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PCG has already reported on the power and importance of the Google +1 button. Needless to say Google has strongly emphasized the value of the + One button.

However, many of you still do not have a Plus 1 button on your website. You need to be relevant, recommended, and found, and the Google Plus One button will help.

Just What does Plus One do?

It shows the people in your Google network that you like a piece of content and/or trust a certain site. The recommendations influence the ranking of results for you or your extended network, causing listings to potentially be moved to page one, based on your social connections, and altering the look of results by showing an aggregated number of +1s from all people in your network.

Don’t be left out. Google is quickly moving toward Social Search, and Plus 1 is a major factor.

Why Add Plus One Button to Your Site if it Already Appears in Search?

Simple, it does not always appear. Often when a listing is conjoined with a Google Map no Plus One button will be shown. Maybe I can suggest that the Google Places team sit with the Google Plus One team and take a look.

No button in search, no ability to Plus One. So, if you don’t have one get one now. Then make certain you have a completed Google profile, get connected, and begin to Plus One.

Let me know what you discover in the world of Plus One, and your theories behind the elusive Plus One button in search.

Kristen Chiarello is a Project Manager/SEO Strategist at PCG Digital Marketing, and has been in the Marketing, SEO, SEM and Content Creation fields for many years.

Google continues to amaze me with a tsunami of changes to search and new products this summer.  The team at Google is not taking any vacation time this year.

Google announced today Google Related, a free toolbar that is available for Google Chrome and Internet Explorer.  The toolbar is not available for Firefox.

The toolbar will appear at the BOTTOM of select websites, and show a number of items that are designed to help the consumer who is SHOPPING or RESEARCHING on the Internet.  For car dealers, if this toolbar becomes popular, their online reputation will be amplified and also their competitors will be placed a click away.

The toolbar will benefit dealers that have a strong Internet Reputation Management (IRM) process and it will negatively impact dealers that have ignored their online reviews.  When was the last time you checked your Google Places page?  How many reviews do you have posted?

Google Related Toolbar In Action

Here is a service microsite for Toyota of Sanford, and when you visit this website with the Google Related toolbar installed, you can see the Google Related toolbar at the bottom of the page:

Close-up of Google Related Toolbar

You can see how VISIBLE dealer reviews that are on Google Places will be shown.  It also shows related searches, which WILL INCLUDE other local dealers.  This has good points and bad points for dealers, however this is the CONSUMER’s CHOICE.

When you hover over the reviews section this is what you see:

When you hover over the related places, this is what you see:

Please take note that the local competitor’s reviews are shown.

I’d like to hear your thoughts about this new toolbar. Consumers will be presented with enhanced search tools and they will impact their click decisions.

 Why You Need A Proactive Reputation Management Process

All your advertising dollars are impacted by your online reviews.  The #1 search phrase that brings organic traffic to your website is YOUR DEALERSHIP NAME.  Almost 100% of the time, your Google Places page will show when a consumer searches for your dealership name.

This means that 15,000 – 25,000 times a month consumers are seeing your review star counts.  What are they seeing? Here are some example that are in position #1 on dealer Google Places Pages.  Are these REVIEWS that you would want thousands of people to see a month?

What Are You Waiting For?

• Can you afford not to implement an in-store Internet Reputation Management process?
• Can you afford to leave negative reviews posted without a response from your dealership?
• Can you compete when your local competitors have 2x or 3x the number of positive reviews?

If you need help, just call the digital marketing team at PCG for assistance.  732.450.8200.  We have a comprehensive Internet Reputation Management package specifically designed for car dealers.

Brian Pasch, CEO

PCG Digital Marketing

Text PCGedu to 75674 get information on our upcoming conferences
Brian Pasch

Like a proud father who is moved with emotion as he sees his child graduate from college, I was filled with pride when Westbury Jeep secured their graduation honors. In July Westbury Jeep was recognized as the #1 Jeep Chrysler Dodge dealer in the United States for June 2011.

Being #1 in the US for any brand is a great reward and a double blessing for a passionate and engaging dealer principal. Many factors go into achieving that level of success and the entire Westbury Jeep team should be congratulated. Creating a team that executes on all levels is not an easy accomplishment.

PCG Digital Marketing has assisted Westbury Jeep define and implement their digital marketing strategy for the past three years. We have also developed a great relationship with Joel and his team based on keeping them ahead of their competition in regards to digital marketing.

Joel Sporn, Dealer

Joel Sporn is a rare dealer principal that sought to understand all digital marketing concepts so he could adapt them to his specific vision for his franchise store. Joel is a student of strategy and fiercely competitive.

He chose to accept the responsibility of crafting his digital strategy and build a great team of marketing partners. Joel sought out and connected with people who could help him learn, execute, and integrate that knowledge.

Joel was patient to see the rewards of his digital investments, which is the main theme of this article. Too often the executive leadership of a dealership is disconnected from the staff that are tasked to research, select, implement, and manage a digital strategy.

This disconnect can cause dealer principals to be impatient. It is not uncommon for digital investments to be pulled off the budget before they bear fruit in as little as 60 days.

Search Engine Optimization Is Not For Short Term Planners

Digital marketing investments can have an immediate and clear ROI for dealers like adding 24×7 managed chat to a website, adding pop-up coupons, or operating a pay-per-click campaign with well-designed conversion pages. These digital strategies have an immediate pay-off and, when measured, create a comfort level with bean counters.

Other digital strategies require patience to create a market dominating success story. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most misunderstood investments. Joel took the time to learn, craft, and implement a market dominating SEO strategy and the payoff is clear today. Since an aggressive SEO strategy can take over a year to implement and refine, few dealers ever see the fruits of their SEO investment.

Automotive SEO strategies are continually changing. Just recently Google added the “+1 Button” to search engine listing pages and this one change will have a major impact on click rates to dealer websites. The Google launch of their social media platform “Google+” also creates new opportunities to drive social links and traffic to a dealer’s website. Despite all these new opportunities, I caution dealers that have little patience to start an aggressive SEO strategy. If you are looking for SEO to make significant changes in online visibility and traffic in 90 days, don’t start.

Patience in Reputation Management

Patience is also required for Internet Reputation Management (IRM) processes, which yield an increase in online review counts each month. These reviews are visible to tens of thousands of in-market shoppers each month. Dealers who ignore their online reputation “scores” are in effect using their monthly advertising budgets to send consumers to their nearest competitors.

Dealers who want to fully leverage the digital divide must implement an in-store and post sale review gathering process. Implementation does not come without resistance from dealer employees. They are also uninformed and impatient on the benefits of doing “more” work in their already hectic workday.

The ROI to a commitment to IRM does not necessarily come in 30, 60, or 90 days, but when a dealership has 200+ more reviews than their nearest competitor, the pay-off starts to become very clear. When consumers call and ask for sales professionals they never met because of an online review, your sales team will take notice.

Unfortunately, I have already started to see dealers give up on IRM process investments. I’ve been told that it’s too hard to ask happy customers to take 60 seconds to post a review inside the store. I’ve been told that none of their customers have Google accounts. Both are excuses and lies.

Dealers, what lies are you and your employees believing that are holding back your online marketing success? Digital marketing takes a well-defined strategy and as I have outlined; patience. Success also takes a commitment to learn and lead from the top executives of the company.

We have mentored Brickell Honda, located in Miami Florida, over the past 2 years and they have over 800 reviews posted directly on Google Places. They have a market dominating digital marketing strategy that includes a strong belief in presenting a positive online brand image. With the correct leadership it is amazing what can be accomplished.

Do You Have Patience?

Westbury Jeep and Brickell Honda have demonstrated patience in crafting and implementing their digital marketing strategy. Success did not happen overnight. Their success came from having a strategy that reviewed all their current marketing investments, which resulted in an action plan.

These two dealers are examples of a new breed of automotive professionals that are making the investment to develop a strategy that includes technology, training, and the willingness to be ahead of their peers.

Has your dealership made a commitment to create a dominating digital marketing strategy? If dealers continue to measure success in 30, 60, or 90-day intervals they will never reap the rewards, which are produced from implementing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

I am not implying that your digital investments should not be measured each month. I am saying that until dealership executives invest in digital marketing education for themselves and their team, they will never have the patience to win the race. They may win a short sprint but never the marathon.

Successful car dealers are marathon runners.  If you are looking for a new trainer, give us a call.

PCG Digital Marketing can offer a full assessment of your advertising budget and blueprint for success.  The marketing blueprint will build the confidence that you will cross the finish line with a broad smile.

Brian Pasch, CEO
PCG Digital Marketing
Text PCGedu to 75674 get information on our upcoming conferences
Brian Pasch