I had a question recently posted over at DearlerRefresh.com that caused quite a stir at the dealership and with some vendors. I obviously don’t like the current automotive classified systems. Dealers pay to advertise their vehicles there and provide those sites with content. They take that content and use it to promote affiliate products as well as our vehicles. I just don’t think the two should mix. Either give the dealers what they pay for without the affiliate offers or don’t charge the dealers for the advertising.

Read the full discussion here…

As an online affiliate their plan is ingenuous, as an advertiser I don’t like it at all. I learned along time ago to either accept things, change them or get the hell out of the way and am still torn about what to do with the current platforms. My gut says kill them and do my own thing, but my pocketbook may dictate otherwise in the short term.

I am currently working on a blog network and am producing leads from it. However the keywords targeted in some of the first few are producing leads in Canada and way outside of my market area. What that tells me is I need to sell those leads and target different longtail keywords or get in the automotive lead business

I love my current situation and am grateful for the opportunity.

Some things I am going to do in the near term are:

• Get current photos of me in automotive settings.
• Continue to build blog networks and quasi doorway pages. Never ending proposition
• Watch stats very close - Never ending proposition.
• Maximize opportunities with current online classified providers.
• Work on advertising methods.
• Keep the company site updated diligently.
• Fix the Link Exchange Script here.

90 Day Plan

• Work on linking strategies for stores main sites.
• Have the internet department generating 25 + sales a month. - Will open the door for more support.
• Own the SERPS for specific keywords.
• Product Knowledge for current lines.

Long term plans:

• Build an automotive friendly blogging platform. What gets me is some people can be pros working in a Myspace account but don’t have a clue on how to FTP plugins for a blog.
• A web 2.0 style automotive site.
• Sell the hell out of cars and build a solid internet team in my current situation. Make it duplicable.
• Well this list could go forever ……….

Once again I would like to thank everyone for their input and encouragement over at DealerRefresh.com