Automotive search engine optimization, or SEO, can seem relatively innocuous to most people. Unlike pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements, SEO is a strategy of inches. It takes longer to see the results, and most dealerships don’t have that kind of patience. However, if you’re struggling to meet your monthly goals or feel like the other dealers in your area have a distinct edge that you want, too, SEO is the tool you need. At Vin Ads, we love cars as much as we’re passionate about internet marketing, so we provide dealers with a long list of services. One of our specialties is SEO, so let’s explore what that is and why you need it in your marketing toolkit.

An easy way to understand SEO is to first think about the average car shopper. These days, most folks spend a lot of time researching models on the web before they come in for a test drive. We’ve all seen it as buyers rattle off features they’re excited about even though they’re not “car people.” Recent studies have found that the average consumer will spend six months to a year learning about makes and models in their area. That is an exceptionally long time for a shopper to research anything, even if it is a significant purchase such as a car, truck, or SUV. 

It takes buyers so long to figure out what they want because it’s hard for them to find helpful information. Shoppers don’t know that dealers have VDPs for every car on their lot that features detailed descriptions and multiple pictures. Instead, buyers assume they need to visit the brand’s website if they want a new car, or they need to browse review sites or classifieds. However, these sites aren’t as comprehensive as they initially seem. So shoppers spend hours and hours comparing specs and prices in a completely inefficient way. Furthermore, these websites make their money by collecting consumer information and selling it as third-party leads. They don’t want to encourage shoppers to connect with dealerships directly because they lose money. 

SEO can change all of that because this marketing strategy improves a dealer’s visibility on the web. Instead of relying solely on ads, SEO works to push a website to the frontlines of relevant and local searches. So, when someone searches for “used hybrid car for sale” or “financing for a used car,” your store’s website will appear on the first or second page of the results instead of the fifth. Adding SEO doesn’t require any drastic changes on the dealer’s part. Most of all, it requires a little patience and an open mind as our tools get unleashed.

Ultimately, what SEO offers is a way to connect with shoppers more readily. Rather than relying primarily on third-party sites that only minimally help your bottom line, it’s time to put your store on the map. With SEO, you have an opportunity to generate high-quality traffic and first-generation leads because your store’s site becomes more visible. Help shoppers get the information they want while also helping your store sell more vehicles. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you reach more local buyers.