Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/752598
26 DECEMBER 2016 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com digital marketing trends for 2017 FEATURE STORY | Website Solutions ■ BY COLLEEN MALLOY The year is winding down, and it's time to start thinking about your digital marketing strategies for 2017! With mobile device use continuing to skyrocket and more shoppers than ever turning to digital to make purchasing decisions, there are a few key trends that we can expect to see take precedence in the coming year. I've pulled my top five digital marketing trends for 2017 to help you stay ahead of the curve. #1 Local search I expect that local search is going to be huge in 2017, so I'm going to spend the most time here. The search engine landscape is undergoing a massive shift. Google can detect searchers' locations and is putting more and more stock in providing the best answers for searchers looking for local businesses. With 66 percent of Americans using local search to find local businesses, 1 if your dealership doesn't show up in their search results, you likely won't get their business. To stay ahead of your competition, it's critical for you to update your digital marketing strategy to ensure that you're placing at the top of local search results. To ensure that you're giving Google the information it needs to confidently serve your website to local searchers, there are a few things you need to do. First, keep your business information up-to-date. Your dealership's contact information is probably on a number of third- party directory listings outside of your website. If you haven't already, set up a Google My Business page and round up any other listings your dealership has on third-party sites. Then, check monthly to make sure that your name, address, phone number and hours are still correct. One wrong digit in your phone number or address could cost you a sale! Next, build your business as a local resource with strong links. Google looks for certain signals from your business to determine where to rank your website in search results. One of these signals is your prominence, or how well known you are in your community. Building yourself as a resource in your community is an easy way to prove your prominence to Google. On your website, include links to local organizations that you're a part of, programs that you sponsor or other businesses that you partner with. (Your "About Us" page is a perfect spot for this.) Then, ask those organizations to return the favor with a link to your site. These links send strong signals to Google and will help ensure that you show up when someone searches for a dealership in your community. Finally, foster customer reviews. When Google ranks your website in local search, having a high number of positive reviews can demonstrate that you're a prominent and well-thought- of business in your community. Post signage around your dealership to remind customers that they can leave feedback about their experience on your review platform of choice. (Google My Business is a great one.) Don't forget to link to your review platform on your website! Then, respond to your reviews to show shoppers that you truly care about your customers. #2 Native advertising When it comes to on- line advertising, shoppers' opinions run the gamut. When it comes to pop- ups, auto-play video ads and other formats, many shoppers aren't fans. However, the major- ity of respondents in a HubSpot research study — 68 percent — said they don't mind online ads as long as they "aren't annoying." 2 This is where native advertising comes into play. Native ads blend into the content on a page. Google pay-per-click (PPC) ads that look like regular search listings or Facebook ads that appear in users' newsfeeds and look like normal posts are great examples. They're unobtrusive and blend into their surroundings while still delivering the advertisers' message, making them a great option that won't annoy your shoppers. IMAGE ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/LESIA_G