What happens when everyone wants success, but relationships still break down? Whether it's a dealership's relationship with a vendor, an employee, or a customer, the quality of every outcome is ultimately shaped by communication, trust, accountability, and shared...
What happens when dealers assume vendors are the problem… while vendors assume dealers just don't understand the data? Distrust is common in automotive vendor relationships. Missed expectations, unclear reporting, weak communication, and underperforming campaigns have...
What happens when an industry spends millions on paid advertising… but still measures success by the cheapest possible lead? In automotive, cost per lead has become the default scorecard. Lower is better. Higher is a problem. But outsde of automotive, that way of...
What happens when your dealership keeps increasing marketing spend to drive more traffic… only to realize the real problem isn't traffic at all? Many stores fall into the trap of chasing more leads and more tools, when the real breakdown is happening in process, data...
What happens when your dealership keeps increasing marketing spend to drive more traffic… only to realize the real problem isn't traffic at all? Many dealerships fall into the trap of "adrenaline marketing" relying on short-term paid tactics to stimulate results...
What happens when your dealership is spending $20K–$100K/month driving traffic… only to send shoppers into a digital storefront that's cluttered, slow, and quietly killing conversion? In this episode of In Search Of, new host Dave Estey and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach...
What happens when "being nimble" stops meaning clever marketing tweaks—and starts meaning leadership, discipline, and brutal honesty about what's actually changing week to week? In this episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit...
What happens when the "AI revolution" meets the unglamorous reality of dealership operations, OEM programs, and messy data? In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with Brooke Furniss to cut through the noise...
In this episode of 'In Search of...Insights', Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings break down their biggest takeaways from MRC 2025 — from real-world tech adoption to AI myths, dealership education, and why so many stores are still chasing "level 47"...
Can Atlas Really Change the Car-Buying Journey? In this episode of In Search of Insights, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings unpack the hype surrounding OpenAI's newly released Atlas - and what (if anything) it means for automotive dealers right now....
What happens when the automotive industry's biggest blind spots finally get called out? In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with Brian Pasch - author, researcher, conference founder, and one of automotive...
What happens when you cut through the hype and look at what's actually driving dealership performance?In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with George Nenni, Founder of Generations Digital and one of...
Can AI really handle your dealership's SEO? In this first episode of In Search of Insights — a new spinoff of the In Search Of podcast — Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings joins Dan Barker to unpack the realities vs. misconceptions surrounding generative AI in...
In this episode of In Search Of…, Dan Barker is joined by Zach Billings (Co-Founder, Wikimotive) and Patrick Downes of Ruge's Automotive Group to uncover how a family-owned dealership competes — and thrives — in today's mega-group marketplace.From reputation...
In this premiere episode of In Search Of…, Dan Barker (CEO, Wikimotive) and Zach Billings (Co-founder, Wikimotive) sit down with Tara Rego (Director of Strategic Partnerships, Spectrum Reach) to demystify the evolving world of OTT video advertising. From her...
“Department nesting”… what is it?It’s the act of making sure that Google is aware that the various department listings you’ve created are associated with your dealership’s primary sales listing. For this week’s episode we’re going to revisit the actual dealer listings...
Filmed on Day 3 of the Modern Retail Conference, Zach Billings (Wikimotive Co-Founder & Vice President of Client Success) & Angus Fox (Lead Analyst, ThinkBetter Marketing) have a candid discussion about: Their thoughts on MRC 2022 The state of automotive and...
From November 14th to the 16th, the 2021 Automotive Analytics and Attribution Summit (or AAAS) took over the beautiful Eau Resort & Spa, welcoming the entire industry to the balmy seaside climate of Palm Beach, FL. A perennial attraction for some of the most...
The average American’s video consumption has increased 52% since 2019, with most people consuming 16 hours of online video content per week. Now, sure…some of that’s content is attributed to streaming - but when we look at video through the eyes of the consumer, we...
Annnnd we’re back - in the studio - after a great week in Napa Valley at DMSC 2021. In fact, it was such an impactful experience that we’re going to hold off on our regular topics for one more week — because we’re feeling particularly inspired to...
In recent months, we’ve talked about Core Web Vitals and the various other metrics used by Google to determinate the quality of a site’s user experience. However, Google’s methods of assessment aren’t solely reliant upon technology and algorithms. Google also employs...
Last week we revisited Core Web Vitals, three relatively new factors that Google takes into consideration when assessing the experience offered to their users, by your dealership’s website. Specifically, we talked about LCP, FID and CLS. Now remember, Google’s primary...
There’s no such this as a “one-size fits all”, or “set-it-and-forget-it” SEO solution. When we talk about “Organic SEO” it’s important to recognize the reason why we use the term “organic”. It’s because SEO and the algorithms involved are constantly evolving, and your...
Hey digital marketers…more than 100 million consumers NOW have the option of limiting your ability to hit them up with targeted ads. So...whatcha gonna do about it? iOS 14 and Consumers When iOs 14 was first rolled out almost six months ago, there was a lot to like:...
Machine learning, what is it? How does it affect me? And does this mean the T1000 is already here? The answer is maybe. On the face of it, machine learning is a complex and often times “scary” subject. But the truth is that machine learning has already been a part of...
Last week, we began focusing on SEO Tips to help your dealership succeed in (what we hope will be a post-COVID) 2021. More specifically, to succeed in a world where, every day, online retailers are taking increasingly more aggressive strides to attract prospective car...
Twelve months ago, we were living in a very different world. And at that point, an evaluation of over 8,000 American car buyers revealed that the average car buyer: - Spends up to six months researching vehicles before making a purchase. - Performs 59% of that...
A few weeks back, we talked about Google’s Broad Core Update which Google rolled out the first week of December. And just before that we had served up an introduction to Core Web Vitals, which were the focal point of Google’s previous update back in May. That said,...
The events of 2020 have slowed down a lot of things, and here in the SEO world, one of the most notable delays comes in terms of Google’s broad core updates (of which there are usually several every year). In 2020 however, we’re only NOW - in December - getting the...
Just a couple weeks ago, I was one of 70+ automotive marketing professionals invited to speak at the Automotive Analytics and Attribution Summit, and we had an awesome session on the growing importance of video content to dealerships like yours. But, after discussing...
When it comes to any of the topics that we cover here on “Just the Tip”, we can all gain important vantage points and valuable insights when we discard our professional roles and approach each topic from the perspective of the consumer. So put on your consumer hat,...
Last week we just happened to revisit Aaron’s recent three-part series on the importance of User Experience. And then, this week, Google Webmasters announced that, as of May 2021, Core Web Vitals will become ranking signals as part of an update that will combine them...
In a recent study performed by Cox Automotive, it was determined that the average car buyer spends 13 hours and 55 minutes researching a vehicle purchase. And that 61% of that average time (equivalent to about 8.5 hours) is spent online. Today, that time is split...
There’s a lot of territory to cover when it comes to your dealership’s social media activity. The problems are a-plenty, and we see them every day. The wrong kind of content. Inconsistency and infrequency of posting. Misreading your audience on one platform versus...
It’s officially been one year since we started this weekly series of SEO and Digital Marketing tips. And what a year it’s been. No seriously…is it 2021 yet? Not yet? Well, if you haven’t been watching all along, let’s circle back on what we’ve covered here on JTT...
So, you’ve decided to Improve your local search rankings by writing your own content. That’s awesome. How’s it working for you? How close are you to the top of Page 1 for local search results? Wait. Are you even on Page 1? Page 2? Worse? Well, we have ‘Just the Tip’...
Consider This… More than 95% of your dealership’s potential sales are delivered to you as a result of online research. Local search accounts for 46% of Google searches, and 4 out of 5 consumers consider it to be their primary means of getting information about, or...
Way before 2020 became the year of pandemics, murder hornets and protests it was predicted by leading marketers to be “the year of user-generated content”. And if you really think about it, the predictions were surprisingly accurate. Content creation has been a...
“But I’m Not a Writer”… The (bleep) you aren’t. Everyone’s a writer, and today we’re going to talk about a FREE tool you already have access to, a tool that can make it easier for all of you “non-writers” out there to create kickass original content. Words matter. Not...
Log onto Google and do a search for anything, and you’ll be provided with what Google interprets to be related video content. Most likely, the results will feature videos that are posted to YouTube (over other video platforms) since it’s a Google-owned platform. In...
Video analytics are crucial. They help you to assess the quality of your content, to identify what is and isn’t resonating with your dealership’s audience, and they help you to evolve your strategy so that your next piece of content can perform better than your last...
Facebook. YouTube. Which platform should you be posting your dealership’s videos on, and why? On one hand, Facebook is STILL the most prominent social media platform out there with roughly 2.5 billion users, worldwide - but it also features additional post types in...
It’s one thing to create videos - but what’s the point if those videos aren’t driving social media engagement and expanding your overall reach? By now, our regular viewers should familiar with Facebook Insights - and how to find them. If you’re a first time viewer, or...
Last week, we provided an overview of Facebook Page Insights, a great front-end tool that helps you to monitor the effectiveness of your posting strategy. Now, there are more in-depth tools and visibility provided by both Facebook Business Manager and other...
Over the last couple of weeks, your dealership’s use of Social Media has been more important than ever…especially on Facebook. But whether you’ve been creating original video content, or updating your customers through regular posting, you should be gauging the...
During this quarantine, we’ve talked about the importance of original video content to your dealership. We’ve covered the different types of video content you should be creating. We’ve even given you a breakdown of affordable and easy-to-use equipment that can improve...
Hey everyone, it’s Jay from Wikimotive and - as promised - we’re back to talk about some affordable and easy-to-use equipment that can help make it more convenient for you to create high-quality video content, all on your own. Now, before we start, I want to make one...
All right car dealers…I see you out there. We have been watching, and a lot of you are doing exactly what you should be doing right now. ***COVID-High5 right here*** But for the rest of you…those of you who need some help getting the right message out there, in the...
Just last week, we launched our revamped format for ‘Just the Tip’. And while our weekly series of SEO and Digital Marketing tips will continue in light of current world events, we felt it was important to take a step back, and offer some topical content useful to...
Video content has been credited as having become the #1 catalyst for the online discovery of new products, services, and brands, as well as becoming a preferred resource for all sorts of do-it-yourselfers. And it's really no surprise that video has proven so...
From your website’s landing pages to your blog posts, your content plays an important role in establishing your authority. High-quality content empowers an authoritative source to share their expertise with anyone who may be in need of it. The best content is...
We recently discussed keywords, one of the fundamental components of SEO. But SEO is ever-evolving, meaning that such components (and their respective roles) are bound to change as well. As such, intent-based algorithmic changes within Google have led to the...
In discussing the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) , you often see that it’s crucial to understand the importance of ’User Intent’ (also referred to as ‘Search Intent’). But what is User Intent and why is it so important? In recent years, Google has...
In the same way we all have different needs online, not every online search is performed the same way. Some are phrased in the form of an informational query (using ‘who’,’where’, ‘when’ etc) to find out more about a subject. Some might be taking a navigational...
The relationship between Social Media and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is complicated and often misunderstood, and in a perpetual stage of change. In reality, they are complimentary areas of focus that can drive their own results, and can help to amplify the...
No-one likes receiving a negative review; but it’s been estimated that a negative experience is 21% more likely to inspire an online review than a positive experience. It’s a trend that has experienced some welcome reversal as of late but, as a business, you need to...
Every business or organization has a story to tell, as well as a unique set of services to offer, insights to contribute, and a desire to attract those in need of their goods, products and services. This is why blogs are so popular; they provide a means of telling our...
Conversational content. Depending on the extent of your involvement with content creation and familiarity with certain principles of SEO, it’s a term you may have heard before. But it’s also a term that is commonly misunderstood. What is Conversational Content? At its...
Google My Business is one of the most valuable marketing tools out there. When properly optimized, your GMB profile can help to attract, inform and convert prospective customers. Plus, from an investment standpoint, it certainly doesn’t hurt that GMB is free. But an...
Previously, we’ve discussed the important role that your Google My Business profile plays; how it’s basically your new homepage, is where you share your business information with the world and is where people searching for your business will form their first...
To grow your business, you need to attract new customers. And since most potential customers will search for your products or services on Google, you need to distinguish yourself by ranking higher than your competitors in Search Results. That said, it’s important to...
It’s estimated that 63,000 Google searches are performed every second. That’s 3.8 million searches every minute, 228 million searches every hour, and about 5.6 billions searches performed within a single day. And somewhere in the middle of that search maelstrom, is a...
(commonly known as ‘GMB’) is one of the most valuable digital marketing assets available to businesses. Every day, millions of consumers use Google to research businesses, products and services. Most recent studies have shown that more than half of the searches...
We’ve defined SEO as “the process of optimizing signals both on and off a website, influencing how successfully that site can be found when someone searches particular keywords on Google”. So, what do we mean by ‘signals’? We’re referring to ranking signals -...
For those of you unfamiliar with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) it’s the process of optimizing signals both on and off a website, influencing how successfully that site can be found when someone searches particular keywords on Google. Regardless of the vertical...
The entire Wikimotive team is proud to share the news that our own Dan Barker has accepted a new role within our organization - that of ‘Director of Operations’. Having served diligently in his previous capacity as Content Manager, Dan’s commitment to consistency and...
When we talk about Automotive Social Media Marketing, we’re surprised by just how many people fail to grasp the breadth of the topic. In fact, looking across any number of industries only serves to reinforce the shocking realization that many businesses are attempting...
As a dealership, you might have struggled with the question of whether or not you should partner with an automotive advertising company or digital marketing partner. Unfortunately, the increasing importance of services that a digital marketer can provide emphasizes...
Perception is reality. Arguably, the best piece of ‘big picture’ advice that I’ve ever been given. One would be hard-pressed to debate the fact that we form decisive conclusions based on our individual perception. From the worthiness of interpersonal relationships and...
Happy New Year! We all know how it goes, “New Year, New You” but the simple truth is that all-too-many dealerships are making the same mistakes year-in and year-out by not evolving their automotive SEO to mirror changes within the industry. As digital marketers, we...
