Is The VDP a Good Landing Page?

[Tallcool1]

Does anyone have metrics from using LotLinx? From what I've been told, it's a flat CPC for VDP visits. I searched the forum and could only find one screen shot from a GA profile from LotLinx traffic that was showing a pretty low time on site from each visit. Any examples would be appreciated.

Seth, welcome to Dealer Refresh!

In short, LotLinx is pretty tricky in the analytics side.

I am not using them nor have I in the past. I have tried to find LotLinx users that could share some data, but the ones I have found all give the same reports. You will burn through cash in a hurry, 90% and higher bounce rate, very low time on site, and none of them can determine if it sells cars or not.

I regularly check in here, on Driving Sales, and am in several Facebook Groups. I have not heard or seen evidence any different than this.

If you find what you're looking for, please report back!

 

[Gayle Rogers]

Does anyone have metrics from using LotLinx? From what I've been told, it's a flat CPC for VDP visits. I searched the forum and could only find one screen shot from a GA profile from LotLinx traffic that was showing a pretty low time on site from each visit. Any examples would be appreciated.

[Updated info from analytics]
It's on their website...$3.99 per unique visitor. The two reports I reviewed:
1. Was an average CPC of $3.69. The bounce rate was 90% and 00:31 avg TOP.
2. Was an average CPC of $3.05. The bounce rate was 76% and 01:01 avg TOP.

Number equivalent to Behavioral or Retargeting Display ads, but with an 400% higher cpc

 

[joe.pistell]

Compare lotlinx's metrics (above) to your site's VDP metrics.

Lotlink competes against PPC & SEO traffic. In theroy, I'd assume that lotlinx VDP traffic would outperform VDP direct traffic of PPC and SEO. So, to create a fair analysis of lot linx, you need a baseline. Your VDP Bounce & TOS need to be broken out by source (PPC, SEO, LotLinx and your site's SRP to VDP traffic).

Also, I'd believe your site's internal traffic is the gold standard. This means, all outside sources of traffic will fall significantly below your site's internal metrics.

 

[joe.pistell]

Misc Thoughts

• 90% bounce is very troubling. Lotlinx shares some of the responsibility, and so does your website.
• To tell if lotlinx is valuable to it's shoppers, see if lotlinx shoppers are visiting your site more than 1time.
  • If yes, then look deeply into these multiple visits.
• TOP is a strong signal of interest. Deeply look at these shoppers actions.

 

[Gayle Rogers]

Great questions...I be right back...

 

[Chris Leslie]

You might also want to break it down to region. See where your clicks are actually coming from..

 

[Gayle Rogers]

@JoePistell Answers to your questions:
Comparing VDP traffic from other channels (Paid/Organic/Display). Unfortunately we don't send paid search traffic directly to VDPs, so I don't have a lot of VDP data (opposite is true of Lotlinx traffic to the SRP). Further, Google doesn't index VDPs well (for more than one reason) so there isn't a huge sample size there. That said, I pulled the organic VDP and paid SRP stats:
Organic Landing on a VDP: Average 55% bounce and average 3:13 TOP.
Paid Landing on SRP: Average 50% bounce and average 2:04 TOP.

@Chris Leslie - I looked at geography and this didn't play a significant roll in the metrics.

I like the thought process here and I'm glad I did the research for the sake of learning something new, but here is where I currently stand with all this...

1. I don't think it's the website's fault, anymore than it's a Leprechaun's fault for being short. The landing page isn't under preforming, the strategy is. It's a poor assumption made from a research finding. "A lot of leads come from a VDP. It must be the most important page on my website. I should just drive more traffic directly to the VDP!"
2. I don't agree with the logic of comparing Lotlinx to PPC or Organic Traffic. If you are going to compare Lotlinx to another traffic generator, behavioral display/retargeting is really going to be the closest thing. I say that because paid search and organic search are more demand driven traffic. Lotlinx, similar to display, has more of a passive element to it. (That and site engagement metrics for Lotlinx and display almost mirror one another.)
3. That said, I think this comes down to cost per opportunity. I'd ask you, if I can provide almost identical metrics (Pages/Sessions, TOS, TOP, Bounce, Leads) would you take the solution that costs $3.50 per visit or $0.75 per visit?

 

[joe.pistell]

You might also want to break it down to region. See where your clicks are actually coming from..

woa. Damn good observation. What if your clicks are coming from outside your market?

 

[Chris Leslie]

@Gayle Rogers did you remove your region from the mix?

 

[Gayle Rogers]

@Gayle Rogers did you remove your region from the mix?

I compared traffic from lotlinx, ppc, display, organic by geography and there was a standard deviation away from the dealership across all sources.