Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

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.

The thread argues that dealer reviews of automotive vendors are a critical and underutilized resource, drawing a parallel to how consumer reviews transformed retail purchasing decisions. The core insight is that dealers, like everyday consumers, benefit from peer-sourced transparency about vendor performance — and that the industry should embrace structured vendor review platforms to counterbalance vendor-controlled marketing spin.

The thread argues that traditional lead form submissions are declining as a reliable measure of buyer intent, as modern car shoppers have become increasingly wary of submitting their personal information online. The post makes the case that page engagement metrics — such as time on site, pages viewed, and content interactions — are more meaningful indicators of purchase intent in today's market. The key insight is that dealership marketing teams should shift focus from chasing form fills to analyzing deeper behavioral signals to better identify and prioritize genuine in-market buyers.

Ed Brooks sparks a discussion questioning whether simply being 'found' through paid search is enough for dealers, given that automotive advertisers will spend $3.93 billion on paid search in 2016 — 45.1% of their total digital spend. The thread explores whether that massive investment in visibility actually translates to influence and purchase decisions, or whether dealers are just competing loudly for attention without meaningfully differentiating themselves. The key insight is that presence in search results is table stakes, but influencing the buyer at the right moment requires a more strategic approach beyond just showing up.

Tony Schlotter asks Canadian dealership professionals to share which sales campaign strategies have proven most effective for their businesses—such as private sales, staff phone lists, or trade-in programs for existing clients—and how their teams are allocating their time. The post seeks insight into what types of campaigns work rather than execution details, acknowledging that the Canadian market operates differently from the US market.

A Harley-Davidson dealer group's internet manager seeks advice on reducing customer confusion about which store location carries specific motorcycles in their shared multi-location inventory, despite already using color coding and location labels. Multiple respondents recommend UX improvements including: adding location information directly under product images, making location a primary filter on the search results page, prominently displaying store addresses and map links on vehicle detail pages, and labeling images with location banners. The original poster implements several suggestions, including removing the new-window VDP behavior, adding dealer logos to detail pages, and improving location visibility.

Alex cancelled CDK's PowerBrand service after discovering poor PPC conversion rates (high bounce rates, low lead quality) despite strong traffic metrics, then shared his plan to manage campaigns in-house with Logical Position. The discussion evolved into peer advice on PPC campaign management, with Joe Pistell providing practical resources like negative keyword lists and emphasizing the importance of proper tracking and KPI selection (VDP views, Hours & Directions visits, organic traffic) to accurately assess campaign performance. The key insight is that high traffic volume alone is misleading—dealers need to dig into conversion metrics and consider whether managed services are delivering actual quality leads before paying for volume.

This thread explores why one-third of dealers plan to switch AdWords agencies, with participants identifying multiple root causes: agencies lacking transparency about spend allocation, making unrealistic promises without delivering ROI, failing to invest in staff training, and dealers themselves not understanding PPC fundamentals or establishing proper measurement KPIs. The emerging consensus is that distrust stems equally from vendor misconduct (hidden commissions, poor campaign execution) and dealer passivity—the solution requires both more honest, transparent agency partnerships and dealers investing time to learn basic AdWords management and performance metrics.

A dealer struggles with generating quality backlinks and receives advice that traditional directory submissions (DMOZ, Yellow Pages) are largely ineffective for established dealership sites. The consensus recommendation is to pursue local backlinks through community involvement and event sponsorships, which increasingly offer links as a perk and align with Google's focus on local search rankings.