More Related Content More from Ralph Paglia (20) J D Power Associates Online Automotive Review Car Dealers1. Dealer Edition
Online Automotive Review A look at the past, present and future of automotive Internet
A Bi-Monthly Report by J.D. Power and Associates • October 2007
Fall is here, and with it comes many changes in the world around us. We here at the
Online Automotive Review–Dealer Edition also have many changes planned for the season.
Starting with this issue, the OAR–Dealer Edition will be transitioning to a blog format
In This Issue
available at www.OnlineAutomotiveReview.com. Those of you familiar with blogs and Demystifying Search Engine
blogging will understand that the new format will allow for an increased number of Marketing: Driving Sales with
the Digital Marketplace
articles on online marketing for dealers, available in a more timely fashion. Those of
-4-
you less familiar with blogging as a communications medium will have an opportunity
to sharpen your skills and share your comments on issues related to online retail Google, Yahoo, and MSN
Your Web Site
marketing. During the next few months, we will continue to publish the PDF version
-10-
of the publication and make it available for download at the blog site. All archived
issues will also be available at the site. You can post comments on the site and discuss J.D. Power and Associates
2007 Dealer Satisfaction with
implications and trends with other industry leaders. We encourage you to take the new Online Buying Services StudySM
format for a spin and let us know what you think! -16-
State of the Internet
In This Issue Search engines helped me find the following -17-
types of sites...
The theme of this issue is search. 80%
Branding on Dealer Sites
% of AIUs Finding Site Via Search Engine
Search engines assist vehicle shoppers 70% -24-
every day online. Forty-six percent 60%
Making Video a New,
50%
of new-vehicle Automotive Internet 40% 75% Powerful Part of Your
Users or AIUs—buyers who used 30% 59%
46%
Online Marketing Arsenal
the Internet during their shopping 20% -32-
10%
process—said that a search engine 0% Landing Pages and Micro Sites:
Manufacturer Sites Independent Sites Dealership Sites
helped them find a dealership Web Big League Search Rankings for
site. Thirty-six percent used search Dealers of all Sizes
Search engines helped me in the shopping process by... -37-
engines to find dealerships in their area.
Narrow down the list of
It is imperative that dealers use search vehicles I was considering
59% Vendor Source Book—
engines effectively to drive shoppers to Decide what price to pay
56% Search Engine Marketing Services
for the vehicle I wanted
-49-
their site and ultimately to their store. Find dealerships near
my neighborhood
36%
Decide which vehicles
33%
Demystifying Search Engine to shop for
Subscription Information:
Research my
Marketing: Driving Sales with the financing options
11%
Logon to
Digital Marketplace addresses the Other 6% www.OnlineAutomotiveReview.com for
basics of and opportunities available 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% the all-new Online Automotive Review—
Dealer Edition Blog. Archived issues are
to dealers via search engine marketing Based to Automotive Internet Users (AIUs); new-vehicle also available on the Web site.
(SEM) and search engine optimization buyers who used the Internet during their shopping process.
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New Questions? E-mail us at
(SEO). The article, Google, Yahoo, AutoShopper.com StudySM (NAS) onlineautomotivereview@jdpa.com
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Introduction (continued)
and MSN Your Web Site, walks dealers through a more hands-on approach of how to
make your site more search engine friendly. In a special in-depth report, Ralph Paglia
talks to OAR about Landing Pages and Micro Sites: Big League Search Rankings for
Dealers of All Sizes. This article addresses how dealers can use micro sites and landing
pages to increase the effectiveness of their sites in search engine rankings. We wrap
up the issue and theme in the Vendor Source Book, which highlights search engine
marketing firms that can assist dealers.
This issue also includes a recap of the recently released J.D. Power and Associates Dealer
Satisfaction with Online Buying Services Study.SM Dealers provided feedback on their online
buying services and we report the results and award recipients.
Every once in a while it is good to step back and see where the Internet stands today.
We provide you with the State of the Internet—trends on who’s using the Internet
along with how and why.
Making Video a New, Powerful Part of Your Online Marketing Arsenal discusses
the opportunities that dealers have in using videos as part of their online marketing
campaigns. Chip Perry, CEO and President of AutoTrader.com talks about the
proliferation of video online and why dealers should embrace and implement the
technology.
And finally, we look at how the dealership Web site can play a part in branding. Branding
is often viewed as an upper-funnel function and therefore associated with manufacturer
sites, but dealers can also contribute to branding efforts on their sites. Read Branding on
Dealer Sites for more on the topic.
Don’t forget to check out the new Online Automotive Review–Dealer Edition blog
at www.OnlineAutomotiveReview.com. You don’t have to wait until December,
we’ll have new, updated information weekly!
We wish you the most profitable reading possible.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Demystifying Search Engine Marketing:
Driving Sales with the Digital Marketplace
By Chris Orton, Director of Search Marketing at eBay Inc.
Your next customer is searching for a vehicle online. They may not be ready to buy today,
but consumers are researching makes and models, looking for reviews and guides, and
reading feedback from vehicle owners. J.D. Power and Associates says customers spend
on average more than five hours online researching make, model and features.1
The buying cycle on considered purchases is a natural fit for search engine marketing
(SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO). Dealerships can build relationships with
new customers early during the consideration and planning phase while also building
a loyal customer base that will return to the site or come to the dealership when ready
to purchase.
When dealers promote vehicles through third-party automotive sites such as eBay
Motors, Autotrader.com, and Cars.com, they are essentially purchasing that site’s SEO
and SEM expertise in addition to the listing itself. Well-established automotive sites
have invested years of time, money and experience into learning the nuances of search
marketing and driving traffic to their respective sites.
eBay is the largest buyer of paid search listings and is one of—if not the largest—in
SEO on every major search engine. The company has a dedicated team that works solely
on search engine optimization and marketing and is well-versed in the art and science
behind it.
While some consumers are starting the decision process online, an ever-increasing
number of consumers are finalizing their purchases on the Internet, too.
While some consumers are starting the decision process online, an ever-increasing
number of consumers are finalizing their purchases on the Internet, too. According to a
study by The Cobalt Group, 67% of auto buyers research their purchase online prior to
visiting a dealership. They’re looking for the best value when they determine what it is
they want to buy.
Search engine optimization also can be referred to as natural search. Search engines such
as Google and Yahoo! crawl Web sites and index keywords and phrases that people may
use when searching.
J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New AutoShopper.com StudySM (NAS)
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
5. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Demystifying Search Engine Marketing (continued)
When a dealer Web site offers an array of guides and vehicle specifications with pre-
planned keywords and phrases, those Web pages likely will rank fairly well in a natural
search. Consumers searching online during the research phase tend to look at natural, or
unpaid, search results as the most credible because they want to hear from other owners
and third parties to gauge experiences.
Later in the buying cycle, people tend to look to paid links, or search engine marketing,
because they want credibility with their purchase, with a more exact price attached.
Dealers who want to increase their presence on the Web may want to consider a
program that involves SEO and SEM together, rather than one in isolation.
For instance, if your search engine optimization rankings are strong with vehicle guides,
then you could use search engine marketing strategy focused on driving buyers in the
purchase phase to your site. If your goal is to drive consumers to your vehicle guides to
build name recognition for your company, you could reinforce that same message in your
paid search. Each method is dependent on the company and its objectives.
Whichever tactic you use, it’s good to have a plan in place and a goal in mind. Think
about where your strengths are and the status of the overall marketplace. Consider
whether other dealers are advertising through search and research how these dealers fare
when you conduct a search.
A site that has targeted words and phrases and updates pages frequently
will stand a better chance of securing a higher ranking.
Half of new-vehicle shoppers2 and 64 % of used-vehicle shoppers3 will end up at a
dealership Web site, according to J.D. Power and Associates. Therefore, savvy dealerships
investing in an online presence that includes a strong search engine strategy are more
likely to be found easily by prospective customers.
Probably the biggest benefit to SEO is that it’s free. Search engines want to index more
pages to provide the most relevant matches to those who use the site. Also, early on in
the shopping process, Web site users target natural search results more frequently as they
look to other people for opinions and information before committing to a purchase.
A site that has targeted words and phrases and updates pages frequently will stand a
better chance of securing a higher ranking. Search engines also take into account a site’s
popularity or relevance by noting how many other sites link to it.
2 J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New AutoShopper.com StudySM (NAS)
J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Used AutoShopper.com StudySM (UAS)
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
6. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Demystifying Search Engine Marketing (continued)
Algorithms are sets of rules that search engines use to rank Web pages. Search engines
never publicly reveal their methods, but most follow general rules such as analyzing how
pages link to each other, measuring click-through rates and penalizing sites that repeat
words or phrases hundreds of times in an attempt to increase search rankings. Hundreds
of other factors are also taken into account.
Every search engine uses different algorithms to find and index Web site pages. It is
impossible for each search engine to have a complete understanding of every nuance of
jargon in every industry, so natural search results can and do vary on each search engine.
In addition, the search engine may link to specific pages within your site when you’d
rather have links to a different page to drive a user action.
It is impossible to learn a search engine’s algorithm. They are in a constant state of change
as the search companies update methods in a continual quest to improve search results.
To receive better rankings in search results, try to incorporate descriptive terms that
make sense to human intuition and that search engines are able to figure out. For
example, not all car buyers would search “fully loaded” or by named option packages but
rather would search for specific features such as “sun roof ” or “side air bags.”
To receive better rankings in search results, try to incorporate descriptive terms that
make sense to human intuition and that search engines are able to figure out.
Search engines have several nuances, as well. It pays to be specific as possible when
creating all text, images and Web site coding. Best practices include using hyperlinks for
company, product and personal names instead of the term “click here.” Also, use HTML
tags to their fullest extent by using the actual image name (1998 Chevy Impala) instead
of the file name (image123.jpg).
Many companies complement SEO with SEM. SEM is paid, and with that comes added
control. Dealers can target a paid search listing with a tailored message to reach a specific
customer demographic. You also control which page the link goes to and, therefore, the
user experience once the consumer reaches your site.
For example, if you have a review guide for a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, a search engine may
index the page with specifications for the LT model. However, you may have a financing
offer with the LTZ model and you would prefer to direct readers to that page.
SEM is powerful because it can be measured very accurately. When you buy an
advertisement on television, you may never really be sure of how many sales are direct
results of that ad.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
7. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Demystifying Search Engine Marketing (continued)
With SEM, if you have a tracking system in place, you have access to specific details and
results. You’ll know when someone clicks on your ad, the path they go through on your
site and if that eventually results in a call, a visit or a purchase. You’ll have the statistics to
show the impact of your marketing dollars.
A dealership has several options to start utilizing search engines to drive traffic and add
customers: 1) appoint someone internally who handles online marketing, 2) outsource it
for a fee to a third party, or 3) list inventory on an automotive site that already engages in
search marketing.
To become search-marketing pros, dealers should keep in mind standard practices such
as having a tracking system in place, monitoring click-through rates closely, setting up
custom Web pages, and planning to invest time in addition to funding to make the
program a success.
If you pay for search engine marketing, you’ll want to make sure you track all activity.
Actively monitor which words and phrases are working and change or end those that
are not. Some entities are buying hundreds if not thousands of keywords, so you are
competing with those companies for click-throughs. Even a small improvement can
mean a huge increase in visitors to your site by increasing your click-through rate.
Once you have that visitor on your site, you need to make sure your
landing page is driving your desired action.
Search engines all have programs for businesses of every size to purchase keyword ad
programs and track click-throughs. The programs also have performance data on various
keywords so you can see what has worked well in the past and what terms you may want
to avoid because of poor performance. In addition, you’ll want to see what is drawing
users through your landing page and what paths they take once they land on your site.
Because a vehicle purchase takes research and consideration on behalf of the buyer,
visitors to a dealer’s site probably are not clicking a link and pulling out their credit
cards. Fifty-five percent of online consumers have researched a product online and then
purchased that same product offline, according to a Forrester research report.
However, if a site visitor clicks on a link, comes to the site and fills out a form requesting
a call, eventually building a relationship with a salesperson and making a purchase, then
it can be tracked back to search engine marketing. Some search marketers just want to
drive traffic to their Web site and build brand awareness, so they would concentrate on
monitoring increases in overall site traffic rather than specific sales results or actions.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
8. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Demystifying Search Engine Marketing (continued)
Once you have that visitor on your site, you need to make sure your landing page is
driving your desired action, whether that visitor is filling out a form, picking up the
phone or browsing your inventory. Watch closely to see how many people are landing
on that page and what path they are taking. In your Web site metrics on your dealership
site, you should be able to see if people move on to another page, fill out a form or if they
leave after browsing the landing page.
Each of these search engine marketing elements takes a precious commodity: time. A
dealership will need to determine how much time and money it is willing to invest in
SEO and SEM. More often than not, results are tied directly to the amount of time
invested. If you do not monitor and actively refine your key words, the system may not
work for you as efficiently as it could. Also, by removing the words that are not working
for you, you will not be paying for the clicks of the users who are not your desired target.
eBay uses search to drive millions of potential buyers to eBay sellers every day. The
team of search experts applies their traditional brand marketing expertise to conduct
analytical modeling, build a technology infrastructure and create longstanding business
relationships with search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL and Ask. In
addition, eBay manages local paid search operations around the globe. SEO and SEM
help play a pivotal role in ensuring eBay Motors is consistently ranked the No. 1
automotive site on the Web by Nielsen//NetRatings.
Search engine optimization and marketing can be powerful tools
when used correctly and monitored frequently.
Consumers who repeatedly see the same ad, whether it’s an image or wording, become
immune to the message, which can be referred to as ad blindness. To maintain online
traffic, dealers will need to tweak and refine messages to stay relevant with consumers.
This is something to consider when determining whether to handle search marketing in-
house, through a vendor, or with a partner site. Outside vendors may be better equipped to
actively update search listings and scour other sites to determine the competitive landscape.
When you choose keywords, you first need to use test and then retest approaches. Know
which other dealers are advertising and what keywords they are using. Perform some
searches on the most popular search engines of the most relevant words to your business
to see if other advertises are there and if your site comes up in a natural search. If not,
modify and add words on your Web site pages to improve SEO and make a list of words
you may want to purchase for SEM.
Ideally, you want the right people clicking at the right time to the right landing page to
get the right results. This happens by knowing your audience, what words they use, what
actions you want them to perform, and constantly refining your process.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
9. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Demystifying Search Engine Marketing (continued)
Search engine optimization and marketing can be powerful tools when used correctly
and monitored frequently. Consumers continue to use the Internet to research products
and services, and an increasing number are making large purchases online. To make sure
those consumers notice your dealership, consider a search strategy to drive increased
traffic and serious shoppers to your site.
SEO and SEM Tips
■ Test, test and test again. Monitor your paid key words and change them often if
they’re not performing well
■ Make sure your message is aligned with your creative
■ Create a landing page specifically for your search efforts
■ Have a tracking/metrics system in place
■ Know your audience: What words or phrases will they be using?
Terms defined
■ SEM: Search Engine Marketing
■ SEO: Search Engine Optimization
■ Meta Tags: Tags in the HTML coding of a Web site that users don’t see but search
engines use to index pages.
■ Title Tag: The tag in the coding that defines the Web site and contains specific key
words to enhance search.
■ Crawlers and robots: Automated scripts used by search engines that browse Web
sites methodically to index and categorize data about those sites.
■ White vs. Gray vs. Black Hat: Search techniques defined as good (white), risky
(gray) and those that will get you in trouble with search engines (black).
■ SERP: Search Engine Results Page
Chris Orton is the Director of Search Marketing at eBay Inc. He manages Paid and Natural Search
for eBay.com, eBay Express, eBay Motors, and Half.com.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
10. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Google, Yahoo and MSN Your Web Site
By Amit Aggarwal
Few would argue the importance of getting your Web site to appear prominently
in search engine results. As discussed in the article, “Demystifying Search Engine
Marketing,” Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization
(SEO) are key techniques for gaining visible placement and driving additional sales.
SEO is particularly compelling because after the initial set up, it is a free source of site
traffic and therefore leads. Unfortunately, since dealers usually outsource creation and
maintenance of their Web sites, they too often are not involved enough to achieve the
best possible results.
Regardless of your own level of technical ability, testing the search engine visibility of
your Web site is easy.
1. Build a list of terms/phrases that vehicle shoppers and owners might use in search
engines. For example, include terms such as your dealership name, vehicle brand +
city, “new car” + city, “vehicle service”, etc.
2. Test these terms on Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Although Google is by far the most
frequently used search engine Yahoo and MSN command 25% and 13% of searches,
respectively,1 and are important sources of site traffic.
3. Review the results. For terms such as dealership name or brand + city, your Web site
should appear among the first few results. For other important terms, your site should
appear on the first page, since users rarely look beyond that.
Anyone who is searching for your Web site will find it.
But what about someone who is just looking for a local Honda dealership?
Or any dealership?
Anyone who is searching for your Web site will find it. But what about someone who is
just looking for a local Honda dealership? Or any dealership? What about owners who
need their vehicles serviced? If you’re ranked poorly or not at all for these kinds of search
terms, then you risk losing business to rivals that are better positioned online.
comScore qSearch, June 2007
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
10
11. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Google, Yahoo and MSN Your Web Site (continued)
In the article, “How to Optimize the Dealer Site for Search Engines” in the October
2006 edition of OAR-DE, we discussed techniques for improving a Web site’s search
engine performance. Although technical and programming techniques have their roles,
content is the most important means of making a Web site more visible to search
engines. The following is a quick summary of methods that help a Web site perform
better in search engine results:
■ Replace any generic text with text specific to your dealership, the vehicles it sells,
its service, etc. Keep in mind that clear and concise text for consumers equals good
input for search engines.
■ Make sure the terms or keywords Internet users would actually type into search
engines can be found on your site. It can also be helpful to include these terms in
the meta tags section of your page (this needs to be done by a programmer).
■ Add a site map that links to the most important pages, e.g., new vehicles, used
vehicles, sales, service, parts, address/directions, contact information. This helps
search engines find all your pages and makes your site more useful to visitors.
Some dealer Web sites are extremely effective at applying these techniques. To identify
strong performers, OAR conducted a field test of 10 dealer Web sites. Following the same
steps listed earlier in this article, we built a set of search terms,2 applied them to Google,
Yahoo! and MSN for all 10 sites, and then examined the results to find examples of good
and poor SEO techniques at work.
The dealerships that did well were BMW of Nashville (Nashville, TN), Crest Honda
(Nashville, TN), Roush Honda (Westerville, OH), and Santa Monica Ford Lincoln
Mercury (Santa Monica, CA). For all four, the dealer site showed up in the first 10
results (the first page for most users) for almost all terms across all three search engines.
Even more impressively, these sites often linked directly to a relevant internal page rather
than the home page. This allows site visitors to get directly to the information they want.
Sites with more extensive content have more opportunities to capture vehicle shoppers.
For instance, searching for “Honda Accord Westerville” brings up Roush Honda in the
first five links on Google, Yahoo, and MSN. More importantly, clicking on the link takes
shoppers directly to an Accord Coupe page with an overall description, breakdown
of trim levels, links to other models, and links to Accord Coupe inventory. By making
detailed information immediately available, Roush has given itself a good chance of
capturing shoppers and given shoppers no reason to visit other sites or cross-shop.
2 Search terms used: “[dealer name]”, “[brand][city]”, “[brand][model][city]”, “[model][city]”, “sedan [city]”, “new car [city]”,
“dealer [city]”, “car dealer [city]”, “dealership [city]”, “oil change [city]”, “vehicle service [city]”
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
11
12. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Google, Yahoo and MSN Your Web Site (continued)
Roush Honda
The top dealer sites also did well with local search results on Google and Yahoo (MSN
does not incorporate local search into its standard results). As shown below, local search
results appear above regular search results and are accompanied by location, phone
number, and a mapped location for the dealership. Internet shoppers are accustomed to
using local search and this makes it much easier for them to get to the dealership site,
even if they never previously visited your dealer site. Note that in this example, BMW
of Nashville has also paid for a sponsored link. The overall impact is that the top results
on keywords “bmw nashville” for standard search, local search, and pay-per-click all lead
to the same dealership, greatly increasing the chances of capturing shoppers using these
search terms.
Paid ad
Local search result
Standard search results
Google
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
12
13. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Google, Yahoo and MSN Your Web Site (continued)
All four strong performers incorporate descriptive text throughout their site, again
highlighting the importance of content. There was less consistency regarding other SEO
techniques. For instance, Roush Honda does not use any meta tags, while the other three
dealer sites use them extensively. Additionally, although site maps can be helpful, only
two of these four sites use them.
The weaker-performing sites generally did not utilize site maps, used fewer keywords
in their meta tags, and were stingy with text throughout their sites. This latter point is
easily demonstrated by comparing the following two used-vehicle inventory pages from
Nashville-area dealerships.
Beaman Pontiac GMC
BMW of Nashville
Both sites offer effective inventory functionality, but the second example (from BMW
of Nashville) incorporates introductory text with relevant key words, while the first
has none. While page text is not the only factor impacting search engine rankings, it is
without a doubt one of the most important factors. In this case, the second site is highly
ranked on all three search engines, while the first doesn’t even show up on the first page
of any of them.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1
14. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Google, Yahoo and MSN Your Web Site (continued)
Weak performers tended to do well on the “must-have” search criteria, such as dealership
name and brand+city. In other areas, performance was much more uneven. For instance,
most of these dealerships didn’t show up in service-related searches, cutting out a
potential avenue of new business. They also showed up near the bottom of results (if at
all) in a general dealership search such as “dealership [city]”. Instead, potential shoppers
would find:
■ Other dealerships
■ Dealership listings on OEM sites or local sites, e.g., cardealersinnashville.com for
Nashville-based dealerships. Your dealership may only be an additional click away,
but most shoppers won’t make that extra click.
■ Third-party sites such as Edmunds or Yahoo Autos that would be all too happy to
lure shoppers in, provide information, and turn them into leads that are sold back
to you or another dealership.
Organic traffic from search engines is a cost-effective way to get business in your door,
but good search engine rankings do not happen by chance. While vendors can obviously
assist in this process, the dealership must make the commitment to creating the right
content and invest the time (and money) to make it happen.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1
15. Big warehouses.
Bigger parking lots.
Biggest close ratio – in excess of 32%
Tap into one of the most affluent, loyal and motivated customer bases in the world.
• Median Income: $75,000
• 98.4% own or lease a vehicle
• 93.9% are homeowners
Exclusive representation of your franchise at selected warehouse
locations. Multiple franchises and warehouse assignments are considered. We know retail.
Call 1-800-458-1690 today, and find out how the
Costco Auto Program can refer members to your dealership.
16. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Dealer Satisfaction
with Online Buying Services StudySM
AutoTrader.com ranks highest in satisfying dealers with online buying services for new-
and used-vehicle leads, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Dealer Satisfaction
with Online Buying Services StudySM (DSOBS).
“As products and services offered by online lead service providers continue to evolve, so does
dealer satisfaction with those services,” said Steve Witten, executive director of marketing/
media research at J.D. Power and Associates. “However, with dealer satisfaction averaging
585 on a 1,000-point scale for the new-vehicle lead segment and 613 for the used-vehicle
lead segment, there remains considerable room for improvement in delivering the level of
service dealers expect. In particular, the quality of leads is of prime importance to dealers
regarding new-vehicle leads, while quantity is emphasized for used-vehicle leads.”
The study finds that dealers typically respond to online leads with a personalized e-mail
or phone call within 48 minutes. The study also reveals that 46 percent of dealers report
they respond to online leads in 30 minutes or less, while nearly three-fourths of dealers
claim to respond in one hour or less.
J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services StudySM
Dealer Satisfaction Index Scores Dealer Satisfaction Index Scores
(Based on a 1,000-point scale) (Based on a 1,000-point scale)
New-Vehicle Lead Services Segment Used-Vehicle Lead Services Segment
AutoTrader.com 628 AutoTrader.com 672
Dealix 616 Cars.com 668
AutoUSA 605 Used-Lead Services
613
Segment Average
Cars.com 605
Autobytel Inc. 601
New-Lead Services
Segment Average 585 Dealix
(UsedCars.com) 588
Autobytel Inc. 584
eBay Motors 554
CarsDirect 559
eBay Motors 541
Vehix.com 503
Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample
size are: Autos.com, CarSoup, iMotors.com and Jumpstart size are: AutoExtra.com, AutoMart.com, BeepBeep.com,
Automotive Media. CarsDirect, CarSoup, Sam’s Club Auto Buying Program
and Vehix.com.
Charts and graphs extracted from this article must be accompanied by a statement identifying J.D. Power and Associates
as the publisher and J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services StudySM as the
source. Rankings are based on numerical scores, and not necessarily on statistical significance. No advertising or other
promotional use can be made of the information in this release or J.D. Power and Associates survey results without the
express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1
17. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
State of the Internet
By Amit Aggarwal
In any discussion regarding the Internet, one can safely assume many central tenets—
most U.S. consumers are online and more are going online almost daily; search is
important; Google, MSN, and Yahoo! have been big for some time while others such as
MySpace and YouTube have more recently skyrocketed in popularity; and the list goes
on. This article explores the data behind these types of assumptions and takes a look at
where the Internet is today. 1
Internet Penetration
As of early 2007, 71% of adults in the United States were Internet users, up from 62%
five years earlier, according to the Pew Internet American Life Project. The increase in
Internet adoption was rapid in the late 1990s but has leveled off more recently as those
who could easily go online already have.
Figure 1: Percentage of U.S. Adults Online
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
May Jul Nov Apr Mar July Feb Aug Jan Sep Mar Feb May Jan May Sep Jan Feb
to 96 97 to 00 to 01 to 02 02 to 04 to 05 to 05 06 to
Jun May Aug Sep May Jun Jun Apr
95 98 00 01 03 04 05 06
Source: Pew Internet American Life Project Surveys, March 2000–April 2006, Pew Research Center for
People the Press, May 1995–May 1998.
This article draws from multiple sources of data regarding Internet penetration, usage, etc., each with a slightly different focus and
methodology. While there is rarely perfect agreement on the exact numbers between sources, they all show the same trends and can be
used together when making broad generalizations.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1
18. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
State of the Internet (continued)
Age, education, and income are the biggest demographic drivers of Internet usage,
which is not surprising, considering that going online requires technical familiarity and
discretionary income to purchase computer equipment (outside of use at public access
areas such as libraries), as shown in Figure 2. In fact, in 2007 55% of households with
annual incomes below $30,000 subscribed to an Internet service at home compared
with 93% of households with annual incomes above $75,000.2 Even so, Internet usage is
surprisingly widespread across most demographic subgroups.
Figure 2: Internet Penetration by Demographic Groups (February–March 2007)
Total Adults 71%
GENDER
Women 70%
Men 71%
AGE
Age 18-29 87%
Age 30-49 83%
Age 50-64 65%
Age 65+ 32%
GEOGRAPHY
Urban 73%
Suburban 73%
Rural 60%
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Less than $30,000/yr 55%
$30,000-$49,999 69%
$50,000-$74,999 82%
$75,000 + 93%
EDUCATION
Less than High School 40%
High School 61%
Some College 81%
College + 91%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Source: Pew Internet American Life Project, February 15–March 7, 2007 Tracking Survey
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1
19. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
State of the Internet (continued)
Broadband penetration, on the other hand, has continued to increase rapidly. In May
2007, almost 82% of U.S. households with computers had high-speed connections, up
10 percentage points from 72% in 2006. This increase has been fueled in part by greater
availability and reduced costs—residential high-speed connections are now available in
some parts of the country for as little as $20 per month. The article “Making Video a
New, Powerful Part of Your Online Marketing Arsenal” in this issue of OAR-DE further
discusses the rise of broadband and the online video boom it has enabled.
Figure 3: Broadband Adoption Growth Trend—Home Users (U.S.)
100%
90%
80%
70%
Market Penetration %
60%
50%
40%
Broadband %
30%
Poly. (Broadband %)
20%
10%
0%
Mar-05
Apr-05
May-05
Jun-05
Jul-05
Aug-05
Sep-05
Oct-05
Nov-05
Dec-05
Jan-06
Feb-06
Mar-06
Apr-06
May-06
Jun-06
Jul-06
Aug-06
Sep-06
Oct-06
Nov-06
Dec-06
Jan-07
Feb-07
Mar-07
Apr-07
May-07
Jun-07
Jul-07
Aug-07
Sep-07
Oct-07
Nov-07
Month (starting at March 2005)
Source: www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0706/, extrapolated from Nielsen//NetRatings data
Site Visitation
Internet users can go to a variety of sites. The top U.S. properties in terms of site
visitation are shown in Figure 4. Note that a “property” combines the multiple sites run
by a single entity—for instance, Microsoft Sites include all visitation to MSN (search,
maps, etc.), Microsoft.com, and Hotmail.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1
20. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
State of the Internet (continued)
Figure 4: Top U.S. Internet Properties—June 2007
% of Internet Users
Rank Property Visiting Site in Past Month
1 Yahoo! Sites 74%
2 Google Sites1 69%
3 Time Warner Network2 69%
4 Microsoft Sites3 65%
5 Fox Interactive Media4 47%
6 eBay 45%
7 Amazon Sites 30%
8 Ask Network 29%
9 Wikipedia Sites 26%
10 Apple Inc. 25%
11 New York Times Digital 24%
12 Viacom Digital 24%
13 The Weather Channel 22%
14 Adobe Sites 20%
15 CNET Networks 17%
16 Gorilla Nation 17%
17 ATT, Inc. 17%
18 Target Corporation 16%
19 Expedia Inc 16%
20 Facebook 16%
Total U.S.—Home, Work and University Locations
Source: comScore Media Metrix
1
Includes YouTube
2
Includes AOL
3
Includes Hotmail
4
Includes MySpace
This demonstrates one clear message: Internet visitation is truly fragmented. For
instance, although ESPN.com is the most popular sports Web site, it ranks 41st overall
and is visited by only 9.8% of all Internet users. Even the Web giants often require
multiple disparate services—such as Microsoft’s various offerings—to achieve such high
rates of visitation.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
20
21. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
State of the Internet (continued)
There is, however, concentrated power within specific types of sites. Search, for instance,
is dominated by Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and to a lesser extent, Ask.com. Google is the
clear leader and has significantly expanded its dominance during the past year, despite
efforts by the other sites to improve their offerings and compete more effectively.
Figure 5: Search Engine Market Share
July 2006 July 2007
Time Warner Network Time Warner Network
Ask Network (AOL) 6.6% Ask Network (AOL) 4.4%
5.0% 4.7%
Microsoft Sites Microsoft Sites
12.4% 12.3%
Google Sites Google Sites
46.2% Yahoo! Sites 55.2%
Yahoo! Sites 23.5%
29.8%
Total U.S.—Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore qSearch 2.0
Represents each property’s % of all searches done
The above charts actually understate Google’s dominance—AOL’s search is powered by
Google, so the search giant’s share has actually gone from 52.8% to 59.5% in just the past
year. Most of this gain has come at the expense of Yahoo!.
There is similar concentration of power when it comes to online video. Google, whose sites
include Google Video and YouTube, is the clear leader in this category, as well. One major
difference, compared with other rankings, is the presence of major media sites such as
Viacom, ABC, etc., which have television and related content that attract online viewers.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
21
22. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
State of the Internet (continued)
Figure 6: Top U.S. Online Streaming Video Properties*
By Video Streams—May 2007
Property Share (%) of Video Streams
Google Sites1 21.5%
Fox Interactive Media2 8.1%
Yahoo! Sites 4.6%
Viacom Digital 2.8%
Time Warner Network3 2.2%
Microsoft Sites 2.0%
ABC.com 1.2%
Disney Online 1.0%
ESPN 0.7%
NBC Universal 0.7%
*Rankings based on video content sites; excludes video server networks
Source: comScore Video Metrix
1
Includes YouTube
2
Includes MySpace
3
Includes AOL
Looking Forward
The Internet’s short history has shown that accurate predictions are difficult to
make—new and disruptive sites and technologies can rapidly transform what and how
consumers act online. Google completely changed the nature of Internet search and
online advertising with targeted advertising (in this case, based on search behavior) that
is highly effective and profitable. Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook
have transformed the way that teens and young adults interact online and offline.
YouTube has made online video immediately accessible to the masses. And the list goes
on.
But there are a few claims that we can make with reasonable certainty: Internet and
broadband penetration will continue to grow; advertising dollars will continue to flow
online at the expense of media such as newspaper and television; the explosion of richer
and more interactive content will continue; and new sites will continue to explode onto
the scene. As Internet users, we can delight in the new experiences and personal benefits
afforded by the continuing onslaught of innovations, while as business people we must
remain tuned into the changes so that we can take advantage of them—or at least avoid
being blindsided.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
22
23. DON’T BELIEVE OUR
SENSATIONAL CLAIMS.
BELIEVE OUR CLIENTS’
Jumpstart helped Courtesy succeed with online advertising in one of the most competitive markets in the country. I know we sold more
cars online last year because of all their help.
– RALPH PAGLIA, COURTESY CHEVROLET
Jumpstart has taken a lot of guesswork out of our (online) advertising. We are having some of our best months since starting
with Jumpstart.
– ASHLEY ANTONIO, PARAGON HONDA ACURA
Jumpstart has given us the edge we need to win over our market. We posted record numbers in April when the entire industry was
showing a drop in sales. Jumpstart is not a vendor to me, they are a partner.
– PANCHO DIEZ-RIVAS, ESSERMAN INTERNATIONAL
TO FIND OUT HOW JUMPSTART AUTOMOTIVE MEDIA CAN HELP GROW YOUR BUSINESS AND MAKE YOU A BELIEVER, CALL ROB BOLLINGER
AT 888.280.4542 OR EMAIL HIM AT GROWYOURBUSINESS@JUMPSTARTAUTOMOTIVE.COM.
24. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites
By Bill Williams and Amit Aggarwal
Dealers make decisions about how to use their brand hundreds of times a day: in
advertising, promotions, sales presentations, recruiting, correspondence, point of
sale, accounts receivable and the receptionist. Every one of these independent actions
contributes to an overall brand portrait. This includes online branding decisions, those
made on dealers’ Web sites.
A brand is a promise that time after time, day in day out, year after year, the customer
experience will be of a certain type and standard. A brand helps consumers simplify the
purchase process, especially in expensive goods, such as cars and trucks. A product does
something, while a brand stands for something. While a product may change often or
occasionally, a brand is more permanent.
While a product may change often or occasionally, a brand is more permanent.
The distinctions are important, especially in the automotive industry, in which there
are multiple brands at work in a purchase: the OEM brand, the make brand, the model
and series brands, and the dealer brand. Sometimes there are even third-party brands
(Harley-Davidson, Bose) and OEM specialty brands (Nismo, MOPAR). Each type of
brand plays a role in the selection, purchase, and repurchase of new and used vehicles.
Dealer brands play a crucial role in this mosaic: the dealer must deliver on all brand
promises. In the end, the dealer brand—above all others—should have a distinctive look
and an authentic promise of its own.
Dealer Web Sites Grow in Importance
Dealer Web sites have an increasingly important role in the new-vehicle automotive
shopping process. While shoppers still look primarily for contact information, inventory,
and RFQ functionality on dealer Web sites, they are increasingly visiting dealer sites to
find options/feature information, peruse vehicle colors, talk to a live rep, etc. In fact, 11%
of all new-vehicle Automotive Internet Users (AIUs) regard a dealer site as the most
helpful site (vs. manufacturer sites or independent sites such as MSN Autos and kbb.
com) during their shopping process.1 While this percentage may seem small, it represents
a steady year-over-year increase.
J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New AutoShopper.com StudySM (NAS)
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
25. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites (continued)
Figure 1: Most Helpful Site Type Overall
100% Independent Site
manufacturer Site
80%
Dealer Site
60% 56% 53% 50%
40%
35% 37% 39%
20% 11%
9% 10%
0%
2004 2005 2006
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New AutoShopper.com StudySM (NAS)
The August 2007 edition of OAR–Dealer Edition illustrated how to evaluate the
usefulness of dealer Web sites using a model based on information/content, appearance,
navigation, and speed. A useful dealer site includes:
■ Professional-looking design
■ Accurate information
■ Quality information
■ Consumer-driven tools
■ Easy to find
■ Fast-loading pages (including inventory)
In the past, getting usefulness right would have been sufficient—but that’s now just
the price of entry, the minimum. A dealer site today is expected to be a genuine online
extension of the dealership. The online brand presentation should reflect the same
differentiating characteristics as the bricks-and-mortar dealership.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
26. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites (continued)
Serving Both Dealer and OEM Interests
Dealers work hard to distinguish themselves from competing and other same-make
dealers. The same logic should apply to dealers’ Web sites. However, there is a push
among some OEMs and independent developers to have dealers choose from approved
or standard templates, and all too often dealers simply accept the default template with
minimal change. While this approach may be expedient, a generic site communicates a
generic brand image. In this case, the make brand might overpower the dealer brand.
The store brand, whether a single point dealer or part of a group, is important.
Some dealers and dealer groups fall into the reverse situation: the dealer brand overpowers
the make brand. For example, the Sholz group sells Kia, GMC, and Cadillac among its
dealerships, but each site is exactly the same, down to the home page text. This is clearly an
example of an effort to build a clear, consistent dealer brand, but it underserves the distinct
make personalities. For example, a Kia buyer is obviously very different from a Cadillac buyer:
different price points, interests, concerns, and needs. All of the millions of dollars invested in
both the Kia and Cadillac brands are somewhat underexploited at the store Web site level.
Figure 2: Sholz Kia Home Page (sholzkia.com) Figure 3: Sholz Cadillac Home Page (sholzcadillac.com)
The store brand, whether a single point dealer or part of a group, is important—it’s the
blue sky that drives valuations and the name on the back of the Little League team’s
uniforms. It is no more or less important than the make brand; but it is separate.
Consider the retailer Target. The brand makes nothing that it sells: it is a collection of
thousands of SKUs of “OPB” (other people’s brands)—however, ask shoppers and they
will provide you with a very rich description of Target. The same is true of the dealer
who negotiates the price and provides the service for “OPB.”
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
27. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites (continued)
Retailers are always balancing the interests of their brand with those of the brands they
sell and weighing how to best mix the brand awareness and personality of each. From the
manufacturer’s perspective, it makes sense to have a consistent national make-level look
and feel online: it weeds out sites that do a disservice to the brand, maximizes factory
advertising investments, and it’s tidier administratively. Therefore, there is an increasing
use of “factory approved site developers” and templates. Dealers—especially dealer
groups—have their own brand interests to pursue and protect. Among single-point
stores there is probably heritage at work, while for dealer groups there are both the image
of the brand and the needs of the corporation.
Sometimes the needs are balanced by taking visitors to a factory-approved landing page
designed around the specific product, which then allows them to go to the dealer site.
The dealer site may or may not be a dealer design. More often, the dealer determines the
level of association the site will have with the factory.
For example, Brumos Mercedes-Benz incorporates the brand and product reputation of
the make with their own reputation for tradition and customer care (Figure 4).
Emphasize Tradition and Customer Experience
Brumos Motor Car highlights the dealership’s 54-year market presence and that its Best
of the Best award and high CSI indicate “[we] excel at taking care of you and your car.”
Site visitors—who might have come to the site via either the OEM dealer locator, search,
or directly to the URL—get a balance of both product and dealer reputation.
Figure 4: Brumos Mercedes-Benz Home Page (brumos-mercedes-benz.com)
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
28. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites (continued)
Figure 5 illustrates a greater proportion of make brand mixed with dealer reputation.
Emphasize the Manufacturer Brand
The Bill Heard name is closely identified with Chevrolet. Indeed, the Heard logo
approximates the Chevrolet bow tie, and the American Revolution OEM theme is
prominent on the home page. This interrelationship is a selling point and is heavily
emphasized for all Bill Heard Chevrolet dealership sites by incorporating the
manufacturer’s marketing theme. In this example, the feature product and the make
brand are in heavy proportion to the dealer brand.
Figure 5: Bill Heard Chevy Home Page (billheardchevy.com)
Reflect the Luxury Experience
The Web site for Gaudin Jaguar Porsche Aston Martin uses a rich color scheme, classical
music, and an online dealership tour to attract luxury buyers. In this example, multiple
make-level brands are marketed under a store brand. What joins the store brand and the
OEM brands is a shared and highly identifiable consumer target: upper-income luxury
and luxury sport buyers—therefore, the brands are collectively presented in an upscale
attractive fashion. The total experience is consistent.
Figure 6: Gaudin Jaguar Porsche Aston Martin Home Page (jplv.net)
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
29. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites (continued)
Synchronicity, Not Surrender
OEMs are no more interested in diluting dealer brand equity than dealers are in
diluting make brand equity: the brands exchange awareness and esteem. When it comes
to developing or relaunching Web sites, dealers should explore a range of options for
putting this exchange of equity to best use.
The Sewell organization provides an example of how that can be done, illustrating that
the debate doesn’t have to involve only one Web site. Figures 7 through 9 illustrate three
different Sewell “brands”: the Lexus store, the Cadillac store, and the Sewell “Motor
Company” family of brands.
Figure 7: Sewell Lexus Home Page (sewelllexus.com)
Figure 8: Sewell Cadillac Saab Home Page (sewellvillagecadillac.com) Figure 9: Sewell Brand Wide Home Page (sewell.com)
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
30. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Branding on Dealer Sites (continued)
Individually, each site balances the interests of both dealer and make brand: there is a
“Sewell” look—not so specific as to “handcuff ” the site designer, but there is enough
similarity to demonstrate a “family” resemblance. There is also respect paid to the make
brand—using the equity of the Lexus or Cadillac names, but ensuring the photos are
properly insinuated into the design.
Then there is the Sewell Motor Car site, which is especially interesting—and freeing
for the dealer—because this is where the focus is deeply on the dealer. Sewell provides
a directory and links to the other stores––for corporate issues such as employment and
dealership history as well as opportunities to set appointments or search vehicles across
the Sewell franchises.
While the Sewell organization is large, the strategy can work with any size operation.
It’s largely a matter of mutual respect and a creative use of online media. The key is to
avoid disagreements over whose brand the site is going to promote, as well as to explore
alternatives in promoting both.
When determining how to brand dealer sites, remember:
■ Shoppers and buyers increasingly find the dealer site most helpful in their vehicle
shopping process: dealer sites play a vital role
■ Being useful is no longer enough: a dealer site needs to work as hard as the brick-and-
mortar marketing in differentiating the store
■ The OEM brand and the dealer brand both play a pivotal role in online marketing
■ OEMS are interested in gaining brand uniformity across dealer site designs
■ Both OEMs and dealers gain when make and dealer brands are synchronous
■ Separate landing pages or URLs give dealers flexibility in creating a more dealer-
centric site, while still retaining a well-balanced product/store branded site
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
0
32. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Making Video a New, Powerful Part of
Your Online Marketing Arsenal
By Chip Perry, President and CEO, AutoTrader.com
The Internet is no longer a phenomenon. While that may seem obvious, what is a
phenomenon is the continued growth of the medium, the improved means by which
people are accessing it, and how companies and advertisers are applying components of
tried-and-true forms of traditional media online. The latest cross-promotional tool to
enter the Internet arena is video. And while it may be an early trend right now, online
video is here to stay. The demand for online video will continue to grow over the next five
years, and the sooner automotive dealers embrace this evolution, the more they will reap
the rewards of being ahead of the mainstream curve—much like the dealers who initially
adopted the Internet as a viable advertising medium in the late 1990s and early 2000s
realized a significant return on their investments.
The demand for online video will continue to grow over the next five years,
and the sooner automotive dealers embrace this evolution,
the more they will reap the rewards …
The proliferation of online video is a direct result of Americans’ accelerated adoption
of broadband (high-speed) Internet. Broadband Internet access that makes it possible
for Americans to quickly stream online video—comprised of files much too large to
play smoothly on a typical dial-up connection—in a seamless fashion, as if watching
television from the comfort of the living room couch. In fact, at the end of 2006, 62.6%
of all U.S. households had an Internet connection, and 73.3% of those online households
had broadband connections, according to eMarketer.1 New-vehicles buyers have even
higher rates than the general population. According to J.D. Power and Associates, 85% of
all new-vehicle buyers have Internet access, with 80% having high-speed access.2 By 2011,
nearly 94.1% of U.S. Internet households will have a broadband Internet connection.3
Without question, broadband Internet has helped fuel the rapid rise of the Internet as a
highly demanded medium, relative to the stagnating growth, or in some cases decline, of
other advertising mediums.
eMarketer. “Broadband Worldwide: 2005-20.” March 2007.
2 J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New AutoShopper.com StudySM (NAS)
eMarketer. “Broadband Worldwide: 2005-20.” March 2007.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2
33. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Making Video a Part of Online Marketing Arsenal (continued)
As it has become easier for consumers to download, upload and stream uninterrupted
video via a broadband connection, it has also become proportionally more prevalent
to find videos online. Consider the advent of YouTube. The once underground, “user-
generated content” site has exploded onto the scene over the past year and a half to
become an accepted mainstream entity and common conversation piece. However, the
pop culture phenomenon of YouTube is but one anecdote and only begins to tell story
about the rapid proliferation of online video. The most recent data—across multiple
analyst and research groups—bears out the increased demand for video nationwide.
According to eMarketer, the 2007 U.S. Internet video audience is already comprised of
an estimated 123 million people, and within three years more than half of all Americans
will be part of the online video audience. The report also cites a recent AP/AOL survey,
which revealed that 32% of the current video audience4 said they viewed more video in
2006 than 2005. And a Yankee Group statistic from the same report found 3.7 billion
video streams were delivered on a monthly basis in 2006, up 146% from 2005. As
staggering as these numbers may be, there is also evidence demonstrating online video’s
real business application and advertising potential, beyond simple entertainment value.
Figure 1: U.S. Online Video Viewers, 2003-2010 (millions)
2003 52.3
2004 69.6
2005 89.4
2006 107.7
2007 123.4
2008 137.2
2009 149.0
2010 157.0
Note: Ages 3+; online video viewer defined as an individual who downloads or streams video (content or advertising) at
least once a month.
Source: eMarketer, November 2006
eMarketer. “Internet Video Audience.” December 2006.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
34. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Making Video a Part of Online Marketing Arsenal (continued)
Local online video advertising currently represents roughly 5% of all money spent on
local online advertising, according to Borrell Associates. They project a prominent
existence for online video as a mainstay advertising tactic in the near future: “In five years,
local online video advertising will surpass $5 billion, representing more than one-third
of all local online advertising.”5 While advertisers continue to leverage the use of online
video more frequently, Hallerman uncovered data illustrating the effectiveness of the
medium. In a March 2006 Online Publishers Association survey, 31% of respondents
visited a company’s Web site after viewing a video ad representing a particular product
or service. What’s more, the survey states that “14% of respondents went to a store to
check out a product after seeing an online ad.”6 Yet, the most compelling news to the
automotive community—with its wide-ranging target audience age—may be that
the video revolution does not appear to rest solely in the hands of today’s younger
generation. A June 2006 Nielsen/NetRatings statistic on video and movie Web sites
from Hallerman’s report indicates that more than 52% of the visitors to the video sites
were 35 or older.7
Now is the time for the automotive community to make online video a powerful
component of the online marketing arsenal.
So, what does all of this mean for car dealers? It means now is the time for the
automotive community to make online video a powerful component of the online
marketing arsenal. At AutoTrader.com, we have closely watched and monitored the
increased popularity of online video and the growing audience demand for it. In fact,
AutoTrader.com consumers told us they wanted the flexibility to access dealership
commercials and other video content when they are in the market for a vehicle. We’ve
always advised dealers to take a holistic approach with advertising by, for example,
directing customers to the dealership Web site through television and radio ads.
Likewise, we recognized adding video to online advertising would give consumers the
opportunity to interact with the vehicles and a specific dealership in a tangible fashion
like never before! And, they could do it on demand, where and when they wanted.
In the spirit of the growth of online video and cross-platform advertising, AutoTrader.
com unveiled a new Multimedia Center in early 2007. The tool allows dealers to upload
video and radio ads to complement their vehicle listings and dealership advertising. The
response of both dealer customers and in-market vehicle shoppers has been tremendous.
As of this writing, more than 1,000 AutoTrader.com dealer customers are already
including video along with their vehicle listings.
5 Borrell Associates Inc. “The New Frontier: Local Online Video Advertising.” February 2007.
6 eMarketer. “Internet Video Audience.” December 2006.
7 Ibid
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
35. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Making Video a Part of Online Marketing Arsenal (continued)
Even better, one of the most appealing features of online video advertising with tools
like the Multimedia Center is that it doesn’t have to break the bank with additional
advertising costs to start taking advantage of the medium. While online video does
provide the flexibility to create new commercials and messages not confined by the fixed-
value proposition of a 30-second or 60-second television spot, the most cost-effective and
immediately efficient way to begin implementing video is to repurpose current television
commercials for online viewing. The production costs to convert the spots are minimal,
while the return could be significant.
As dealers begin to implement video as an advertising tactic, they will soon discover
supplementary opportunities to maximize its exposure and deliver alternative messages,
beyond the scope of traditional advertising. For instance, in addition to including video
as part of their own Web site listings, dealers should also look to include video as part
of their online media buys. They can create a message from their general manager to
accentuate the value proposition of their dealership or introduce their friendly sales
team to create an emotional connection with consumers. Online video expands on the
flexibility as an advertising medium that only the Internet can provide.
Cutting-edge dealers will provide 360° video walk-arounds of their cars,
giving shoppers near first-hand interaction with their inventory.
For example, just as the Internet has given dealers the opportunity to better merchandise
their vehicles to shoppers by providing multiple photos of their available inventory, the
Internet and online video provides dealers with an additional, creative way to allow
shoppers to experience their vehicles. Cutting-edge dealers will provide 360° video walk-
arounds of their cars, giving shoppers near first-hand interaction with their inventory.
Online video also stands to become particularly valuable to dealers who merchandise
their used cars online, where the condition of each vehicle has its own unique set of
traits. Now, not only can dealers write detailed copy about a specific vehicle’s clean, “like
new” jet black leather interior, but they also can demonstrate it to shoppers through
video, drawing them into further interaction with the vehicle.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
36. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Making Video a Part of Online Marketing Arsenal (continued)
Likewise, dealers can apply a similar tactic to set the unique features and one-of-
a-kind services of their respective dealerships apart from the competition. It’s one
thing, for instance, to explain to prospective consumers through written copy that the
service department waiting room is equipped with wireless Internet access and a full-
service, complimentary coffee bar, but it’s quite another to demonstrate that waiting
room by bringing it to life through video. The list of unique ways dealers can apply
video to enhance the merchandising of both their vehicles and their dealerships is
almost limitless!
Now is the time for the automotive industry to join the revolution. Even the so-called
“traditional media”—which once shunned the medium—are using the Internet and
video to cross-promote their own services, as well as the services of their advertisers.
It’s also time for the automotive dealer community to join the trend and upload videos
to help tell the dealership story—because, like the Internet, videos will be more than
simply a trend in the near future. Clearly, the window of opportunity for each dealer to
maximize their store’s exposure and get in front of the mainstream competition is wide
open today, and those who jump on board will benefit the most.
Chip Perry is president and chief executive officer of AutoTrader.com. He can be reached at
chip.perry@autotrader.com.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
37. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Landing Pages and Micro Sites:
Big League Search Rankings for Dealers of all Sizes
By Bill Williams
Dealers are continually searching for new, cost-effective ways to drive traffic to their sites
and leads to the showroom. Often this is best managed through the use of an outside
supplier, but there is a lot dealers can do on their own. Ralph Paglia, Director of Digital
Marketing, OEM National Accounts, ADP Dealer Services, shared his experiences
and successes with Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition. Paglia has extensive
experience in building successful online retail marketing programs, and has shared those
experiences at past J.D. Power and Associates Internet Roundtable meetings.
OAR: First, and most obviously, what are landing pages and micro sites?
Paglia: I get asked this question all the time, so it must be a good one. First off, for all
practical purposes, every micro site contains a landing page, but not all landing pages are
part of a micro site.
■ A micro site is comprised of a Web page with a unique URL that is descriptive of
the micro site’s subject matter.
■ The first page accessed on a micro site—accessed by the root domain of the URL—
is known as a landing page because it is where the consumer first ‘lands’ when they
click on an advertisement, text-based sponsored link, or search engine listing of that
unique URL.
■ In addition to the landing page, which we call a home page when applied to a
dealership’s full featured primary Web site, a micro site has one or more ‘daughter
pages’ that are accessible from linked text or images shown on the landing page (the
micro site’s home page).
■ A micro site’s daughter pages must be created within the same root domain
structure as the landing page’s URL. This is far different than the use of Web pages
hosted within another root domain structure, as when using links to a different
Web site’s pages.
■ Each daughter page within a micro site will contain additional content relevant to
the landing page’s subject matter and is what qualifies the domain as a micro site
instead of a simple landing page.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
38. Online Automotive Review—Dealer Edition October 2007
Landing Pages and Micro Sites (continued)
From the first part of my answer, you already know that a landing page is a single
Web page connected to a unique URL, but without any additional pages of relevant
content, or daughter pages, connected to it that are hosted within the same root domain
structure. An example—and the epitome—of a micro site, including rich media sections
and daughter pages containing vehicle information, photographs and specifications can
be seen at www.PhoenixChevySilverado.com. An example of a true landing page, devoid
of any other content within the same root domain structure, is: www.Silverado-Truck.com.
Please note that both landing pages and micro sites typically feature multiple links to
other Web pages that are part of separate and distinct URL domain structures, usually
the dealer’s primary Web site.
The bottom line is that every micro site contains a landing page, along with one or more
additional content pages, while the term landing page is also used to describe a single Web
page, usually with a form that is linked to advertisements and text-based sponsored links,
and is distinctly separate from any other Web site. Technically, any Web page connected to
outside links, such as advertisements, sponsored links and URL listings, is a landing page,
because it is where you first land when you click. But, within the car business, most people
use the term landing page to describe a single Web page specially created for a specific use.
Micro sites require more content to set up than solo landing pages, which typically require a
limited amount of text and an online form for customers to complete and submit.
OAR: When and why are they used?
Paglia: Both micro sites and landing pages are used by dealers, third-party lead providers,
search engine marketing (SEM) services providers, dealer advertising associations, dealer
groups and OEMs for a variety of purposes. Compared to landing pages, and depending
on the richness of content they contain, automotive micro sites usually achieve far greater
levels of effectiveness over time. Micro sites and landing pages generally serve three
primary objectives:
A. Generate sales leads as completed online forms, incoming phone calls and showroom
traffic. When used by SEM service providers, landing pages are typically designed
to generate electronic leads and are optimized for the highest possible visitor-to-lead
conversion rates.
B. Attract unique visitors using highly specific and limited subject matter content that is
indexed by search engines as relevant to key word searches related to the site’s subject
matter. When successful, a micro site’s title and description appear at the top of
specific search engine queries based on richness of relevant content.
C. Generate online traffic to other Web sites through the use of linked objects displayed
within the micro site, or within the text-based content of the site. This objective is
best met through the use of managed organic content that is search-engine optimized
around a subject matter popular among a targeted audience that will be searching for
it. Otherwise, a micro site could be misconstrued as a link farm.
Copyright © 2007 J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.