Google My Business Marketing | Increase Sales With Free Google Traffic

Google Adds Short Names To Your Google My Business Listing

June 12, 2019 by Jeffrey Taylor

Have You added your short name to your Dealership Google My Business listing yet?

What Are Google My Business Short Names?

Short names (or short links) have come to Google My Business. The brand new feature announced in a limited fashion in April appears to be available to most verified GMBs now.

There are still some businesses that have not received this new feature yet, so check your GMB dashboard.

As Google continues to add features and data points to your Google My Business Listings, it is now one of your most powerful marketing tools on the Internet. It makes sense that they would eventually add a way for you to shorten your link to it and make it easier to share with customers.

How does having a short name added to your Google My Business listing help your dealership?

Google has quietly released this feature that allows you to create a short name for your GMB, making it much easier to share your Google My Business listing with customers.

This newest addition to the Google My Business data portal was long overdue because it now makes it easier for users to follow a simple link and get access to your GMB profiles without the humongous link that Google now provides.

GMB Short Names Make it Easier to Direct People to Leave Reviews and Find Your Dealership!

For dealerships that are actively seeking 5 star reviews from Google it has been a nightmare emailing or directing satisfied customers to your GMB review link. The link is huge!

Google’s new release of short names is a huge step towards helping your dealership connect people to your GMB by eliminating the long URL that is easily lost in translation or cut off in emails.

Here’s How Google My Business Short Names Works!

Inside your GMB dashboard you will be able to choose a short name between 5 and 32 characters in length. It can contain the name of your dealership, location, and certain keywords, as long as you stay within the Google guidelines.

The shortened URL you can share with customers will look like this:

g.page/(shortname)

Google announced that short names will be first come first serve, so if you are looking for a short name with your city and keywords, it may get taken by your competition if you hesitate to take action.

If you have several GMBs – like sales, service, parts, body shop, you need to get into action quickly. I just helped a Ford dealer grab g.page/fordservice for their service department GMB.

What is the long term outlook for GMB short names?

At this point in time your GMB short name is a simple 301 redirect and has no SEO significance. In the short run a simple to remember name makes sense.

However, from my 20 years of following Google, there is a good chance it may evolve into much more. It is just another sign that Google is all in when it comes to local search and Google My Business profiles.

For right now having a short name will enable you to easily send satisfied customers to your Google My Business listing to leave a review at g.page/yourshortname/. If you hand review business cards to customers, it will be much easier for them to find the GMB .

If you have multiple dealerships or multiple brands under one rooftop (Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram) or (GMC, Buick) it is time to sit down and put together a good strategy before moving forward.

Things to consider:

Five to thirty two characters
You can use location in name (your city)
You can use keywords (honda dealer) (auto repair shop)
Must have verified listing in good standing
You can change your short name 3x per year. Once you relinquish one, it goes into the open market again.

Why Should You Care About Google My Business Marketing?

Google has been adding features to your GMB at an accelerated rate. With the huge growth of mobile device use, they see the revenue potential in local search, and have purposely placed your Google My Business listings in front of thousands of eyeballs every day.

Here are just some of the major GMB features that have been released in the past several years:

Google Posts – Events – Offers
Google Q&A
GMB Website
Services
Messaging
Videos
Videos in Google Posts
Multiple Offers – (2019)
Products (2019)
Short names (2019)

If your marketing strategists or digital agency gurus are not paying attention to what is currently happening on Google and cannot articulate a Google My Business marketing plan, it is time to engage with GMB experts that can effectively lay out a plan.

Great Article: When it comes to GMB Marketing Who’s Got Your back?

Want to see how you can drive more traffic to your website, increase phone calls and sell more cars? Let’s schedule a FREE, full analysis of your current situation and an online Demo of our proven GMB marketing platform in action.

Do you have a few minutes to learn the truth about what your Google My Business profile really does for your dealership? Are you tired of inefficiencies in your GMB platform that is costing you traffic and leads? Seriously, when it comes to GMB marketing, Who’s Got Your Back? AutoNet Media has Your Back!

Contact us right now by phone at 904-796-8527 (that’s the direct number of the top dog Jeffrey Taylor, our GMB expert ready to answer your questions) or fill out the form on this page and we will contact you promptly to set up a date and time. Just like Google, we move fast!

How To Increase VDP Views Using Your Google My Business Listing

May 24, 2019 by Jeffrey Taylor

It is no secret that VDP views have a direct correlation when it comes to moving cars off your lot.

google my business marketing There have been many studies done over the years on VDP views and cars sold. It also makes sense that people on your website looking at new and used Vehicle Detail Pages are further in the buying cycle than someone just getting started.

With this information every dealership should be asking the same question, “How do I drive more shoppers to my VDPs and sell more cars?” The answer is simple, put your VDPs in front of more interested prospects in your market area.

When the Internet was in its infancy, it was standard procedure to use as many third party vendors as possible to increase VDP views.

Today, every car dealer should focus more on moving people directly to their main website and eliminate the middle man, as well as the competition.

That sounds simple enough, but the truth is, Google has been redesigning the local search results pages for several years and your dealership website, as well as third party vendors are being pushed further down the search results pages.

Are You Using Your Google My Business Listing to Showcase Your New and Used VDPs?

As Google continues to push websites further down the local search results pages, your Google My Business listing (GMB) continues to gain exposure, and in most cases, is the first thing car shoppers see when doing a local search.

Car shoppers deep in the buying cycle will find your GMB when doing broad keyword searches (Honda dealers your city) or direct searches for your dealership name. The fact is, most local searches in Google and Google Maps will trigger Google My Business listings.

Did you know there is an effective marketing strategy that can put your VDPs inside your GMB and increase views and clicks to your website?

I already know the answer to that question, because nobody is using this powerful marketing tool Google just added in March 2019. Furthermore, you can actually connect your GMB engagements directly to your website analytics to track all GMB generated VDP views.

The image below highlights that this dealer is receiving more New Car VDP views from their GMB than they are through traditional Google search traffic. As Google continues to make your GMB a centerpiece in the local search results, these numbers will continue to rise.

new vdp views from GMB

It is not just new VDP views either. Check out the same data regarding used VDP views generated from the dealers GMB. Again, more traffic from the GMB than traditional Google search traffic.

gmb used vdp views

Using Google My Business marketing to sell more cars!

Your GMB is just a listing until you start using all the marketing tools Google is giving you and turn it into a lead funnel and a true digital asset.

Did you know Google is giving you a GMB website that takes all your GMB data and formats it into a simple one page website that is actually indexed by Google?
Did you know Google is currently testing a new Products section in your GMB where you can post new vehicles?
Did you know that there is also a services section where your dealership service department can list all the different repairs you do?

If you are like most dealers, you probably did not know any of this information because your Digital Marketing Agency or SEO doesn’t either, or they ignore GMB Marketing because they lack qualified GMB experts to do the job right!

Unlock the power of Google My Business Marketing and push your VDP views up!

Make no mistake, as Google continues to place GMBs prominently in the local search results the number of GMB views will continue to rise. This means your opportunities to showcase your vehicles via your GMB will also continue to rise.

AutoNet Media is the only Google My Business Marketing Agency that specializes in GMB Repair, Monitoring, and Marketing!

That’s all we do and we do it well! Our team of GMB experts will not only fix any duplicates or unclaimed listings floating around, we set up and monitor your metrics, alert you when there is an issue and above all, use our proprietary marketing system to create powerful lead funnels.

Get a Free Google My Business Analysis and schedule your Demo and see for yourself how you can actually sell more cars using GMB Marketing!

Click here for your Free GMB Analysis and GMB Marketing Demo

Understanding the Google Local Search Results Pages

May 9, 2019 by Jeffrey Taylor

For the past several years Google has been quietly changing the way it displays local search page results for Car Dealers.

These changes have had a dramatic effect on how potential customers engage with your dealership when searching on Google. Almost every dealer is unaware of these changes and are losing potential sales by not taking action.

Changes in consumer behavior and the massive growth of mobile searches have resulted in Google reformatting how potential buyers view page one of the search results.

When Google Local launched back in 2004 and was morphed into Google Maps, it was considered a place where local businesses could list their business name, address, and phone number. Over the past 15 years it has changed names several times, but today it is no longer considered just a business listing.

In fact, Google has purposely redesigned its search results pages to intercept traffic that normally would go to your website.

It’s true. Google has packed so much information and marketing tools inside your Google My Business portal and placed the Google 3-pack strategically on page one right below the pay per click ads to ensure users stay inside Google longer.

Think about it. Your GMB is now the first thing most shoppers will see before they ever reach your website.

Before Google redesigned their page one search results to make the local 3-pack more prominent, searchers would have to click to your website for hours, phone number, address etc…

Not only can searchers get your number, location, and hours, from your GMB, they can decide if they want to do business with you by reading the reviews.

In other words, Google has populated your GMB with so much information, there is very little reason to click to your website.

Unless you give them reasons…

Discover the powerful marketing tools and untapped lead funnels hidden inside your Google My Business profile.

The rest of this article carefully explains how in 2019 Google treats your Google My Business and Google Maps profile and also reveals some little known and untapped lead funnels your dealership has to generate more VDP views, more traffic to your Service & Parts departments, and more phone calls. If any of the 3 just named are important to you, read on!

First let’s take a look at how Google displays page one of most local search results on desktop and mobile devices.

3 Ways Google is uses your Google My Business Profile data:

Search For Your Vehicle Brand – (honda dealers phoenix) triggers 3-pack
Search for your dealership name – (Bozard Ford) triggers knowledge panel on right of page
Search for nearby services – (Honda dealer near me) triggers Google Maps

As you continue reading i will explain each of the above 3 and why you should to pay attention to them.

Vehicle brand search: “ford dealers tampa” See image below:

Typical Google Search Results in 2019

A typical search for auto dealer related keywords will trigger a page similar to the image above. The first thing searchers will see is the Google Pay Per Click ads. This is how Google makes its money, so of course it will take the top position on the results page.

However, pay per click is not the main source of clicks from online searchers, leaving organic traffic as an extremely important lead source for your dealership.

The fact is, more people click on organic listings than pay per click ads. Some numbers say it is around 73% organic clicks versus 27% pay per click.

The next prominent position on page one is your Google My Business Profile

As mobile and desk top searchers scroll down past the paid search ads they will see the Google 3-Pack with a map above it. Google put it there, above the directory and website results for a reason. Google wants online searchers to be able to get important information by tapping into the information located in your dealership knowledge panel.

Your Google My Business listing is considered organic traffic by Google analytics and when set up and marketed properly should drive anywhere from 40-50% of your total organic traffic. If your analytics are set up properly you can see this for yourself. A properly optimized Google My Business listing increases phone calls and VDP views without the pay per click budget spend.

The last area Google displays on the search results is directory websites, dealer websites, and third party vendor websites.

Yes, these sites get clicks but not like the days before Google put that 3-pack where it is today. The fact is, although you still need a strong content marketing and SEO program, having a solid Google My Business marketing plan is now necessary if you are serious about driving more views to your new and used VDPs, increasing traffic to your service and parts departments, and generating more direct phone calls to your dealership.

In today’s crowded online ad space, your dealership relies heavily on the local community and you must focus on securing a page one 3-pack ranking in the Google local search results.

What is Your Dealership Google My Business Knowledge Panel?

For years Google has been collecting information about your dealership. This information comes from your website, directories, and above all, the information provided on your Google My Business Listing.

All of this information, if consistent and accurate, helps Google determine where you will rank and what information will appear in your knowledge panel. Your dealership knowledge panel appears on the right side of the search results page when someone does a search using your dealership name in the search query.

Do a search for your dealership name now and it should appear on the right. See sample below:

As you can see, your knowledge panel appears in a very prominent position on the side of the search results page. Google did this to encourage searchers to engage with this panel. The data and links need to be accurate, as it will grab a lot of eyeballs. Your knowledge panel is your GMB listing in a different format.

What is the Google Local 3-Pack?

As i explained earlier in this article the Google local 3-pack is a major traffic driver when you appear in the results. In most cases your rank here is the same in Google Maps searches also. The 3-pack is strategically placed in the search results, below the pay per click ads and when used properly, is a major traffic driver to your website. See image below:

What is Your Google Maps Listing?

This is the third and final part of the Google trifecta of local search results. The results are pulled from your Google My Business listing data, and many people will use the directions button to find your dealership location. However, many mobile searchers also use Google Maps as a search engine and will type in, or use voice commands to find results for broader search terms. See image below:

As you can see, the search was for “chevy dealers in jacksonville” not a specific dealer. A list appears on the left hand side and when you click on a specific dealer their red map marker gets larger and a knowledge panel appears on the left.

Are you starting to realize all the unused potential your Google Business Listing – Google Maps have?

We help you create powerful lead generating funnels by focusing on these important elements:

Find and Fix all the current Google My Business – Google Maps profiles. Almost every dealer we analyze has at least one problem with their GMB. Things like unclaimed listings, duplicate listings, inaccurate data, like wrong hours or phone numbers to name a few. Almost every dealer is unaware of these major issues and we are experts in fixing these problems.
Monitor and Maximize the Marketing Tools inside your GMB – Maps listings – Our strategy and techniques help you generate leads by increasing VDP views and Service department traffic. Unknown to most dealers, Google has provided some powerful lead generating marketing tools. One major addition that will boost VDP views was recently added in March 2019. No one is using this great addition because they do not pay attention to their GMB and Google Maps listings. We do all the work for you, allowing your dealership to focus on sales and service.
Location Data Management AKA Citations: Google determines if you are a legitimate local business by the citations it finds on the Internet. A citation is simply a mention of your NAP. Nap stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. You see, if Google sees other websites and directories listing your NAP exactly the same throughout the Internet it raises their trust level that you are indeed who you say you are. This is why using multiple phone numbers and tracking numbers online may be hurting your ranking. Everything in your NAP must match all over the Internet or Google loses trust in you.
Your Website must be optimized to work with your GMB: Several years ago Google merged your GMB and website information into one algorithm. We call it a blended algorithm. This means what Google sees on your website has a direct impact on how it affects your Google My Business and Google Maps rank especially in surrounding cities you want a presence in. We work with all the major OEM website designers and we can honestly say, they are clueless when it comes to optimizing your website for Google My Business and Google Maps listings.
Reviews: Google displays customer reviews from on your Google My Business and Google Maps listings. This means thousands of potential customers are reading these reviews before deciding if they will choose your dealership. We find unclaimed dealer listings that appear in the search results with unanswered negative reviews all the time. Your reputation is too important to not have control over your GMBs and Maps listings.

Lets get down to business! 23 years of Local Search Marketing experience in the Auto Industry gives us a huge advantage!

Are you tired of excuses? Can your digital marketing agency help you? Probably not, because we are the ones they call to fix their clients GMB issues. Let’s face it, they may good at what they do, but when it comes to GMB Marketing they haven’t a clue!

Are you ready to increase your exposure on Google’s local search and Maps results and get a seat at the head of the Google My Business table and turn it into a lead generating funnel?

Unlike many of the gimmicks or ‘Johnny Come Lately’ sales systems you run into everyday, your Google My Business Listing and Google Maps are proven Google marketing tools and they are not going anywhere. This is a tested and proven marketing system where we show you the metrics straight from Google. We will show you the Metrics!

Start Generating More VDP Views, More Service Traffic and More Phone Calls by Unlocking the Power of Your Google My Business Profile!Let Us Show You How Google Free Tools Will Help You Sell More Cars!

Click Here to Schedule your DEMO Now!

Google My Business Marketing for Car Dealers in 2020

April 15, 2019 by Jeffrey Taylor

Google has made major changes regarding how searchers find and use your website!

Fact: Your Dealership Google My Business listing has replaced your website home page in the Google local search results.

In most searches on Google, that is the case. Read on to understand how Google has purposely redesigned its search results pages to intercept traffic that normally would go to your website.

It is time that both Car Dealerships and Digital Marketing agencies change the way they view the many facets of the Google search engine and how it relates to driving traffic to your website.

Car shoppers aren’t engaging with your dealership on Google the same way they used to, and Google is changing how they display your dealership in the search results as well.

It is no secret that when it comes to people finding information, Google is the most powerful search tool on the planet. In fact, when it comes to driving prospects to your website and dealership, there is no alternative choice.

Fact: 90% of your customers will begin their search on Google.

The forward thinking dealerships that closely monitor Google and utilize all of the powerful tools they provide, will without a doubt have a major advantage over the competition.

Like it or not, Google is working harder to keep searchers on Google, instead of them clicking straight to your website.

The fact is, for quite some time now, Google has been showing more information about car buying related search phrases on the search results pages, with the full intent to keep them inside Google as long as possible.

These continuous changes by Google have made your Google My Business (GMB) profile more important than your website homepage.

Why? Because your GMB is now the first thing most shoppers will see before they ever reach your website.

Before Google redesigned their page one search results to make the local 3-pack more prominent, searchers would have to click to your website for hours, phone number, address etc…

In other words, Google has populated your GMB with so much information, there is very little reason to click to your website. Unless you give them one!

Not only can searchers get your number, location, and hours, they can decide if they want to do business with you by reading the reviews.

Did you know there is a Q&A section on your GMB where people ask and answer questions? They can refer to this section to ask a question about an oil change wait. Are you monitoring and responding?

As the presence of the Google 3-pack on page one of the Google search results continues to grow and the information and tools Google continues to add to your GMB knowledge panel continues to expand, it is time to implement a Google My Business Marketing plan or lose valuable leads and traffic!

I no longer call it a Google My Business listing because it is not a simple listing anymore. With all the tools and additions Google has made to your dealership knowledge panel, it is now the first thing searchers see when they do a Google search.

Google Marketing is not only about Website SEO and Pay Per Click Advertising.

You are probably thinking that staying on top of all the Google Paid search tools or hiring a top pay per click agency keeps you ahead of the curve when it comes to grabbing the massive search traffic that is generated by Google.

Yes, learning about the latest techniques and upgrades provided by Google Ads is extremely important, and paid search strategies like re-marketing, mobile, and text ads can give you an edge online and are necessary digital marketing strategies.

However, as Google Ads rising cost continues to eat more of your online advertising budget, it is time to discover the other powerful Google tools available that can effectively drive more views to your new and used VDPs, and traffic to your service and parts departments.

This has created a huge hole in your online marketing mix you need to fill!

Increase your new and used VDP views and generate more leads using Google My Business Marketing!

It is no secret that there is a direct correlation to VDP views and car sales. Numerous studies have proven this correlation, and most car dealers take steps to drive traffic to their VDPs.

It is also no secret that your service and parts departments are major profit centers at your dealership and it is in your best interests to maximize service traffic as well as provide excellent customer service.

For those reasons alone, it is time to take a hard look at how you can utilize your Google My Business profile and all the tools inside it to create cost effective lead funnels to those two very important sources of dealership revenue.

Why hasn’t your digital marketing agency addressed this major hole in your online marketing funnel?

The answer is simple. Most agencies are focused on Google Pay Per Click because that is where their profit comes from. Every time they ramp up your paid search budget, they make more money.

Google My Business marketing is not even on their radar because they do not understand how it works and probably lack any expertise when it comes to fixing broken listings and maximizing the tools within your GMB to increase leads and traffic to your dealership.

I know this for a fact because as a veteran GMB expert, I do consultant work for Automotive Digital Marketing Agencies that hire me to clean up GMB profiles for their clients (dealers). They do not know about the Q&A feature, how to drive VDP views, create service department traffic, because it is not part of their marketing mix.

If they tell you your GMB is not really that important and if it is verified and accurate that is all you need, they are misleading you, and you need to look elsewhere for help.

In fact, if you are spending money on re-marketing ads that require driving vistors to your website, a well designed GMB marketing plan can help boost your re-marketing efforts at a lower cost.

Put your dealership ahead of the GMB marketing curve and reap the benefits!

There are very few dealerships, if any, doing GMB marketing properly. The Internet is littered with unclaimed listings, duplicate listings, unanswered Q&As, inaccurate contact information, and underused or not used marketing tools that Google is giving you. In fact, in almost every analysis I do, there is at least one Google best practices issue, and no one is using the marketing tools properly.

Just as in 1996, AutoNet Media was ahead of the curve when we created the first online photo classifieds and VDPs, we are ahead right now when it comes to seeing the enormous value in your Google My Business profile and how you should use it to drive more leads to your dealership.

Our digital marketing agency focuses on one area, Google My Business Marketing. Although we have been SEO specialists for 22 years, we do not claim to be experts in everything.

If the contents of this article have opened your eyes to the potential lead funnels that lie within your GMB, let’s have a talk.

First and foremost, we do a complete analysis of your current presence and give you expert advice on what steps need to be taken to fast track your GMB to becoming a serious lead funnel driving more traffic to your VDPs and service department.

Fill out the form on this page and let’s schedule a consultation, or call GMB Expert Jeffrey Taylor direct at (904) 796-8527 and put your dealership in front of pack when it comes to Google My Business marketing.

The Importance of Your Google My Business Listing

April 11, 2019 by Jeffrey Taylor

Putting your dealership message in front of car shoppers and service clients is becoming more and more difficult, complex, and expensive.

You already know that today’s car shopper does almost all of their research online before they even visit a dealership.

The average car shopper today makes just two dealership visits in the search for the perfect vehicle. That’s because today car shoppers turn to mobile to research models, find deals, and get real-time advice. Google

To make things even more complicated, car dealerships require more diverse digital strategies because of the many departments found under one roof. These departments new sales, used sales, service department, parts department, collision center, etc… have different hours, phone numbers and objectives.

Because your dealerships probably has multiple businesses built into one website, your optimization strategy must be multi-faceted too.

This becomes even more complicated if you are a family of dealerships with individual websites for each location.

Accountability in Your Digital Marketing

In my 22 years of doing digital marketing in the Auto Industry, I have never seen more accountable marketing funnels than exist today.

Like most dealers, you probably spend more marketing dollars on Paid Search because based on your metrics it brings in leads, and turns leads to sales.

As a consultant for digital marketing agencies that work with car dealers, I sit in on many strategy calls, and most of the talk centers around Paid Search strategy, conversions, and monthly spends on pay per click.

Some of the talk revolves around improving website content and landing pages as well as tracking users through the website. Re-marketing is a hot topic because it allows you to target potential customers after they leave your website. This is all very important, and I am not here to discourage you from this type of marketing.

I am writing this to bring to your attention a major traffic driver and lead funnel that is extremely cost effective when used the way Google intends you to use it.

Click Here fill out your GMB – Google Maps Analyis Form and get your results in 48 hours.

Your Google My Business Listing is a major traffic driver!

The Numbers Don’t Lie!

In 22 years of working in the Auto Industry, I have never seen a more misunderstood and misused marketing tool than your Google Business listings. I spend quite a bit of my working time setting up and charting metrics, as well as fixing messed up GMBs for Auto dealers across the country.

I scratch my head in amazement when I talk with Digital Marketing experts and Internet Managers that have no idea about how to fix, optimize, and track the metrics involving their Google Business Listings.

Your Google My Business listing is a Free Tool given to you by Google and placed in a prominent position on their page one search results. It is a huge traffic driver that generates thousands of website visitors as well as phone calls. Google has made it no secret that they are serious about GMBs and it is time dealerships get serious also.

The evolution of mobile searches and why Google is all in when it comes to GMB Marketing!

Google Business listings have been around for many years and what started out as a simple place to list your business has evolved into a major information center with massive potential when used properly.

Mobile search now dominates the way consumers find information online. Google is ahead of the curve and has revamped its search results pages to cater to mobile searches. Over the past few years Google has enhanced what goes into your GMB and has created multiple marketing streams to allow you to reach more interested consumers and engage them right off your GMB.

As someone that follows every move Google makes, it has become evident that every signal screams loud and clear that if you want to drive more traffic to your dealership you better start paying more attention to all the tools within your GMB.

The difference between your Google Business Listing and your Google Maps Listing.

Google uses all the data within your Google Business listing in the search results and your maps listing. They may lay out a little differently, but they are in fact from the same data feed. This means any data errors in one will show up in the other. If you have duplicate listings or unclaimed listings floating around the web, they will also show up on both.

Why are Digital Marketing Agencies ignoring your Google Business Listing?

I work with digital marketing agencies and businesses every day helping them create GMB lead funnels and fixing broken listings as well as claiming unclaimed listings floating around and updating inaccurate data that is hurting conversions.

It has become apparent that most digital marketing agencies and web design companies do not have anyone in-house that understands how GMBs work or how to use them to drive traffic to your dealership.

Why? I believe that many are so focused on Paid Search which is a major revenue driver for their agency, they do not see the importance of hiring a GMB expert. Another reason is, Google has made so many upgrades to Google Business Listings in such a short amount of time, it is impossible for them to keep up with the changes.

I work with some very smart digital marketers and when the topic of GMB marketing comes up, they get blank stares on their faces and admit they are too busy to keep up with that stuff.

What should you expect from a properly implemented GMB Marketing plan?

When your GMB or GMBs are set up properly and all duplicates or erroneous listings eliminated, it is time to get moving on driving more traffic to your website and generating more phone calls to your dealership.

Once we activate all the components within your GMB knowledge panel including Google offers, photos, Q&As etc… it is time to set up all the tracking metrics.

Once we properly tag and integrate your GMB with Google analytics, you will see exactly how many visitors are finding your GMB in the Google search results and Google Maps and what they are doing once they reach your website.

In most cases we see about 40-50% of all organic traffic is coming directly from your GMB and we also track new and used VDPs views.

**This image shows an actual dealer with the GMB providing 46% of organic traffic with 53% of that being new VPD views originating from the GMB.**

What Should You Do Next?

Click Here fill out your GMB – Google Maps Analysis Form and get your results in 48 hours.

To maximize your exposure in Google Maps and the Google search results it is important to do a complete analysis of what is currently live in the Google index. My experience shows that 7 out of 10 dealers have at least one duplicate or unclaimed listing, or inaccurate information that causes Google to suppress your listing in the search results.

Several years ago Google announced that car dealers can now create department GMBs for service departments, parts departments and Collision centers if they want to more closely target those markets. Most dealers and marketing agencies have no clue that this is allowed.

The problem is, Google has on its own created thousands of Google Business listings for dealerships and most of them have inaccurate information and are unclaimed. These listings are hard to find and fix unless handled by a GMB expert.

To create a powerful lead funnel to your sales department as well as your service and parts you need to fix this stuff. This is not an option and hurts your ability to rank in more areas. Some searchers may land on an unclaimed listing and get inaccurate data creating a poor user experience.

Once we fix and optimize all your Google Business Listings, we focus on the Metrics set up and the marketing data needed to increase click throughs and VDP views.

Your website plays an important role in your GMB rank!

We look at your website and all the location data, page set up and SEO components because Google connects the information on your website with the information on your GMB. This blended algorithm plays an important role in ranking you outside your main city.

Google looks at your exact location when determining what city you will rank in the 3-pack for your top keywords. However, like most dealers you want to appear in your outlying cities and to do that effectively you need carefully laid out and optimized location pages on your website.

Simply adding a few city names to your homepage or meta tags is not enough if there is any level of competition. Google looks for certain elements in location pages and unfortunately most OEM website providers fail to deliver properly optimized location pages. The more outlying cities you can rank your GMB and Maps listing in the more traffic you will push to your dealership.

Get a Complete GMB – Google Maps Analysis Today!

This is the first step to taking advantage of one of your most powerful lead funnels and driving more leads, phone calls, and VDP views using a tool Google provides for Free!

Click Here fill out your GMB – Google Maps Analysis Form and get your results in 48 hours.

Increase Your Profit with ourGoogle Free Click Marketingand GMB Management Service

More phone calls, walk ins, and website clicksto Sales and Fixed Ops Every month!

Our GMB Management and Security service builds your online brand and protects your reputation.

With the Explosion of Mobile Device use, Google hascompletely redesigned the Local Search page results.

These changes are so widespread, they are costing your dealership as many as 10-15 sales a month, as well as traffic to your Fixed Operations.

With the cost of Paid Search rising, why are youignoring all those Free Google Clicks? We Need To Talk!

Get Started With the Google My BusinessManagement and Marketing Experts at AutoNet Media

The GMB experts at AutoNet Media set up and manage your Free Click Marketing plan, manage all your GMBs, and Show You the Results!

We are Google “Free Click Marketing” Experts!

That’s All We Do!

Latest From the Blog