Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

Dave Erickson seeks advice on whether to hire an SEO company for link-building and content oversight, despite concerns about the owner's involvement in unrelated businesses that might threaten the company's stability and focus. The thread's key insight is that the month-to-month contract structure makes it a low-risk trial, and that Dave should ensure the SEO vendor complements rather than duplicates work already being done by his current website provider (Cobalt). Community members generally agree it's worth trying given the flexible terms and the vendor's proven results at other dealerships.

Dealers discuss frustration with Chevrolet and Cobalt's required address field on vehicle detail pages, which they argue discourages customer inquiries and generates fewer leads despite GM's tracking intentions. One user provides a technical workaround using jQuery and CSS to remove the requirement, though another warns this will upset GM when leads lack address data. The conversation broadens into criticism of other problematic form design choices like the "Make An Offer" button, which participants argue increases conversion metrics without actually driving sales.

Chris Cachor shares a Seth Godin blog excerpt arguing that effective marketing—whether billboards or websites—succeeds by clearly communicating what a solution *accomplishes* rather than cramming in every feature and detail about how it works. The key insight is that marketers often fill available space with information out of fear, when restraint and focus on customer benefit actually drive better conversion and lead generation results.

A dealer frustrated with an 8-day service lead outage received only a "you're in queue" response from his vendor, prompting community advice on escalation tactics. The consensus strategy is to quickly escalate to supervisors and executives while remaining professional, with the threat of cancellation often prompting faster resolution. The original poster's positive resolution came only when he reached a higher-level contact who acknowledged the problem directly rather than offering standard deflections—highlighting that persistence in climbing the corporate ladder, not acceptance of queue answers, gets results.

Jeff Kershner and Malinda share their DSES conference presentation 'Secrets of the Inbox - The New Evolution of Email,' making it available via SlideShare after high demand. A standout reply from Kelly Wilson reports dramatic real-world results after implementing the presentation's tactics, with email open rates jumping from 11.8% to 32.5% in under two weeks — a compelling validation of the strategies covered.

Kevin Frye shares a video presentation originally created for Digital Dealer 13 that explores how modern car shoppers search on Google, arguing dealers can gain insight into buyer intent by studying search behavior. A key debate emerges in the replies around whether dealers can realistically rank for broad informational queries like 'how do I buy a car online,' with skeptics pointing out that third-party sites like Edmunds and KBB dominate those terms and that targeting them may not be worth the effort.

A dealer inquires about Dealer Imaging, a photo editing service for automotive inventory, and receives critical feedback about their billing practices and inconsistent photo quality. The thread reveals that Dealer Imaging struggled with honoring contract terms (promised photo counts, selective editing, invoicing discrepancies) before the dealer switched back to their previous vendor. A key insight is that photo editing quality depends heavily on hiring skilled professionals and investing in proper software/hardware—not something dealers can replicate cheaply themselves—though the thread's tone shifts significantly when personal hardship is shared, emphasizing community support over business critique.

The thread serves as a profile and review page for Dealer e-Process, an automotive website and digital marketing vendor based in Downers Grove, IL. Dealer customers, including a BMW dealership, praise the company's lead generation, uptime reliability, pricing, and customer service. One off-topic spam reply about a hosted PBX service is also present, diluting the otherwise positive testimonials.

A dealership discovers that Google's mobile interface (iPhone and Android) lacks a visible link to submit new reviews, though reviews can still be read. Responses clarify that users need to access the Google Local app on smartphones rather than the Google+ page, and suggest this limitation is due to Google not updating their mobile review interface. One dealer shares an alternative strategy using QR codes on branded index cards to direct customers to review sites, which proved effective for collecting honest feedback while promoting coupons and service appointments.

An independent dealer in Oklahoma with 4 locations and 200 vehicles seeks advice on improving their online marketing strategy, currently relying on basic platforms (Cars.com, Autotrader, Craigslist) and lacking a CRM system. Responders identify the dealer's key weaknesses as poor lead follow-up accountability, outdated processes, and inadequate phone/video engagement tactics, while recommending he prioritize implementing a CRM, improving their digital presence fundamentals, and attending industry webinars to modernize his approach.

A Mercedes-Benz dealer frustrated with declining ROI from third-party lead providers (AutoByTel, AutoUSA) seeks recommendations on alternatives and receives strong advocacy for Hook Logic's appointment-setting tool over additional third-party vendors. Multiple dealers report positive ROI from Hook Logic, particularly when combined with PPC traffic, and note it can be customized with appropriate messaging for high-end dealerships without appearing unprofessional.

Cobalt's car-buyer intelligence study finds that shoppers visit a minimum of eight dealer websites during their search, with some hitting twenty in a single day, raising the stakes for dealers to deliver a compelling online experience. Jeff Kershner highlights key stats from the accompanying eBook, including that remarketed customers are 3x more likely to click ads and 4x more likely to convert, arguing that dealers who assume repeat customers are guaranteed are putting themselves at serious risk. Cobalt representatives engage in the thread to note that OEM and dealer website visits represent one unified shopping experience for consumers, with more granular data on that connection forthcoming.

A DealerRefresh user alleged that TK Carsites was purchasing fake Facebook likes through Microworkers (a crowdsourcing platform for low-cost tasks) and questioned whether they were also buying fake leads, citing discrepancies between the company's task volume and social media engagement numbers. Multiple community members challenged the poster's evidence as inconclusive, noting that a screenshot alone isn't definitive proof and that TK's actual Facebook page showed relatively modest engagement, ultimately leaving the accusation unresolved before the original poster requested thread deletion.

A Toyota dealer contemplates leaving Dealer.com due to frustration with excessive fees for basic customizations (like a $299 blog setup and $99/month for social media icons) and lack of control over their own website. Responses are mixed—some suggest exploring alternative vendors like eBizAutos or hybrid solutions that offer more flexibility, while others caution that switching platforms is a massive undertaking and recommend maximizing current tools first. The core tension is between Dealer.com's ease-of-use appeal and its nickel-and-diming approach versus the dealer's desire for full technical control and customization at no additional cost.

Andrew Carr announced he's joining BluSolutions as a vendor, transitioning from his previous role as dealership personnel, effective November 1st. He endorsed the company's dealer website and automotive SEO services based on three years of personal experience using their product. The brief replies from peers were congratulatory, with one offering potential collaboration on referrals.

A dealer highlights an unexpected benefit of managed/hosted chat services: maintaining customer contact during physical business closures caused by disasters like Superstorm Sandy. The post argues that even when dealership staff are unavailable and phones are down, a managed chat service with well-trained operators can still engage potential customers—particularly those seeking to replace storm-damaged vehicles—keeping the business accessible during crisis situations.

A dealer implements training sessions to educate salespeople on digital selling practices, including ZMOT concepts and personalized video responses to internet leads, but struggles with adoption and engagement. Community members offer practical suggestions including quiz-based reinforcement of previous training content, leveraging internal success stories for motivation, and partnering with vendors to deliver credible training materials. The key insight is that adoption rates improve significantly when training emphasizes the "why," incorporates social proof from peers, and utilizes professional instructional resources rather than relying solely on management-delivered content.

Ryan Leslie shared an infographic breaking down Google's $100 million daily revenue, highlighting which sectors and advertisers contribute most to that figure, with a focus on the automotive industry. The post invites community members to review the data and react to who the top five advertisers are. The thread appears designed to give automotive dealers insight into Google's revenue sources and competitive advertising landscape within their industry.

A dealer technology developer seeks input from peers on what vehicle and customer information to require in an online appraisal tool designed to generate trade-in leads and pre-populate their in-store appraisal system. The original poster proposes collecting VIN, mileage, maintenance/accident history, and smoker status alongside basic contact info, asking the community what fields would be most valuable while remaining realistic about what customers will honestly disclose online.

Dealers debate website provider costs, ranging from $250/month to $3,000/month, with disagreement over whether high prices represent fair value or dealer overpayment. While one participant argues dealers are grossly overpaying, another counters that when accounting for hosting, inventory feeds, email, maintenance, and development costs, premium pricing is justified. The thread reveals significant price variation and tension between dealers seeking cheap solutions and providers defending higher costs as necessary for quality service.

A dealer seeking website provider recommendations receives suggestions for multiple platforms, with DealerOn emerging as the consensus favorite due to superior customization, responsive customer service, and easy content updates. Other recommended providers include Dealer.com, eBizAutos, TK Connect, Dealer eProcess, and DealerFire, each with specific strengths around inventory search UX and specials page functionality. The thread reveals that dealerships prioritize vendor responsiveness, customization flexibility, and seamless special page management over flashy features.

Kevin Frye opens by admitting some responsibility for Klout obsession in the auto industry after having promoted it at Digital Dealer 11, then questions whether the metric has any real value. Replies largely agree that Klout is superficial and narcissism-driven, with Eric Miltsch pointing out that the algorithm measures social activity rather than genuine expertise or influence — illustrated by the absurd example of Big Ben's Twitter account becoming 'influential' about bongs. The consensus is that Klout scores are gameable, algorithmically inconsistent, and a poor proxy for real-world authority.