections launch at NADA earlier that year. The thread suggests dealer interest in automation tools that streamline the review and lead-connection process.

A dealer frustrated with Dealer.com's slow update processes and restricted customization options seeks alternative website providers, but learns that his specific limitations stem from FCA Canada program restrictions rather than Dealer.com's capabilities alone. After being denied access to Advanced Composer (which would allow him to modify code directly), the thread reveals that manufacturer programs often mandate certain access levels and design restrictions, meaning the real constraint isn't the vendor but the OEM agreement he's locked into.

Steve Stauning warns dealers against making indiscriminate marketing budget cuts during market slowdowns, using the 2008 recession as a cautionary tale where poorly measured cuts cost dealers both sales and market share. The thread emphasizes that smart dealers with proper tracking and measurement systems can make surgical cuts to underperforming channels while maintaining or gaining market share, whereas reactive dealers without data lose out. The key insight is that dealers need to establish robust lead attribution and ROI tracking systems now—before financial pressure forces survival-mode decisions—so they can make informed cuts if needed rather than blindly slashing budgets across the board.

Automotive marketing professionals share their video and photo equipment setups for content creation across different formats (standard video, live streaming, and mobile). Key gear mentioned includes cameras like the Panasonic Lumix G85 and Canon T6i, microphones from Rode and Shure, and lighting kits, with a consistent emphasis on landscape orientation and quality audio. The thread underscores that video content creation is increasingly essential for automotive dealers, with one participant noting that video consumption and marketing effectiveness are accelerating trends that marketers must prioritize.

The thread promotes a content marketing approach where salespeople use video touchpoints after a vehicle sale to nurture customer relationships, drive repeat business, and generate referrals. The core insight is that amateur salespeople abandon effort after closing, while experienced ones treat every sold customer as a long-term asset worth continued investment. Seven specific post-sale video ideas are introduced as practical tools to shift that mindset.

Facebook is testing pre-roll video advertisements before its Watch shows, representing a new monetization strategy for the platform's video content. This development is relevant for auto dealers using Facebook advertising, as it signals Facebook's expansion into traditional television-style ad formats and could affect video advertising costs and placement options on the platform.

Steve Stauning argues that dealers facing a softening vehicle market cannot simply cut digital marketing budgets to protect margins, nor blindly spend on trendy tactics. The thread centers on the classic problem of poor tracking and measurement, which leaves dealers unable to distinguish effective spend from waste — making rational conquest and market share growth strategies nearly impossible. The key insight is that disciplined measurement, not blanket cuts or hype-driven spending, is what separates dealers who grow share in down markets from those who simply survive.

A dealer.com user shared a reference key of Google Analytics events that Dealer.com pre-codes into their sites, tracking specific user interactions like VDP engagement, MyCars logins, and faceted search filtering. The thread clarifies that these events measure clickable interactions rather than page views, and explains where to find them in Google Analytics (Behavior > Events > Overview), though Dealer.com notes they're primarily for internal debugging purposes. The key insight is that many dealers are unaware these pre-built events exist and can be leveraged to build GA goals and better understand visitor behavior.

A Florida-based dealer specializing in European and exotic cars (6-12 years old, ~100k miles) sought advice on why their inventory marketing strategy that worked well on the West Coast wasn't translating to the same success in the Orlando/Tampa area. Responses highlighted that Florida's lower cost of living may drive buyer preference toward newer, lower-mileage vehicles rather than the older inventory the dealer specializes in, and advised focusing on coastal markets (Tampa/St Pete, Daytona) while building online reviews as a new dealership. The key takeaway was that market demographics and buyer purchasing power—not just location—significantly influence inventory demand.

The original post highlights VW selling a limited edition vehicle on Amazon Italy as a warning sign that dealers need to reassess their digital strategies. The poster argues that combined with industry slowdown, low 2018 projections, and ongoing attribution challenges, the emergence of alternative sales channels like Amazon represents a significant competitive threat that traditional dealerships should not ignore.

Automotive marketing professionals are grappling with the challenge of establishing a unified attribution model that the industry can trust and rely on, with attribution identified as a critical gap in current marketing measurement practices. The 2017 DSES Panel and DealerRefresh Roundtable discussions revealed broad consensus among dealers, general managers, and vendors that inconsistent attribution methodologies are hindering their ability to accurately measure marketing performance across channels. The key insight is that industry-wide adoption of standardized attribution frameworks is essential for dealers to make informed decisions about marketing spend allocation.

A newer salesman questions whether dealers should avoid discussing price online and instead bring customers to the dealership for negotiation. Experienced dealers largely reject this cautious approach, arguing that refusing to answer pricing questions online causes lost sales to competitors who will provide transparent quotes and complete deals before prospects visit the lot. The consensus insight is that transparency and answering customer questions directly builds trust and ultimately drives more business than withholding information.

The thread discusses direct mail retargeting technology that identifies anonymous website visitors and sends them physical postcards at home, with one participant raising concerns about the privacy implications and data collection methods involved (tracking via mobile apps and WiFi). Another participant acknowledges the technology's marketing effectiveness while emphasizing the ethical responsibility marketers have when deploying such invasive targeting methods.

Steve Stauning presents an infographic aimed at dealers who already have solid sales processes but struggle to generate enough leads, calls, chats, and walk-ins to grow their business. The content offers a step-by-step guide specifically for increasing the volume of opportunities — or 'at-bats' — rather than improving conversion rates. It's a practical visual resource for dealers who are process-competent but traffic-limited.