Blog

In Search Of…Local Legacy, Proven Performance & the Human Factor (w/ Patrick Downes)

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 management (1,500+ reviews at 4.9 stars!) to smart use of third-party automotive sites, SEO vs. SEM strategy, and where AI in automotive marketing actually helps, Patrick shares a playbook that’s just as relevant for metro dealers as […]

The Cost of Control: 4 Ways Automotive Website Providers Restrict Optimization

The truth is, your dealership’s online success is only as strong as the platform it’s built on—and too often, those platforms are the problem. In the competitive dealership market, SEO (search engine optimization) and GEO (generative engine optimization) are critical to ensuring those looking for a vehicle find you, whether in organic results, AI overviews, or an AI chat. But […]

Your Composite Report Is Wrong | Pitfalls of the Marketing Composite Yardstick

In today’s installment of “Stuff I Mythbusted This Week,” we have a story from a 20 group. Most myths seem to propagate through 20 groups, so this isn’t a shock, but just about everyone reading this will face this exact problem at some point. There’s no doubt that your 20 group is an excellent place to gather new ideas and […]

Enough of the Noise | Finding What Is Driving Sales & Tuning Out What’s Not

Visualize this scene and see if it’s familiar. You’re at your desk, determined but worn… Determined to grow your store but worn out from drowning in a deafening sea of what has become white noise. Your inbox is filled with reports; some say everything is great! Others say the sky is falling… The news is saying tariffs could price consumers […]

Unlocking SEO Performance: The Power of Content Diversity

Is your content working as hard as it could be? In the ever-evolving world of search, what worked yesterday might not be enough today. Don’t worry, though. We’ve cracked the code on a more agile approach to SEO, one that embraces shorter, AI-friendly content without sacrificing organic performance. Our recent case study on 600-word pages coupled with long-form foundational content […]

5 Automotive SEO “Must Knows” Going Into the 2nd Half of 2025

As we move into the second half of 2025, one thing is clear: the automotive SEO landscape is shifting faster than ever. From the rise of AI Overviews and chat-based search to the continued importance of intent-driven content and technical SEO fundamentals, dealers must stay agile to stay competitive. I’ve talked about all of these changes and developments in my […]

Excuses. We Can’t Stand Them… But Are We Making Them?

We’ve all been there. The month is going slow, and the showroom is a ghost town. You get on a vendor meeting and ask them what they’re doing to fix it, and they feed you a line about how it’s the market and everyone is down right now. They deflect the blame and offer nothing useful to actually help you […]

Car Dealers, Meet Generative Engine Optimization

It’s time to pay attention to AI overviews. Over the last couple of years, we’ve stated time and again that you didn’t need to put energy into optimizing your dealership’s website for artificial intelligence because it wasn’t yet being utilized for transactional search terms––the ones you want to rank for, the ones that bring you meaningful leads. But within the […]

In Search Of…Owning Households, Elusive Audiences & the Pursuit of Perfection (w/ Tara Rego)

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 unorthodox entry into automotive retail to her leadership in digital media strategy, Tara shares sharp insights into audience fragmentation, data-driven targeting, […]

Google Business Profile Suspensions: What Dealerships Need to Know

Over the past few weeks, car dealerships across the country have been facing a widespread and frustrating issue: Google Business Profiles are being suspended and unverified, often without warning or explanation. These suspensions are more than just a technical hiccup. Your dealership’s Google listing plays a crucial role in how customers find, contact, and engage with your business online. When […]

TARIFFying | Boom or Bust With Tariffs Looming

As featured in AutoSuccess Magazine. 25% tariffs! 35% tariffs! No tariffs on Canada and Mexico? Just kidding, 10% tariffs! But maybe not for USMCA-compliant cars… Ah, heck, pause them for 90 days and just pile all the tariffs on China! It’s been a moving target, for sure. Tariffs were the hot topic into early April, and then the 90-day pause […]

Industry Disruptions: Adapting Your Automotive SEO Strategy?

To say there’s been a lot going on in the automotive industry during the first part of this year would be an understatement. Between potential brand mergers and incoming tariffs, I’m surprised we don’t all have whiplash yet. Some of these changes will have an impact on your automotive SEO strategy, while others may not. Here’s a quick rundown of […]

How AI Is Shaping Automotive SEO | Is AI SEO a Trojan Horse or a Marketing Efficiency?

As featured in AutoSuccess Magazine. Before you is a great wooden horse. Your advisors and merchants tell you it’s a great omen that will bring you unimaginable success if you embrace it. But is it filled with promise or peril? The horse isn’t a horse; it’s the AI buzz on everyone’s mind. The advisors and merchants are your own team […]

5 Reasons You Need to Keep Your SEO Vendor in the Loop During a Website Migration

Keeping your SEO vendor out of the conversation during your website migration can be detrimental. Migrations aren’t uncommon, especially in the automotive industry, since there are so many platforms out there. Ultimately, each platform has something different to offer, and sometimes your needs change. But whether you are switching platforms because your needs have changed or because a different platform […]

How to Audit Your Audit

The website audit that just dropped in your inbox is probably garbage. Site audits are essential tools in the automotive SEO space, but they are also, more often than not, used and abused as gimmicky sales tools to convince you that you’re doing something wrong. So, how do you know who to trust or what information is actually important? I’m […]

5 Things to Consider When Building Your Dealership’s 2025 SEO Strategy

It’s officially a new year, which means it’s the perfect time to look back and reflect on the previous one. In 2024, we saw a large continuation of SEO trends that we had started to pick up on in 2022 and 2023. Between the ongoing rollout of Google’s updates and the never-ending development of AI tools, the SEO hot topics […]

3 AI “Truths” That Are Actually Hallucinations

Dealers, you have a lot on your plate. You don’t need to worry about how AI may or may not be impacting your automotive SEO performance and strategy. Sure, AI has seen a ton of development over the last year, but even today, in 2025, there isn’t too much to be concerned about. Today, I’m going to be dispelling some […]

The Pitfalls of Using Syndication Tools for Managing Google Listings

As an SEO agency specializing in listings management for our clients, we often encounter businesses tempted by third-party syndication platforms and similar directory management tools. These services promise convenience—automating updates across multiple directories—but the reality is more complicated when it comes to high-tier platforms like Google Business Profile (GBP). While syndication services serve a purpose in broader directory management, relying […]

Here’s Why It’s Essential to Find a Balance Between Paid & Organic Marketing

Knowing where to spend when it comes to your dealership’s marketing budget can be a real challenge. As a general rule of thumb, though, when you’re mapping out your budget, thinking about adding more funds to the budget or considering making cuts, it’s essential to look at both paid (SEM) and organic (SEO) marketing and to never put all your […]

4 Questions Car Dealers Are Asking About SEO

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 […]