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POD Score REVIEW

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joe.pistell

joe.pistell

Uncle Joe
Apr 7, 2009
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#1
Brain Pasch(BP) has launched PodScore.org. It's GPOM with a scoring system. I like the concept, but the scoring method does not reflect Search Reality.

Reality #1). The Google Free Fall
Here is a Click Through Rate (CTR) study that demonstrates how steeply the search results fall off with each lower position.
top-10-serp-clickthrough1.png
"...#1 SERP position recieves 42.3% of all clickthroughs.
The #2 position only accounts for 11.92% of all clickthroughs,
#3 placement in the SERPs results in a 8.44% clickthrough rate, and is over 80% less than the top position on the first results page."
Source: SERP Click Through Rate of Google Search Results – AOL-data.tgz – Want to Know How Many Clicks The #1 Google Position Gets? - Red Cardinal

​
The data above is from 2006, other examples/studies are all over the net, all with the same outcome. Important to note, the test was done in 2006 when Google was far more organic search friendly. Now google Ads and Google Maps and Google Instant aggressively push Organic search results nearly off the page. Documents of this are everywhere, I'll use the famous Arron Walls take at: Excuse Me, But Where Did Google's Organic Search Results Go? | SEO Book.com .

Here's how your shoppers see it
google-serp-layout.gif


This "shove down" screen shot you see above is one year old, it's made WORSE with google's new Instant Search box. It shoves organic results even further below the fold.




Reality #2). Search Intent.
A shopper that types in a dealers name has performed a "Directory Search" (as compared to a shopping search). It's quite clear the shopper has a relationship with the dealer, or, is a referral (or similar). A "Directory Search" is not a Shopper and is instantly satisfied with TOP PICK.

Directory search requests create....TOP PICK INSTANT SATISFACTION (TPIS ;-)

For POD results to be accurate, rather than giving all positions an equal score, the score should follow the slope of the CTR results. Something along the shape of this log chart below
log%20chart.jpg

Big score for #1 and for every step away from #1, the results plummet.


Ol' Uncle Joe says... I see the value in PODs & I rather like the concept but the scoring system needs to get in line with the results.

IMO, If you want to defend your turf, police the paid ads at the top of the page and get your local search game hitting on all cylinders. Paid Search Ads (PPC) are seen ahead of your #1 organic spot. If a competitor is bidding your name, have your GM call their GM and ask for a truce. If that dosent work, then you can easily outbid their paid ad because your PPC quality score is going to be a perfect 10 where are your competitor will have a low PPC quality score making their bids very expensive (relative to your bids)

DON"T FORGET THE MAPS, they work!
Get your local SEO game on NOW. Get that map to your store up as high as you can get it. If your a DIY, here's a great start http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/google-map-pls-help-me-1012.html . If your smart, you'll find a Local SEO guru. In our Forum, seek out the recommendations of "Dev Basu" like this one: http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/google-map-pls-help-me-1012-4.html#post9370 . Dev is one of the Local Search elite that assisted in Local Search Ranking Factors | Local SEO Best Practices for Google, Bing, Yahoo
 
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#2
:iagree: Joe. GPOM goes far beyond organic today....


  • Is someone buying your business' name in PPC?
  • Is Google showing your competitor in the local listings section?
  • What other distractions are there when someone searches your name?

Maybe POD should be evolved to cover more than just organic. Brian, I know PPC and Local aren't part of your main platform, but can we change things up to be more encompassing?
 
#3
Great points here Joe. I was looking all over for this chart, I remember seeing but couldn't remember where. .

There is no doubt that you want to own page one of Google for your dealership name - it's just great practice but at the same time if you are going to have a score for this - lets be sure it represents true clicking habits.

Something else to consider for Google Page One Management - if your dealer name includes the name of the town, you netter be sure you are owning the top portion of the search results for the different variations of these keyword searches as well.

I only say this because I'm currently have a small reputation crises (or maybe not) on page one for one of my dealers keyword search results by name and 2 other dealer name / town phrases.

At first my initial thought is to freak out and show the GM the importance of our online reputation. And that I did. I used this angle to show and stress the importance of taking care of each and every customer as if they are a possible reviewer online. But that's just it, I used the angle to sell my dealer the importance. Knowing in the back of my head - the negative review/post is the last listing on page one and that basically no one is looking there anyways.

Don't get me wrong - I still understand the importance of this negative review and I'll have it taken care of soon enough but until then, I'm not going to sweat it too much. I have several things in place that will prevent it from moving any further up the page. That's what you DON'T want to take your eyes off of - negative reviews or 3rd party lead gen sites moving their way up the page.
 
#4
Ok guys just got through with this discussion on DrivingSales so I am not going go through that again but here is owning “Page One” on Google for your name by the numbers, and I will use your numbers and assume someone does a great job of getting to your name and gets to position 3.
Of course you are welcome to change numbers as you like them. I am using one of our dealers for actual numbers.
1. Impressions X CTR (Actual Name Searches) – 1735 searches X 8% CTR (if you feel a competitor can get more than that feel free to use the number you like) = 139
2. Click X Conversion rate – 17 X 5% (way high if you ask me) = 7
3. Conversion rate X sale ratio – 1 X 15% (again being generous) = 1
4. Sale ratio X gross profit - 1 X $2000 (maybe even a bit high) = $2000
5. Gross profit X Net to Gross – $2000 X 20% (high) = $400
So unless it cost $200 per month to own “Page One” your name is searched a hell of a lot or a competitor can get to rank 1 on you page this just doesn’t make financial sense. Reality good basic SEO is all the protection you need.
Tell me what I am missing?
 
#6
GPOM has always been a "it's on my list" project for me. Diving into the SERPs this am, I was watching Google Instant work, letter by letter. I can see that Google is very very sensitive to local signals. I am a HUGE local SEO proponent and what I'm seeing is far more local bias than I thought. Add to that Google's Quality Score system (CTR, Relevance, Speed), it should be fairly easy to over take rogue listings with a simple yet well engineered microsite system and some Social Media work.
 
#10
JoePistell said:
hahaha Alex, look how far down the food chain I went to find some SM ROI. ;-)

LarryB, I have to agree with Alex, ya lost me bud.
Click to expand...

Joe, I think you're just encouraging your competition to invest all their energy in Social Media. :D

As for Larry's example, I went over to DrivingSales and read the full argument. If I assume Larry's metrics and math are correct, I think the takeaway is that the difference between complete page one domination and simply showing up in above the fold on a dealer-name search might amount to one, maybe two units... a year.

Then the question becomes, is there anything else (other than working diligently at increasing my POD score) that I could spend my time, energy and money on, that would help me sell more than one or two units in the same year's time? No one is in this business to have a great POD score, we're all in it to sell cars and make money.

How many more units will eliminating an Edmunds result in the 10th organic position help me sell?
 
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