The document discusses 7 common myths about how people search for cars online and what they do after arriving at dealership websites. It summarizes research from over 35 hours of video recordings of 109 users and 436 searches. The main myths debunked are that people trust third parties more than dealers, that internet shoppers are solely price-driven, and that dealers cannot compete with large third party advertising budgets. It provides evidence that an integrated online marketing approach focusing on search ads, remarketing, and social media can help dealers achieve high conversion rates independently of third parties.

1. 7 Myths about How, Where and Why people
search online for a car and what they do when
they get there
VINSolutions Dealer Advisory Board
Meeting Las Vegas NV 10.12.10
Larry Bruce President / CEO
MicrositesByU.com
@pcmguy.

2. PPC #1 way you can conquest new business for your dealership

3. What’s holding you back?

4. 7 Myths that have been heaped on us
with little or no basis of actual behavior
•People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
•Internet shoppers are price driven
•The internet is better for used than new cars
•Organic links are trusted more than
sponsored
•The long tail search phase
•People will go online and just come into the
dealership
•You can’t compete with the budget of the
OEM , AutoTrader or Cars.com

5. •Over 35 hours of video
•109 users
•436 searches

6. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer

7. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
Of the 26% that converted:

8. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
Why did they convert there?
This same scenario
happened 86% of
the time a user
landed on a 3rd
party site

9. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
How did they get there?

10. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
What would have happened if?…
Number of
Mustangs available
What types are
available
How much they
cost

11. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
Version 2 payment

12. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
Version 3 trade‐in

13. Myth 1:
People trust 3rd parties more than the dealer
Things you can do to your website / landing experiences to instill trust. Reviews used by 32% of
the users tested
•Put your eBay rating on
your home page with a link
to the ratings
•Put your Google ratings on
your home page with a link
•Put your Yelp ratings on
your home page with a link
•Use some excepts
from letters or surveys
on your home page
•Facebook Like button on
your home page and in
special pages and your
blog.

14. Myth 2:
The Internet is all about price
It is actually about saving time and hassle – 1st Concern, do you have what I want?
28% of the time a
visitor will search
themselves right
out of a car

15. Myth 2:
The Internet is all about price
It is actually about saving time and hassle – 1st Concern, do you have what I want?
Volzauto before

16. Myth 2:
The Internet is all about price
It is actually about saving time and hassle – 1st Concern, do you have what I want?
Volzauto After

17. Myth 2:
The Internet is all about price
It is actually about saving time and hassle – 1st Concern, do you have what I want?

18. Myth 2:
The Internet is all about price
It is actually about saving time and hassle – 1st Concern, do you have what I want?

19. Myth 2:
The Internet is all about price
It is actually about saving time and hassle – 1st Concern, do you have what I want?
•1 click access to the most
popular selling vehicles
•UserTesting.com to find
trouble spots in you conversion
funnel
•Crossbrowsertesting.com to
find the breaks in code
This has doubled Volz Auto Groups
Lead Conversion Rate

20. How Split Testing Works
Split Testing
Platform

21. How Split Testing Works
Split Testing
Platform

22. How Split Testing Works
Split Testing
Platform

23. How Split Testing Works
Split Testing
Platform

24. How Split Testing Works
Split Testing
Platform

25. How Split Testing Works
www.google.com/websiteoptimizer Split Testing
Platform

26. Myth 3:
The Internet is more suited to used cars than new
Search testing found New & Used to be evenly split

27. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
For pure purchase intent sponsored links converted 300% higher than organic links

28. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
CarMax landing pages showed up in 33% of the searches that were performed in this test all
sponsored links

29. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
For pure purchase intent sponsored links converted 300% higher than organic links

30. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
Organic traffic is inconsistent. You have no idea what the users intent really is other than 70% of
the time they were looking for your dealership to do something
The term Random access
website refers to your main site
where the users intent isn’t
clear and there is a lot of
navigation for them to get lost
in the page shuffle

31. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
Organic traffic is inconsistent. You have no idea what the users intent really is other than 70% of
the time they were looking for your dealership to do something

32. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
You will get higher conversions and better results out of PPC than organic SEO efforts but to do
so you have to optimize at all 4 dimensions of online marketing
Test‐Driven Marketing:
•Geo‐location
•Keyword / placement
Making
•Ad position
agile marketing strategic
•Landing / Conversion
growth engine.

33. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
Test Driven Marketing
Ad Group
Ad Split testing for Ad Ad Ad
CTR
Ad Split testing for Landing Landing Landing
Conversion

34. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
Test Driven Marketing
Ad Group
Ad Split testing for
Winning Ad
CTR
Ad Split testing for Winning
Conversion Landing

35. Myth 4:
Organic links are clicked and trusted more than sponsored links
A culture of constant imporvment
Ad Group
Ad Split testing for
New Ad New Ad Control Ad
CTR
Ad Split testing for New New Control
Conversion Landing Landing Landing

36. Myth 5:
The long tail search phrase
Yes in overall internet searches long tail search phrases 4+ words are 23% of the searches and
do have higher intent. But in the car business this is not the case.

37. Myth 6:
People are going to your site and looking at vehicles then showing up on
your lot
The internet is an “Influencing Medium”. If you believe that then I have other stuff I want to sell
you

38. Myth 7:
You can’t compete with the budget of the OEM, AutoTrader, Cars.com
Yes at the local level you absolutely can and you absolutely should.
Other contributing factors to
the search
•Location 54%
•Product 80%
•Avg number of searches 3.5

39. Myth 7:
You can’t compete with the budget of the OEM, AutoTrader, Cars.com
Yes at the local level you absolutely can and you absolutely should.
Location 54%

40. Myth 7:
You can’t compete with the budget of the OEM, AutoTrader, Cars.com
OEM Involvement

41. Remarketing
23% Email Capture Rate / 37% Call Rate

42. Remarketing

43. Remarketing

44. Remarketing

45. Remarketing
12% Click Through Rate
17% Conversion Rate

46. Integrated Channels
Honda
CTR – 3%
Conversion – 31%

47. Integrated Channels

48. Integrated Channels
Budget ‐ $500
Honda Service for Schools
www.supplies4kids.com Service Your Honda and Help a child with School Supplies!
CTR – 7%
Conversion – 23%

49. Integrated Channels
Budget ‐ $200
CTR – 3%
Conversion – 47%

50. Integrated Channels
Important: Service your Honda help a child get
school supplies http://bit.ly/4kids Haynes Honda
donates $1 for each RETWEET
Retweets – 1112
142 new followers
Conversions – 115 last count

51. Integrated Channels

52. Summery
•3rd parties DO NOT have a Brand or a trust advantage. They don’t really even have an SEO
advantage
•You’re going to get a lot farther if you give visitors what they want, when they want it the way
they want it than trying to run a bunch more people to your website and convert the same lousy
percentage.
•Internet user don’t play favorites with new or used and they both convert just as easily.
•Organic links do not have some magic hold over the customer and are very inconsistent when it
comes to intent.
•To make PPC really work you have to control all dimensions of the online marketing experience.
•Split testing is really the only way to consistent double digit conversion rates and constant
improvement.
• if you’re one that believes the internet is an influencing medium then you may be joining some
of our less fortunate car brethren that no longer have a store.
•You absolutely can and should eliminate 95% of your dependence on 3rd parties between you
and your visitor / customer.
•Targeted PPC + Remarketing will pick you up to a 40%+ Conversion Ratio
•Integrating Channels the right way increases conversions into the 30%+ range