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Map Views for Conversion?

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Alex Snyder

Alex Snyder

President Skroob
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May 1, 2006
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#1
What do you guys think? Is it fair to mark a visitor who views the directions page on your website as a conversion?

Example: If I get 2,000 visits a month that submits 30 "Internet Leads" and get me 90 telephone calls, then I have a conversion ratio of 30 + 90 divided by 2,000 to = a 6% conversion rate. But I also get 400 views on my directions page, so 30 + 90 + 400 = a 26% conversion rate.
 
#2
IMO A map view is not a conversion. Does it possibly have some value and weight to it? Yes, maybe. But it's not a conversion unless there is a way of gathering a potential customer information.

My cars.com rep is always trying to point out in the reports the "opportunities" received - once calling it a lead/conversion for a map view. I must have given him a look, he promised to never bring up map views ever again with me.

I'll add to this question...what about when someone clicks on "Print Brochure"? Is that a conversion too?

Again, these actions have value and could be included in a Goal or KPI report but I wouldn't include them in a report to show conversion. If you're working with a website service that counts either one of these 2 actions as a conversion, I would be asking them to remove this from the report or be sure to remove them yourself to get a better picture of your websites conversion.
 
#3
mmm.... good question Alex and I agree with Jeff's reply, but, you have to admit Map Views a great sign of near term business. You have to admit, increasing map views is a very good thing, much like increasing VDPs (as a % of uniques) is a very good sign of an improving business.
 
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#4
I second Jeff! Maybe there is some sort of formula like 50% of the map views count in a "different" report. There is no way I would consider 100% of map views in any report.

wikipedia
Conversion rate, in Internet marketing, the percentage of unique visitors who take a desired action upon visiting the website

a map view would not be a conversion anymore than a contact page view without a call.
 
#5
I would say requesting directions via a map is definitely a good indicator of the consumer having more intent to do business with your dealership. One way to track if map views actually translate into walk ins or appointments is to have a special coupon code via Google places. You can track redemption rates and hence your map to walk in ratio would be total redemptions/ total driving direction requests.
 
#6
CAORYAN said:
I second Jeff! Maybe there is some sort of formula like 50% of the map views count in a "different" report. There is no way I would consider 100% of map views in any report.

wikipedia
Conversion rate, in Internet marketing, the percentage of unique visitors who take a desired action upon visiting the website

a map view would not be a conversion anymore than a contact page view without a call.
Click to expand...

I stumbled on this discussion late, but find it very interesting. A real question I have, is based on the wikipedia definition of conversion: What is the desired action? If we define success as an email lead, we're destined to fail badly, as every bit of research says only a small percentage of automotive shoppers will ever submit one.

Our lives would be easy if we were like Amazon.com - if every customer was easily tracked and counted. Our customers don't transact online (except rarely). Phone calls and walk-ins are much more prevalent. Do Dealer and 3rd-Party websites drive these customers to the phones and through our doors? I think the answer is yes - without a doubt.

So I guess there's no easy answer except track what you can. Keep the categories separate and don't expect do be able to track conversions like Zappos.com does for folks buying shoes.

Where we need more focus is on tracking engagement. A customer that looks at a map is showing a fairly high level of engagement. They are interested enough to want to find out where we are located. That doesn't guarantee they'll stop in, but is does indicate the website is doing it's job.

Judging a website by how many emails it generates doesn't accurately reflect how automobile shoppers use the internet. Looking at Time on Site, Depth of Visit, Vehicle Detail Pages Viewed are more indicative of whether the website is doing it's job of engaging customers and guiding them to inventory. Unfortunately it won't tell you how many cars you sold and what you grossed, which, at the end of the day, is what matters.
 
#7
Ed Brooks said:
... If we define success as an email lead, we're destined to fail badly, as every bit of research says only a small percentage of automotive shoppers will ever submit one...

...Judging a website by how many emails it generates doesn't accurately reflect how automobile shoppers use the internet. Looking at Time on Site, Depth of Visit, Vehicle Detail Pages Viewed are more indicative of whether the website is doing it's job of engaging customers and guiding them to inventory.
Click to expand...


Ed,

As you know, Selling Cars is a Team Sport. Conversions are not success & success is not conversions.


Measuring and improving Internet marketing & merchandising success is as complicated and tactical as a world class chess match. We trace shoppers foot prints all about the site and gather data. They come back 2,3,4 times leaving tracks as they go. Depth of Visit, Visitor Loyalty, VDP's per visitor and other shopper engagement metrics tell us about the shopper's experience. The entire team needs to step up and bring their "A" game.


Marketing & Merchandising:
Conversions (where the shopper reveals personal info) are rare. Most of us "convert" 1%-4% of the "stealth shoppers". When you do the math, the up -side to producing more conversions is mind blowing. If your site has 5,000 visitors and 2% "reveal themselves", that's 100 leads. You'd get 50% more leads if we got only 1/2% higher conversion rate (2.5% conversions) Wow!


Sales Training:
You can optimize your site to jack your conversion rate, but, what good is working on that if your sales team is only closing 5% of the conversions.


Buyers:
Inventory IMO is where it all begins and ends, making it the the most important component in our team sport.. The best site with the wrong inventory will suck wind (wrong inventory = wrong price or wrong mix)... and viceversa... a bad site with great inventory will out perform most all sites.


For greatness, all departments need to be "best of class".
 
#8
JoePistell said:
Ed,

As you know, Selling Cars is a Team Sport. Conversions are not success & success is not conversions.


Measuring and improving Internet marketing & merchandising success is as complicated and tactical as a world class chess match. We trace shoppers foot prints all about the site and gather data. They come back 2,3,4 times leaving tracks as they go. Depth of Visit, Visitor Loyalty, VDP's per visitor and other shopper engagement metrics tell us about the shopper's experience. The entire team needs to step up and bring their "A" game.


Marketing & Merchandising:
Conversions (where the shopper reveals personal info) are rare. Most of us "convert" 1%-4% of the "stealth shoppers". When you do the math, the up -side to producing more conversions is mind blowing. If your site has 5,000 visitors and 2% "reveal themselves", that's 100 leads. You'd get 50% more leads if we got only 1/2% higher conversion rate (2.5% conversions) Wow!...
Click to expand...

Joe, I think you and I are in agreement (yet again). My point may have been muddy, and for that I apologize. I was trying to get to the idea that tracking online conversion (however defined) shows only a very small portion of a website's success. Since most automotive customers shop online and "convert" offline, a dealers best option is to track engagement.

As to optimizing a site to jack conversions, I agree that it's possible. I don't know that it should be recommended. Think of the old Autobytel; the only way a customer could contact a dealer was thru a blind lead request. Sure they produced more emails this way, but the 85% of customers that wanted to phone or visit were left out in the cold. Who wants 2 more emails at the expense of 20 calls and walk-ins?

Finally, you'll never get an argument from me about having the right inventory, priced right and merchandised well is the key to success.
 
#9
Ed Brooks said:
Joe, I think you and I are in agreement (yet again).... I was trying to get to the idea that tracking online conversion (however defined) shows only a very small portion of a website's success. Since most automotive customers shop online and "convert" offline, a dealers best option is to track engagement.

As to optimizing a site to jack conversions, I agree that it's possible. I don't know that it should be recommended. Think of the old Autobytel; the only way a customer could contact a dealer was thru a blind lead request....Who wants 2 more emails at the expense of 20 calls and walk-ins?

Finally, you'll never get an argument from me about having the right inventory, priced right and merchandised well is the key to success.
Click to expand...



Ed,

We're tracking down the same direction, I'm just 3 rows over to your right ;-) We're both saying tracking engagement is every bit as important as tracking conversions. It's not an "either or", both have significant importance.

I'll break ranks with you a bit on "optimizing a site to jack conversions". Don't pre-judge this exercise by my layman's description of it. When on-page optimization is done right, its a simple process that satisfies the shoppers quest for confidence.

#1). Know what's on your shoppers mind (on site and off your site).

#2). Create content and tools to address these important "in-market" questions
#3). Measure Before --Make the Change(s)-- Measure After.
#4). Review before and after stats, and repeat as needed (improve content and tools)

It amazes me that none of our web vendors is working on, or promoting on-page optimization. There is gigantic upside here. Autobytel must have began and ended it's quest to jack conversions without creativity.

It's funny how when you build the content and tools to raise conversion counts and conversion quality, all you're really doing is trying to satisfy the shopper's worries, and wouldn't you know it... walk-in sales go up too.
 
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