Google’s recent algorithm changes targeting search engine spam has got to have a few automotive SEO vendors worried. Not only has Google changed the algorithm to penalize poor content quality sites, they are providing a Google Chrome browser extension that allows anyone to flag sites they feel are not relevant or obviously promoted via black hat seo techniques.  This is a game changer as it allows individuals to police the content in ways that search engines cannot.  It also invites a host of other potential problems, doesn’t it?

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There is always something hyped. If its not Social Media, its SEO. But dealers need to know that most vendors don’t deliver on the hyped stuff.  Its too new.  They dont know anything about which they pitch. This video will give you an idea what passes for automotive SEO today from car dealer website vendors. In this video I take you through a typical SEO quick-check that any amateur SEO could do. What you will see does not even rate as SEO 101. There is no SEO here! (you should view in fullscreen – button is on bottom-right of video)

Maybe I’m obsessing about a small bit of text accidentally added to the website – it can happen. I’ve done it myself, proclaiming I’m the “The Best Damn Search Engine Optimization Guy”, only to delete it the next day when I realize I have much to learn – everyday. So I checked VinSolutions website and on their SEO product page http://www.vinsolutions.com/sem-seo.aspx

“VinSolutions.com provides a range of search engine marketing packages to help fit your internet budget.” And in the SEO Basic plan is a bullet “HTML Optimization” that leads me to believe that website pages are Search Engine Optimized when the “SEO powered by” line is on the dealers website. And this also leads me to believe that the dealer is paying for this (SEO). “HTML Optimization” is not exactly a term used by the SEO community. Either HTML is done according to W3C standards or its not. We’ll assume they meant something like “On-page SEO”.

But after this quick-check, maybe its me, who does not understand what SEO Basic > HTML Optimization means. Maybe the HTML is not Optimized for Search Engines. Ya think?

No matter how you slice this onion, there is no Search Engine Optimization happening on this website! Sorry VinSolutions, you just left me with nothing here. I can’t put lipstick on this pig. Pretty websites are a dime-a-dozen. Optimized websites are not.

The reader might think that I’ve uncovered one instance of proclaimed “SEO powered by…” where no SEO exists, but this is actually more commonplace than it is an aberration.

You need an SEO audit like this – if you are a dealer wondering if you are getting the SEO that you are paying for – or if you are a vendor wondering how to do SEO. Call me. I’m happy to take 15 minutes and look under the hood of your website. I’ll even make a free video of it if you like.

This Car Dealer Website Vendor list was posted in December 2009. It may still be useful, but for a more up-to-date list you may want to go over here Directory of Automotive SEO and Dealer Website Vendors. The list and its purpose have changed because few of these vendors offered Automotive SEO services at the time.

Due to the time required to complete SEO Analysis Reports, time does not permit regularly scheduled releases.  Please feel free to contact me if you require a specific car dealer website SEO report.