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Brian Pasch will be conducting a seminar on Automotive Reputation Management at the 8th Digital Dealer Conference and I hope you can attend.  As part of Brian’s preparations for the seminar we wanted to share a strategy that is important to consider before starting an IRM program.

Here’s an excerpt from Brian’s IRM workbook:

I am often asked how to deal with DUPLICATE directory listings for your business on popular directories like Google Maps and consumer review sites like Yelp, Insider Pages or CitySearch.  It is not uncommon for a business to have multiple entries on the same website if:

1. Your business has moved during the past 10 years.
2. Your business has gone through a name change.
3. Someone added a new listing without checking for previous entries
4. Someone has purposely added the business multiple times with variations on your business name.

Duplicate Entries Are Not Good

Leaving duplicate entries on the same website dilutes your Internet Reputation Management (IRM) process and may trigger the website owner to ban both accounts if they feel you are spamming their index.   Duplicate entries that a consumer may find via organic search or by searching a review website should be removed.

To find duplicates, try these steps using Google search:

1. Search Google for your business name + the name of the review site
2. Search Google for your business phone number + name of the review site
3. Search Google for your OEM brand, city  + name of the review site
4. Search or your business name inside of the website using their search tool.

So, if your dealership name is Brickell Honda, you would test for duplicates on InsiderPages.com by going to Google and typing as a search these three phrases:

1. brickell honda insiderpages
2. 866-645-7878 insiderpages
3. honda miami insiderpages

The process for removing duplicate entries varies by website.  Google Maps has an easy tool to report duplicate or erroneous map entries.  Other websites like Yelp, have a reporting process that requires a few more steps.  Invest the time in making sure all your public directory listings are correct. 

Review All Public Directory Listings

When you review your business listings, here are some suggestions:

1. Make sure you have a tracking number on the most popular websites, like Google Maps, and the review websites that show on Google Page One and Page Two for your dealership name.
2. Make sure your website address is correct
3. Make sure that you have selected the proper business category “tag” for the services you offer.
4. Make sure there are no spelling errors.
5. Make sure you take advantage of any sites that allow you to load photos or videos to your listing page.

Once all the most effective IRM websites are de-duped, record the links to all your business profile pages in a file that can be used to for IRM letters, icon placement for your primary website or to be used in a Reputation Management Portal (RMP). 

Checking What Consumers Are Saying

By having a single document that has all your profile page links, it is a basic ad no-cost way to see what has been written about your business online.  Setup a procedure where someone on your team visits these profile pages to ensure that no complaints have been posted that you are not aware of.

Setting up Google Alerts is another free tool to notify you in real-time when anything is posted online with your dealership name. However ,in case you miss some alerts, checking your manual list will be a second round of checks and balances for your overall social media strategy.

There are paid services that automate this process and save you the manual work but not everyone has extra money to spend.  So you have no excuse, other than time, not to check your current business listings and clean them up if they have duplicates on the same website.

See You In Orlando

At my DD8 seminar I will demonstrating the most effective strategies, policies and procedures to create powerful Internet Internet Reputation Management (IRM) campaign, which should be an integral part of your social media strategy.  Public review websites is one of the most powerful social media tools that consumers have decided are valuable so you can’t ignore them!

Brian Pasch, CEO of the Pasch Consulting Group (PCG), says a surge of interest by car dealers in Digital Marketing Services bodes well for digital marketing firms in 2010. Based on data collected in a recent study underwritten by PCG, Pasch predicts the Automotive industry will experience a swift and significant increase in advertising dollars allocated towards Digital Marketing strategies. 

During the last month of 2009, calls to the Pasch Consulting Group researching Automotive Internet Marketing strategies was at an all time high.  According to Brian Pasch, over 50 car dealer store locations contracted with his company in the past 30 days looking for assistance with social media, automotive SEO, blogging, press releases, microsites and pay-per-click marketing.

Among the dealerships welcomed by Pasch Consulting are Checkered Flag Auto Group in Virginia Beach, Miller Automotive Group of California, a division of Group 1 Automotive, Jerry Durant Auto Group of Texas, the Rairdon Automotive Group in Washington and Park Avenue Motors in New Jersey.

Furthermore, a recent study commissioned by the Pasch Consulting Group revealed that over 50% of US auto dealers have less than 20% of their total ad spending allocated towards Internet Marketing.   According to Pasch, car dealers could shift 20-30% of their non-digital marketing to online digital services by the end of the year.

Based on this study and dealers’ rising interests in online marketing, Pasch predicts that 2010 will see one of the largest budget shifts towards the Internet.  “We predict that over the next two years, tens of millions of dollars will be pumped into digital marketing strategies and social media marketing by car dealers.” says Pasch.  “Dealers want to be in front of the growing number of consumers researching cars online before making a purchasing decision.  Getting their brand in front of consumers using social media tools and platforms like Facebook is also a hot topic for car dealers.”

To meet this growing demand for online marketing strategies and advice on digital spending, the Pasch Consulting Group is co-sponsoring an Automotive Marketing Boot Camp.  The one-day hands-on skills based training will include classes in social media, search engine optimization, video marketing, pay-per-click marketing and microsites.

The Boot Camp is schedule for February 12, 2010 and is one day prior to the official start of the 2010 NADA Convention in Orlando Florida.  Automotive professionals looking to enhance their 2010 digital marketing strategies are encourage to fly into Orlando a day early and attend the Boot Camp.  The event will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel adjacent to the Convention hall.

Boot Camp classes will be lead by the industry’s leading experts in all categories, including Brian Pasch, JD Rucker, Eric Mayhew, Paul Rushing and Tim Jennings.  Pasch is also taking appointments from dealer professionals who want to meet with him to discuss digital marketing strategy development for 2010. 

Complete information on the Automotive Marketing Boot Camp can be found online at: http://www.automotivemarketingbootcamp.com