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Search Engine Optimization is a Necessary Component of a Successful Web Presence

RV Dealership Websites are Generally Built with SEO in Mind.
Staying on Top of Changing Requirements is Essential.

Make sure your website content is structured to get the best positioning in the search engine results pages.

440-285-8164 Email Dan

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is necessary for your website performance and to be found on search. Changing algorithms make it necessary to have an expert on your staff, or through a vendor who knows how to make adjustments as necessary when new guidelines are established.

SEO- organics search rankings
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of developing, maintaining and editing a website making it a useful and meaningful reference for information a user is seeking. Increasing references to the site, improving it's content, and maintaining a quality reputation within the digital realm enhance the site's popularity and value as a resource. SEO is implemented for the purpose of generating traffic from the free or organic listings on search engine results pages (SERPS).

All major search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and Bing have primary search results, where webpages and other content such as videos, images, products or local listings are shown and ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to the user's search. Payment isn’t involved, as it is with paid search ads.

“SEO is a Long Term Plan That is Necessary for Your Website - All Facts - No Fake News!” 

When you search for products and services online you know that ads are paid for and organic results are a result of good SEO.

The More You Know the More Your ROI Will Grow

Educational Series

SEO - You receive emails about it, your agency may suggest it or you may be doing it in-house. Are you sure you are doing it correctly?

When search engines send robots to crawl your website, pages are indexed by subject much like folders in a filing cabinet. When a user enters a search term the search engine looks through the index to determine the best match. As the engines become more sophisticated, they also learn as much as they can about the users to determine intent and serve them with the best matches. When you do a search you will notice a number in the top left corner of the search engine results page (SERP). This number is how many websites they have indexed with the information the user is searching for and the results are the top 10-15 pages they think will meet the users inquiry. Ads are dispersed at the top and bottom and these are paid search results. Other listings you see are organic. People, for the most part, know the difference and the common thought is "ads are paid for while organic listings are earned". Make sure you include the necessary information that search engines recognize when they rank and index your website. There are exact details that must be incorporated in order to maximize the best organic results.There are three major SEO strategies we conduct to maximize organic search results for all of the custom web sites we develop.

  1. 1st SEO strategy is on-site SEO which optimizes each website page and implements specific keywords with SEO copy writing. You are developing your site for visitors, and at the same time it needs to be search engine friendly. There are technical aspects of the code, and Google recommended guidelines we follow that include structured snippets and schema.org product listings, for example. It also matters that you get the simple things right - like page names, headlines, alternate text for images and all of the coding that goes behind what the visitor sees. 
  2. 2nd SEO strategy is off-site SEO which requires getting recognized with a link by other relevant websites. This would include authoritative sites like manufacturers and RV associations and organizations. In addition we check all local listing/directory sites to make sure your information is consistent and correct. We also use social media to reference useful content we publish on your website, assure reviews are handled, and help you create a social media presence where needed, and developing blogs. Any mention of the dealer in chat rooms and forums are also taken into consideration now that Google knows what everyone is saying - even in email. These are called citations. Creating a 'buzz' about your dealership is key as referrers from high quality sites indicate your site is reputable and trusted as well. As a result the search engines will rank your web pages higher in the search engine result pages. 
  3. 3rd SEO strategy is technical SEO. This strategy will optimize your website's non content elements. By improving and continually updating the backend structure of your pages, including security, responsive/mobile friendliness, speed of the site, indexing, structed data, etc. We place code that communicates directly with the search engines. This improves ranking as well as the user experience and leads to much greater performance with your organic results!
SEO is a necessary component of a successful website. There are certain aspects of your site that communicate to search engines only, and they are located in the code behind the pages. There are other elements that are on the pages for your visitors to see, and these items are referenced by your visitors as well as the search engines. You create a website to meet the needs of your customers and visitors. At the same time you are communicating with the search engines. You need to do both of these things well to make your website a successful portion of your business plan.

The main job of the search engine is to determine the content contained in each page of your website. Pages are indexed, not entire sites. When a person entered search terms into the engine, they reference their index to see which page is most relevant, and most likely to provide the information they are seeking. They also determine which page is from a site close in proximity to the searcher, that will provide a quality user experience. The determine this using a number of factors. Some we know about, some we don't. We do know that content that provides information they are looking for is high on the list. We also know that citations, or references and links to a website is also important.

Customer reviews, no matter where they are located, are important. Notice the star ratings in organic listings. If you don't have a Google My Business page set up. Do it. Google reviews are important as are Facebook reviews. But those aren't the only review sites our there. There are over 100 local listing sites in everyone's area. Placing first party reviews on your website are an important factor in your star ranking. There are widgets you can place in your website to obtain reviews, and give customers an opportunity to rank your dealership.

Organic Search is generally the first step in the RV Buyers Purchase Funnel.  The research and window shopping conducted online via organic search is now larger than paid search and social. The term ROOV (Return on Organic Value) is increasingly being used to attribute online visibility to offline purchases.

Organic search is also the last step, when customers are prepared to make a purchase, in the purchase funnel as well.
Several SEO studies have found that more than 60% of global web traffic comes from organic search. SEO is now used by 93% of digital marketers and 95% of digital agencies, according to SEMPO’s 2016 State of Search report (see Table 1). SEO spending was projected to reach $3.2 billion in  2016 and surpass $4.0 billion by 2019, according to Forrester’s U.S. Digital Marketing Forecast.
Digital Marketing Activities

I Have a Paid Search Campaign.
Why Are Organic Rankings Still Important for My RV Dealership?

Paid search extends as far as your budget will allow. To assure your site pages remain indexed in the engines, you need to have all of the compnents within your site that will enhance your ranking. Changes are happening all of the time. Is your site secure? Do you have structured data? Do you have a Google My Business page? Is your website responsive? All of these things affect the ranking of your web pages.

  1. Organic Listings - These are considered earned, not purchased rankings. This implies your dealership, or at least your website, has been around a while. People understand enough about search engine ranking to know it's hard to reach the top of page one, and it takes a fair amount of time. When you have both a paid search ad, and an organic listing above the fold, searchers tend to click on the organic link as just a common course of avoiding advertising.
  2. Genuine - Many searchers are looking for what they consider 'genuine' results. We've all experienced searching for something, clicking on an ad to find lots of other ads in a multitude of formats that we have to scroll through to try to find what we were searching for in the first place. Users want real results. They trust organic results.
  3. Ad Blocking - There is growing use of Ad Blocking software among desktop and mobile users, which prevent ads from showing on their devices. Organic results make sure your dealership is available in search, even when ads are blocked.
  4. Cover Your Bases - A good website marketing plan includes both organic and paid listings in search. When people are starting their RV jouney, organic results are where they go for information. When people are ready to buy, they will click on the ad that lines up with their search, or click on the organic listing they know has the product they want.
Ad Blocking Software Growth

Google is the Big Player in Search

Owning over 90% of search, the graph below shows the steady position of Google's search market share. Comparing the remaining engines who own less than 10% of market share, you can see why Google's guidelines, and advertising venues are most often chosen to rank your website and target customers. They have the largest market share.

Search engine market share graph
Google is the big player in search
Owning over 90% of search is a big deal. Ranking well in Google's search engines results pages (SERPS) is important for your dealership. Changes in Algorithms happen frequently. Your SEO person, whether on your web development team, in-house, or your agency, should keep up with the latest implementations because it can and will make a difference in your site's placement. If you don't think that's important, read on about the latest changes.

Google Algorithms
Google’s Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird updates over the past three years have made keyword data less accessible to search marketers. Hummingbird introduced semantic search or the use of search intent – rather than keywords or phrases – as one of the most important factors in Google SERPs. Hummingbird includes a machine learning, artificial intelligence system called RankBrain, which relies on content and links as its first two ranking signals. Coupled with Google’s emphasis on the Knowledge Graph, which presents searchers with a box full of information about their search query, Google’s search algorithms now focus more on search intent than keyword match.

Google Knowledge Graph

Google’s Knowledge Graph is used both behind-the-scenes to help Google improve its search relevancy and also to present Knowledge Graph boxes, at times, within its search results that provide direct answers.

Google Knowledge Graph
Google’s Knowledge Graph is used both behind-the-scenes to help Google improve its search relevancy and also to present Knowledge Graph boxes within its search results that provide direct answers, thus a faster, more concise result for the searcher.

There are a few ways to increase your chances of being represented on Google's Knowledge Graph. If you haven't done the first three items mentioned, you should do it today. But be sure you keep user names and passwords in a safe place. If you require help from an employee or agency, add them to users, so you can revoke that privilege as necessary because we all know situations change. You don't want to leave yourself without access, or the necessity of going through the verification process again.

Increase your chances of being listed in the Google Knowledge Graph

1. Set Up Your Google My Business Page
2. Manage Google+
3. Set up a YouTube Channel
4. Create a Google Freebase Listing
5. Use Structured Data in Website Content

Google Answer Box

The Hummingbird algorithm is Google’s attempt at providing better search results for conversational and semantic search phrases by using user experience/engagement metrics as a quality signal. The answer box fits perfectly into this format.

Google Answer Box

Goggle's Answer Box shows up in the SERPS when a query is posed and an answer is available in structured format on a site ranking within the first 20 results of organic search. This is called Postion Zero. It shows above the #1 ranking. That's great news if you are competing for that #1 position but your competitor keeps outranking you. Developing a FAQ page, or pages regarding different aspects of RVing, will give you a distinct advantage if done correctly with structured data. Your web developer or SEO team member can place your data into this type of 'snippet' format, so Google can easily see that you're the dealership with the answers. And of course, since you are creating your website for customers, not search engines, it is also an advantage for them because they are on your website seeking answers. Answers to frequently asked questions helps to build trust, and sets your dealership apart as an authority. As visitors are in the early stages of the purchase funnel, exploring the RV lifestlye, they have many questions. The more answers you provide, the stronger the relationship becomes. You become their RV dealer, even before they make a purchase.

Increase your chances of being listed in the Google Answer Box
1. Research questions your customers need answers to
2. See what questions your competitors show up for and do a better job
3. Make sure your answers are accurate
4. Use appropriate language, not slang or industry terms
5. Use Structured Data in website content
6. Use maximum snippet length to entice clicks for the rest of the information

Voice Search - Is Your Dealership's Website Ready for Voice Recognition Technology?

When the consumer poses the question "Hey Google, where should I go to buy an RV?" or "Where should I go for RV service?" will your dealership be recommended?

Recently, Google Home, Cortana, Siri and Amazon Alexa have become popular
Voice recognition technology is becoming more perfected. 95% of voice search is recognizable. The convenience of hands free search, with Siri, Alexa and Cortana reading results to you is becoming more and more popular. Many times the answers are data from the Knowledge Graph and the Answer Box. These systems also rely on top ranking in the SERPS, along with close proximity to the user, and the dealership with the highest star reviews.

Because voice recognition is now more than a mere novelty, it is changing the way people search. Content that’s optimized for these platforms is becoming one of the most important elements of digital marketing. If you want your dealership's website to show up in the results for specific queries, you need to make sure that you have high quality content refined for them.  
Voice Recognition Accuracy
Voice search is popular on mobile devices. Hands free access when driving, and the simple convenience of using everyday language to pose a question or query adds to the popularity. 
Voice Search on Mobile
More people are using smart home devices.
Amazon Echo Dot is retailing for only $29.99 this season. As more people use voice recognition technology, and incorporate smart home devices, voice search becomes commonplace. Make sure your website uses data structured in a way these systems can interpret. Images have been quite popular on dealer websites to gain clickthroughs to specific areas you drive customers too. There is no need to change that, but there is a need to add structured data in the form of text to many areas of your website, to accomodate voice search. Alt text in code is usually limited, and doesn't provide the in-depth answers visitors are seeking.

Here Are Your 'Make Sures'
1. Make sure your site is on page one of search
2. Make sure reviews are handled by answering them, good or bad
3. Make sure your information is accurate in listing sites
4. Make sure your content is presented in an organized structure
5. Make sure your content is accurate, unique and high quality

  1.    Write a topic-specific page. 
  2.     Create content that answers a specific question.
  3.     Look for questions that you will be able to answer in great depth.
  4.     When optimizing for voice search, research longer, long-tail keyword phrases.
  5.     Optimize for specific long-tail search phrases that contain three to five words or more.
  6.     Think of semantic keywords, different ways of saying the same thing (i.e., synonyms).
  7.     Use trigger words like “how,” “what” and “best.”
  8.     Optimize the content on your pages for every stage in your customer’s buyer’s journey.
  9.     Use conversational language — write like you’re talking to a friend.
  10.     Use Headings (H1, H2, H3, H4).
  11.     Unique title and description tags on each page — use keywords in those tags.
  12.     Include keywords toward the front of the very first sentence/paragraph.
  13.     Use the keywords in the page’s universal resource locator (URL).

Speak to your web developer regarding content, structured snippets, Schema markup and other preparing the content on your website for voice search. Schema markup is a global standard vocabulary the search engines agreed would help them better understand the contents of a webpage. With the appropriately structured schema markup on your site, your content will already be optimized for voice search. Including Schema on your site helps give the search engines a nudge by making it very clear what your pages are about. When you put Schema Markup on your website, Google will automatically make the marked-up information searchable by voice assistants.

Now, just like any SEO strategy, voice search is competitive, and there’s no one easy answer to getting to the top spot. You have to make your website and its contents the best it can be for your visiter, as well as ease of interpreting what your site is about for the search engines.

In Home Voice Search
Listing Publisher Medallions and Logos

Clean Up Listings and Reviews

Have you noticed your dealership is listed in local search listing services, such as Yellow Pages, Dexter, Yahoo and Yelp with the wrong information?

There are over 100 local search listing services out there, with constant input from companies that collect and distribute data. If you manually change your information, chances are that in a few weeks it will be wrong again. You don't have control over your own information without a significant investment of time, logging in to all of these sites to make corrections, and monitoring each one weekly to monthly.  We have a solution for that!

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Contact Us for Help With Your Website

If you need help with your website, no matter who your developer is, reach out to us. We can offer advice to help you increase your ranking, work with your web development team, or with access, make changes to your website content for you. Give us a call at 440-285-8164 to discuss your dealership's needs today!

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ABOUT US

DP Ball Advertising, Inc. has been serving the RV industry with multi-channel direct response marketing since 1984. Founded by Daniel P. Ball, the company represents RV dealerships throughout the United States and Canada. We provide direct response advertising campaigns, media buying, scheduling and purchasing in traditional and digital marketing venues.  From concept through production and final placement, we offer creative services, printing, voice overs, audio and video recording. Search engine and social media marketing are coordinated for the biggest impact, and we provide website consultation, solutions and services.



 

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8749 Arrowood Drive
Mentor, OH 44060

PHONE: 440-285-8164

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