The car-buying experience has completely changed. Shoppers have more information than ever. They spend weeks (or months) researching, comparing and narrowing their options before they ever talk to your sales team.

Ask any dealership what kind of buyer is easiest to close and you’ll hear the same answer: trade-in customers. These people aren’t window-shopping. They’ve already decided to part ways with their current vehicle, which means they’re deep into the buying process. So why do dealerships bury the trade-in value form at the bottom of a contact page? Or forget to promote it entirely?

I didn’t walk into the dealership just browsing. I knew what I wanted. I had done the research. I had already picked the trim, color and even knew where I’d mount the rooftop tent someday. All I needed was someone to hand me the keys and walk me through the finish line.

Social media said email was dead. They were wrong. You’ve probably seen the stats by now: email marketing still delivers the highest ROI of any marketing channel. Some studies report $36 back for every $1 spent. For dealerships, where buying cycles can be long and customer trust is everything, email is one of the most powerful tools you’re probably not using to its full potential.

To attract car buyers, a comprehensive auto dealer SEO campaign is needed, consisting of both on-page and off-page optimization and strategy. When done correctly this helps to position your automotive dealership at the top of Google’s search results and attract qualified leads and prospects who are in the market for a new car.