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Internet Reputation Management Seminar

By Brian Pasch

8th Digital Dealer ConferenceOrlando 2010

Terms of Use

The contents of this document are not to be copied, mailed, transmitted via email or altered digitally for any purpose other than to facilitate this seminar. All seminar attendees have permission to print or keep an electronic copy of this presentation in downloadable PDF format for their personal use and reference.

Anyone or company interested in reproducing any part of these materials must first contact the author for permission. The logos, screen shots and graphics used in this presentation are the property of the registered companies and permission to use those items must be obtained directly by the rights holder.

Date of original publication: 4/1/2010 The screen shots presented in this seminar were taken before April 1,2010. Changes made to individual websites after 4/1/2010 will not be reflected in this presentation.

© Copyright 2010 – PCG Digital Marketing

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The IRM Equation

Business Ethics + Social Media + SEO = IRM

Dealer Consumer Strategy

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The IRM Reality

IRM = More Warm Calls + More Warm Leads

A Strong IRM Policy Generates More Sales

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Qualifications For Coaching IRM Strategies

• Google Page One search results in USA for my business services:– Automotive SEO– Car Dealer Microsites– WordPress Microsites– Automotive Reputation Management– Automotive Reputation Management Portal– Dealer Reputation Management– Google Page One Management– Automotive Digital Marketing

• Top Consumer Website for “Cash For Clunkers”• Top Consumer Website for “Toyota Recall”• Awarded “Top Rated” SEO Company in 2010

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Are You Behind the Market?

• Every month new ideas are being discussed to improve your digital marketing visibility.

• Social media is changing the way in which consumers are communicating

• Email communications are increasingly being used via Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms.

• With all these changes, are you embracing the new opportunities or sitting on the sidelines?

• Lets start by talking about your online reputation…

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130 Dealers Responded

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130 Dealers Responded

Our Seminar Trajectory

1. The Case For Internet Reputation Management 2. Creating an IRM Process3. Costs Associated with an IRM Program4. The Barriers To Success5. Tools To Ensure Success6. Measurement of IRM Process7. Benefits of IRM Processes8. IRM as an SEO Strategy9. Google Page One Management10. One Last Thing…

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• 90% of Consumers Start Their Search Online• If you checked Google Analytics, you would see that

your dealership name is your #1 source organic traffic.• The Yellow pages and BBB are dead and have been

replaced by Google Maps and Peer Reviews.• Google Maps shows thousands of times a month

when people search your business name.• The scary fact is that many business owners have very

poor visible consumer review scores on Google Maps.

The Case For Internet Reputation Management

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Google Maps Shows Review Counter

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Who Takes The Time To Post Reviews

• The majority of posts are motivated by anger after a negative experience.

• Only a small percentage of customers who have a positive experience will post without prodding.

• This is changing with the next generation of mobile applications.

• Encouraging your customers to take action is NOT an easy process but you can not ignore it either. 12

Google Maps Facts

• Google Maps rolls up reviews from multiple sources: CitySearch, InsiderPages, Dealerrater, …

• Consumers can post reviews directly on Google Maps and we recommend direct posts.

• Once negative reviews are posted, it is hard to get them removed.

• The goal of your IRM process is to have balance not perfection; you can’t stop negative posts.

• The order of dealers listed on Google maps is not static and often based on the IP of your PC.

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Google Page One Check

• Type in your dealership name• Is Google Maps Correct?• How Many listings do you control?• How many lead collectors appear?• How many competitors appear?• How many review sites appear?• Any “Complaints” website there?

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Your Google Map Correct?

• Claim and edit your Google Maps Listing• Add text about all the services you offer• Add videos of both customer reviews and walk

around videos• Add images of dealership events, customer

deliveries, make it fun• Get the link to your Google Local Business

Listing• Hyperlink geo-targeted text on your site to

point to this map page15

Beef Up Your Maps Listing

• Add great photos• Add video testimonials• Describe your services in detail• Use a recorded tracking number• Create links to your Google Maps listing• Encourage customers to post reviews

directly on Google Maps

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Finding Incorrect and Incomplete Listings

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You Can Claim Your Listing Easily

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Why is Google Maps Vital

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Creating an IRM Process

• Like any new business process the owners of the dealership must be seen as the sponsors.

• The key is to build consensus on the value of a strong online reputation score.

• Social media and Internet Reputation Management go hand in hand.

• Document the policies and procedures that involve your dealership employees.

• Include specific measures on what determined success.

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Cost Associated with IRM Process

• Tracking Phone Numbers

– Google Maps

– 6 popular review websites

• IRM Postcard to be given out to customers in sales and service departments.

• IRM phone calls – These may be able to be included in existing CSI phone calls that you are paying for.

• Staff time to review, respond and proactively manage your IRM scores.

• FlipCam’s to record testimonial videos.

• RPM Website or equivalent.

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Barriers To Success

• Dealership executives who need an instant fix.

• Putting the wrong person in charge of the IRM program.

• Monetary incentives to employees to get their customers to post reviews.

• Zealous employees posting from inside the dealership or from home.

• Cheating

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Quick Start IRM Processes• Create list of top review sites for your market and brand.

• Make Sure Your Listings Are Accurate On All Sites

• Delete duplicate listings

• Add a Tracking Number To Each Site (it’s worth the expense)

• Setup free Google Alerts account.

– Setup search phrases that match your business name(s), key executives names, competitor names

– Set the frequency to either as-it-happens or daily

• Setup an IRM Portal

• Design an IRM Postcard

• Implement the Postcard in your Sales and Service Departments23

Popular Review Websites• Check and see if you have business listing accounts on these websites:

– Yelp.com– Yahoo Local– InsiderPages.com– Judysbook.com– DealerRater.com– MerchantCircle.com– CitySearch.com

• www.DealerRater.com has a “Certified Dealer” program that has many benefits to consider.

• A different model is offered by Presto Reviews (www.prestoreviews.com) which creates a review portal that customers can post to while in the dealership.

• Both models have their own strengths and both can be used simultaneously.

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Reputation Management Portals

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• RMP is placed of good domain name. (www.iloveprestigevolvo.com)

• The home page is fully customizable to allow you to change the order or appearance of sites you want to promote.

• A YouTube video channel of testimonials can allow your customers to sell for you.

• This is the place where you let your customers speak on your behalf.

• Since the URL contains your brand name, it will show on Google Page One for searches on your name

How To Create a RMP

• Simple Hosting– GoDaddy WordPress Hosting– Less than $75 a year

• 4-5 page website + feeds to get start• Add tabs for Testimonials, Facebook Fans, Etc• You can add content each month to make it more

compelling• Create a YouTube video channel which neatly displays

video testimonials. Consider one for sale and one for service.

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Create RMP Postcards

• Give them out to satisfied customers in service each day

• Give them out as part of the delivery process. Tuck on up in the sun-visor.

• Get a commitment from the customer that they will take a minute to visit your RPM and share their experience online

• Develop an internal culture that understand the importance of customer online reviews

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Example Layout

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Measurement of IRM Process

• Benchmark # of reviews on each review site when you start. Good and Bad.

• Create a spreadsheet to show progress on increase in reviews.

• Poll staff who seem to get more of their customers to post to document best practices.

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Benefits of IRM Process

• You get feedback that you may never have received.• You unite your team on the fundamentals of good

customer service.• You have new ways to measure and hold your team

accountable for their actions.• Active IRM programs generate ample videos and

content stories to use in Social Media and blogs.

• IRM is Mandatory For Building Your Online Brand!

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IRM As an SEO Strategy

• IRM is a specific SEO Strategy

• If you have many negative reviews posted, you definitely don’t want review sites on Page One.

• Thus, microsites, press releases and blogging will be need as part of your IRM Process.

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Google Page One Management

• Your dealership name is your most valuable digital and traditional assets

• For years your name is what was branded on TV, Radio, Billboards and Newspaper.

• Dealers must own Google Page One to stop brand equity leakage

• A strong GPOM strategy will increase First Party leads• Today, you will have the tools to own Google Page

One for your dealership name

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Google Page One Management

• GPOM is based on the desire to push lead collectors, competitors, and review websites off Google Page One for a search on your dealership name.

• Allowing lead collectors on GPO allows your brand equity to be “leaked”.

• Dealers with no GPOM strategy is either buying their own leads or allowing their name to provide leads for their closest competitors.

• Allowing review sites to appear on GPO for your dealership name is an invitation for competitors or angry consumers to easily attack your business.

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Who is Leveraging Your Dealership Name

• Many companies legally use a dealer’s name as part of their SEO lead collection strategy.

• Do a search on your exact dealership name and you can see on Google Page 1 and Page 2 many key advertising companies.

• Some of these companies include review websites, which are important for marketing and branding but it is my belief that they just should not be on Google Page One for most companies. (there are exceptions)

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Search: Lawrence Lexus

The Page is filled with websites that do not add value to their brand.

1. No press releases2. No positive stories3. No social media sites4. Multiple review websites5. Lead Collectors present

This is a perfect example of why GPOM is a MUST in 2010 for all car dealers.

Examples of “Noise” on Google Page One

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I’m Not Against Lead Collectors

• Consumers who directly engage any website and request a price quote are valuable leads.

• Third party lead services are an active part of the Internet sales process.

• Dealer’s should not make it easy for lead collector websites to make money off their brand.

• Dealer’s get no financial gain and may actually help their competitors by delaying a GPOM strategy.

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One Last Thing…

Video is a Must for 2010

• Consumers enjoy watching videos• CNN presents most of their key stories in a video

format on their home page• Videos add personality• Videos can reflect the reality of the customer

experience.• Video can simplify a complicated task and procedure

that would be difficult for consumers to read.• Video can enhance call to action and visitor

conversion.

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Video is a Must for 2010

• Invest in a FlipCam or Equivalent• Any easy way to start it to take customer testimonials

from sales and service lane• Create a YouTube testimonial channel for each store.• The video “shot” can be straight on or they can

include the salesperson with the customer.• Leverage the videos on Facebook, microsites and your

primary website. • Shoppers will trust your customers 5x more than any

advertisement or claim that you make.

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Create a YouTube Review Channel

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www.iloveprestigevolvo.com

Budgeting for 2010

• Digital and Social Media Marketing strategies have the best ROI but are labor intensive tasks

• A comprehensive Internet Marketing Strategy will required added internal staff

• A partnership with a good digital marketing agency will ensure that internal distractions don’t derail anticipated success.

• An individual dealer can have the same power of a large dealer group with the proper strategies in place.

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Post Webinar Questions

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Brian Pasch, CEOPCG Digital MarketingPO Box 159Rumson, NJ 07760

brian@paschconsulting.com732-450-8200 office732-672-2356 cellhttp://twitter.com/automotiveseo

www.pcgdigitalmarketing www.dealer-seo.comwww.internetsalesmanager.org