Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

The thread discusses whether dealers should use Black Book Trade Value plugins on their websites, with the main concern being that many implementations aren't mobile-responsive or adaptive. While participants agree that Black Book *can* work well on mobile when implemented correctly (as shown by examples from Dealer.com and FordDirect sites), the core issue is that too many website providers fail to execute this properly, leading to poor user experiences on phones. The consensus is that dealers should audit their plugins for mobile functionality and either fix them or remove them until providers catch up with modern web standards.

A guest user sought feedback on their new Buy Here Pay Here financing website (1minuteapproval.com) designed for Florida dealers, prompting constructive criticism from community members. The main critique focused on critical mobile-friendliness failures, poor UX design choices (underlined non-link text, redundant navigation, missing security messaging on forms), and lack of customer inquiry capabilities, with ed.brooks emphasizing that 70% of BHPH shoppers use mobile devices and the site needed major redesign before launching a paid marketing campaign. The original poster defended their concept citing positive test results with three dealers and promised improvements for a June 2015 launch, though they dismissed some criticism as coming from competitors.

A CarStory study claiming that 9 photos per vehicle listing is optimal—generating 56% more leads than 20-photo listings—sparked debate about whether the finding was meaningful. Participants questioned whether lead volume (the study's metric) actually correlates with sales, whether the data from third-party marketplace sites like VAST applies to dealer sites, and whether the real issue is poor photo curation rather than quantity. The emerging consensus was that strategic photo selection matters more than total count, but dealers prioritizing lead generation over closing rates might benefit from limiting photos to 9.

A dealer raises concerns about differing SEO rankings between mobile and desktop versions of their recently redesigned website, particularly for long-tail keywords. The discussion reveals that Google was implementing major mobile-friendliness ranking algorithm changes and highlights the importance of building mobile strategy as a priority rather than a secondary desktop extension, with one contributor reporting significant improvements after redesigning mobile-specific elements like forms, photos, and maps. A separate issue also emerges where multiple dealers experienced a dramatic drop in iPhone traffic on September 13, 2014, suggesting a potential platform-specific algorithmic shift.

A dealer shares CarStory research revealing which vehicle features and options actually matter to used car shoppers, sparking discussion about how dealers should optimize their classified listings to match consumer priorities. Key insights include the need to highlight media connectivity features (Bluetooth, iPhone/Android compatibility) prominently with photos and bold text, avoid listing outdated standard features like power windows, and describe reconditioning work—all requiring dealers to invest time in individualized, consumer-focused descriptions rather than relying on generic comment generators.

Jeff Kershner shares CarStory research revealing that music and media connectivity is the single most in-demand feature among used car shoppers aged 18-65. The thread offers actionable merchandising tips, including taking close-up photos of Bluetooth icons, USB ports, and phone compatibility labels, and calling out these features prominently in vehicle descriptions to attract more buyers.

A dealer noticed unusual traffic spikes on April 21st and 28th and initially suspected Google's "Mobilegeddon" mobile-friendly algorithm update, but investigation revealed the bumps were actually from referral traffic originating from a regional Honda dealer ad association campaign. Participants debated whether Mobilegeddon would have significant immediate impact, with consensus suggesting the mobile-friendly shift would be gradual rather than disruptive, and that dealers didn't need to rush into responsive design overhauls.

A dealer seeking a group portal site asks whether DealerCarSearch.com compares favorably to Dealer.com (DDC), prompting responses about DealerCarSearch's template-based approach, outdated SEO practices, and limited customization options. The discussion reveals a critical concern for franchise dealers: smaller vendors risk becoming obsolete when OEMs mandate "preferred or certified" website vendors, potentially forcing dealers to rebuild their sites or manage multiple platforms. The consensus leans toward Dealer.com for franchise operations due to OEM approval and vendor stability, with warnings that smaller platforms lack the resources and vendor-mandated status that franchise dealers need long-term.

A guest contributor argues that automotive sales resumes are marketing documents designed to spin accomplishments and hide failures, and that most hiring mistakes can be caught during the resume review stage. The post walks dealers through red flags and evaluation techniques to separate genuine performers from candidates who simply interview well. The core insight is that treating resumes as factual records rather than persuasion tools is where many dealership hiring decisions go wrong.

Jeff Kershner shares a YouTube video demonstrating a method for promoting DealerRater reviews to boost dealer visibility and reputation management. Craig responds with an additional YouTube video, suggesting an alternative or complementary approach to the same topic. The thread appears to be a brief exchange of video-based tactics for leveraging review platforms as a marketing tool, though specific details about the methods are not provided in the text.

Rick Buffkin asks about CRM retargeting services that match dealership customer databases to browser cookies and device IDs to enable targeted advertising across 120+ platforms, claiming 30-55% match rates. Drew Ament recommends Facebook Custom Audiences and Google's similar tools as more cost-effective alternatives to third-party retargeting vendors, and suggests segmenting audiences by service lapse, lease expiration, and purchase timing rather than relying solely on sales data.

Dealers debated whether cost per lead is a meaningful marketing metric, with consensus emerging that it's an incomplete measure that can lead to poor decisions if used in isolation. The conversation evolved to highlight that cost per sale, conversion rates, time-to-close, and overall ROI are far more actionable metrics, with one participant suggesting that dealers should dig deeper into attribution across all traffic sources including walk-ins and non-converting website visitors rather than fixating on lead cost alone.

A dealer reported that Google Maps is displaying the OEM (Chevrolet.com) website link instead of their dealership URL when searching for "Chevy" alone, though the dealer link reappears when adding keywords. The consensus solution is to correct the listing through Google Map Maker, with one experienced dealer noting that Chevrolet may have created separate parts and service department listings that are blending with dealer listings and causing this issue—a correction that could be complicated.

A dealer warns that canceling a TrueCar agreement doesn't automatically stop data sharing, as dealers must separately contact DMI to halt the practice. The thread highlights a responsibility gap where TrueCar should handle this independently, and recommends dealers audit their data-sharing arrangements with both DMI and Authenticom to understand who has access to their information.

A dealer received a Cars.com lead for a specific used vehicle but discovered the customer was actually sourced from CarsDirect, which the dealer had never authorized. The thread reveals that Cars.com purchases leads from third-party sources like CarsDirect and CarGurus without dealers' explicit knowledge, then redistributes them under the Cars.com brand, creating confusion about lead origin and dealer agreements.

The thread explores Google AdWords' call-only campaign feature, which converts ad clicks directly into phone calls, capitalizing on the stat that 70% of mobile searchers call businesses directly from search results. Dealers and marketers discuss how this compares to the older call extension feature and debate its practical value for automotive dealerships looking to drive more inbound phone leads. The key insight is that mobile consumer behavior strongly favors direct phone contact, making call-only campaigns a potentially high-ROI tool for dealers.

Costco has expanded beyond its new car buying program to test a used car buying service where franchised dealers list vehicles with remaining factory warranty and agree to discount prices by at least $1,000 for Costco members. One dealer shares that success with the program requires going beyond the basic guidelines—by negotiating higher discounts, integrating the offer across their digital properties, and treating Costco leads strategically rather than passively following program rules. The key insight is that third-party automotive services like Costco work best when dealers creatively optimize the program structure rather than simply accepting default terms.

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Dealership showrooms are predominantly running Windows 7, with some upgrading to Windows 8, though legacy systems like Windows XP are slowly being phased out due to performance issues. A major barrier to OS upgrades is DMS software compatibility—particularly ADP's Web Suite, which doesn't support Windows 8 Pro—forcing dealerships to choose between staying on outdated operating systems or switching DMS providers entirely. The discussion highlights a broader tension in the industry where older software architecture limits technology adoption and security improvements across dealership operations.

Stefan introduces Google Trusted Business View, a Google Maps feature allowing certified photographers to create interior 360-degree photo tours of businesses like car dealerships, and invites active photographers in the automotive industry to introduce themselves and share their services. The thread generates interest from dealers exploring the marketing opportunity for showcasing showrooms and service departments, with participants requesting photographer referrals in their regions. A Google Trusted Photographer named Thomas Hayden (GigaView360) joins the thread as a resource, establishing it as a potential networking point for dealers seeking this specialized service.

Mike Haeg explores the psychology behind why people instinctively seek out their own faces in photos and how savvy marketers can leverage this behavior to drive engagement on automotive websites and ads. The core insight is that featuring real, relatable human faces — not stock photography — in dealership marketing creates an instinctive visual pull that can meaningfully improve click-through and conversion rates. The thread invites dealers to rethink how they use imagery to trigger subconscious engagement before a single word is read.

A Ford dealer questions whether their website is underperforming, noting that only 15% of leads came from their own site versus 54% from manufacturer sources (Ford Direct) in their best month. Experienced forum members reassure him that lead sources vary seasonally and by traffic volume, but emphasize that dealers shouldn't rely solely on organic traffic—instead, they should actively drive traffic through PPC, email campaigns, and ensure their website is promoted across all customer touchpoints. The key insight is that while the dealer's website lead percentage may be lower than ideal, the real opportunity lies in implementing proactive marketing strategies rather than worrying about benchmark ratios.