4 Myths of Automotive SEO - By J.D Rucker

[umer.autojini]

JD, great article, but I personally think MYTH #3 is actually a fact. Adwords and Yahoo certification defiantly means better SEO service. As you have to be knowledgeable about conversion to gain any benefit from SEO... plus you end up using lot of Google and Yahoo tools to help you along with SEO. SEO expert has to be intimately familiar with google keywords tool. PPC programs help one understand what keywords you would target for SEO. PPC adverts writing can help you write a better directory listing... optimizing your PPC landing page is somewhat same as optimizing for SEO... why not kill two birds with same stone... When looking for SEO service one should look for a company that has PPC certification and actively manages campaigns. As SEO and PPC overlap so much...

However it is outrageous when SEO companies label PPC position one as organic position... or label that they get some special insides into SEO from PPC certification.

 

[BlogPro Automotive]

Or you can just call people out on it and put blogs to use like they were originally designed.

 

[J.D. Rucker]

King-
I'll reply to your post in just a bit.

BPA-
Yep. Good point.

Umer-
There are companies out there who are blatantly using the certifications in misleading ways. Some of their sales reps say that the certifications give them an insider's advantage, that their clients are rewarded in organic searches BECAUSE of the certification, not just based upon knowledge learned.

Understanding SEM is useful knowledge for SEO. The majority of the training for Google Certification is not SEO related. Here's a breakdown, according to the specs provided by Google:

1: Introduction to AdWords - 67 Minutes - discusses the basics, how to log in, policies, pricing and payment information, etc. - No SEO benefit

2: Getting Started - 56 Minutes - They discuss selecting keywords and writing targeted ad text for 16 of those minutes... good for SEO

3: Targeting - 58 Minutes - Mostly about site targeting, languages, etc. Arguably 5 minutes worth of "Keyword Matching Options" can be a little beneficial for SEO, but just barely

4: Costs and Billing - 34 Minutes - No SEO benefit

5: Tracking Ad Performance - 1h31m - some basic SEO-pertinent information, such as ROI, but 52 of those minutes are on troubleshooting, 10 minutes are on creating reports, etc. - we'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say half an hour is good for SEO (though that's definitely a stretch)

6: Optimizing Ad Performance - 37 Minutes - THERE's the WORD! Oh, wait, it's not for organic listings. According to the training, "Optimization: creating/editing keywords and ad text(or other parts of the account) to improve the performance of AdWords ads." Not quite for organic. Still, there is some useful information that can help in SEO, so we'll count 30 minutes as working towards the cause. Stuff such as "Adjusting CPCs to Maximize ROI" will not help in SEO.

7: The AdWords Toolbox - 14 Minutes - 10 minutes worth of SEO-valid content

8: Google Analytics - 15 Minutes - I do recommend Google Analytics or some other analytics for SEO purposes. Absolutely. This basic overview is a good start, so we'll count it.

9: Managing Client Accounts - 37 Minutes - No SEO benefits.

Grand Total: 1hr46min of basic SEO-valid training. Of course, you could spend an hour and 46 minutes on seochat.com, digitalpoint forums, or any number of true SEO websites and learn 10 times as much.

I'm not disagreeing with you, Uber, as much as I am pointing out that waving PPC certification around like a Google-SEO-Goldenchild flag is misleading. It's like someone taking a driver's ed course and using it as a credential to drive in NASCAR. Automotive SEO is so complex and the market is one of the most competitive. Using the certifications to prove SEO prowess is a misleading tactic. I look for results, not logos.

 

[James (blog)]

JD,

Thanks for starting this discussion!

In your post, you boast of your SEO knowledge and consider yourself an expert on the subject. Are you Google Certified? If not, why?

If I'm choosing between two companies to do SEO for my dealerships, one is certified, one is not, why would I choose the one that is not?

Also, what results have dealers you've worked with experienced? I keep running into examples from vendors in limited markets, but have only had one vendor explain what SEO is vs. telling me 'we are the best'.

 

[J.D. Rucker]

To The King:

Myth #1: Thousand of Indexed Pages are Necessary

The King: "If you are going for a small set of keywords this myth could very well be true, however if you would like to achieve high rankings for more than a couple of keywords the number of relevant pages that you have in the index does in fact increase overall coverage and therefore increases a websites chance of being found. With that said I would say that thousands of unique relevant indexed pages are very much a necessity."

Reply: It's just not true. Having 20-120 high quality pages is plenty in the automotive industry. Here's an example based upon data collected from seodigger.com (great resource, btw):

Chevy store A - 72 pages indexed, 385 top 20 rankings
Chevy store B - 1,420 pages indexed, 16 top 20 rankings

Heck, look at Jeff's site: 112 pages indexed, 287 top 20 rankings

If you're arguing that thousands of pages are better than having less than 5 pages, you're right (another reason I don't like 100% flash sites). We're talking automotive SEO, not Wikipedia or Amazon.com SEO. 20-120 is plenty. The rest is worthless.

* * *

The King: "On a side note: Auto dealer websites often contain indexed pages (usually inventory related pages that no longer exist) that should be removed from the index. In cases such as these website providers should ensure requests for the page return an HTTP status code of either 404 or 410, block the page using a robots.txt file or block the page using a meta noindex tag."

Reply: Agreed. There are other methods, but your's is definitely one way.

* * *

Myth #3: SEM Certification Means Better SEO.

The King: "This could very well be true but certification does provide validity to the company’s claim that they know what they’re doing. If anything it without a doubt proves that they have some product knowledge and at least took the time to get certified. If given the choice of between a “Board Certified” physician and a midwife to deliver a baby, who would you choose?"

Reply: SEM knowledge definitely has benefits. Certifications as described in the article are minor, minor, minor indicators as I expressed to Uber in my previous reply. It isn't SEO Certification the way some companies portray.

If given the choice between a "Board Certfied" dentist and a midwife who has delivered babies all of her life, who would you choose?

Side Note: I never said we weren't certified. We just don't pretend that it has anything to do with real automotive website optimization. My problem is with the misuse, not with the certification itself.

* * *

Myth #4: Flash Websites cannot be optimized

The King: "There is a way to optimize flash sites however most dealer website providers do not provide or allow the access needed to do this ethically. Until I see a TK, BZ, Dealer Skins or any other dealer website provider that uses flash provide and accurate html representation of a flash based site along with a valid robots.txt file that disallows the flash pages from getting indexed this myth is not a myth at all, it is fact. "

Reply: Again, full flash doesn't work. Having strong HTML content does. Mixing flash with HTML is ideal. The "myth" is that flash websites cannot be optimized. The truth is that they can be using real HTML content. The proof is in the pudding, my friend, and I would go head to head with any 100% html site any day.

* * *

The King: "Lastly I feel that Dealer Refresh should add a new rule banning the use of one’s personal opinions to be fact and remove comments like this for the site all together. If the dealers are 1-2 years behind, posts like this will only add to the confusion and that’s not what DealerRefresh is all about."

Reply: If you read regularly, the whole idea of this website is to post opinions and have an open arena where ideas can be hammered out to solve industry problems. Even after the article, I noted a few points in subsequent comments where I clarified my wording and agreed with other people's opinions. That's the point. There are no need for insults

Regarding rules, please read rule #3 regarding no anonymous posts.

 

[Joe Pistell]

re: Small Site vs. Large Site

JD,
Your opinon is based on CURRENT SERP RESULTS. Right now, any dealer that puts forth ANY paid SEO effort is seeing big ROI.

It's easy to see, killer SERPs now happen with little effort, the real SEO war looms on the horizon.

Summary:
You'll be preaching the "Long Tail Gospel" in less than 18 months.

Joe
p.s. 99.96% of the dealers don't know they're going to have to include a new entry on the expense spread sheet titled "SEO".

 

[J.D. Rucker]

James-

Welcome to the forum!

James: "In your post, you boast of your SEO knowledge and consider yourself an expert on the subject. Are you Google Certified? If not, why?"

Reply: My SEM team and a member of my SEO team is certified. I've taken the course myself, but the certification is attached to AdWords accounts that I monitor but that I have the SEM team manage.

It's a great program. I simply disagree with companies using it as a credential for SEO when it's an SEM certification.

* * *

James: "If I'm choosing between two companies to do SEO for my dealerships, one is certified, one is not, why would I choose the one that is not?"

Reply: Assuming that their qualifications and references were the same, why not take the one who is AdWords certified. One note -- the companies I've experienced who brag about their certification are the ones that aren't placing in the organic SERPs. I can't say it enough -- check references. A fishing license doesn't make for a good fisherman, but it helps.

* * *

James: "Also, what results have dealers you've worked with experienced? I keep running into examples from vendors in limited markets, but have only had one vendor explain what SEO is vs. telling me 'we are the best'."

Reply: Dealerrefresh is all about knowledge. I cannot use it to tout my own services nor as a client search board. The article was intended for general SEO knowledge so dealers know the scams that are coming at them at an increasingly rapid rate.

Please call me if you have questions.

 

[J.D. Rucker]

Joe-
Joe: "Your opinon is based on CURRENT SERP RESULTS. Right now, any dealer that puts forth ANY paid SEO effort is seeing big ROI. "

Reply: ANY is a big word. It's all relative. I visited your website and it seems like you are probably one of the "good guys" in this. Surely you have gone up against companies charging hundreds or thousands per month and not getting results that your own service gets for less. "ANY paid SEO" -- too emcompassing. "ANY GOOD paid SEO" -- I would agree with you.

* * *

Joe: "It's easy to see, killer SERPs now happen with little effort, the real SEO war looms on the horizon. You'll be preaching the "Long Tail Gospel" in less than 18 months."

Reply: Now you're making sense. In fact, I think 18 months is a conservative estimate. The only thing I would mention... nevermind, let's just talk about it on the phone. This website doesn't need a couple of SEOs talking tech stuff. I just want to make sure dealers, ISMs, etc., know enough to not fall for the scams.

 

[David Jackson]

Myth #1: Thousand of Indexed Pages are Necessary
Yes and no. An ideally optimized Micro Site can be indexed above sites with more pages. For example if you Google "2007 Tahoe" our client, Courtesy Chevrolet is the #2 naturally ranked site on Google out of 4.4 Million pages. Another example would be Google Keyword "Mercedes GL450" #3 Site and Google Keyword "2007 Dodge Caliber" #4 Site. These sites consist of 4-5 pages and out rank other larger sites.

Myth #2: People search for individual cars or by VIN
People do search for new cars by year and model. They want to know everything about that vehicle so Micro Sites target that audience. If you want a 2007 Tahoe, you wouldn't search for a chevy dealer, you would search for "2007 tahoe", or "2007 tahoe, vegas" or whatever town you live in. Most people type in the city or state as a way to find the best priced vehicle. If your site is one of the top few on the naturally ranked sites, chances are they will click on your site. You hope they find what they were looking for and have an easy way to contact you.

Myth #3: SEM Certification Means Better SEO
Not true. I know many excellent SEO guys that do not carry this certification. It really does not mean anything. The proof is in the pudding. If you have the time to learn how to effectively run PPC campaigns, by all means go for it yourself. But know that it is a daily task and not an easy one. It can get expensive if you do not know what you are doing. My suggestion is to seek out the professionals and make sure your keywords, messages and web sites (Micro Sites) are optimized for that keyword or phrase.

Myth #4: Flash Websites cannot be optimized
Flash sites cannot be optimized because there is nothing for the search engines to consider relevant content. There are many factors that search engines consider and content is high on the list. It is very, very difficult to gain high ranking in a competitive market with a full flash site, especially a site with poor optimization. HTML content is key.

Dealer sites are one site among many and you need to stand above your competition. Build a farm of Micro Sites, cross link them to each other and your main dealer site and watch what happens to your Google ranking and leads. YOUR leads, not third party pay them $20-$30 per lead, but in-house no cost leads. You will gain more exposure to the people searching for your vehicles, more in-house leads so you cut down that cost, and higher closing because you already know what vehicle the person is researching to buy.

I saw a post about exclusivity, and let me tell you that we offer that with our Micro Sites. This is a huge advantage to the dealer. Exclusive deal: Cannot be the same Make and Model Micro Site as a close competitor. I will not sell the same Micro Site to your competitor down the road or 10 miles away. SEO, SEM, PPC & Micro Sites are all important factors of a successful online marketing campaign.

 

[umer.autojini]

JD, agreed using PPC certification to prove SEO knowledge is misleading... same as reading some forums or seo book to say you know SEO.

Certification alone does not mean you know any thing it is the experience that counts at the end. I'll work with a experienced individual over a certified individual any day.