Upcoming Automotive SEO Trends in 2020

Your automotive dealership relies heavily on online marketing to drive sales and to define its brand image. Simply creating online content is not an effective way to get the recognition that your auto business needs today. Content must be written specifically with effective SEO strategies in mind. This is a constantly changing landscape, so it is important to look forward in order to see what trends will influence your online marketing efforts in the coming year.

The Increased Prevalence of Snippets – SEO

According to Google, almost 55 percent of clicks from search engine results are driven by snippets. These are short answers to common questions. Google determines which snippets it will show based on a website’s relevance and authority, so your automotive business’s ability to have this coveted position can pay dividends.

Voice-Based Searches – 2020 SEO Factors

Approximately half of all search engine queries will be voice-based within the next year. This means that localized searches as well as long-tail keywords will become increasingly important to an auto dealership’s campaigns. Your search engine optimization strategy should take this trend into account in order to maximize search engine rankings and increase online exposure.

Improved Algorithms for Relevance, Distance and Prominence l SEO

If your online marketing strategy is based on buying reviews or comments, you may be wasting your money. Search engines are actively improving algorithms that weed these factors out of the equation and that focus on products or services in the local area that are legitimately based on customer satisfaction and relevance. With this in mind, it may make sense to focus on improving your customer satisfaction rating strategically rather than inflating your image artificially.

Continued Popularity of Videos – 2020

Live TV has been falling out of grace for years as consumers transition to online videos, and this is expected to continue. Many consumers would also rather watch videos to get information rather than to read reviews, blogs and more. However, SEO is essential when posting videos in order to improve their visibility with search engine results. For example, the video’s headline and description should be written around well-chosen keywords.Importance of Dwell Time and Click-Through Rates

Search engine algorithms take into account how many people click on your link and how long people spend on the page. This information is increasingly used by search engines to determine relevancy. Therefore, ensuring that your landing pages provide truly useful information and are well-designed with user-friendliness in mind are essential components of an online marketing campaign for your auto dealership.

Relevance of a Mobile Interface

Among consumers who are searching for local content online, 88 percent will use a smartphone. Google uses a mobile index rating to determine how user-friendly and relevant your mobile interface is. This is separate from other algorithms and metrics used for the desktop platforms. To benefit from superior mobile rankings, your mobile interface must be well-designed and feature useful information related to searches. This information should be easy to see because many users will not scour a website to find the information that they are looking for. Instead, they may quickly click off of a website in search of a website that offers the information readily.

New Engagement Metrics

Google is now taking into account how engaged consumers are with your business or website. For example, Google may analyze how many users look for your business’s location using Google Maps. It may also analyze how many users have saved your business’s phone number in their smartphone’s contact list. Metrics are also pulled from Gmail, Google Assistant, Chrome and other sources to gauge engagement.

User-Centric Content

Online content should be designed around a comprehensive SEO strategy, but it also should be written with users in mind. Content must help readers in some way, but it should not be overly salesy. Consumers are often inclined to block out information that has a strong sales-oriented slant. Instead, they frequently look for content that is delivered in an unbiased way. Keep in mind that longer content is often filled with more useful information to the consumer. In addition, longer content may increase dwell time. When longer, relevant articles or content is posted regularly, Google may reward your website with a higher ranking.

Keeping up with the changing trends in search engine optimization and online marketing is time-consuming and confusing at times. However, this is an area where your auto dealership must excel in order to thrive. Customer Scout provides effective search engine optimization services that are specifically customized to meet the unique needs of car dealerships. To learn more about our services, contact Customer Scout today.

2019-01-072019-02-04

Ways to Optimize an Auto Dealer Website

Ways to Optimize an Auto Dealer Website

The way modern consumers research and shop for a new vehicle has evolved dramatically, and today’s car dealerships must adapt their marketing efforts to reach consumers in the most effective ways currently possible. Driving around to several different lots and test driving many models is no longer a part of the typical sales experience. Today’s consumers conduct most research about current models and about car dealerships online. In fact, many will base more of their buying decision on the information that they locate online. Because of this, the need for dealer websites to rank high in search engine results is significant. SEO for auto dealerships is a vital part of any dealership’s marketing campaign today, but optimization requires special techniques.

The Challenges for Optimizing a Dealership’s Website

Dealerships may offer a dozen or more unique models as well as trim variations for each one. They may also carry last year’s models or tease next year’s models, offer used cars for sale, offer financing and have a full service department. In a sense, a car dealership may market several different business lines under one website. Some dealerships also are included in a family of other local dealerships, which means that there may be an additional layer of complexity to the site. In order to effectively market dealership websites online, the SEO strategy must focus on all aspects of the business.

The Many Avenues to Optimize Dealer Websites

When the concept of SEO was originally introduced many long years ago, the practice of selecting keywords that your consumers may be searching for and stuffing those keywords into your pages was common. Search engine optimization strategies have evolved dramatically over the years as search engines have become increasingly sophisticated. The primary goal of search engines is to provide users with relevant, helpful information. Search engines have increasingly improved how they analyze websites and produce results for each query. As you look for ways to optimize your own dealership’s online presence, you need to understand the essential role that each of these various SEO-relevant factors plays in your own dealership’s search engine rankings:

Google My Business
Online directories
Online reviews
Long-tail keywords
Optimized images
Optimized local connections
Schema

Creating an Effective Online Marketing Campaign for Car Dealerships

You understandably want to draw as many consumers to your auto dealership’s site as soon as possible, but you want the traffic to be targeted. Understanding how each of these specific factors impacts search engine rankings is an important first step to take toward the creation of an optimized online presence. Keep in mind that SEO for auto dealerships includes optimizing onsite content and promoting optimized offsite content that your consumers may see and that may have backlinks to your own page. Remember that each of these various avenues must be well-developed with a strategic plan for each side aspect of your business if you want to have the most effective SEO plan available.

How to Create an Effective Plan for SEO for Auto Dealerships

The ability to create and optimize an effective online marketing plan for your dealership’s site requires considerable understanding about each niche area of search engine optimization. More than that, you need to understand how to apply this knowledge in an effective way. For example, Google My Business enables you to update your business’s contact information, upload photos and post videos. Your consumers may also leave their reviews about the dealership. While there are many aspects of optimization that you can control, you can see that some aspects of optimization are organic by nature. In order to have positive consumer reviews, for example, your customers must take time to review your business. Your marketing plan may take into account all aspects of online marketing, including promoting positive organic information being created about the website.

As search engines continue to make thoughtful improvements to promote a better user experience, dealerships may anticipate the complexity of a successful search engine campaign to increase. With this in mind, you understandably need all of the help that you can get as you work to keep pace with these updates. Customer Scout is your preferred marketing company that specializes in the automotive industry. We understand the complexities of auto industry marketing, and we have a proven track record of generating stellar results for our clients.

2018-11-242018-11-24

Automotive SEO Success for Charlotte Dealers

Automotive SEO Success for Charlotte Dealers

Customer Scout can help Charlotte Dealers with Digital Marketing Efforts

Are you looking for ways to improve your marketing campaigns? Customer Scout is here to help you with all of your digital marketing efforts. Using SEO, also known as search engine optimization, allows your customers to easily locate your online content. We are the Automotive SEO company that you can count on to improve your digital marketing campaign as needed throughout the new year and beyond. Serving Charlotte, North Carolina.

For more information on Automative SEO Success for Charlotte Dealers contact Customer Scout

2018-11-162018-11-16

2019 SEO news for Auto Dealers Tampa Bay FL

Customer Scout 2019 SEO news for Auto Dealers Tampa Bay FL

Online marketing is vital for all car dealerships because most buyers research different makes and models before purchasing a particular vehicle. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important factor to an outstanding online marketing campaign. 2019 is bringing many search engine optimization changes to the table! Serving Tampa Bay, Florida.

For more information regarding SEO news for Auto Dealers contact Customer Scout near Tampa Bay FL

2018-09-252018-10-03

The Future of Automotive SEO in 2019

Online marketing is essential for the success of car dealerships like yours, and in fact, it is increasingly vital. Automotive consumers generally explore different makes and models online before deciding which vehicles to test drive. Likewise, they may use online research to determine which dealerships to visit and even how much they should pay for their next vehicle. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a critical element to a successful online marketing campaign for today’s dealerships. However, automotive SEO is constantly evolving. Even if you love current marketing results, you must regularly update and improve your strategy and efforts. Your dealership’s marketing campaign needs to be at the forefront of change so that your company is a true leader rather than a follower who is lagging behind. With this in mind, you may be wondering what search engine optimization changes are in store for 2019.

Changes to Types of Searches in 2019 – SEO

The way users conduct searches has evolved dramatically over the years, and the next change in this area may be through voice recognition searches. Voice commands have been available on smartphones for years, but the technology is increasingly being used by consumers. In addition, voice recognition is now available in new vehicles, through home devices like Alexa products and more. To adapt to this change, you need to consider how targeted keywords may be adjusted based on differences between typed and verbal queries.

The Impact of Amazon in 2019

When you look at changes in automotive SEO in 2019 going forward, understand that Amazon may play a critical role. Google continues to be the top search engine, but the majority of product-related searches now are completed through Amazon. Right now, Amazon does not currently link to specific makes and models, but it can connect shoppers to accessories, parts and even vehicle-related merchandise like t-shirts and hats. As the new year unfolds, the impact of Amazon on automotive SEO should be monitored so that you can quickly adjust to changes in this year as needed.

AI Used for Keyword Research – 2019 SEO Automotive Trend

Artificial intelligence technology is rapidly evolving, and it may play a role in search engine optimization marketing within the next few years. Consider that search engines could begin connecting users’ demographic details and searches with relevant details on your own website for rankings. This means that you may need to have a clear idea of who your target audience is in relation to their other non-automotive searches. Non-automotive factors may become more relevant in onsite and off-site content, and you will need to incorporate some of these ideas into your content.

Intuition and Interpretive Meaning l SEO Impact Automotive

A similar concept may be search engines that interpret your meaning and that provide intuitive results. For example, a search for “safest cars in 2019” may yield information about safety test results, safety features, child safety seats, highway accident statistics and more. Essentially, rather than taking searches for face value, search engines may analyze a user’s search history and other Internet usage to interpret your true meaning and to provide the user with relevant and helpful information.

What This Means for Your Auto Dealership – SEO

With so many potential changes that could affect your online marketing campaign in the near future, you must keep tabs on each of these and other potential developments. More than that, you must know how to properly maximize the benefits of these developments if the time comes to do so. Some of these potential trends have the ability to cause major upheaval to many dealerships’ marketing plans, so adjustments may be essential. Many dealerships may not be aware of these significant pending changes or how to properly use them strategically and advantageously. This means that your dealership could be positioned to benefit dramatically if you are prepared to make rapid, thoughtful changes.

You can see that car dealerships must stay ahead of these SEO trends in the new year in order to continue to maximize the benefits from an online marketing campaign. These are anticipated trends that may or may not come to fruition in 2019 or at all. Because online marketing strategies as well as search engine algorithms rapidly change and evolve, it is important to have a skilled online marketing firm in your corner. Customer Scout specializes in SEO and online marketing services specifically for car dealerships. Rest assured that our experienced marketing team is keeping tabs on industry changes and will know precisely how to reposition your marketing campaign quickly when the time comes to do so. If you are interested in improving your existing campaign or preparing for what the new year holds, now is the perfect time to request a consultation with the online marketing team at Customer Scout.

2018-07-23

Google Speed Update effect Slow Dealer Websites

Google Speed Update effect Slow Automotive Websites

You may be aware that Google and other search engines use a wide range of analytics to determine search engine rankings. More than that, search engines periodically update their analytical methods and data points in order to improve user experience. Up until now, Google has not taken load speeds on mobile devices into account. However, a Google Speed Update that was announced in January 2018 is now being implemented, and this change may have a more significant impact on smaller and local business websites, such as car dealer websites.

Analyzing Your Business’s Mobile Load Time l Automotive Website Info

Google has provided businesses with a few resources that may be used to evaluate a website’s performance in this area. The first is the Chrome User Experience Report, which analyzes the user experience for those who use Chrome as their Internet browser. The second is Lighthouse, which is also Chrome-based. It provides you with an audit of your website’s accessibility, performance and other factors. The final resource that Google has provided is PageSpeed Insights. This tool goes a step further to help you determine the best ways for slow websites to optimize performance. If your business has already taken steps to improve the mobile user experience, there is a good chance that this Google update will have minimal or no significant impact on your rankings.

How to Improve Speed for Slow Automotive Websites l for Google Updates

After you use the above analytical tools and resources to determine if the Google Speed Update will be a detriment to your website’s search engine rankings, you may discover that you need to improve your website’s speed dramatically. You will need to identify your website’s specific challenges, and the resources that Google provided may help you to do this. After you understand the challenges that your specific website faces, you can make bold improvements. These are some of the primary steps that can be taken to improve load times for car dealer websites and other small business sites that may be most impacted by the Google update.

1. Focus on Images and Graphics

While a picture can speak a thousand words and videos may have an even more dramatic impact, images and graphics can dramatically reduce load times. Slow sites that are image-heavy may be able to reduce the image weight by utilizing a CMS plugin or a CSS tool to optimize them in various ways. These tools enable you to retain most or all of your existing images while improving load time.

2. Eliminate Redirects

Many pages have multiple redirects, which instruct the browser to transfer the user to a different URL. A redirect may seemingly only add a small amount of time to a page’s load time, but keep in mind that the speed of a redirect may be significantly slower on a mobile device. While a redirect is sometimes necessary, your goal should be to eliminate as many of them as possible. You may use Varvy’s Redirect Mapper to get a better understanding of your website’s redirects.

3. Improve Server Response Time

Another factor that comes into play with slow websites is server response time. Your website’s server takes time to respond to an inquiry and to load a page. Speed may be based on the quality and speed of your CPU and the amount of memory available. Websites that have a slow load time and that seemingly have minimal issues with heavy images or numerous redirects may be impacted by a slow server response time. Making an upgrade in this area may be beneficial

4. Focus on Above-the-Fold Content

Your website developer should program your website so that the server loads above-the-fold content on the page first. This is content that is visible on the screen as soon as the page loads without the user needing to scroll. Because the server is not loading the entire page at one time, the initial images should appear faster. Keep in mind that creating smaller pages may also be helpful.

5. Learn About Accelerated Mobile Pages

An Accelerated Mobile Page, or AMP, is a page that the search engine loads with a limited number of dynamic features and navigating links or tabs. Using AMP is ideal for some websites, but some businesses may not feel as though limited content using AMP will entice a user to take action or to click through the other pages.

Learn more on how to improve your Automotive websites speed to improve your Google success

You can see that there are numerous strategies that you can take to address the Google Speed Update head-on. The first step to take is to analyze your website and to determine if slow speed is problematic and what the cause of slow speed is in your situation.

2018-06-20

How Google My Business Videos help Auto Dealers

How Google My Business Videos help Auto Dealers

Today’s car dealerships are actively taking advantage of the Internet to reach their local target audience and to draw traffic to their website. Because many automotive leads are now generated through the Internet, taking full advantage of every online marketing opportunity available is essential to your success. One of the newer vehicles available to auto dealers like you is Google My Business videos. Google My Business is a free service that combines the benefits of Google+, Google Maps and Google Search together in one, and it is an effective way for local businesses to get noticed through desktop and mobile devices alike. Most recently, Google has enabled businesses to add videos to this content. Customer Scout SEO services are available to help you maximize the benefits of this Google marketing option and all of your other online marketing efforts.

Understanding the Incredible Benefits of Google My Business l Video

When your target audience in the local area searches for the products or services that you offer, you understandably want them to see a link to your business. Google My Business gives your business a detailed listing that includes your business address, hours of operation, a link to your website and more. You are able to edit and customize this information as desired. The addition of posting capabilities has further enhanced the benefits of Google My Business listings. These posts can be up to 300 words in length, and the content ideally will be search engine optimized. The posts can also include images that you select. Most recently, Google has enabled the ability to further enhance the posts with videos. Google My Business is a cost-effective and easy way to reach local consumers, and the addition of posts with video content takes the benefits to the next level.

Exploring the Essential Benefits Offered by GMB Videos

When you think about how the typical user conducts online searches, you will see that text content is important. However, images instantly grab a user’s attention. Users may immediately decide whether or not to spend their valuable time reading the text based on how appealing the image is. GMB videos take this to the next level. They combine the visual appeal of photos with audio, such as music and oral communication. Users may view this being more convenient than reading text, and they may be more likely to click the link to watch the video. In addition, they may be able to absorb more of your message by watching it rather than by quickly skimming over the text that has been written in the post.

Taking Advantage of Customer Scout’s Effective Services

As beneficial as Google My Business videos can be for auto dealers, the benefits are not being maximized in many cases. For example, when your listing and website receive more traffic, Google perceives your business to be more relevant to its users. Your website’s ranking will organically improve. One of the reasons why Google My Business videos are not being effectively used by auto dealers is that businesses perceive them as being difficult and time-consuming to make. Some businesses believe that it may take more time and money to produce a quality video than the benefits of the video are worth. One of the services offered through Customer Scout SEO services is the production of engaging GMB videos. These can be posted on your GMB listing along with engaging text. Remember that updating the text, images and videos periodically is essential for generating excellent results.

If your car dealership is not producing the marketing results that are desired or if you are eager to take those results to the next level, now is a great time to learn more about what Customer Scout SEO can do for you. Through our services, customized content can be created for the posts that is engaging for your customers and that encourages them to visit your website. This content will be search engine optimized with strategically selected keywords. Analytics will be monitored for future improvements to the results. These posts will then be enhanced with eye-catching images and informative, interesting video content.

If you are ready to use Google My Business video services and other Customer Scout online marketing services, contact us today for a consultation.

2018-06-192018-06-21

Why Automotive Agencies use Customer Scout SEO

Automotive Agencies SEO business with Customer Scout

Why Agencies use Customer Scout

Advertising agencies like yours must consistently produce results for clients. Many clients demand excellent results, and they may easily begin shopping around for a new ad agency if you fail to deliver results that meet or exceed their high expectations on a regular basis. One of the many marketing areas that you must focus on in order to be effective with your services is SEO. Car dealerships rely on multiple marketing avenues to generate leads, including online marketing. SEO, or search engine optimization, plays a major role in your ability to generate leads for your customers. Unfortunately, this is an area that is constantly evolving. It can be difficult to stay updated with all of the changes, but you cannot afford to let your customers down in this important area. Many advertising agencies that offer services to car dealerships intelligently reach out to Customer Scout for specialized assistance in this area.

The Unique Nature of the Automotive Industry l Customer Scout SEO

Before you can determine how effective Customer Scout SEO may be for your company to use with your automotive clients’ marketing campaigns, you need to have a clear understanding of the automotive industry. A typical auto buying consumer no longer drives around from dealership to dealership looking for a great deal or comparing various models. Instead, consumers initially refer to the Internet to compare and contract various makes and models. Through careful online research, they may narrow down their options to one or two models. At this point, they will likely visit a car dealership or two to finalize their decision and buy the new vehicle. You can see that the information that auto buyers have access to online is essential. It must be easy to find when targeted keywords are used, and it must be sales-oriented. Savvy automotive agencies that understand how much of the typical customer’s experience takes place online and that actively targets their online experience through the use of SEO measures may likely produce desired results.

Many SEO Services for Automotive Agencies

Some automotive agencies simply research keywords to target, and they add these keywords into the customer’s website. We provide an exceptional list of SEO services that target all aspects of a customer’s online experience. These services include blog writing, automotive content writing, general and local automotive SEO, geo targeting and more. You can see that we cover all of the bases with the services that we provide.

Award Winning Automotive SEO l Customer Scout

It is not enough for automotive agencies like yours to simply offer these types of online marketing services to your customers. You need to have the skills and strategies necessary to consistently produce results in each of these service areas. We have earned multiple awards over the years because of our excellence in each service that we provide. Recently, we earned the 2017 award for Top Rated SEO Tools and Services from Driving Sales. With industry accolades under our belt, you can see that we are the award winning SEO firm that you can trust to provide exceptional results.

What to Expect from Customer Scout

Before ad agencies like yours enter into an agreement for contracted SEO services to meet your clients’ needs, you need to know what to expect from our team. The automotive industry is exceptionally competitive, and most competition occurs at the local or regional level. While our services are unparalleled and have proven results, we understand that you do not want to entrust your accounts to a company that is already offering services to the competition in your customers’ markets. We uniquely pledge to avoid this type of conflict of interest by only working with one dealership in each market. This extends to the dealerships that we provide services for through ad companies like yours.

Customer Scout SEO is an effective way to produce proven results. We are eager to speak with you about the SEO efforts we offer for car dealerships and to answer your questions about how we work with ad firms like yours. Contact us today for a consultation.