SEO seems to change more frequently than a department store show window. Yesterday’s best practices can transform in the blink of an eye, and most car dealers don’t have the time, patience or know-how to keep up with all the trends. But fear not loyal reader! PCG’s search wizards have put together this tried and true SEO checklist to help you drive more qualified traffic to your dealership website. By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to optimize your website for the keywords your customers search most – resulting in more traffic, VDP views and leads.

1. Do Your Research
Consult Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics to see what keywords you
should be focusing on. Look for keywords that the site currently has high
impressions for along with a low Click Through Rate (CTR) or an average
position below a 4 or 5.
Focus on One Keyword Per Page
Each page on your website should focus on a single keyword phrase. This
allows you to write engaging, natural copy without worrying about stuffing
too many keywords into your content. If you’re just using one keyword
throughout the piece, it will be used naturally so you won’t even have to
worry about it coming across as spam.
Title Your Post
Writing your page title should be a balance of SEO friendliness and creativity.
Include your focus keyword in the title of the page or blog post if they fit
naturally.
Include the Keyword in the URL
Including your keyword in the URL of your post is an easy and effective way
to tell search engines what your page is all about. Don’t miss out on this
easy opportunity!
Use Proper Heading Tags
Heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) make certain text more important than other
text. Use your keyword in your H1 tag (this is typically the title of your page)
and, if possible, in an H2 tag as well.
CHECKLIST FOR CAR DEALERS
WEBSITE SEOthe
definitive
» The Automotive Digital Marketing Experts
www.pcgdigitalmarketing.com

2. Write 300 Words of Content
Content is king, and if you want to rank favorably in search engines, you’ll
need to write at least 300 words per page to provide enough context to let
them know what the page is about.
Use Keywords in Links
When including links in your content, you have the ability to mask the link
with “anchor text,” or the text highlighted in blue. Include your focus keyword
in at least one link with anchor text in your content.
Label Your Images
Most website platforms give you several options when adding images to a
page. Look for the field called “Alt Text” and include your keyword here. This
tells search engines what your image is all about!
Don’t Ignore Metadata
There are a few hidden fields on every web page that Google and other
search engines use to understand the context of your page. Find the “Title
Tag” and “Meta Description” fields in your website editor and make sure
to fill them out using your keyword at least once. This is the information
that shows up in a Search Engine Results Page, so don’t slack in this
department!
By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to ranking better in search
engines in no time.
Looking for More Advanced SEO?
See how PCG Digital Marketing is helping dealers around the world
dominate search engines with our award winning automotive SEO services.
» The Automotive Digital Marketing Experts
GET A FREE CONSULTATION
www.pcgdigitalmarketing.com