One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to write content for your website that is too focused on search engine optimization.
This is what leads to keyword stuffing, awkwardly written content, or even nonsensical, irrelevant content on your dealership’s website.
It easy to focus so much on making the content work perfect for automotive SEO that you forget that it is actually supposed to be read by people.
Content that brings people to your website but then bounces them away is ultimately content that does not work and needs to be changed.
Here are some tips for making sure your content is both great for your automotive SEO and great for the people who are going to be reading it:
1. Understand the elements of SEO writing.
How do you know if the content on your website even qualifies as being search engine optimized?
If the content is valuable, if it has visual appeal, and if it is timely, it probably meets the most basic requirements for being optimized.
Aside from these three elements, your content needs to have a great headline.
Does that page’s headline make people want to read the rest of your content?
Does it draw them in?
And, equally importantly, does it contain your keyword?
The content itself needs to be valuable, in addition to being keyword-rich.
There is a big difference between content that is rich in keywords and content that is simply stuffed with keywords.
There’s also a big difference between content that has obviously been written specifically to include certain keywords on your website and content that is actually designed to be valuable to the people reading it.
Keep in mind that there are specific algorithm updates that have been designed to prevent thin content from ranking well.
2. Write content with your audience in mind.
Because you sell cars, your audience is people who want to buy cars.
You have probably already done research about your audience in order to determine who exactly is likely to be receptive to your brand and dealership’s message.
Once you know who your audience is, you have to write content that they are actually going to care about.
This is especially important for your content marketing campaign, but is equally as important for all of the SEO content that you put on your website.
What message are you trying to send?
What are you trying to tell the people who come to your website?
Why should they buy one of the cars in your showroom?
Why should they buy from you, instead of the dealership in the next town over?
Answering these questions can help you streamline your content so that it meets the needs of those who are going to be reading it.
3. Do your keyword research with content creation specifically in mind.
When you are researching the keywords you want to use n your automotive SEO campaign, the best way to select your keywords is to think about what you are going to use them for.
Instead of simply selecting the keywords with the highest search rate or the lowest competition, select the keywords that will make the best content.
Luckily, long-tail keywords are very popular right now and are only going to become more popular as voice search and digital assistants continue to take over.
This means that a keyword like “best place to buy a car in New Jersey,” might actually be a preferable keyword.
Not only does this give you a great topic to write about for your website, it also helps you climb the ranks of relevant search results quickly.
4. Write content that encourages people to act.
There are some industries where content on a webpage is all about getting people to act right then and there, on that website.
In the world of car selling, you need people to come down to your showroom in order to buy a car.
Until the day when dealerships can sell cars online, your content’s job will always be to get them to contact you.
This means including a strong and clear call to action on every single page.
If you develop individual pages for the cars on your lot, include a call to action on each of them.
Make sure that your contact information, including your phone number and the physical address of your dealership are all readily available so someone can act as soon as they find a car that they like.
You want them to take action as soon as possible, so first use your content to encourage them to do just that and then provide them with the avenue to get in contact with you so they can take the next step.
5. Cater to the psychology of the car buyer.
Buying a car is a big purchase and a huge decision, even for people who can readily afford their car payment.
One of the main focuses of the content on your website should be to help them overcome the innate fear that comes along with making a purchase this huge.
Highlighting deals and specials is a great way to do that, as it emphasizing the easy-going nature of your sales people and all of the great features (and their benefits) of the cars you are selling.
If they are looking at your website, they have likely already decided to buy a car.
You just have to use your content to get them to decide one of your cars from your showroom.
