We have had some very good success by creating this page - Jeff Wyler reviews which has a short video on how to leave a Google review. Used Jing, pretty simple...
Google Reviews
- Thread starter ajholland
- Start date
I think that tutorial video is a great idea. Have you found it to be working? Getting views on YouTube and getting reviews on Google?
Working great since we implemented it in August. We send an email with a link to this to every sold customer and to every customer with a closed repair order. Google reviews have jumped since implementation. We are also supporting it with some postcards with wyler.com/reviews and the instructions on them that we can hand to customers as well. When you make it easy, it is typically much more successful...
- Sep 30, 2010
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- Bill
Kevin
I presented this idea to my management team yesterday and they loved it. My service manager has the fear that by asking for too many reviews on Google, DealerRater, etc that it could impact the amount of factory CSI surveys that are emailed to the customer. His feeling is that when the customer gets the email survey from Toyota, they may feel that since they have already rated us at other venues, they may no longer see the need to fill out the survey. Consumer survey overload is the term he used. Our online reviews are very important to us, but we also need to keep the amount of surveys from Toyota rolling in. Since you have been doing this since August have you noticed any decline in factory surveys, specifically Toyota?
Thanks
Bill
- Dec 2, 2009
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- John
We've been doing this for quite a while with DealerRater, now switching to Google (and Insider Pages, and Yelp, and Edmunds, and...). But a bit differently: we use our BDC. When we speak with a Happy Client we explain the OEM survey involved and also invite them to share their experiences on {Insert Review Page}, and send them a direct link with instructions. And we skip it if the client is less than happy with his goods or services. Properly communicated, there is no Survey Fatigue, and no negative OEM Survey repurcussions.
- May 1, 2005
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- Jeff
I've been bypassing sales and service people and asking each and every customer to review us on the rating sites.
Management had all the same concerns but I moved forward anyways. I haven't experienced any decline in factory CSI surveys.
It's the ONLY way to get a high volume of reviews. Bypass people and go automated.
You better have a process for handling the good reviews along with the bad. When you go automated, you open the flood gates, not every review will be a great review. But only then are you truly moving the needle at your dealership and defining the definition of Reputation Management.
Management had all the same concerns but I moved forward anyways. I haven't experienced any decline in factory CSI surveys.
It's the ONLY way to get a high volume of reviews. Bypass people and go automated.
You better have a process for handling the good reviews along with the bad. When you go automated, you open the flood gates, not every review will be a great review. But only then are you truly moving the needle at your dealership and defining the definition of Reputation Management.
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- Mar 8, 2011
- 4
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- First Name
- Lauren
I signed up with Dealer Rater two weeks before Google decided to stop pulling in third party review sites, so that was fun b/c I had just finished implementing processes and training everyone on online reputation management. I've altered my sold and closed RO follow up email to ask for the Google Review and it says, "Don't have a Google account? No problem, Click Here to share your experience on DealerRater.com." So this way I feel I'm covering both bases. I would consider Google the most important place for reviews rather than Dealer Rater. Yes, Dealer Rater is third party and is geared towards people shopping for a car. However, Google has more traffic than any other website in the world - it's number one compared to DealerRater.com at number 43,063 (see alexa.com). Obviously it's not comparing apples to apples, but my point is Google holds such a precedence that the more content, reviews, pictures, videos, etc., you have on your Google Place Page, the more clicks and conversions into your website you will have. Also, the more content, the higher the organic SEO ranking.
Since I changed the template to ask for the Google Review first, then the DealerRater one second (if they do not have a Google account), I've seen my impressions vs. actions ratio in my Google Analytics reporting almost double - and went from two Google reviews to 19 and 20 Dealer Rater reviews. For example, MTD now with 19 Google reviews, I've had over 8,000 impressions with 345 actions - 4.3% ratio versus in July (when I only had two Google reviews) with 9,000 impressions and only 248 actions - 2.7% ratio. So just with more Google Reviews almost doubled my actions. FYI, actions are defined by clicks into the website, maps and driving directions. As for phone calls, in July I had 146 calls to my Google Places 800# and MTD this September I've already had 144.
[Sidenote...one of the dealers in my 20 group was bragging about his Google Place page and that in August he had over 16,000 impressions....I said that's awesome, but how many actions?... He only had 150 - only .9% ratio. We went to his page and he had 12 reviews but only a two start rating. So now he knows why people aren't clicking or calling!]
So, my Google Reviews are really helping out. I definitely would not stop using Dealer Rater, their reviews help out with your ranking as well, not too mention it's a high conversion rate b/c they are targeting in-market buyers. I'm simply stating that I absolutely would NOT ignore your Google ratings or Google Place page - it's where your customers find you first....and we want to make a great first impression (no pun intended).
Since I changed the template to ask for the Google Review first, then the DealerRater one second (if they do not have a Google account), I've seen my impressions vs. actions ratio in my Google Analytics reporting almost double - and went from two Google reviews to 19 and 20 Dealer Rater reviews. For example, MTD now with 19 Google reviews, I've had over 8,000 impressions with 345 actions - 4.3% ratio versus in July (when I only had two Google reviews) with 9,000 impressions and only 248 actions - 2.7% ratio. So just with more Google Reviews almost doubled my actions. FYI, actions are defined by clicks into the website, maps and driving directions. As for phone calls, in July I had 146 calls to my Google Places 800# and MTD this September I've already had 144.
[Sidenote...one of the dealers in my 20 group was bragging about his Google Place page and that in August he had over 16,000 impressions....I said that's awesome, but how many actions?... He only had 150 - only .9% ratio. We went to his page and he had 12 reviews but only a two start rating. So now he knows why people aren't clicking or calling!]
So, my Google Reviews are really helping out. I definitely would not stop using Dealer Rater, their reviews help out with your ranking as well, not too mention it's a high conversion rate b/c they are targeting in-market buyers. I'm simply stating that I absolutely would NOT ignore your Google ratings or Google Place page - it's where your customers find you first....and we want to make a great first impression (no pun intended).
We have not seen a decline in OEM surveys - and we continue to utilize DealerRater as well. Automation of the process PLUS delivering first class service every time equals lots of positive reviews!
- May 1, 2005
- 4,503
- 1,788
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- 12
- First Name
- Jeff
I signed up with Dealer Rater two weeks before Google decided to stop pulling in third party review sites, so that was fun b/c I had just finished implementing processes and training everyone on online reputation management. I've altered my sold and closed RO follow up email to ask for the Google Review and it says, "Don't have a Google account? No problem, Click Here to share your experience on DealerRater.com." So this way I feel I'm covering both bases. I would consider Google the most important place for reviews rather than Dealer Rater. Yes, Dealer Rater is third party and is geared towards people shopping for a car. However, Google has more traffic than any other website in the world - it's number one compared to DealerRater.com at number 43,063 (see alexa.com). Obviously it's not comparing apples to apples, but my point is Google holds such a precedence that the more content, reviews, pictures, videos, etc., you have on your Google Place Page, the more clicks and conversions into your website you will have. Also, the more content, the higher the organic SEO ranking.
Since I changed the template to ask for the Google Review first, then the DealerRater one second (if they do not have a Google account), I've seen my impressions vs. actions ratio in my Google Analytics reporting almost double - and went from two Google reviews to 19 and 20 Dealer Rater reviews. For example, MTD now with 19 Google reviews, I've had over 8,000 impressions with 345 actions - 4.3% ratio versus in July (when I only had two Google reviews) with 9,000 impressions and only 248 actions - 2.7% ratio. So just with more Google Reviews almost doubled my actions. FYI, actions are defined by clicks into the website, maps and driving directions. As for phone calls, in July I had 146 calls to my Google Places 800# and MTD this September I've already had 144.
[Sidenote...one of the dealers in my 20 group was bragging about his Google Place page and that in August he had over 16,000 impressions....I said that's awesome, but how many actions?... He only had 150 - only .9% ratio. We went to his page and he had 12 reviews but only a two start rating. So now he knows why people aren't clicking or calling!]
So, my Google Reviews are really helping out. I definitely would not stop using Dealer Rater, their reviews help out with your ranking as well, not too mention it's a high conversion rate b/c they are targeting in-market buyers. I'm simply stating that I absolutely would NOT ignore your Google ratings or Google Place page - it's where your customers find you first....and we want to make a great first impression (no pun intended).
Great stuff Lauren - thanks for sharing.
I like the idea of going after the Google reviews first. It's been a challenge to get reviews on Google. I've found we don't have enough customers with Google accounts. I use a service (@autoRevenue) that recognizes the customers email and lands them on the Google review page if the customer has a gmail email. We've also captured a few reviews with DealerRaters new feature that encourages and simplifies the customers ability to post their DealerRater review on Google.
The latest ComScore results show that Google still receives over 60% of all searches. Searches for your dealership or Town + Make / Dealership, your Google places page is getting prime position. You need a steady stream of positive reviews on Google if you want the traffic.
I just wish Google would make it easier for us to manage the review - some alerts would be nice.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 4
- 2
- First Name
- Lauren
Thanks Jeff! My background is in web marketing, so it's been really helpful to use here at the dealership.
We have @utorevenue too, for our service department and service scheduler. They do send out sales and service email campaigns for us as well though. Does @autorevenue do your sold follow up as well?
