Is Edmunds STEALING from you?

[Alex Snyder (blog)]

UPDATE - I finally got the phone call. John Giamalvo and I just had a pleasant conversation where I got to express my concerns and he was very attentive. He assured me that dealership names (with the exception of regional-specific names) have been completely removed from Edmunds PPC campaigns.

We're now talking about their SEO targeting of our name. I explained to him that Edmunds may be an information service, but if we're paying them money, they should never become our competition. This was not resolved during this call, and I wouldn't expect it to be, but it is certainly on the table being discussed. I still have to look at other options now that my eyes are more open, but I do thank John for reaching out.

If any other dealers want to add to this discussion, please come forward now.

 

[Tim Jennings]

‘ISM’S and Car Salesmen’ …………. Be seated.

Now, I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. Men, all this stuff you’ve heard about Internet Sales Managers not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Car salesmen traditionally love to fight. All real dealers love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big league ball player, the toughest boxer. ISM’S love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Car Guy’s play to win all the time. I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Internet Savoy Car people have never lost and will never lose a war. Because the very thought of losing is hateful to men who push IRON

Now, a dealership is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This Edmunds stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who played pay per click on our brand name in Google’s sand box don’t know anything more about real internet advertising than they do about fornicating.

Alright now, you sons-of-bitches, you know how I feel. Oh, and I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into the next closing of a sale – anytime, anywhere.

That’s all.
General George S. Patton, Jr., the most successful US field commander of any war

 

[Eric Miltsch]

Alex,

To quote Seth Godin - "Leaders make a ruckus."

I'd say you made a nice one...keep up the fight w/the SEO angle for your brand as well.

I'm shocked Edmunds didn't argue the phrase "Checkered Flag MINI" was just a descriptive term for the model with the checkered flag roof exterior. (maybe it was & I missed it)

Nice job marking your turf.

Eric

 

[Alex Jefferson]

I finally got a call as well from my rep today. Since we only have 2 1/2 stores (Subaru franchise on the way) I guess I'm not important enough for the big dogs to call me...LOL
Anyhow - Those PPC campaigns that were showing for our dealer name have been removed or possibly "paused" until we stop looking. I'm still taking a deeper look into in all.
Brian - Thanks for the insight and you are 100% Correct! I went through almost every dealership in my city and Edmunds has an organic page targeting EVERY SINGLE ONE! I have to pat myself on the back a little because we are the one dealer group that they didn't make the first page..."applause for Alex J"

 

[Rob Fontano (blog)]

I decided five years ago that I would break my dealerships dependence on third party lead providers as much as possible. The focus would be on branding our store, and our websites. I would make it on mostly organic leads, and (please don’t take this personally if you work for one of them) happily cancel one contract after.

We have and still do use Auto Trader and Cars.com for used car exposure. I feel that it is valuable; however we only purchase one hundred leads a month from Dealix. Why Dealix, partly customer service and partly because we have a good negotiated price per lead and they just seem to close better for us. I have spent 7-10 times what I am currently spending for third party leads.

We have been successful at breaking the addiction to buying as many leads as we could so that our competition didn't get them. It's easy to call and cancel your contract, but if you’re not yet branded and fully optimized on the search engines it would be "internetmanager-icide" to do so. The internet still is in many ways the Wild West. I think that is why I fell in love with this gig in the first place. (Ever notice how many of us used to be in bands, some kind of comedy or entertainment? Well the really good ones anyway.)

My first line of attack was on my dealerships name(s). I consider that my real estate! So I launched an all out attack to take the hill. I have taken that hill in two different dealerships one a Toyota and currently a Nissan store. I used Video, Press Releases, blogs, paid constant attention to my website content and meta tags, descriptions, titles etc.

Once you conquer your own dealers name SERP, you have to hold it. This takes a constant flow of fresh infantry. You’ll have to consistently add video content and fresh Press Releases (I have never paid a dime for them, but you can.) As I write this there are no other parties sharing my SERP, including the Nissan dealer down the road. He is not so lucky and since he wouldn’t possibly read this, I have no fear of a sneak attack.

Loading…

www.google.com

This is not meant to sound braggadocios, although I am proud of what we have accomplished. What makes me scratch my head is why everyone isn’t doing it. If you really want to screw with the third party providers, force them to earn their place on your real estate. CHARGE!!!!!

 

[Brian Pasch]

@Rob
Excellent job at owning page one for your name. It's almost perfect.

Edmunds.com is still on Google Page One for your name from New Jersey so since you are a stand-up guy and a member of DealerRefresh..

I'll place a Google Page one listing for your dealership that hopefully will push Edmunds.com off page one for you...as a gift.

 

[Chuck]

You say this like big company's have morals? Their main job is to get the information before you do so they can charge you for it. But, not many dealers are smart enough or care enough to catch it as you did. I am sure they filter it by searches made in the area and did not catch that it was a company name...at least that will be the story. Good luck and keep up the great information.

 

[Rob Fontano (blog)]

Thanks Brian,
I am really looking foward to the Boot camp in Orlando this February. I am sure I will come away from it with a ton of good information and practices.

 

[Rob Fontano (blog)]

I just dropped John Giamalvo a line on his ADM page, asking to open a discussion on this matter as well as a resloution. John has always been a solid guy as well as one who can see things from the dealers side.

 

[Alex Snyder (blog)]

Brian - you're getting different first page results, sitting in Jersey, than we're seeing in our own zip codes. But, if that is what you're seeing outside of our market places, then there is definitely still a need to push them off the page.