Branding your dealership on the Web

When you are driving in your car and hear a radio ad for a car dealer, you are not likely to put much thought in to it unless you are on the market for a car, at which time you are likely to hear the dealer’s web address (if it is even announced). And if you are on the market when you hear the ad, you also are likely to realize at that time how frequently (or infrequently) you have been hearing that dealer’s radio ad on this and possible other radio stations.

This is brand marketing and the same theory applies to television, print, and, yes…search marketing too.

While the dealer’s ultimate goal is indeed to increase sales by driving people to its website or into the showroom, the dealer knows that he must make his dealership visible and accessible so that car buyers and car owners can be aware of his business. Considering the increasing number of people taking their car shopping and service needs to the Internet to get things started, brand marketing on the Web is becoming increasingly more essential for auto dealers.

There are several ways for dealers to market themselves on the Web, and organic search marketing has become a significant form of doing so. In a recent study performed by Google and Compete, Inc. Search was valued at “near parity” with OEM Sites and 3rd Party Automotive Sites. The study also showed that

• Nearly 3/4 of new Vehicle Buyers used search at some point in the process and were referred to an OEN Site or 3rd Party Automotive Site
• In the last month prior to purchase, 42% of New Vehicle Buyers used search

While paying to have your inventory listed on 3rd party sites such as AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, Vehix.com, etc. is an effective way to generate leads, the reality is that this is all you are doing is generating leads. Listing services like this are not designed to build or promote your dealership. You are paying to have your vehicles listed in a directory of millions of other autos and thousands of other dealers and in the end are helping to build the brand awareness of the listing provider, not your dealership.

Search marketing provides a way for dealers to attain not just levels of visibility but penetration and even saturation when carried out effectively.