Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

The thread explores whether dealership websites are adapting to the growing share of mobile traffic, with data suggesting 10-20% of visitors use mobile devices. Contributors debate the merits of responsive design versus dedicated mobile sites, with some vendors arguing responsive design falls short on smartphones while dedicated mobile versions better serve users' distinct needs. A secondary thread of criticism emerges around one example dealership site plagued by Flash, poor SEO, and mismatched pricing between desktop and mobile feeds.

The thread explores whether Instagram's new 15-second video feature spells the end for Vine, sparked by Aaron Wirtz noticing a surge of spam accounts on Vine around the same time Instagram's update launched. The key insight that emerged is a practical platform strategy: dealers should use Vine for Twitter content since it plays natively there, and Instagram Video for Facebook since it embeds natively in the News Feed. The discussion concludes that both platforms can coexist by serving different social audiences, making a dual-platform approach the smart move for dealerships.

A newly licensed used car dealer seeking to launch a niche sports-luxury dealership asks the DealerRefresh community whether his planned vendor package (Dealer eProcess for website/SEO/SEM, Homenet for inventory management, and a local video startup) is appropriate for a startup operation. The consensus strongly advises against over-investing in vendors and complex solutions initially, with experienced dealers recommending he focus instead on high-quality photography, compelling personal storytelling, and leveraging free or low-cost third-party platforms (Craigslist, AutoTrader, eBay) where inventory visibility will have greater impact than a sophisticated custom website.

Dealers discuss Cars.com's new Cars360 retargeting product (launching June 2012), which targets users who visited Cars.com across a Yahoo/Bing ad network at $2,000-$2,060/month for 50,000 impressions (~$14-$35 CPM). While some debate the pricing and network choice, the consensus is that retargeting qualified car shoppers is a valuable strategy, though participants note it should complement rather than replace other digital marketing efforts.

Automotive SEO professionals react to Google's Penguin update, which penalized link schemes, paid text links, and exact-match anchor text tactics that had previously driven strong organic traffic for dealerships. Guest posting emerges as a potential alternative, though participants debate its longevity and ROI, with some arguing that dealers in less competitive markets are better served by focusing on inventory, merchandising, and pricing fundamentals. The thread captures a pivotal moment of strategy shift, with no clear consensus on what sustainable SEO looks like post-Penguin.

A dealer posts a window sticker showing an Accord marked up $8,000 (25%) through heavily priced dealer-installed accessories and a $999 "market adjustment," asking whether this profit strategy still works. Respondents largely conclude it doesn't—one Honda dealer explains most competitors sell near invoice with minimal add-ons, another shows the dealer's accessory prices are dramatically inflated compared to factory options, and multiple posters warn that such aggressive pricing damages dealer reputation on review sites and is increasingly rejected by informed customers.

Canadian dealership T.A.B. created a creative marketing video that impressed forum members as a refreshing alternative to typical dealership promotional content. Participants discussed how the video effectively communicates the dealership's fun, approachable culture, with one commenter noting that dealerships known for being "easy going" and "fun" build stronger customer loyalty and referral rates. The key insight is that dealerships differentiating themselves through authentic, creative brand personality can attract customers seeking a more enjoyable buying experience.

The thread examines location targeting technology for car dealerships, where a dealer's mobile app tracks customers' physical locations to deliver timely offers — such as when a customer visits a competitor's lot. Commenters quickly surface a key limitation: the strategy only works if customers have already downloaded the dealer's app, meaning it primarily influences existing customers who are cross-shopping. Privacy concerns dominate the pushback, with several participants warning that location tracking without explicit disclosure amounts to spyware that could seriously damage customer trust.

Jason Martin seeks recommendations for a new dealer website provider to replace his ineffective current site, hoping to generate leads and foot traffic for his small Nissan dealership. Respondents emphasize that website choice matters less than pricing strategy, inventory presentation, analytics tracking, and ongoing management—with DealerOn and DealerFire frequently mentioned as strong providers offering responsive customer service. The key insight is that a new website alone won't solve lead generation problems; dealers must also implement competitive pricing, clear calls-to-action, quality inventory photos, and strong SEO to drive actual results.

Dealers discuss strategies for systematically collecting online reviews from sales and service customers, with consensus that asking for reviews at natural transaction touchpoints (delivery, F&I, service cashier) dramatically improves response rates when paired with simple, direct requests. Key recommendations include incentivizing staff through spiff programs and leadership emphasis, leveraging BDC follow-ups to send review links to satisfied customers, and using technology like iPads at the cashier desk to reduce friction in the review submission process. The critical insight is that success depends less on convincing customers to leave reviews and more on executing a seamless operational process that makes requesting and submitting reviews as routine as other standard business requests.

A dealer received a solicitation from a reputation management company offering to artificially boost reviews and manipulate search results through fake positive posts and blog content. Forum members quickly called out the scheme as fraudulent and unethical, with one commenter noting that despite the obvious scam, some desperate dealers will likely fall for it anyway.

Automotive professionals critique a live dealer chat transcript, identifying critical failures in the agent's approach to converting a customer inquiry into a sale. Key issues include: failing to capture the customer's contact information, taking too long to verify inventory, asking closed-ended questions instead of moving toward an appointment, and inadvertently steering the customer away from non-certified vehicles through poor messaging. The consensus is that chat requires deliberate "word tracks" and strategy similar to phone sales, with the primary goal being to qualify the lead, gather information, and move the customer toward a showroom visit or phone conversation.

Todd Caputo shares photos from a new photo booth at his Chevy dealership and receives constructive feedback from the community on video production quality. The discussion centers on technical photography improvements, particularly around camera aperture settings to enhance focus and reduce lighting issues in interior shots, as well as a limitation in Dealer.com's automated video software that prevents synchronizing voiceover narration with corresponding product feature images. The key takeaway is that while the booth produces excellent results overall, adjusting aperture and lighting techniques can further improve the final video output.

Anthony seeks advice on scaling his dealership's online sales from triple digits to 150-250 units per month, prompting responses on website optimization, marketing strategy, and staffing. The discussion centers on two competing priorities: improving inventory page SEO (title tags, meta descriptions, URL structure) versus building broader site traffic through content like blogs and landing pages, with participants debating which delivers better ROI. The key insight is that inventory pages are the primary conversion driver for organic search traffic and should be the optimization priority, though complementary content strategies may provide incremental gains.

The post examines how dealer complaints about third-party automotive listing sites (TrueCar, Cars.com, CarGurus) have evolved beyond traditional concerns like cost, features, and lead volume to reflect a more fundamental shift in how these platforms operate. The key insight is that these sites previously relied on strong brand recognition built through traditional media advertising (TV, sports, etc.), suggesting the nature of their value proposition to dealers has changed significantly in recent years.

Dealers in this thread discuss Edmunds' new price guarantee service for online car shoppers, with skepticism about whether dealers should adopt it. The key concern raised is that Edmunds and similar third-party services are dictating dealer pricing while charging for the privilege, a practice the respondent argues is unique to the automotive industry and unfavorable to dealers compared to other industries where manufacturers don't similarly empower third parties to control pricing.

A dealer asks for recommendations on online training programs for BDC appointment setters, and multiple industry professionals endorse Phone Ninjas as a top resource in the automotive industry. The thread highlights that Phone Ninjas, run by Jerry Thibeau, is widely recognized as a solid and potentially the best phone training program available for dealership staff. The consensus suggests this is a proven solution worth considering for BDC phone training needs.

A dealer asks whether colleagues have opted into a combined Dataium and AutoTrader study that offers participating dealers early access to research findings before public release. Respondents indicate that Dataium has credibility from previous impactful research (including a Cars.com study), though one dealer notes the findings were largely ignored by vendor-heavy communities, and another confirms they enrolled months ago but haven't yet received any results from the year-long rollout.

A dealer recommends Jay Baer's "Youtility" book after seeing him present at Digital Dealer, praising the book's approach to digital reputation and social media strategy. The core insight emphasized is that customer-centric marketing should prioritize asking "How can I help?" rather than pushing sales messages. While acknowledging some concepts may seem obvious, the poster considers it essential reading for automotive professionals managing their digital presence.

Automotive dealers debate whether Search Engine Marketing (SEM/paid search) is an effective use of marketing budget, sparked by eBay's public conclusion that paid search ads don't work. While some argue eBay's findings don't apply to smaller businesses without national brand recognition, others point to studies from Cars.com and Dataium showing dealers waste significant ad spend on SEM—particularly bidding on keywords they already rank for organically—and suggest reallocating those dollars to organic search optimization and other channels with better ROI.

Aaron Wirtz documents his real-world experience transitioning Suzuki of Wichita to Subaru of Wichita on April 1, 2013, focusing specifically on managing Google listings, reviews, and local properties during a brand change. The thread surfaces a key resource from Mike Blumenthal's blog about Google's review troubleshooter for relocated or rebranded businesses, and highlights an important nuance: Google's official guidance frames reviews primarily as something to remove rather than preserve during transitions. The discussion reinforces that careful documentation and proactive management of Google properties are essential when a dealership undergoes a brand or name change.