It’s no secret that consumers shopping for a car are changing their buying habits. As an auto dealer you have probably noticed that more and more of your potential customers are coming to your dealership already prepared, knowing exactly what they want.

That’s because most car shoppers have done some kind of advanced research online before entering the showroom. Thus, it’s easy to see that auto dealer online marketing is a powerful tool that can be used to attract customers and bring in more business. To be successful, however, more often than not you will need an SEO vendor to help you out with the optimization of your website and blogging, if you do it. And you should do it.

#1. What Is SEO?

SEO means “search engine optimization.” When search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo are used, users enter specific keywords to specify and limit their search to only relevant results. The engines recognize those words and bring up a listing of the most relevant web pages.

So, in order for your website to find a place in, let’s say, the first 3-5 pages of search results, it has to be “optimized.” An SEO vendor will help your website get more organic traffic, get more visits and, ultimately, bring in more business for you. Leave it to the specialists, they can do wonders so your dealership’s website can become more visible online and be visited by potential customers regularly.

#2. Why Is Extensive Online Presence So Important?

A recently published McKinsey report found that 10 years ago, the average buyer visited at least five dealerships before deciding on a car, while nowadays that number is only 1.6. So, having a well-developed and easy-to-navigate website is essential for the success of your business.

Online shopping and even social media seem to influence the purchasing “journey.”Consumers nowadays spend a lot of time reading reviews by other customers on social networks and community forums. Some experts even say that 50% of all potential buyers make up their minds about a purchase based on their research online.

#3. The Benefits of Auto Dealer Online Marketing

• Convenient and Cost Efficient. Internet marketing is not directly affected by office hours and staff having to work round the clock to talk to customers. Provide answers to the most frequently asked questions in a proper section; equip your website with great photos and videos, giving more information about how your dealership operates, and respond to every customer’s inquiry in a timely fashion. It’s cheaper than employing other ways of marketing, such as direct mail and TV or radio commercials.
• The Scope of Reaching Customers. Here we come to one of the most important features of dealer online marketing: an SEO vendor can help your website achieve better visibility and presence in the endless virtual universe. For example, when a consumer is searching in a browser by entering a car’s make or model, or a local dealership name, your website will pop up on the first page of the search results. That way you will have more online visits by potential customers. And it can be tens of thousands of them over a period of time.
• Building Relationships with Customers. Communicating online with your customers presents a good opportunity to collect more information about what their needs are, so you can personalize your offers and target their interests and preferences effectively. Also, you can invite your customers to leave a comment regarding your customer service and their overall experience in your dealership. In a way, their reviews act as virtual word of mouth that spreads fast online and can reach many more potential consumers.

#4. Top SEO Vendors You Can Use

eXtéresAUTO. This SEO vendor can tell you where your website ranks in a search as well as where your competitors stand. The vendor works with only one brand in a 10-city market and makes sure that the dealership in question appears on the first page at Google, Yahoo and Bing. You can also request a complete Search Asset Management (SAM), which means that the company will monitor online search activities and will provide you with comprehensive reports that will make it easy for you to analyze how effective the optimization is.

Dealer.com. Their Managed SEO service unites strategists, program managers and copywriters who can advise you about the quickest way of achieving search engine visibility and lead flow. Dealer.com can create custom pages for vehicle models and promotions, model-specific landing pages and help you establish a SmartBlog, where you can write strategic blog posts featuring your inventory in the best possible way. In 2011, the company’s clients reported an increase of over 41% more site visitors and 60% more lead submissions, compared to non-managed SEO clients.

Customer Scout Inc. Be aware that Google and other search engines constantly update and improve search through changes to their algorithms. Customer Scout Inc. understands the value of creating targeted SEO strategies, and, surely, the most important advice you’ll receive from the company is to create well-written content on your website, because in the online world, content is king. Moreover, they can help you optimize your entire website, making sure that pages are titled properly along with other SEO elements that play role in the indexing of each page.

Conclusion

Don’t underestimate the power of online marketing and the importance of your website’s optimization. Hiring the services of an experienced SEO vendor can have a greatly positive impact on your business in the long run. With consumers changing their buying habits and doing an extensive research online prior to visiting your dealership, you’ll have to make sure you attract enough organic traffic to your website if you want to prosper.

Have you used the services of an SEO vendor yet, and have you found that your website optimization has brought in more business? Let us known about your experience and leave a comment below.

Svetlana Guineva oversees the content on the Bryant Surety Bonds blog. She is a graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver and is an expert in the field of surety bonds and licensing. She has written extensively on the topics of Freight Broker Bonds and Auto Dealer Licensing.