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PCG has a number of microsites optimized for the automotive industry on popular terms like “Automotive SEO“, “Automotive Advertising“, as well as “Automotive Social Media“.  I periodically check search results based on a list of key search phrases I want to target via our own SEO strategies.  We always want to practice what we preach!

What happened today created one of those “Ah Ha” moments that I wanted to share with car dealers and our industry.

You first have to know that Google changes the search engine results page (SERP) if you are logged into your Google account. While logged in, Google records your past activity with the goal of making sure that it can display the best search results for your online behavior.

So, with this in mind, have you asked what happens when you click on the +1 button next to a website you like, or own.

Automotive Social Media Searches

Here is the SERP for the search phrase “Automotive Social Media” when I am logged out of my Google Account:

Notice that TK Carsites website located at AutomotiveSocialMedia.com is ranking in position #1 over the PCG website at www.AutomotiveSocialMedia.org.   To clarify this screen capture, notice there are no “+1″ buttons or thumbnails of my friends since I am logged out of my Google account.

Now look at the same search result while I am logged into my Google Account:

Notice a few things.  First, Google PULLED from Page Two our Automotive Marketing Boot Camp website which has content optimized for “Automotive Social Media” into first position.  Secondly, it placed our microsite AutomotiveSocialMedia.org into position #2,  It also pushed up websites that I visited frequently or +1′d which in effect pushed the TK Carsites website into position #5.

Also see how the thumbnail effect colorized the SERP and reminds me that my friends ALSO liked certain pages or companies.

Identifying The Googlized Consumer

Now, think about what this means.  If your dealership is implementing a proactive reputation management process in your dealership which uses 3G iPads or iPhones to get “Googlized Consumers” to post a review from inside the store using the Google Places App, why stop there?

When they are done with their 60 second review posting using the Google Places App, why not setup a boomark on your browser for a search that shows your key website pages one the iPad?

Hand the iPad back to the consumer and ask the consumer to click on the +1 buttons next to your key pages or at least just your home page.  Here is what a Google search using the site command does, which in some cases is all you need to show for your dealership:

In this case, many key pages are displayed like the home page, service page, parts page, and used car pages.  So if this page was bookmarked, it would be a breeze to touch the +1 button next to the pages that the customer chooses to +1.

If your website has the +1 button on each page, most do not today, then you could also have them go to the page directly and click the button.

Now the bonus.  Since they are logged into their Google account, their +1 activity is recorded.

Since they are logged into their Google account, their +1 activity is recorded.  This means that when they search for car dealers in your area in the future from their home or mobile device, your website assets will get priority placement.

In this example, my +1 activity significantly changed my top SERP placements.  If you liked this article, please click on the +1 button on the top of this page and also share it with your network om Facebook.

Mmmmmm the benefits of connecting with your Googlized customers are getting better by the day.  If your dealership needs assistance with a comprehensive IRM, SEM, and SEO strategy, give us a call.
Brian

Brian Pasch, CEO
PCG Digital Marketing
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Brian Pasch

PCG has announced new digital marketing strategies to help car dealers do MORE with the existing website and showroom traffic. The response has been amazing so I’m sharing the opportunity to new potential clients.

I am writing to remind those who care to DOMINATE their market, to consider these opportunities.

24×7 Managed Chat

If you would like to significantly increase high quality website leads using chat and have a money back guarantee, give us a call.

Managed 24×7 chat is real and effective. 35% of the chat leads come after you are closed. Chat leads close higher than website leads. So what are you waiting for?

Want 40% more website leads this month?

The ROI on chat is amazing. For most dealers, 24×7 managed chat is less than $1,000 a month and generates a 10x ROI. Now that’s exactly the numbers dealer principals need to hear about.

If our managed chat solution doesn’t deliver 40% more website leads, you get your money back!  

Mobile Text Marketing

If you would like to start building powerful opt-in mobile marketing lists, which have 95%+ consumer delivery rate, give me a call. Email open rates hover around 20% and are dropping. Mobile marketing is the channel that Gen Y and Z want to use!

We will design the showroom banners, signage, and desktop tent cards to engage your showroom customers. We’ll give you the strategy and word tracts to get your team engaged in collecting mobile phones. We’ll show you how to add mobile messaging to your print ads and TV commercials.

We will enhance your email marketing campaigns to drive more customers to opt-in to your mobile campaigns.

Do more with what you have in place for under $500 a month with a power mobile text marketing strategy.

Re-targeting Campaigns

Add up the total visitors to your website in a year to start to see the opportunity to touch these consumers multiple times during the year with a strategic banner advertising campaign.

For many dealers, annual unique visitor counts total over 100,000 people and many of these are local buyers. Imagine creating new messages each month to enhance your online reputation, sharing your work in the community, or the arrival of new models.

I challenge all dealers to invest $500 a month in a retargeting PPC budget to start building your re-marketing list. Each month that goes by you are losing people that may never come back.

ALL advertising investments that drive traffic to your website can be enhanced with retargeting. If you are using radio, TV, print, SEO, and/or PPC to drive traffic to your website, building a retargeting campaign makes all of these investments better.

Reputation Management Consulting

Here is a fact; all advertising investments are impacted eventually by your online reviews.

We have written about it in the past and we have turn-key solutions to help your team get MORE reviews that your competitors.  We show dealers how to use the Google Places application as well as the #1 rated in-store platform PrestoReviews.

Do a search on your dealership name and one page one is Google Places and your reviews. 30% of dealership organic traffic is on their store name. Google Places shows up on Page One 25,000 – 50,000 times a month for car dealers.

Our research has shown that less than 20% of car dealers have a proactive reputation management process in place. Despite selling thousands of cars a year and servicing 10x that number of cars, most dealers have less than 30 positive reviews online.

Dealers are still struggling to get buy-in from their team and implement in-store review process. So, we are now offering in-store consulting and training services to jumpstart your review process.

A 2-3 day visit to your store will demonstrate how to implement in-store review processes in service, sales, and F&I. We’ll make sure a proactive reputation management program enhances your online brand. If your dealership does not have HUNDREDS of strong reviews online, you are a candidate for onsite training.

Keep in mind that having strong reviews enhances your SEO positioning. Having poor reviews hurts your business because showing up on Page One with bad reviews just drives traffic to your competitors.

FOUR OPPORTUNITIES

I’ve listed four opportunities that have a clear and measurable ROI. No smoke and mirrors. Immediate visible results.  Are you utilizing all four?

I’ve listed four opportunities that have a clear and measurable ROI. No smoke and mirrors. Immediate visible results.  Are you utilizing all four?

PCG will work with your team to implement one or all of these solutions to ensure that you are dominating your market. We will ensure that you generate more leads and will stand by the ROI of these investments.

It starts with a call. You can call me direct at 732.672.2356,  Matt O’Such at 732.450.8200, or Lizelle Landino at 201-800-1315. Keep in mind that we work with ONE OEM brand per market so if you want the very best in digital strategy, be the first one in your market to call.

Brian Pasch, CEO
PCG Digital Marketing
About Brian Pasch

in 2010, world class speaker Grant Cardone was speaking at the Innovative Dealer Summit hosted by Tim Jackson and the CADA.  Grant stated that the most successful  CEO’s in the USA read over 70 books a year.

At first I was taken back at the sheer volumes of information that these business leaders were absorbing each year.  What struck me were the words that Grant used: “the most successful” He was not referring to owners and CEO’s that were collecting a paycheck under with a title.

In January, I made a commitment to read a book a week (52 a year) and I have been able to keep that pace going.

Candidly, I kick myself for not investing in reading earlier. Each week I am tapping into the wealth of information shared by top leaders, executives, and creative thinkers.

Books like “Linchpin“  by Seth Godin, “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg, “Getting Naked” by Patrick Lencioni, and my current book “The Mirror Test” by Jeffrey W Hayzlett have truly changed the way I lead and conduct my business affairs.

Unlimited Opportunities

I feel like a kid in the candy shop!  There is a wealth of information available to business leaders; CEO’s, General Managers, Sales Managers, Service Managers,  and any employee that wants to find success in their chosen career path.

When you start reading this many business books, you start to see a recurring theme.  I saw it in Grant Cardone’s books and today in Jeffrey Hayzlett’s book.

What is this theme?  The author candidly states that a small portion of their readers will actually carry out the winning strategies they share in their books.

The author’s experience is that resistance to change is a greater force than any million dollar upside move.  Sounds crazy, but in reality, many business executives are restricted by their “lizard brain“; a phrase coined by Seth Godin in his book Linchpin.

I could tell a dealer that by attending one of our PCG Pit Stop conferences that they could save tens of thousands of dollars a year and they yawn.  I could tell them that they could ruin their brand by ignoring their online reputation and they smile and say that they will get to it soon.

Where Do You Stand?

How about you?  Are you engaged in education? Are you reading weekly?   Is your path heading for greatness or are you content on just being good?  Are you too worried about this month’s sales goals that you can’t plan for a more effective full year of results?

My coach Rick Ivone often repeats this simple reminder:  Good is the killer of GREAT!

I ask my readers this question because over the past few months me and my team have been talking to dealer principals, general manager, and Internet sales manager about participating in various workshops and automotive conferences designed to energize, educate, and improve the bottom line for their dealership.

To be candid, the responses have shown their indifference to the topic.  Investing is education and testing new strategies is not a priority.  Every excuse in the book is used to avoid change.  Their “lizard brain” takes control and rejoices.

It seems like taking a day out for learning is tantamount to asking the dealer to cut off their arm.

Ironically, my reading has demonstrated to me that investments in education will have the highest ROI for leaders because they can apply their new knowledge across an entire organization.

The Bigger Picture Is Ugly

Dealers spend tens of thousands of dollars every month on automotive advertising and marketing, yet will not take a day out of the office to learn how to save THOUSANDS of dollars a month.

Dealers spend millions of dollars to develop their brand yet will not invest a day out of the office the learn how to protect their multi million dollar asset from being hurt online.

Dealers take pride in their business “strategy” but few understand that with changes in Google search engine, over 60% of dealers are doing more to help their direct competitors than themselves.

Marketing and advertising in a digitally socialized world is constantly changing.  Change brings opportunities.  Opportunities bring more sales and profits to a well run business.  Who is keeping you abreast of all these opportunities?

Automotive Leaders Need Balance

Until automotive business leaders demonstrate balance in their professional lives, they will be destined to stay mediocre.  Our lives must be balanced with emotional, physical, spiritual and intellectual investments.

Leadership starts at the top. If the dealer principal and General Manager place little value outside workshops, conferences or monthly reading then you can’t expect the entire organization to flourish and reach its full potential.

I am committed to educate, energize, and lead those who want to grow in their professional lives.  If you want to join me on that path, the door is open to significantly change your business outlook and profits.

You just have to take that first step.  Join the team.