The Dealer Impact Blog

Facebook Page SEO

Facebook has teamed up with BrightEdge to educate the industry on Facebook page SEO.

Titled ‘Facebook for Social SEO,‘ the document gives brands and companies tips on the best practices to drive organic search performance for Facebook pages. We’ve embedded the white paper below. And the two companies will also conduct a webinar this month designed to get top brands better educated on improving rank of their pages.

via Techcrunch

Google Social Search goes global

Relevant social data has created a new industry. How is your Facebook page doing?

In 2009 we first introduced Social Search on google.com as an experimental feature designed to help you find more relevant information from your friends and the people you care about. Since then we’ve been making steady improvements to connect you with more people and more relevant web results. Today, we’re bringing Social Search to more users around the globe.

via Google Inside Search

5 Ways Social Media Has Changed Marketing Campaigns

Mashable has a great article about how Social Media has fundamentally changed how marketing campaigns are executed.

“Social media engagement.” It’s a phrase that generates a lot of buzz, but what does it actually mean? And, more importantly, why does it matter to companies that are integrating social media into their PR and marketing strategies?

We turned to some of the leading communication experts to discover the importance of sparking online engagement and how this new focus has forced PR, marketing and advertising campaigns to evolve.

via Mashable

Facebook Launches Deals

The Daily Deal space is heating up fast.

Facebook is kicking off its long-awaited Deals program to users in five major cities starting Tuesday with plans to expand in other cities soon after.

Facebook Deals, which will offer online discounts and deals from businesses to its users, marks the company’s entrance into what’s becoming a crowded group-buying deal market that already includes Groupon and LivingSocial.

Via VentureBeat

Facebook Studio Launches

Click Here for details.

Introducing Google +1

Google’s latest feature is quite interesting.

The +1 button is shorthand for “this is pretty cool” or “you should check this out.”

Click +1 to publicly give something your stamp of approval. Your +1′s can help friends, contacts, and others on the web find the best stuff when they search.

To find out more click here.

Onsite Track for Automotive Dealerships

Real-Time Monitoring Software Answers the Question: “Who is on My Website Right Now?”

No auto dealership ignores the reaction and feedback of customers physically standing in their showrooms-yet most have no idea when potential buyers are exploring their digital dealerships (a.k.a. their website.) That reality changes today with the introduction of Onsite Track™ from Dealer Impact Systems. This powerful real-time monitoring console, which works on any website from any provider, makes it possible for dealerships to track the potential buyers viewing their websites right now. Dealers are no longer confined to historical statistics to make Internet marketing decisions, the real-time nature of Onsite Track gives auto dealers a much clearer view of what’s working on the web.

“This new monitoring tool allows dealerships to shadow visitors,” explained Brian Cox, president and CEO for Dealer Impact Systems. “Dealers can gather real-time information, make quick changes to their site promotions, and instantly test customer reaction. What’s more, if they have a chat package, they can engage site visitors in an on-line conversation. They can also instantly monitor response to their E-marketing or other Internet campaigns. Just send the E-mail promotion and watch the site for response.”

Never Wonder What’s Working
When new visitors arrive, Onsite Track will sound an alert or popup screen. Dealers will instantly see if visitors are new or returning, how they got to the site, and which pages they’re viewing. Dealers can track how long they stay and where they go next. The console also sends an instant alert via e-mail if a page error is detected, or if the site stops responding. With Onsite Track’s web access feature, dealers can also view live web statistics via a browser-meaning they can check site traffic from any computer. Onsite Track also provides 75 standard historical reports to analyze web traffic and users can create their own reports using standard SQL queries.

“The Internet has become too important a part of vehicle buying decisions for dealers to ignore what’s happening on their websites at any given moment,” said Brian Cox. “Onsite Track arms them with the information they need to make on-the-fly changes to their digital marketing strategies.”

Dealer Impact Systems Onsite Track Real-time Monitoring Console is a monthly service and is available for $175 per month. Auto dealers interested in learning more should call or e-mail Customer Success Manager Julie Yatchak at j.yatchak@dealerimpact.com or 1-877-334-9638.

View Press Release.

Google Places Customer Stories

Facebook Page Transition

Facebook Pages are in the process of transitioning to the new layout; they are also adding some new features as well.

A quick side note, that all Facebook Pages will be automatically switched over to the new layout on March 10.

We recommend reading this article for the details.

One new feature that might be causing some confusion is highlighted below.

#4: Use Facebook as Your Page or Personal Profile—Shape-Shifting!

This is definitely the most “revolutionary” new feature of the update. Previously, page admins could only comment as page admins on their own pages. Now, page admins can move around Facebook as their page, commenting on other pages’ walls (but not on personal profiles), and liking other pages (previously, this was “favoriting” a page).

Facebook has made toggling between your identity as a page or as a person easy. You can do it from the “Account” link at the top right (Account—Use Facebook as Page) where you can select which page you’d like to use.

Or, if you want to use Facebook as the page you’re currently on, there’s a shortcut in the right column. Click “Use Facebook as [your page name]“; that link then becomes “Use Facebook as [your name]” so you can easily switch back.

When you opt to be a page, those two links in the top right of the page—“Home” and “Profile“—change to reflect this, with “Home” displaying only news from pages you’ve liked and the “Profile” link taking you to your page’s wall. And the 3 notification icons to right of “Facebook” in the top left area change to just 2, “Likes” and “Notifications.”

You are now your page and you inhabit a world not of friends, but of pages!

Keep in mind: This is a double-edged sword. Yes, you can now comment on other pages as your brand, increasing exposure/awareness. However, other (perhaps competing) brands can post on your page. This could open the door to a new flavor of spam.

You’ll need to be more diligent about checking for posts from your competitors displaying their brand to your fans.

Via: SocialMedia Examiner

Dealer Impact Announces Custom Facebook Specials

Dealer Impact Systems Debuts Custom Option Allowing Auto Dealerships to Offer Specials Exclusively to Those Who “Like” The Dealership Facebook Page

February 8, 2011 (Des Moines, IA) Dealer Impact Systems has debuted a custom Facebook option to its Internet Marketing and Digital Reach Program. This new custom offering makes it possible for auto dealerships to create “specials” accessible only to Facebook users who have “liked” the dealership’s page. Users who attempt to view the dealership’s Facebook specials are directed to a screen requiring that they “Like” the page before they can view the online offers. Once the users hit the “Like” button, they are able to access the information.

This new feature makes it possible for dealers to offer specials exclusively to their Facebook fans.

Customized for Each Dealership

The new capability is handled with three distinct custom screens.

Screen one consists of a single image directing the Facebook user to “Like” the page in order to access the Special.
Screen Two is a custom HTML-based page containing dealer-directed images, text, links and/or a form.
Screen Three is optional and based on the content of screen two. For example, if a form is submitted, screen three will be a “thank you for your submission” page.

Dealers can update, change or remove a Facebook-accessed special at any time in this “pay-as-you-go” program. No monthly fees will be charged.

Because this is a totally custom program feature, each dealer’s Specials page will look and function slightly differently, however customers interested in seeing this feature in action can visit the DIS customer Fan page found here.

Dealer Impact Systems will work with dealer customers to deter the use of this new Special feature as a tool for spamming Facebook friends and fans. “Used within the guidelines of Facebook, this capability can be a powerful communication tool for auto dealerships,” said Brian Cox, president and CEO of Dealer Impact Systems.

For pricing information to add this feature to your dealership’s Facebook Page, contact Customer Success Manager Julie Yatchak at j.yatchak@dealerimpact.com.

About Dealer Impact Systems
Dealer Impact Systems is a digital marketing and reach solutions provider which helps automotive dealerships leverage current and emerging digital technologies, including all-types of social media, to increase online presence, generate new sales leads, and build customer relationships. Founded in 2000, the company has built, and retained, a national customer base by developing, customizing, and supporting a comprehensive suite of digital marketing solutions that meet the varied online business needs of each dealer client. Dealer Impact Systems is a privately-held company and is headquartered in Urbandale, Iowa.

Press Release