How to Use Online Reputation Optimization Services to Reach Used Car Shoppers

1. August 3, 2017 How to Use Online Reputation Optimization Services to Reach Used Car Shoppers According to a study by J.D. Power and Associates, used car shoppers are more likely to find vehicles they will ultimately buy online rather than in print classified ads. For this reason, it’s imperative that your dealership has a good reputation so that shoppers don’t second-guess doing business with your company. Everyone at your dealership should take part in online reputation management, from car salesmen to financing agents. Here are just a few ways that your staff can establish and maintain trust with these shoppers. P a g e 1 | 3

2. Learn From Negative Reviews Probably the greatest challenge your dealership faces online is a negative review, even if it’s just one. Customers in the past may have been unsatisfied with their shopping experience or their particular vehicle and have taken to the internet to vent their frustrations. The silver lining in this situation, however, is that these negative reviews help you identify areas for improvements. This will help you provide better vehicles and services to car shoppers going forward. If you’re worried about negative reviews harming your online reputation, though, focus on creating fresh, positive content that you want people to see. Authoritative content will appear higher in search engines compared to negative reviews. The key is to keep producing this content until negative reviews are no longer visible on the first page of the search engine results. Manage Employee Profiles A lot of dealerships make the mistake of strictly focusing on just their car inventory and services. Truthfully, car shoppers put a lot of weight into who they do business with as well. In fact, just like any other business, they want friendly people who will assist them effectively. One way to do this is to have an online bio for each member of your team, so that shoppers can read up on who they might talk to before they visit the dealership. Not only should this bio establish staff members’ credentials when it comes to the particular area of business they’re dealing with, but the profile should also be optimized with relevant content and keywords to help them appear higher up in search results. Once you’ve established a presence for each employee, building credibility is your next focus. You can realize this through blog pieces, social media posts, and press releases that provide car shoppers with P a g e 2 | 3

3. valuable information that facilitates the shopping process. Customers will then associate these positive experiences with your staff. Hire an SEO Specialist Restoring your dealership’s online reputation requires SEO knowledge and skills, which you get when you hire an SEO specialist. They can create a personalized plan for your dealership, making sure that your content and employee profiles consistently appear at the top of search engines. Remember that without a positive online reputation, car shoppers may not want to do business with your dealership. Look for reliable SEO specialists that specialize in car dealerships. You’ll find that they offer online reputation optimization services that will push negative reviews so far down search engine results pages that they simply won’t have any impact. About DealerRank: If you’re looking to build a positive relationship with car shoppers online, get in touch with DealerRank. Our digital agency can decrease the visibility of negative reviews and tailor a plan that works with your particular car audience. We can help your dealership soar to the top of search engine rankings. Sources: 5 Tips for Effective Online Reputation Management, allbusiness.com Study: More used-car shoppers find vehicles online than in print, autonews.com P a g e 3 | 3