Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

Alexander Lau requests a standardized list of Google Analytics goals and best practices for different automotive web platforms, noting that URL structures vary widely across providers. Respondents point to String Automotive's blog (with platform-specific guides for Vinsolutions, Cobalt, and Dealer.com), PCG Digital Marketing's Google Analytics certification course, and Lot Linx's free goal/event setup services as practical resources. The key takeaway is that while no universal standard exists, multiple vendors offer platform-specific guidance and free setup assistance for dealers seeking to track key metrics like VDP views, credit applications, and trade-in submissions.

The thread discusses Google's dynamic remarketing feature for automotive dealers, which displays ads containing the specific vehicles a user previously browsed on the dealership's website, rather than generic ads. The original poster reports 51% higher conversion rates with dynamic remarketing versus regular remarketing and notes it was in limited beta until recently, presenting an underutilized opportunity for dealers. The discussion confirms this isn't entirely new technology but acknowledges its improved automotive application and emphasizes the importance of testing, optimization, and data-backed decision-making rather than adopting it simply as a trendy feature.

A dealer seeks a cost-effective solution to display dynamic sales tax and tag calculations on their vehicle detail pages based on customer zip code input, citing concerns about expensive API services like DMV Nationwide's $8-per-query model. Responses suggest exploring cheaper alternatives, such as pre-building a local database of tax rates by city/state that updates periodically rather than making live API calls, and investigating whether data providers like Acxiom offer bulk tax rate information.

Alexander Lau reported that Autotrader's dashboard stopped displaying leads mid-November (around the 16th) for multiple client accounts across various demographics, though the leads may have still been delivered to CRMs. After receiving vague explanations from Autotrader support, Lau confirmed the issue was resolved via email, noting it affected many dealers but received minimal attention or communication from the platform.

A dealer consultant seeks low-budget marketing strategies to build awareness and drive foot traffic for a newly opened Toyota dealership in a remote location. Responses suggest focusing on cost-effective digital channels like Facebook, Google Ads, and display advertising to build brand awareness in the local demographic, while one responder requests more specific details (dealership name, geography, competition) before offering tailored advice. The consensus indicates that remote locations require scaled-down marketing budgets but can still achieve awareness through targeted digital advertising and local partnerships.

A CDJR dealer frustrated by FCA's control of their primary domain seeks advice on whether to fight OEM restrictions or build their website strategy around alternate domains. While contributors offer practical solutions—such as using multiple domains with authority and SEO strategies to compensate for losing the primary URL—the core issue remains that FCA's pending approval of third-party vendors may impose the same contractual constraints dealers currently face with mandatory OEM-approved providers, leaving limited room for dealer independence.

The thread explores how dealerships can balance their focus between low-funnel buyers ready to close quickly and higher-funnel leads who need longer nurturing before purchasing. The core argument is that most BDCs are understandably oriented toward immediate closers, but dealerships leave long-term revenue on the table by ignoring prospects who aren't yet ready to buy. A balanced lead nurture infrastructure can capture both without pulling BDC resources away from hot leads.

A former Internet director turned vendor examines the common frustration of 'mystery leads' — consumers who deny submitting a lead — and argues dealers are often being misled or misunderstanding the lead generation process. The post aims to reframe how BDC teams think about third-party leads and offers guidance on working them more effectively rather than dismissing them as wasted spend.

A dealer asks whether Hyundai UK's new Click to Buy platform—which allows customers to purchase vehicles entirely online—signals a shift that US manufacturers might adopt, or if it will remain a Europe-only model like Amazon's automotive ventures. The post opens discussion about direct-to-consumer sales capabilities and regulatory differences between UK and US auto markets.

Automotive industry professionals share their favorite mobile apps for dealership operations in 2017, with responses ranging from inventory management tools (Homenet) and CRM platforms (elead) to marketing apps (Instagram, Facebook Ad Manager, Adwords) and productivity software (Slack, Trello, Evernote). The key insight is that successful dealers leverage both industry-specific apps for selling and servicing vehicles and mainstream apps for marketing and team collaboration, though many CRM users aren't fully utilizing their apps' advanced features like video walkarounds and VIN scanning.

A dealer asks for SEO company recommendations to improve local search visibility and directory listings. The thread surfaces several highly-regarded boutique agencies and consultants specializing in automotive SEO—most notably Manny Luna (VL Automotive Marketing) and Eric Miltsch, with additional recommendations for Matt McDermott and several mid-sized firms like AutoFusion and Dealer Authority. The consistent advice emphasizes working with specialized experts or small teams rather than large generalist companies, as they deliver better results and personalized service for automotive dealerships.

The discussion debates the optimal timing for lead capture in automotive marketing, with Chris Leslie advocating for early conversion to reduce ad spend, while Jeff Kershner counters that capturing leads too early in the purchase funnel is ineffective unless dealers commit to sustained 90+ day follow-up (which most fail to do). A key insight emerges: early lead capture alone doesn't drive sales—success requires either dedicated resources for extended nurturing or marketing automation systems that can maintain contact until buyer intent actually materializes.

Alexander Lau seeks a comprehensive list of OEM and Tier 2 automotive referral websites to filter in Google Analytics, specifically sites used by manufacturers to direct buyers to incentives and dealership locators (like Chrysler's and Chevy's branded sites). A community member provides an extensive list of classifieds and automotive listing sites, but Lau clarifies he needs the manufacturer-owned domains themselves, which aren't readily compiled—leading him to attempt direct outreach to OEMs for this data. The thread reveals a gap in readily available aggregated lists of OEM referral domains, suggesting this information either exists in fragmented form or requires direct inquiry from manufacturers.

Ian Wittig solicits input from DealerRefresh members for an article on online car buying, asking three questions: who will dominate online sales in 10 years (dealers, manufacturers, or tech companies), what the biggest obstacle to online car buying is, and what technology/website consumers use first when shopping for vehicles. The thread appears to be a straightforward research request with an offer to provide backlinks and credit to respondents in the published Vinadvisor article.

Ed Brooks shares a Forbes interview with CarMax's CIO highlighting the company's digital transformation strategy, which emphasizes online finance, home delivery, and customer experience (mentioned 22 times) while notably absent is any discussion of lead generation. The post suggests this represents a fundamental strategic shift among major competitors—away from traditional lead-focused marketing toward end-to-end customer experience optimization—that independent dealers should recognize as competitive pressure.

The thread debates whether dealers overspend on paid search advertising, with Ed Brooks (from Cars.com) arguing that while paid search has a place in budgets, many dealers may be spending disproportionately given diminishing returns, while other participants highlight that dealers are often being overcharged for ineffective services. A key consensus emerges around the need for proper ROI tracking: most participants agree that dealers can't determine if they're overspending unless they measure results from keywords all the way to actual sales in their DMS, rather than relying on vanity metrics like clicks and impressions.

The thread explores how the modern car buyer arrives at the dealership already armed with pricing, inventory, and competitive data after 16+ hours of online research, fundamentally shifting the sales dynamic. The central argument is that dealerships need to rethink their hiring and training strategies for 2017, focusing on consultative salespeople who can meet informed buyers with transparency rather than traditional high-pressure tactics. The key insight is that the old-school sales approach is increasingly misaligned with buyer expectations, and dealers who adapt their staffing model to this reality will have a competitive edge.

A dealer raises concerns about Facebook's acknowledged flaws in reporting advertising metrics (including 55% overestimated audience reach), questioning whether competitors relying heavily on Facebook ads might be making decisions based on inflated performance data. The consensus among respondents is that savvy dealers should never rely on Facebook's native metrics alone, instead tracking their own conversion data and interactions, while one participant suggests using Facebook's Offline Events tool for more accurate attribution. The key insight is that Facebook's measurement problems could mask poor ad performance, making it risky for dealerships to allocate significant budgets to the platform without independent verification of results.

Google's January 2017 penalty against intrusive pop-ups sparked dealer debate about whether to abandon them, with the consensus emerging that the policy primarily targets mobile interstitials blocking significant screen real estate—not traditional pop-ups or pop-unders. Steve Stauning emphasized that dealers shouldn't overreact by eliminating all pop-ups, as alternative engagement methods like smaller entry banners, exit widgets, and retargeting can maintain lead generation while improving user experience. The key insight is that compliant pop-ups can still expand after user engagement, allowing dealers to balance Google's mobile-first rules with conversion goals through better UX design.

Automotive dealers and marketers debate whether to expand paid search campaigns beyond Google to Bing and Yahoo, with discussion centered on market share claims, cost-per-click differences, and conversion quality across platforms. While some cite the Firefox-Yahoo partnership and Bing's low CPC as reasons to diversify, others counter with actual performance data showing Google delivers superior ROI despite higher costs, and question inflated statistics about Bing's reach (noting that "powered by" includes indirect sources like Siri that don't generate ad impressions). The consensus leans toward Google remaining the priority investment, though Yahoo warrants testing as a secondary platform, while Bing's high bounce rates and low conversions make it less worthwhile for automotive dealers.

A GM store Digital Marketing Manager seeks validation that their dealer.com website is superior to the required CDK OEM-compliance website, as the GM wants to eliminate the dealer.com site to cut costs. The thread's consensus strongly favors maintaining the separate dealer.com site, with industry veterans citing CDK's restrictive platform limitations, poor conversion performance compared to third-party alternatives, and the fact that the dealer.com site is already optimized and promoted across all marketing channels.