Websites, SEO, SEM, Display, Social, Marketing

The thread discusses how to convert online car shoppers into dealership visitors by addressing the primary concern driving customers to research multiple dealer websites: transparent, competitive pricing. The key insight is that dealers should prominently advertise market-based pricing and "what you see is what you pay" messaging across their website and marketing channels, as this transparency differentiates them in a market where customers spend 17-19 hours researching before visiting a dealership.

A Ford dealer (MidwestFord) inquires about services that enable customers to text a vehicle's stock number and automatically receive a link to that vehicle's detail page. Another forum member (yagoparamo) recommends contacting David Sawyer at Advanced Mobile, LLC, providing his contact information and website. The original poster indicates they will follow up on this lead.

A new member proposes offering dealers phone-verified internet leads (confirmed by human callers rather than automated systems) and seeks feedback on market viability. The discussion reveals skepticism about the concept, with dealers expressing concerns about customer experience friction from multiple handoffs, poor lead quality from comparable programs (like GM Handraisers), and the importance of pricing—ultimately concluding that such leads might only work in niche scenarios (like hard-money financing dealers) rather than mainstream dealership operations.

Dealers ask for recommendations on email marketing solutions, with MailChimp emerging as the top choice for self-administered campaigns due to its ease of use and ability to continuously add new customer lists. The discussion reveals that while generic platforms (MailChimp, Constant Contact, AWeber) offer solid functionality, industry-specific solutions like Dominion/AutoRevenue provide superior value through managed services, personalized campaigns, and detailed reporting tailored to dealership needs. The key insight is that success depends on choosing between self-service platforms for cost control or managed vendors for expertise and integration with DMS/CRM systems.

Dealers express frustration with Dealer.com's service limitations despite paying premium prices ($1,600+/month), particularly around unclear policies on whether basic content updates (photos, banners, text) are included in the "managed" service or require extra fees. While acknowledging the platform's strong performance and lead generation, users report consistently receiving "that's extra" responses when requesting rep-made changes and feel the service quality doesn't match the cost and the Dealer.com branding displayed on their sites. The key insight is that Dealer.com's pricing model appears disconnected from service expectations—dealers want basic update support included at this price point but aren't receiving clear answers or consistent support.

Marc McGurren sought recommendations for a single application that combines video conferencing with desktop sharing to present tracking reports to multiple dealerships simultaneously. Community members suggested several solutions including Procaster (LiveStream), TeamViewer, Skype's built-in screen sharing feature, Google Hangouts, and Rhubbcom, with Google Hangouts emerging as a particularly popular option despite having participant limits. The consensus was that multiple viable free and paid options exist, making it unnecessary to resort to purchasing Apple products to achieve this functionality.

Jeff Kershner announces he and Malinda Terreri will co-present a session called 'Secrets of the Inbox: The New Evolution of Email' at the DSES conference, arguing that email remains the top online marketing channel for dealerships—surpassing paid search, social, and SEO. A commenter validates the premise by noting they personally check email constantly but ignore most marketing messages, framing the session as essential for learning how to cut through inbox clutter. The thread is light on technical detail but serves as a promotional teaser for the conference session.

The thread tackles the challenge of system integration in automotive dealerships, focusing on how DMS providers, third-party vendors, and dealers struggle to share data securely and consistently. Key contributors highlight the lack of standardized data formats for vehicle inventory, the security risks of unchecked DMS access, and the legal exposure dealers face when signing vendor integration agreements without scrutiny. The overarching conclusion is that the industry urgently needs both data standards and stronger security protocols before integration can truly function as intended.

A dealer inquired about LEMACOM's Customer Acquisition Program, prompting multiple negative responses from community members who found the company's website vague, its sales presentation unconvincing (including an inability to name specific syndication partners), and its claims about distributing inventory to "1000+ websites" unsubstantiated. When LEMACOM's representative eventually responded nearly a year later, they clarified their actual service without directly addressing the skepticism, leaving the community consensus that the vendor appeared unprofessional and lacked transparency.

Multiple dealership marketers reported that their Google Review responses mysteriously disappeared, with some responses reappearing while others remained missing—a problem that appeared to correlate with Google's Places/Local/+ merger. No solution was identified in the thread, though participants confirmed the issue affected multiple dealers and expressed frustration about the lack of information on recovery options.

Marketing professionals discuss Facebook's alleged algorithm changes that dramatically reduced organic reach for business pages, with the original poster arguing that dealerships should prioritize building owned email lists rather than relying on unpredictable social media platforms. The thread highlights concerns from major advertising executives about Facebook's business model prioritizing paid advertising over organic content visibility. The key takeaway is that dealerships should treat social media as unstable and supplement it with direct marketing channels they fully control, like email newsletters.

Dealers discuss creative online contest ideas for driving customer engagement and foot traffic, with an initial focus on an Easter Egg Hunt concept that incorporates social media elements like hints, bonus entries behind "Like" gates, and off-hours lot access via Twitter. The thread emphasizes the importance of simplicity in gameplay and suggests leveraging charity partnerships (such as local nonprofits supporting breast cancer awareness) to increase viral sharing and social media reach.

A forum member shared Search Engine Land's "Periodic Table of SEO Ranking Factors," a visual guide organizing key SEO elements in an easy-to-reference format. The brief responses indicate it was well-received by the community as a practical, visual tool for understanding SEO strategy—valuable for dealership marketers looking to improve their website rankings.

Ryan Abbott seeks peer-to-peer Internet 20 Group recommendations and explicitly rejects vendor-led training seminars in favor of collaborative idea-sharing among dealers. Several responses surface existing options (Dealer Synergy/Dealer eTraining's Internet Sales 20 Group, NADA's INT2 group), but Ryan's preference for peer learning rather than expert instruction leads community members to propose a DealerRefresh meetup alternative, with Jeff Kershner hinting at something in development.

Automotive dealers discuss a major Facebook purge where fake likes were removed from pages (one competitor dropped from 48,000 to under 100 likes), revealing that buying likes is ineffective. While some view this as positive cleanup, others worry about declining organic reach and question whether Facebook's push toward paid promotion is worth the investment, with one marketer suggesting dealerships allocate $400-500/month from traditional media budgets to Facebook ads for impressions rather than relying on organic growth.

A dealer questions whether switching from Dealix to Recycler.com ($500/month) for used car listings would generate better results, citing concerns that Dealix hides dealer identity and inflates costs. A respondent advises that website performance varies significantly by market, recommends testing Recycler.com for at least 6 months at a negotiated rate, and cautions against expecting dramatic lead increases at such a low price point.

A dealer named Ryan seeks Facebook contest ideas to boost engagement and decides to run a Bills game ticket giveaway combined with a website scavenger hunt where participants unscramble letters across his dealership sites. After running the contest, Ryan reports positive results: 66 new page likes, 11 shares that extended his reach, and importantly, strong retention with no post-contest unfollows, suggesting that engagement-focused contests tied to dealership properties can drive both immediate metrics and sustained audience interest.

Ryan Leslie shares a humorous article from Nifty Marketing that critiques Google+ Local through the lens of an ice cream shop's frustrating experience with the platform. The post highlights common pain points small businesses face when using Google+ Local for local business listings and marketing. The thread suggests that despite its potential utility, Google+ Local creates unnecessary complications that frustrate small business owners trying to manage their online presence.

A dealer asks about live chat best practices—specifically whether to proactively message visitors and whether declining response rates warrant stopping outreach—and expresses concern that chat availability might reduce form submissions. Multiple vendors and professionals counter this concern with case study data showing that live chat increases overall leads and conversions rather than cannibalizing other contact methods, with managed chat services reporting 57-100% conversion rate improvements, though the thread ends with debate over whose statistics are most credible.

Automotive dealers need to prepare their online presence for Apple Maps, which replaced Google Maps on iPhones and iPads, by claiming and optimizing listings on Localeze and Acxiom (which feed into Apple's "Info cards") and building positive Yelp reviews. The thread provides step-by-step instructions for registering on these platforms, notes that basic Localeze listings are free while Acxiom requires paid claims, and highlights that mobile marketing strategy should now parallel desktop-focused Google efforts. A practical takeaway emerges: focus on generating positive reviews across Yelp and these data aggregators rather than paying for advertising, as review volume and quality appear to influence visibility in Siri searches.

The thread criticizes a dealership manager's "just get 'em in" approach to internet sales inquiries, arguing that sending generic price quotes without strategy wastes opportunities on customers who arrive heavily researched and comparison-shopping. The original poster suggests this shortcut tactic is unlikely to convert leads and fails to address the actual needs of modern car buyers who have already done extensive research before contacting the dealership. The discussion includes a reference to a Joe Webb consulting video, presumably offering better practices for handling internet sales inquiries.

The thread debated whether dealers should invest in third-party websites while minimizing their manufacturer-mandated sites, with Emily Moore questioning why dealers would completely ignore OEM-driven traffic. The consensus leaned toward maintaining both platforms strategically rather than abandoning the manufacturer site: OEM sites have built-in traffic and compliance advantages, while custom sites allow dealers to differentiate and optimize beyond manufacturer constraints, but dealers must navigate OEM compliance rules around URLs and approved vendors carefully.