Having just come back from Digital Dealer 2024, there are a lot of things on my mind in terms of automotive SEO. I had some great conversations with both digital marketing vendors and dealers themselves while at the show and found there to be numerous overlaps in what everyone is talking about right now. So, I’ve decided to put together some of the most common questions I heard being asked and give you some answers. Let’s get started.
#1 – How Can I Automate SEO With AI?
With today’s focus on automation and artificial intelligence, “How can I automate SEO with AI?” is a common question. But, for the most part, the answer is that you can’t. There are some SEO tasks that can be streamlined with AI, but AI models can’t handle your whole SEO strategy.
Right now, AI can:
- Help generate keyword ideas
- Help brainstorm content topics
- Help outline content
But AI cannot:
- Perform keyword research
- Write high-quality content
- Or be relied on for factual information, especially about new cars
- Build a meaningful internal linking map
- Generate optimized (or accurate) meta titles, meta descriptions, or alt text
- Implement any on-page changes
Despite the quick evolution of AI, SEO still needs a human touch. This is especially important given that the backbone of SEO is humanization. Search engines are continuing to refine results and serve users with humanlike content that truly meets their needs. Is AI at the point where it can offer that type of content? No, it’s really not. Plus, on a much more basic side of things, it’s important to note that you can’t assign ChatGPT to do the hands-on work on your website.
When it comes down to it, AI can be super helpful when you’re in the brainstorming phase of content or keyword research. Aside from that, though, it’s not overly helpful when it comes to SEO. And it certainly can’t be used to automate your strategy.
#2 – How Do I Know Which Keywords to Target?
Knowing which keywords to target is an essential part of a successful SEO strategy and is definitely something dealers are talking about. In simple terms, you want to target keywords that focus on something you offer at your dealership that you want to highlight. It’s important to remember, though, that SEO is a longer game. If you want to sell a specific vehicle from your lot as soon as possible, SEM might be the way to go. The keywords you target with your SEO and content marketing strategies should be those you wish to rank for in the long-term. For dealers, these keywords are often dealer-related (i.e., Chevy dealer, Chevy dealer in Cincinnati) or model-related (i.e., Chevy Silverado for sale, Chevy Trax for sale in Cincinnati).
Tools like KW Finder (Mangools) can help you get a look at where–or if–you’re ranking for these keywords. Tools like Semrush can help you measure your rankings for these keywords over time. Generally speaking, you want to focus on keywords that are transactional in intent, are related to your dealership’s offerings, and those for which you are not already in the #1 position.
#3 – How Do I Know Where to Add Internal Links?
Back in the day, adding tons of internal links to every page on your website was, well, the norm. In today’s age, this looks and feels spammy to both your customers and search engines. When thinking about where to add internal links, it’s essential to remember the word “meaningful.” Which in-text words would a consumer be likely to click on? Where would they expect–or hope–that link leads to? So long as you’re following this rule of thumb, you’re on the right track.
At Digital Dealer, I heard a couple of dealers questioning the linking that was done on their site, with the common issues we see across the board being mentioned. By far, the most common issue is outward funnel linking, or linking from a conversion page to a landing page. For example, if a potential customer is on your New Vehicles SRP and sees a link leading from “Chevy Silverado 1500,” they would expect to go to the Silverado 1500 SRP, but oftentimes, I come across this exact scenario, and the link leads to a Silverado 1500-focused landing page. This brings the consumer further away from converting and, for that reason, is poor practice.
As you’re adding internal links to your content, it’s important to keep both the general sales funnel and a consumer’s perspective in mind.
#4 – Why Should I Invest in SEO?
This has to be the most common, and the most important question dealers ask. Why should you invest in SEO? Well, organic search earns the highest click-through rate (CTR) on the search engine results page. For comparison, the top paid search result only has about a 3% CTR, while the #1 organic search result has a 30% CTR. That’s a massive difference. If you don’t invest in SEO, you’re not targeting those organic spots, which means you’re missing out on the majority of clicks.
SEO is also like owning a space. Once you’ve earned the spot with a page on your site, some general upkeep may be necessary in order to keep that spot, but, for the most part, you’ve put your investment in and have earned that spot. Paid search, on the other hand, is rented space. As soon as you toggle your payment off, your position is gone.
Investing in SEO means earning long-term, high CTR positions on the SERP, which means long-term results.
Stay Tuned to Learn More With Wikimotive!
After my conversations with various dealers at Digital Dealer, it was clear to me that there are still so many questions revolving around automotive SEO. From understanding AI’s position in the game to understanding the value of investing in SEO, there’s so much to talk about and learn; this was only the tip of the iceberg.
I will be continuing to answer questions and discuss the SEO topics dealers want and need to learn more about, so stay tuned for more blog posts coming your way! And if you have any questions about anything digital marketing, feel free to contact us at Wikimotive. We’re always ready to help you sharpen your strategy and maximize your dealership’s potential!