After webmasters discovered the direct correlation between search engine rankings and increased organic traffic, several changes have occurred. These include a decrease in spam keyword techniques previously used to trick the system, an increase in mobile searches, and changes to the Search Engine Results Pages themselves.
Formerly, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) meant a total focus on a few target keywords. Now Google, Bing, and other search engines, can identify synonyms and related keywords; allowing a shift in focus towards the user experience. Your new or used car dealership’s website should answer important questions for the target audience and promote worthwhile content.
Winston Burton sums it up well in his article, “The evolution of SEO,” on searchengineland.com. He explains, “SEO today is a mixture of optimizing existing content and creating, optimizing, and amplifying new content that meets end-users’ needs to enforce your brand and capture social signals and links to rank higher in the SERPs.”
Stop Keyword Spamming
Avoiding spammy techniques in relation to your content and website is paramount in avoiding search engine penalties. Any content that sounds automatically generated, unnatural, stuffed with keywords, or littered with hidden text and links can be a problem.
Doorway pages or irrelevant redirects are also “Black Hat” behaviors that will land your site in the SEO doghouse. What’s a doorway page? Christopher Radcliff describes them as, “Webpages used for spamming a search engine by creating multiple pages for specific high-value phrases but end up just sending visitors to the same destination.” If the page doesn’t bolster the overall theme of your site or help your visitors learn about your dealership, then the search engines will take notice.
Think Mobile First
It’s a mobile first world. Your automotive dealership’s SEO strategy should take into account mobile friendliness, mobile load times, and the car shopper’s experience on their phone or tablet. When shoppers are searching your auto dealership’s website on their phones, what are they trying to accomplish? Are they trying to find your dealership, book a service appointment, or compare inventory options? These are all activities to consider when building your new or used car dealership’s SEO strategy for mobile.
Reviews can Make or Break You
Google has changed its “local search results” many times over the last several years. In the past, you could influence your dealership’s rank by utilizing some of the more disreputable tactics on your Google My Business page. Practices included placing keywords in your dealership’s name, buying unnatural backlinks, or misreporting your business’ location. These frowned-upon tactics no longer change your rank. Local search results are now based on positive reviews from real customers, relevance, and high-quality, shareable content.
Dominion Dealer Solutions’ SEO and Content package is a one-two punch for generating fresh, relevant, and useful content aimed to please both the search engines and the car shoppers visiting your website. Call 877.421.1040 to get started today!
