digital dealer seo 2010

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Understanding The Role of Content Automotive SEO Architecture Search Engine Asset Classes Search Engines Simplified Developing A Search Phrase Target List Keyword Research Tools How Asset Classes Use Search Phrase Terms Content on Google, Yahoo and Bing Traffic patterns on the 3 major search engines SERP Behavior on Google, Yahoo and Bing Keywords and Domain Names Good Content & Consumer Curb Appeal What should we be writing about? Manufacturer Announcements, New Models & Promotions Customer Testimonials Dealer Specific Promotions and Sales Communities Activities Consumer Tips, Service and Parts Content writing tips 1 Seminar Outline

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Page 1: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Understanding The Role of ContentAutomotive SEO Architecture Search Engine Asset ClassesSearch Engines SimplifiedDeveloping A Search Phrase Target ListKeyword Research ToolsHow Asset Classes Use Search Phrase Terms

Content on Google, Yahoo and Bing Traffic patterns on the 3 major search engines

SERP Behavior on Google, Yahoo and BingKeywords and Domain Names Good Content & Consumer Curb Appeal

What should we be writing about? Manufacturer Announcements, New Models & Promotions

Customer TestimonialsDealer Specific Promotions and SalesCommunities ActivitiesConsumer Tips, Service and PartsContent writing tips

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Seminar Outline

Page 2: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Where to Place Content

Press Release WebsitesBlogging PlatformsIndustry Websites Automotive MicrositesDon’t Forget Your Dealer Site

Measuring The Effect of Content SEO Strategies

Google AnalyticsPlatform Referring Link ReportsCustom Analytics Tools

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Seminar Outline (cont)

Page 3: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Fundamentals: SEO vs. SEM

This seminar will focus on the “green” area of a search results page

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Page 4: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Automotive SEO Architecture

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This architecture builds links, traffic and relevancy

Main Website

Industry Websites

Paid Advertising

Press Releases

Blogs

Video & Graphics

Social MediaMicrosites

Document Portals

Review Websites

Bookmarking Portals

Ebay/AT/Cars

Page 5: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Automotive SEO 101

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Text Article

s

Video Assets

Image Assets

Google Maps

Any search phrase triggers a scan of various asset classes in Google, Yahoo and Bing. You should have targeted content in each class to maximize your exposure in SERP’s.

Search Phrase

Page 6: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

SERP Showing Asset Classes

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Articles

Video Assets

Image Assets

Adwords (PPC)

Search: Chevy Silverado

Page 7: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

SERP Showing Asset Classes

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Search:

Digital Dealer Nashville

Notice Newspaper Icon

Page 8: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Search Engines Simplified

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Search Phrase

Best Matching

AssetsSERP

1. You need to know what phrases people are typing into the search engines.

2. Create best matching content.3. Publish the content on the Internet with links back to

your website(s).4. Promote the content and traffic via embedded links.

My consulting practice is best described as creating “Best Matching” Internet assets for business owners.

Page 9: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Type of Automotive Search Phrases

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State & National

County & Towns

Dealer Names

Long Tails

For most dealer websites, their #1 referring search phrase, by a long shot, is their brand name.

Page 10: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Developing A Search Phrase List

1. You would consider broad phrases like:

a. New York Nissan Dealersb. Nissan New Yorkc. Nissan Cars NY

2. You would consider regional phrases like:

a. Bronx Nissan Sentrab. Bronx Nissan Dealersc. Bronx Nissan Serviced. Bronx Nissan Parts

3. You would consider surrounding towns:

a. Nissan Yonkersb. Nissan Mt Vernonc. New Rochelle Nissan Serviced. East Tremont Nissan

4. You would consider Model searches:a. Nissan Altima Bronxb. Nissan Cube New York

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If you were a Nissan dealer that was

located in the Bronx or served Bronx

consumers, what would your search

phrase list look like?

Page 11: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Prioritizing a Search Phrase List

1. This is where the “art” of Search Engine Optimization comes into play.

2. The organization needs to identify the intend of the search phrase and consider the frequency of the search phrase.

3. Then a testing regimen must be put in place.

Example: “Bronx Nissan”

Frequency: 4,400 searches month (approximate)

Intent: Since the consumer is not using a specific dealer name they may be undecided on which dealer to do business with.

Translation: 30+ calls a month and 30+ email leads in 30 days.

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If you were a Nissan dealer that was

located in the Bronx or served Bronx

consumers, what would your search

phrase list look like?

Page 12: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

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Consultant has created web assets that appear for broad searches that can lead customers to any particular dealer.

Know how to create lasting web assets is one of the skills of an Automotive SEO consultant.

Searching for “Bronx Nissan”

Page 13: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

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Owning the top spots (above the fold) for vehicle model searches in your PMA can be very effective for lead generation.

Searching for “Bronx Nissan Sentra”

Page 14: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

How To Research Search Phrases

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• There are many free and paid tools on the market and for most people the free tools are fine.

• Google Yahoo and MSN all offer free tools for keyword research.

• Link to Google’s Keyword Research Tool

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

• WordTracker is a popular paid tool. (http://www.wordtracker.com)

• Spyfu is another tool that is helpful with Adwords strategies (http://spyfu.com )

Keywords should be prioritized and a checklist created to mark where phrases have been targeted with press releases.

Page 15: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Search Phrases & Asset Classes

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Search Phrase Priorities

Add To Video & Image Post

Add To META Tags on landing

pagesAdd to Blog Posts Add to Online

DocumentAdd to Press

Releases

• All asset classes need your search phrase research.

• Businesses should develop an initial “Top 20” search phrase target list.

• Then you must track your progress each month to see how your visibility is improving.

Page 16: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Video Optimization & Content

1. Google does not have the current ability to read, interpret and classify a video for a specific set of keywords on the fly.

2. Most video websites allow you to add content:

a. Titleb. Descriptionc. Tags

The reason why you should carefully consider this content is because it allows the videos to be matched with specific search phrases. The content that surrounds videos can also have an effect on the final categorization.

3. Any video that you post should have a purpose. That purpose can be to show additional dealer controlled assets for specific search phrases.

4. Let’s look at a few examples on the website to understand just how important these three content tags can be.

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Page 17: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

YouTube Tagging of Videos

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The area highlighted in red allows you to add the necessary content and keyword “tags” to get promote your video

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Video Posting Websites

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1. www.metacafe.com

2. www.youtube.com

3. http://video.google.com

4. http://video.yahoo.com

5. http://video.msn.com

6. www.vimeo.com

7. www.stickam.com

8. www.dailymotion.com

9. www.veoh.com

10. www.merchantcircle.com

11. http://uk.video.yahoo.com

This vide was posted on ADMwww.automotivedigitalmarketing.com

Page 19: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Setup a Video Channel

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http://www.stickam.com/automotiveseo

Page 20: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Image Optimization & Content

1. Google does not have the current ability to read, interpret and classify a photo for a specific set of keywords on the fly.

2. Most photo sharing websites allow you to add content:

a. File Nameb. Long Descriptionc. Alt Tags

The reason why you should carefully consider this content is because it allows the images to be matched with specific search phrases. The content that surrounds videos can also have an effect on the final categorization.

3. Images searches are very popular. Images can be loaded on the Internet to present additional dealer controlled assets for specific search phrases.

4. Type into Google Images “Ford F150 Nebraska” and see that Rasmussen Stewart Ford has the #1 image in Google search.

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PPC Optimization & Content

1. If you are running a Google Adwords campaign and purchasing specific search phrases, content on the landing page for each phrase is important.

2. The better quality targeted content that matches the phrases you are buying will lower your CPC and improve your positioning.

3. Good content for any PPC campaign is common sense. A strong call to action with supporting content can make the difference in conversion and sales.

4. Good “landing” pages also applies to the use of social media. Creating a Twitter post and link to a page with poor content and value will frustrate the success of your social media marketing team.

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Which Search Engine is Best?

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Sample Traffic Distribution

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This is data from an automotive microsite over a 30 day period. Notice that Bing and Yahoo are almost equal and

for some clients Bing has more traffic than Yahoo.

Page 24: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Keywords & Domain Names

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The importance of search phrase research and its application in domain name selection is often overlooked.

A good content SEO strategy is built on a powerful domain name that contains your most important search words.

Unfortunately, the three search engines treat domain names differently.

Page 25: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Same Phrase - Different Results

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URL Search Phrase Yahoo Bing Google Age of Site

www.bmwusedcars.net bmw used cars 3 1 1 36 months

www.dealer-seo.com automotive seo 8 2 1 24 months

www.automotiveseo.vox.com automotive seo 2 4 n/a 9 months

www.infinitig37nj.com g37 dealer nj 1 1 1 12 months

www.fordmassachusetts.com ford massachusetts n/a 3 1 4 months

www.infiniticar.net infiniti car prices 2 1 7 18 months

www.chevydealerphoenix.com phoenix chevy dealers 1 5 2 12 months

http://lease.bmwpeabody.com bmw x6 boston 1 1 n/a 18 months

www.hyundaime.com hyundai maine 2 6 1 4 months

http://boston.infinitimassachusetts.com Boston Infiniti 1 2 n/a 18 months

www.usednissancars.net used nissan cars n/a 3 4 18 months

www.infinitiwarranty.net infiniti extended warranty 1 1 2 24 months

www.audinh.com Audi dealers NH 1 6 2 18 months

Page 26: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Decoding URL Placements

1. Exact matches on a domain for key search phrases are the best. (.com, .net or .org)

2. The top three search engines weigh sub-domains differently.

3. The top three search engines weigh free portals differently.

4. Short & Sweet – The Ultimate Treat

5. Automotive SEO domain buying strategies come from years of testing.

6. Parked domains have little ROI.

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Good Content – What Consumer See On Arrival

1. The combination of strategic domain names, links and traffic development strategies all depend on the “first” impression of a visitor.

2. Good landing pages are a combination of good design and good content.

3. Content is not the “key” to conversion but often it is the key to driving free traffic.

4. Dealers must experiment with different landing page design to get the right balance of graphics, content, video and call to action messages.

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www.abcmotorcredit.com

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What Do I Write About?

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• Customer Testimonials & Reviews • Manufacturer Announcements • New Car & Truck Models • Dealer Specific Promotions and Sales• Communities Activities• Consumer Tips, Service and Parts

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Customer Testimonials

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• Consider signing up for DealerRater.com’s Certified Dealer

• Real-Time streaming testimonials

• 14 day resolution period

• Leading “brand” for consumer reviews

• Consumers trust “peer” reviews 5x more than advertisements

• Blogs are the perfect place for highlighting customer reviews.

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Imbed RSS Feed or Stream for DR

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JavaScript

RSS

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Repurposing Manufacturer PR

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• Rework Manufacturer Press Releases

• Sign Up For Official RSS Feeds – This is an example for Ford

– http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases

– http://www.ford.com/dynamic/ford-motor-company-rss

• First to write about a top in your State will be rewarded

• New models should be covered as soon as they are announced.

• Concept cars often become production models so don’t overlook them.

• ADM Forum just posted a list of all manufacturer RSS feeds. Read this thread.

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This Press Release took the lead about the Transit Connect Van.

Original message was from a Ford generated news release.

This was customized for New Mexico searches for the van.

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Search Visibility Confirmed

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Extending Your Offline Sales Promotions

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• Traditional advertising agencies do not have deep experience leveraging offline media assets on the Internet.

• All sales events should have a corresponding online content strategy that drives traffic to sales landing pages.

• Video, graphics and content can all be leveraged using social media tools. Website and offline media coordinated

Page 35: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Document Your Community Involvement

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• Leverage your local donations and support of charities.

• Require links back from charity websites.

• Request PR to be sent out by organizations you support.

• A great content strategy is to create a .org microsite on your brand name to document your work in the community.

• This microsite serves many purposes:– IRM– Protects your brand name– Communicates your commitment

to the community.– Good links back to your primary

website.

http://www.carolinegrossinger.org

Page 36: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Developing Trust By Giving Advice

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• Effective social networking relies on creating a trust network.

• Could you be the “Answer Man” in your state for your brand?

• Would your parts and service team be able to post tips on the cars that your sell?

• Content can take on all forms and if targeted to common concerns, then traffic will follow.

• Topics: tires, brakes, batteries, aftermarket upgrades..

Page 37: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

SEO Content Writing Tips

• Have one primary search phrase per article• Titles should contain most important search phrase.• Article should be 300-500 words, and can be longer.• Have 1-2 secondary search phrases included in

content body.• Include 2-3 hyperlinks of targeted search phrases that

point back to your website(s).• When hyper-linking phrases to your main site, pick

the most appropriate inner page and not the home page by default.

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SEO Content Writing Tips (cont)

• If you are using WordPress or an HTML editor, make use of Header Tags (H1,H2 and H3).

• Never lose sight of the fact that the content “layout” should be appealing to the reader.

• Images and graphs can help break-up the text message.

• Don’t forget to include a call to action.

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Page 39: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Where Do I Place Content

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• Check your competitors• Industry blog sites• Free classifieds• Free blogging platforms• Free directory services• Press releases• Social media networks• Facebook• Document Portals

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Free Blog PlatformsContent Placed On These Sites Get Indexed!

Merchant Circle

Fast Company

BloggerVox

Wordpress Content

Delivery Platforms

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Vox.Com

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http://automotiveseo.vox.com

Vox uses sub-domains as a powerful tool for customizing your free blog.

Your top search phrase can be the sub-domain name.

VOX websites, when kept active, can rank very well.

Bing seems to like Vox’s architecture.

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www.blogspot.com

• Free Google blog that can also rank well with active content

• Blogger Platform is adding more features but still is not a close contender to WordPress

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http://brian.blogspot.com

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www.merchantcircle.com

• Perfect for car dealers (free)

• Has blogging module• Coupon module• Customer reviews• Ranks very well in Google

• Downside: Runs Adwords unless you pay a monthly fee.

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Merchant CircleBlog Posts areIndividually indexedIn Google

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Google Search For:

2010 Mustang Boston

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Links from Industry Websites

Edmunds.com

AutomotiveDigitalMarketing.com

DealerRefresh.com

DrivingSales.com

InternetSalesManager.org

User Forums

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NING - Social Media Communities

• This is a NING platform

• It allows members to have their own blogs

• Allows for community interactions and shared messaging

• You can create your own portal for customers

• Visit: ww.internetsalesmanager.org

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• WordPress technology allows car dealers to own a powerful content publishing platform.

• Dealers can create multiple microsites to target different search phrase and revenue centers.

• Consultant has simplified automotive microsites deployment and lead capture.

• WordPress is loved by the search engines.

Automotive Microsites

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Live Inventory Now A Reality – WordPress Plug-in

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SEO Optimized Detail Pages in WP Plug-In

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• The detail pages have changeable themes on the fly.

• Drop in Widgets based on your search criteria

• URL strings are optimized and changeable

• Increases the viability of WordPress as a lead generation and sales engine.

Page 53: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Expand Content On Your Main Website

• Don’t forget to be added new content pages to your main website.

• Content development restrictions will vary by platform.

• Push to have at least 1-2 new permanent pages added per month.

• Swapping out content on a fixed “news” page is good but the long term SEO benefit is minimized.

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Page 54: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Facebook Fan Page

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Fan Pages are coming up on Google Page One for Your Business Names

Great way to deploy multi-media assets.

Events calendars can also appear in search results from Facebook and Linked In.

Add valuable content and not spam.

Page 55: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Document Publishing Websites

• Create stand-alone PowerPoint sales, service messages.

• Re-Purpose PDF documents– SlideShare.net– Scribd.com

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Search for: Boston Infiniti EX35

Page 56: Digital Dealer Seo 2010

Results of Combined Tools

The combination of:• Web Directories• Blogging Platforms• Press Releases• Social Networks• Link Building

Can create additional listings in Google Search and

prevent competitors from pulling

customers away from your website.

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Google Search For:

Digital Dealer Conference Nashville

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Google Search For:

Ford Fusion Boston

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Google Search For:

Ford Transit Connect Maryland

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Measurement• Google Analytics• Platform Referring Link Reports• Custom Analytics Tools

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Dealer site

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Summary

• Take Action – Don’t Delay

• If you need help getting started, get a training program in place.

• Too busy? Get someone to help you with content.

• If you ignore SEO, Social Media, and content development, your competitors will eventually bury you.

• A full-time Internet Marketing specialists can cost > $50,000 a year so consider outsourcing to keep up with the curve.

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