Feb 13 2015
It's been a couple of months since we last put together a list of ten awesome auto industry blog articles. Since then, there have been plenty more share-worthy blogs to sift through!
Similar to part one, the blogs we've shared below are from all different segments of the auto industry, providing value for several auto niches. Topics range from vehicle maintenance and safety to best practices for marketing your automotive business to both B2B and B2C.
By: Openbay
Hybrid vehicles have become a very popular option due to the fuel economy benefits they offer. However, there are several parts that commonly need to be repaired and can be rather costly.
Here's a great blog article from Openbay listing the four most common hybrid vehicle repairs to be aware of as a hybrid owner.
By: DrivingSales
In the world of online vehicle shopping, having a presence on social media and other digital outlets is essential for dealers. Consumers are increasingly spending more time researching their next vehicle online than in a dealership. And a growing portion of this online research is through social media engagement.
In this article, Kacey Gorringe highlights some of the advantages of getting your dealership plugged in with social media.
By: AutoPoint
As auto technology grows in its complexity, service technicians require much more than just mechanical knowledge.
This article speaks to the increasing popularity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and the need to educate OEMs and dealers on how to repair these sophisticated technologies. This question is... will vehicle owners be able to rely on dealers for these challenging repairs or will Apple and Android eventually offer auto service centers for their infotainment systems?
By: Dale Pollak of vAuto
Dale Pollak makes an interesting analogy between air traffic control automation and purchasing used cars through the online marketplace of an auction house. While making such an expensive purchase without physically seeing the vehicle is certainly riskier for dealers, it can be done and will allow their sales personnel to spend more time on the floor and less time at auctions.
Having a good online reputation is very important to auction businesses, so it may be worth a try if your dealership hasn't already.
By: Dealer.com
For all the SEO gurus of the auto industry, Dealer.com Senior SEO Strategist, Chris Nichols, has given a nice preview of what's to come for Yahoo search via Firefox. As of December 1st, Firefox switched from Google to Yahoo as the default search engine. Firefox, accounting for almost a quarter of the market share, could boost Yahoo search engine traffic significantly. Is this the start of a comeback for Yahoo?
Side note: Apple's web browser, Safari, may also be dropping Google as its default browser
By: DealerOn
As a marketer, one of the biggest and most obvious questions we should ask is: "To whom are we marketing?" Surprisingly enough, we don't always utilize the tools available for finding out these answers. Instead, we make educated guesses.
Here's a helpful article from DealerOn detailing ways to utilize the Google Analytics "Demographics" feature to better understand your website visitors and improve their experience on your site.
By: Driving Force
The way marketers perceive their marketing efforts can differ quite a bit from how leads and customers see and react to them.
As Jeff Wardwell of Driving Force highlights in this article, we often think that all the resources we've included in our email campaigns are essential and we've hit a home run with all the accompanying graphics when in reality our leads or customers are just looking for simple answers to their questions.
Start thinking like your audience and trim the fat in your messaging.
By: Direct Auto Insurance
The winter is in full swing for some of us across the country (we're buried in 3+ feet of snow here in Boston). Driving in inclement weather is always a hot topic for the auto industry during this time of the year.
Here you have it: A nice list from Direct Auto Insurance of six ways to stay safe while driving in lousy winter conditions.
By: RepairPal
There are many questions to take into account before bringing your vehicle to get serviced or repaired. RepairPal has shared five of the most valuable questions to ask yourself when choosing the right repair shop. Answering these questions will make this process far less stressful and increase the chances of a good experience.
By: iMagicLab
In such a heavily data-driven industry, it's important that your dealership has a CRM system that will effectively store and manage consumer data, ultimately resulting in more leads and sales.
Here's a great article from iMagicLab providing some of the essential functions to look for when choosing a CRM solution.
Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. We would love your recommendations on other awesome automotive blogs!
