5 SEO Best Practices for Auto Dealership Websites

Having an attractive, SEO-optimized auto dealership website is more important than ever. As most other areas of life today, technology has changed the way people shop for their vehicles. In [A1] fact, roughly 86 percent of shoppers research vehicles online before ever stepping foot onto a dealership.

In 2018, Adtaxi conducted its first Auto Shopping in America Survey, and a majority of respondents listed convenience and transparency as key factors when shopping online. Other findings include:

·      96 percent find dealership websites helpful, particularly the vehicle description pages.

·      91 percent of vehicle shoppers use the internet.

·      45 percent of people research vehicles before and after they visit a dealership.

You can see why it’s important to have a website that not only looks good, but also reaches the widest possible audience. To do so, auto dealership websites must optimize with vehicle-specific keywords and follow best practices to make sure the website, pages, and content are readily visible to consumers by achieving high rankings in search results. Want to learn how? Keep reading for five tips to get you started.

1. Set up a winning website.

Did [A2] you know that 90 percent of potential buyers get their first impressions of your dealership from your website? Make sure your website ranks highly among search results by creating a home page with 400 words or more, and including keywords relevant to your industry. Also, include the dealership’s address, contact information, and cities you serve on every page of the site.

2. Keep content fresh.

You’re [A3] in a competitive business. To stand out, you need to do more than just list your inventory and provide product descriptions — you need to have content that provides value to potential customers and makes your site the go-to spot for advice. As customers interact with your website based on the advice and tips provided, they’ll begin to form trust in your auto dealership, and keep you in mind when it’s time to buy a vehicle.

To keep your website ranking high within the search engine results, make sure to regularly update blog posts and news articles with topics that are relevant and unique, and provide value to your readers. Some ideas include seasonal vehicle maintenance, traveling during the holidays, local events, or community construction impacting local traffic.

Use targeted keywords.

Do your research! Finding the most relevant keywords is crucial in succeeding at automotive SEO, and should guide your advertising and content plans. Tools like Google Ads’ Keyword Planner can give you a good starting point by suggesting keywords based on their estimated search volume. In addition to choosing the right keywords, you also want to make sure the ones you pick are targeted to your local area. For example, if you offer an oil change service in Memphis, target keywords like “oil change in Memphis.”

Use a site aggregator tool.

The more your auto dealership’s name and contact information is mentioned on other websites, the more credible your business is with search engines and customers alike. It also helps your dealership’s website rank well, which means potential customers can find you more easily. Aggregator tools like Yext or Moz Local boost your business mentions by publishing your dealership’s information across different directory sites.

Create a Google My Business page.

This [A4] could be one of the best tools in your digital marketing toolbox. Creating a Google My Business listing is free, boosts your online presence, and makes your business visible in local searches. Start by Googling your business to make sure you don’t already have a listing. If so, claim it and edit the information. If not, add a new page and use all your contact information. Add your service area information, including all zip codes and/or cities you serve. After you’ve made sure all your details are correct, submit the information and verify the listing.

 [A1]Source: https://www.digitaldealer.com/survey-86-car-shoppers-conduct-online-research-visiting-dealership/

 [A2]Source: https://gofishdigital.com/local-automotive-seo/

 [A3]Source: http://www.autodealermonthly.com/article/story/2010/04/seo-need-to-know.aspx

https://gofishdigital.com/local-automotive-seo/

 [A4]Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/optimize-google-my-business/218797/