- Apr 7, 2009
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Thnx Craig, my bad.
It's a high level look at eyeballs per car. I was looking for an outlier (high or low).
Tangible ROI in Social Media
- Thread starter ryan.gerardi
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Thnx Craig, my bad.
It's a high level look at eyeballs per car. I was looking for an outlier (high or low).
- Feb 11, 2015
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- Alex
That's good.
Google is hanging / hung on to it to collect data on users, so it they are able to give their customers the ability to market back to users. Targeting consumers based on their previous Internet actions, aka Behavioral Retargeting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_retargeting
Don't forget the connection with YouTube and its importance in this. Google was eager to combine YouTube and G+ comments, it's doubled their G+ activity. Google has said that it never intended Google+ to be a standalone product in the first place or a front-end service in competition with Facebook. Google+ will no longer be considered a product, but a platform, essentially ending its competition with other social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Rather than a social network, Plus has become a stream. Photos, videos, communications, profiles, etc. This is still very valuable as a publishing tool and anyone looking for SEO bang shouldn't ignore Google+. Ignore at your own risk. Social popularity, yes it's become a waste of time.
Well, I am not sure if this is a question that you have advice for or if this is a dealership by dealership thing.
What we have done so far is take a few more pictures, and invested in a better camera. In addition, we changed how we take photos as well as what we consider to be the best times to take them. I got a lot of advice from a member right here in Dealer Refresh as far as what camera to buy and trying to manage lighting issues as well as a whole lot of other stuff that went way beyond what I could really understand. My internet guy understood it. The quality of the photos is way better than it was!
I believe that we need to identify points of emphasis on each specific vehicle and make darn sure that we highlight that feature within our photos. A good example would be the 3rd row seating on that Escalade that you mentioned. If we had a specific photo of that feature, we would know that a shopper would notice it because we know they are looking through the pictures. DVD players, Navigation, heated seats, tow packages, and similar options would also fit into this. Features that customers would be SPECIFICALLY be looking for. Yes, we need to get those items in the descriptions, but if we want to be absolutely certain that a shopper notices them...take a picture.
Along those lines, we have given thought to making sure we take a picture of any option that is a "value adding option" in the NADA Book.
I am trying to figure out how to work in some "Why Buy Here" slides into the photos. Rather than having the reviews appearing on the VDP, I am working on getting a review mixed in with the pictures. So customers that are scrolling through the pictures will see a review and maybe something else mixed in there as well. The only thing that we absolutely know is that they will look at the pictures. Maybe a subliminal message tossed in here or there..."I am going to buy my next car at Clock Tower Auto" or "I do not need to price shop these guys" and finally "Brown is my new favorite color". Damn I wish that would work!
Hi all...im going to throw my two cents into the ring having read all of your interesting feedback. Being as I won this bet (thats right Clint!) I think that its earned me some "last word" privledges In all seriousness, just hear me out...
Just like everything else in this business, this topic is complex. There are tons of variables and considerations and everyone that has chimed in has made excellent points, observations and suggestions. My point is this...there is no "right" answer. Furthermore, what is "right" today likely will change tomorrow. The thread started with a question- can we determine tangible ROI via social. And that answer is yes. However, does that mean that social is king and everything else should be prioritized behind it? NO.
The biggest problem that we face as an industry when it comes to answering these questions is the fragmentation of technologies and the subsequent enormous industry of products, services and voices that serve the conflicting interests of giving opinions, and then profiting from them. In my opinion, the answer is to continue to do what this thread is doing....try things, measure the results, pivot based on tangible results. Just because we prove X strategy works doesnt mean Y needs to be abandoned. Having a wide breadth, or "portfolio" of advertising isnt a bad thing- so long as its measured and managed. I will end on this note....both Google and Facebook are powerful and when structured for tangible return, can do so. The bigger takeaway from this is the tools for measuring those returns. In the case of FB- yes, you have to pay. You also have to align your ROI with the strategy. If leads-to-sales is the goal, format AD's appropriately and funnel them into a ADF format that ensures they become tangible. If awareness/branding is your strategy- then realize that you still have to pay, but the measurement tool shifts to clicks, impressions and user flows.
User flows bring me to my next point- Google Analytics is a tremendous tool- use it. There isnt anything that cant be learned on youtube or asking on the forum...but typically the vendors "teaching" us have too much skin in the game and arent point our eyes in the right direction. User Flow is rarely mentioned in automotive and yet the rest of the retail world lives off of it. For those not familiar, I have attached a picture of how it looks in GA (google image rip, no clue what industry or site its showing but you get the point). These flows give a clear and verifiable picture as to how the users, once on your site, behave...when they leave, where they most likely progress, etc...the story is painted, we just need to look for it.
Anyways- thanks for listening. This was a fun bet and I enjoyed it. Ironically, I probably got more out of it than Clint. I can do this nonsense all day long...but I struggle to source pre-owned cars that move. I cant tell you how much Clint has helped me in this regard and how thankful I am for that help. Thats what this forum is about...driving the industry forward by leveraging the power of community. Have a great day.
In all seriousness, just hear me out...Just like everything else in this business, this topic is complex. There are tons of variables and considerations and everyone that has chimed in has made excellent points, observations and suggestions. My point is this...there is no "right" answer. Furthermore, what is "right" today likely will change tomorrow. The thread started with a question- can we determine tangible ROI via social. And that answer is yes. However, does that mean that social is king and everything else should be prioritized behind it? NO.
The biggest problem that we face as an industry when it comes to answering these questions is the fragmentation of technologies and the subsequent enormous industry of products, services and voices that serve the conflicting interests of giving opinions, and then profiting from them. In my opinion, the answer is to continue to do what this thread is doing....try things, measure the results, pivot based on tangible results. Just because we prove X strategy works doesnt mean Y needs to be abandoned. Having a wide breadth, or "portfolio" of advertising isnt a bad thing- so long as its measured and managed. I will end on this note....both Google and Facebook are powerful and when structured for tangible return, can do so. The bigger takeaway from this is the tools for measuring those returns. In the case of FB- yes, you have to pay. You also have to align your ROI with the strategy. If leads-to-sales is the goal, format AD's appropriately and funnel them into a ADF format that ensures they become tangible. If awareness/branding is your strategy- then realize that you still have to pay, but the measurement tool shifts to clicks, impressions and user flows.
User flows bring me to my next point- Google Analytics is a tremendous tool- use it. There isnt anything that cant be learned on youtube or asking on the forum...but typically the vendors "teaching" us have too much skin in the game and arent point our eyes in the right direction. User Flow is rarely mentioned in automotive and yet the rest of the retail world lives off of it. For those not familiar, I have attached a picture of how it looks in GA (google image rip, no clue what industry or site its showing but you get the point). These flows give a clear and verifiable picture as to how the users, once on your site, behave...when they leave, where they most likely progress, etc...the story is painted, we just need to look for it.
Anyways- thanks for listening. This was a fun bet and I enjoyed it. Ironically, I probably got more out of it than Clint. I can do this nonsense all day long...but I struggle to source pre-owned cars that move. I cant tell you how much Clint has helped me in this regard and how thankful I am for that help. Thats what this forum is about...driving the industry forward by leveraging the power of community. Have a great day.
- Apr 7, 2009
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This thread gave me 2 additional thought leaders to follow! TY @ghl222 (Gregg H.) and @emilymoore
Love your red-hot flamethrowing ideas!
Love your red-hot flamethrowing ideas!
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- Apr 7, 2009
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Anyone catch some inspiration from @Ryan Gerardi 's comment?
My take...
I like the contrast of how content on a site can support a "transactional" experience vs "relational" experience. Next, consider how our car shoppers see car shopping as ROBO*, they have no intent to use the site as a "transactional" experience. This opens the opportunity for content that supports a "relational" experience.
For example:
Car shoppers fully intend on letting go of the internet and "entering our space" (coming into the dealership). This means, "entering our space" is a concern for shoppers. Look at your website and ask yourself how much of your site speaks to the shoppers concerns of "entering our space"?
Thnx Ryan G.
*ROBO = Research Online Buy Offline
My take...
I like the contrast of how content on a site can support a "transactional" experience vs "relational" experience. Next, consider how our car shoppers see car shopping as ROBO*, they have no intent to use the site as a "transactional" experience. This opens the opportunity for content that supports a "relational" experience.
For example:
Car shoppers fully intend on letting go of the internet and "entering our space" (coming into the dealership). This means, "entering our space" is a concern for shoppers. Look at your website and ask yourself how much of your site speaks to the shoppers concerns of "entering our space"?
Thnx Ryan G.
*ROBO = Research Online Buy Offline
- Apr 16, 2009
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- Mike
Ya, I guess I did kind of hijack the thread a little! But hell, my Facebook experiment was the only reason anyone was watching anyway! (That is an attempt at humor)
In the last 30 days, I have received 187 referrals to my website. 136 of these referrals have come from my Facebook page. Not paid Facebook ads, but organic (free) traffic. These were all direct VDP clicks, not Homepage clicks. Your Facebook page is an excellent place to post your "latest blowout special program rig!". I would caution you against overdoing it though. Don't post half of your inventory every other day.
Thanks for the update, I was very interested in the original "bet", er.. experiment on getting fb to convert folks to actually and seriously go to your site to check out buying a car from that medium. I lost my internal bet seeing your great response of referrals. To recap, do you have a business page or a fan page? Thanks for the update, and good selling!
Mike
- Apr 16, 2009
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- Mike
@ryangeradi Thanks for your message Ryan, lost contact w/ DR but am back on now but I was eager to find out how the original "bet" ended up, and am excited to hear how well the experiment proved out. I'll rethink my hesitation of promoting vehicles for sale on and with fb, as opposed to really pushing the fixed departments specials and community involvement posts... thanks again!
- Feb 11, 2015
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Heat maps are great, but automotive platform providers need to do their own usability studies with UX experts (in-house) and prove that to dealers. If an interface (VDP, Home Page, Showroom, etc.) is built poorly, there is no heat map in the world that is going to make a difference.
Somehow, I find this missing with most platforms. Dealers just say, "well, ok thanks for the website."
