Automotive Marketing, Automotive SEO, Social Media Marketing, and Reputation Management
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 ownership, and customer experience. In this episode of IN SEARCH OF… host Dave Estey and […]
This Month from Wikimotive… We break down what AI is actually changing, and what it isn’t. From the evolution of search to the growing gap between automation and real customer experience, this month is about separating progress from noise. From content that needs to be faster and more accurate, to the technical issues quietly holding performance back, we’re reinforcing the fundamentals that […]
The promise of winning AI search is a lie. That’s not a hook. That’s not hyperbole. It’s the unpopular truth that directly contradicts the story vendors are selling from every trade show booth and webinar stage. And the narrative isn’t coming from vendors alone. It’s a commonly held assumption that, because ChatGPT and the like have become so popular, there […]
“Just write more blogs” has become default SEO advice, and back in the day, this may have worked. But in today’s day and age, blog posts are rarely what actually moves the needle. Content is the core of any good automotive SEO strategy, but not all types of content on your website are equally impactful. Blogs play a supporting role, […]
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 instead of building sustainable marketing infrastructure. In this episode of IN SEARCH OF… host Dave Estey and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach […]
If your automotive SEO vendor is writing content, throwing it up on your site, and calling it a day, you’re likely not seeing the moves you expected. This is because, while high-quality content is the core of any successful SEO strategy, it’s not the only piece to the puzzle. Technical SEO matters too. Content should be considered the base; technical […]
This Month from Wikimotive… We unpack the reality behind AI “magic,” why shortcuts rarely deliver ROI, and how to approach new technology with sharper questions and stronger fundamentals. From post-NADA reflections to the operational discipline behind high-quality SEO and content execution, we are cutting through hype, reinforcing proven processes, and making smarter decisions you can stand behind. Less chasing trends […]
When a lot of us look at our website traffic reports, social media is a standout performer. If you’re spending any amount of money with a vendor that’s running social ads for you, there’s a good chance it’s your highest-performing traffic driver—at least by the measure of website sessions… How about lead forms? Chats? Calls? I talk to dozens of […]
Do you actually know what your digital marketing agency does for you, or are you just trusting that it’s working? If you don’t truly know what’s being done or how success is being measured, you might be paying for work that isn’t moving the needle at all. Sometimes it’s hard to know what your vendor should be doing or what […]
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 Billings sit down with Lance Boehmer of Motive to break down the real cost of outdated website platforms—and why “good […]
This article was written by Brian Pasch, Founder of Pasch Group and a guest contributor to the AutoSuccess 2026 Digital Marketing Edition, powered by Wikimotive. Excitement is building for the NADA convention in Las Vegas. Dealers are fielding dozens of vendor calls asking for commitments to parties, private demos and a visit to the vendor’s exhibit hall booth. […]
This Month from Wikimotive… January is your clean slate—an opportunity to cut the clutter, regain control, and start the year with sharper strategy (not louder tactics). In this month’s newsletter, learn how to audit your vendor ecosystem, spend more wisely (not just more), and use competitive insights like PIPO data to make your SEO even more effective. And before you […]
CDPs. AI chat. Identity-resolution retargeting. GEO. AEO. First-party data activation. Cookieless solutions. Two weeks before NADA, the industry is once again awash in promises that this—finally—is the thing that will fix your 2026. It won’t—at least, not on its own. More and more, we’re lost in the static—the white noise of buzzwords and quick-fix shiny solutions. I’m going to call […]
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 down with Andrew Ruck, GM of LaFontaine Automotive Group, for a real-world look at what it took to win in 2025—and […]
At the beginning of 2025, many predicted that it would be a year that changed automotive SEO forever. There were numerous statements and rumors being thrown around about how AI was going to take over, and traditional search was on its way out. Because of this, many dealers braced for a complete reset in how people research and shop for […]
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 and get brutally practical about what actually moves the needle heading into 2026. Together, they unpack why “AI-only” promises and paid “GEO/AEO switches” don’t […]
The buzz around artificial intelligence in automotive search marketing is deafening. What exactly does it look like? How much does it matter? The answers to these questions are constantly changing, but for now, you might be surprised to know how little AI has truly impacted customers’ path to purchasing a vehicle at your dealership. Between AI Overviews and the general […]
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” when they haven’t mastered levels 1–4. This conversation pulls back the curtain on what dealers are actually doing with advanced technologies, […]
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. Is Atlas the beginning of a fundamental shift in how shoppers discover, research, and buy vehicles? Or is […]
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 retail’s most respected voices.Together, they unpack what’s actually hurting dealership performance today: bloated websites, missing ASC events, broken measurement, AI hype cycles, and an industry-wide […]