(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – September 29, 2009 – Dealer HD is now using the Canonical URL tag on all websites to funnel traffic exactly where you want it.  The Canonical URL tag is said by many to be the best addition to SEO practices since the site map.

A Canonical URL tag tells search engines what to do with duplicate content and allows them to direct indexed pages to the correct location.  Duplicate content crops up based on different ways of entering a web address. (Typing www.dealerhd.com pulls duplicate content of accessing a site by simply typing dealerhd.com).

Director of Product Development, Bruce Etzcorn explains that, “While Duplicate content sounds like a good thing to have on a Search Engine, it could effect what is and isn’t listed on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). Among other things, this will also serve as a funnel of sorts and direct all links to the correct address we are tracking in Google Analytics.”

Keeping up with SEO practices is not just a goal at Dealer HD it is a business strategy. “SEO is changing every day.  Our Search Engine Optimization team is continually working to evolve and update our practices and processes so that our dealer websites have the very best SEO.  You can’t lag behind on SEO and be a success in today’s online automotive marketing arena,” said Justin Duff, National Sales Director.

If you’re interested in learning more about Dealer HD’s SEO strategies or Hyper SEO program, please visit dealerhd.com

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Dealer HD is an Automotive Web Solution serving clients Nationwide. Located in the southern suburbs of Chicago, the Dealer HD team has over 100 years of combined automotive experience.  Dealer HD provides customizable dealer web solutions with a comprehensive Admin tool that collects dealer leads, allows the quick and easy editing of website content, inventory modification and more.

Email marketing, like other online marketing strategies, has its own set of rules. Email blasts and E-Newsletters are excellent, cost effective ways to get the word out about your business if done right.  To get the most out of each email you send you’ll want to make sure you’re in compliance with all guidelines.  Showing you the WHO, WHAT and WHY of email marketing and passing along some solid advice, we’ll have you on your way to a strong, successful email marketing campaign in no time.

WHO (are you contacting?)

It all starts with the list.  To get your email marketing campaign started, you need a list of contacts. You can typically purchase email lists from the same mail houses you get your direct mail lists from or you can use a customer database you’ve built over time.

Once you have your list, we know you’ll be anxious to use it.  Remember though, just because you have a list, doesn’t mean you should send unsolicited emails (also known as SPAM).  You’ll want to make sure the list is clean and that everyone you’re contacting is a willing participant in the email you’re sending.  One of the most effective ways to get a clean list is to use a Double Opt-In email.

What’s that?  Double Opt-In emails require, sending an email to the people on your list and asking them to confirm they want to receive emails from you or to opt-out.  If a customer confirms, they are added to your list.  If they opt-out or don’t respond to the opt-in email, they cannot be added to your list.   Using a double opt-in vs. just an opt-out option does three important things that are essential to the success of your email marketing plan:

1. Reduces the risk of your email receiving complaints
2. Narrows your target to those interested in your message
3. Increases the number of opens for future messages

Complaints are something email marketers try to avoid at all costs.  They can tarnish your reputation and get you labeled as a spammer.  Typically 1 complaint per 1000 emails sent is considered acceptable.  Any more than that and you might be treading on choppy waters with your email service.

Focusing on a smaller group interested in what you have to say will have a much warmer reception than sending your message to everyone you’ve come into contact with.  Narrowing your list is cost effective as well, most services charge a flat rate per 1000 emails sent, so why not limit your message to people who will actually read it?

Opens are a big deal.  According to Mail Chimp (email marketing service), new email marketers typically see an open rate of about 20-30 percent.  Imagine sending your email to a list of 10,000 without first sending the opt-in, of those recipients only 100 open it (that’s only 1 percent).  If you’d sent an opt-in and narrowed your list to, 5,000 recipients, if 1000 people opened it you’d have increased your opens by 20 percent.

WHAT (are you sending?)

Once you know WHO you’re marketing to, it’s time to determine WHAT to market.  Taking note of our tip above, only market what you’ve committed to marketing to that particular list.  If you vow to send service coupons and you send your weekly ad, chances are you’ll see a high volume of un-subscribes in no time.  Stay consistent and you’ll build a strong following.

Unlike a direct mail piece, email has creative and copy guidelines to abide by.  If your email text uses multiple colors or uses words like “FREE” frequently within the message it might not get delivered or opened.  Here are a 5 rules to live by when it comes to the layout of your email marketing messages:

1. Make sure there is a way for recipients to manage their subscription. (ie, opt-out or change email info)
2. Avoid using ALL CAPS, multiple exclamation marks and multiple colors in your subject line and body of the email.
3. Words and phrases like FREE, CLICK HERE, and ONCE IN A LIFETIME are bound to get you the wrong kind of attention, try to steer clear.
4. Make sure the “From” address on your email stays consistent, choose either your company name or a recognizable figure within your business.
5. Send your message in HTML and plain text, it makes your message available to everyone depending on their email host’s settings.

WHY (follow the rules?)

With Email marketing’s growing popularity you can bet that the rules will become more stringent over time.  In 2003 Congress passed the CAN-SPAM Act, effective January 1, 2004.  The CAN-SPAM act lays out the rules Email marketers must follow, and violations carry fines of up to $16,000 per offense.  Following the guidelines will protect your pocketbook and your reputation.  Lets face it, no one wants to be a SPAMMER.

Yesterday, Bruce Etzcorn discussed a feature we’re adding to our 1.11 Service Update that allows Dealer HD customers to tweet your inventory for free. Today I’d like to dicsuss it a bit further and tell you a few more reasons you need to be using this service.  I also want to go over some social networking “Best Practices”.

We discussed that Twitter is a search engine.  You can’t afford to be missing from a search engine.  Customers have the ability to search twitter for content that interests them.  Let’s take a look at a quick real world example.

I want to buy a 2005 Mustang because I know that this was the first year of the new body style and I feel I can get the most for my money by picking the oldest “updated model” available.

So I start at Google and do a quick search.  I don’t really find any specific cars.  One or two yes, but most of the results are for review sites.  Great if I’m in the research phase but what if I want to know what inventory is out there and at what price.

Next I perform a twitter search (Your results may be different because twitter is a time based search)  and my first result is an actual vehicle with pricing and photos.  I can scroll down and find similar links to compare a few different vehicles on Twitter.  Cool so I’ve done a search on my own terms and found exactly what I was looking for.

Twitter is NOT a classified service so I will see a mix of results, which is great.  I may find another person talking about the 2005 mustang and befriend them.  Now I’ve got a buddy to chat about cars with.  I may see a customer who says “Looking for a Red 2005 Mustang GT with black leather”.  As a dealer, it just happens that I have that car in stock.  I send a message to that customer letting him know I have it with a link back to my dealer website.  The customer then follows my dealership on twitter and I gain a little additional exposure.

This is the Lewis and Clark phase of Twitter.  It’s very experimental.  Dealer HD realizes the enormous potential that Twitter brings to the automotive marketplace and has integrated twitter into your dealer websites so you can market to your customers on their terms.

Tweeting inventory is very important and it needs to be done the RIGHT way.  Alter the message so that you aren’t spamming customers with 10 identical phrases.  Tweeting your inventory should only be one component of your social stream.  Try and make sure to post as many, if not more posts related to your dealership and who you are.  Make it personal.  You need to also communicate news, events, sales information, incentives and other relavant information to your followers.  Leave the tweeting your inventory to us. It’s already built in to your Dealer HD web site.   Get invovled on a personal level.  Focus more on the relationship building and the customer service end, rather than trying to make a quick sale.  The sales will come, but they shouldn’t be the driving focus behind your twitter identity.  Keep it real and connect with the world.  We’re all getting a little more social every day.