Reply to thread

I'll leave you with one last thought...

If you are frustrated with your invisible ROI from your AutoTrader.com spend, consider the chart above and compare it to Vehicle Shoppers that use the term "autotrader" (see below)

[ATTACH]1628[/ATTACH]

Clearly 2 diverging charts.

According to Google trends, Vehicle shopping is down, yet, AutoTrader* is up.  IMO, Autotrader* is taking significantly more share of the total automobile shopping audience.

Why? How?

Not sure. My instincts are telling me a combo of events that I'll list in order of impact:

1. More Eyeballs: A big Change in Google's Ranking Algo
   1. Google CEO, 2008: "Brands needed to clean up Internet 'cesspool'")
2. Used car demand popped by a used car valuation free fall 08-09
   1. See Manheim Consulting's Used Car Index* chart below
3. AutoTrader moves into the New Car market.
   1. The branding begins: 'Trader moves into new car market (april 2008)
4. Change in AutoTrader Ad Spend?
   1. Unknown.

*Manheim Consulting's Used Car Index

[ATTACH]1629[/ATTACH]

Manheim - Consulting

*in all likelyhood cars.com too

p.s. there is growing evidence that the data from Google trends is real.  I am seeing studies where google trends data is being successfully used to anticipate trends in stock markets.