Essential SEO Strategies for Car Dealers
NADA dropped their 2023 Full Year Report and it shows dealers are allocating ~20% of their marketing spend to Search Engine Optimization.
Even including plugins and other website costs, that’s a BIG chunk of the budget… How does your store compare?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for car dealerships looking to drive more website traffic, leads, and sales. Implementing key on-page and off-page optimization strategies can help dealerships rank higher in search results and beat the competition. This article will provide an overview of the most essential SEO techniques for car dealers to boost their visibility and connect with motivated buyers.
Learn more about Dealers United’s proven SEO services for car dealers.
On-Page SEO Optimization
On-page SEO refers to optimizations made directly on a website’s pages. These strategies help search engines understand your content and determine its relevance for specific keyword searches.
Optimized Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
The title tags and meta descriptions that appear in search results play a major role in click-through rates. These should be crafted around relevant keywords and compelling messaging that captures attention.
Header Tags
Proper header tag structure (H1 to H6 tags) helps search bots crawl and index pages. Target one primary keyword per page, placing it in the H1 and sprinkling related terms in sub-headers.
Image Optimization
Images should have descriptive file names and alt text featuring keywords. This helps pages rank for related image searches.
Mobile Responsiveness
With more and more traffic coming from mobile devices, having a responsive mobile site is essential. Mobile-friendly, fast loading pages are favored by search engines.
Internal Linking
Linking between relevant pages passes “link juice” and signals page importance. This fuels rankings.
Thin Content
Avoid thin pages with little value. Put effort into content creation and provide depth on topics. Unique, useful content performs best.
Off-Page SEO Optimization
While on-page factors are crucial, off-page SEO is equally important for rankings and traffic. This refers to EVERYTHING happening outside of your actual website.
Backlinks
The quantity and quality of external websites linking back to your pages signals authority in search algorithms’ eyes. An ethical and strategic backlink building strategy is vital for car dealer sites.
Social Shares
Promoting your content across social media platforms can expose your dealership to new audiences while also garnering backlinks which fuel organic growth.
Local Listings & Citations
Having complete and consistent NAP (name, address, phone) listings across key local business data aggregators assists with local pack rankings. This helps buyers find your dealership.
Ratings & Reviews
Positive Google, Facebook, and other third-party ratings and reviews build credibility. Encourage genuine customer reviews!
Choose Dealers United for Powerful Marketing Solutions
Executing technical SEO work paired with thoughtful content creation takes time and expertise. By partnering with Dealers United’s SEO experts, car dealers can tap into proven strategies tailored specifically to drive more organic visibility and traffic.
Want to learn more about Dealers United’s SEO Solutions?
Written By Lauren Blackwell
Lauren Blackwell is a skilled content marketer who has spent the past 3 years working in automotive advertising technology and now brings her unique experiences to Dealers United. From running ad campaigns, to curating auto-specific resources, Lauren is empowered to create valuable content to help automotive dealers thrive on social media.