Brett Roubinek

Addressing Lead Diversion by OEM Contracted SEM Companies Context: Taylor Automotive Group operates several dealerships, including Taylor Hyundai of Perrysburg, Taylor Hyundai of Toledo, Taylor Hyundai of Findlay, Taylor Kia of Lima, and Taylor Cadillac. The group has noticed issues with lead generation and conversion, where potential customers searching for their dealerships online are redirected to OEM-contracted SEM companies. Problem Taylor Automotive Group identified that basic keywords such as "KIA TOLEDO" or "KIA FINDLAY" were being hijacked by OEMs and their SEM companies, diverting leads away from the dealerships. The OEMs did not use negative keywords, benefiting financially from the diverted leads. While Hyundai OEM agreed to implement negative keywords, Kia OEM insisted they had no control over iMotors, despite evidence showing otherwise. Approach 1. Direct Negotiation with OEMs: Engaged with Hyundai OEM to successfully implement negative keywords, reducing lead diversion and associated costs. 2. Evidence Gathering: Compiled data demonstrating iMotors' control by Kia OEM, including lead flow patterns and financial reports. 3. Internal SEM Strategy Enhancement: • Keyword Optimization: Enhanced SEM campaigns with long-tail keywords and unique identifiers. • Negative Keyword Lists: Developed comprehensive negative keyword lists. • Geo-Targeting Adjustments: Fine-tuned geo-targeting settings. 4. Collaborative Dealer Network: Established a network with other dealerships to share best practices and strategies. Results Reduction in Lead Diversion: Decreased the number of leads diverted to OEM-contracted SEM companies. The implementation of negative keywords by Hyundai and optimized SEM strategies significantly improved lead acquisition for Taylor Hyundai dealerships. Cost Savings: Reduced lead acquisition costs, with savings reinvested into further optimizing digital marketing efforts. Increased Transparency and Control: Gained greater control over SEM campaigns and increased transparency in interactions with OEMs, leading to improved ROI on marketing spend. Strengthened Dealer Network: Fostered a collaborative network of dealerships, sharing knowledge and strategies to better navigate OEM-dealer relationships and digital marketing challenges. Conclusion Taylor Automotive Group’s proactive approach to addressing lead diversion through strategic negotiations, enhanced SEM tactics, and industry collaboration successfully mitigated the impact of OEM-contracted SEM companies. This optimization of their lead generation strategy underscores the importance of vigilance, negotiation, and innovation in overcoming industry challenges and achieving sustainable business growth. It is crucial for dealerships to take similar steps by asking their OEM digital teams to negate geo-oriented and basic keywords that customers use to search for their specific locations.

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Major companies like Stellantis and Nissan have been making headlines due to significant earnings declines. In today’s episode of Inside Automotive, Chris Saraceno, Vice President and Partner of Kelly Automotive Group and Author of The Theory of 5, discusses how these declines are affecting dealers

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Automotive Risk Management Partners Brings 40 years' auto retail and compliance experience to help dealers protect themselves and their customers.

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Top women automotive executives are dropping like flies and the DEI-promoting legacy media has yet to take notice. Stellantis disclosed yesterday that CFO Natalie Knight left the company after only 18 months on the job. Knight had the unfortunate duty of informing Wall Street that Stellantis’ financials weren’t going to be as good as expected. Knight’s tenure was an eternity compared to that of GM lifer Marissa West, who in August inexplicably left the company only eight months after being named GM North America. West was only 42 at the time of her appointment and had been with GM for more than 20 years. Many perceived West as a potential and worthy successor to CEO Mary Barra, which perhaps contributed to her undoing. Mei Cai, who led the team that developed the next-generation battery powering GM’s electric vehicles, resigned in July after 24 years at the company. Cai’s resignation came just five months after GM hired Kurt Kelty, a Tesla veteran, to run its battery development efforts as vice president of battery. Except for Barra and the executives overseeing HR and PR, GM’s entire management team is comprised of men (see second link). Not what I’d expect from a CEO who says, “At GM, when we search for executive candidates, we require a diverse slate. If we find that a position has no diverse candidate, I ask the question, ‘What are we doing so that three years from now there will be a diverse candidate to consider?’” (see third link) At Tesla, Elon Musk last May reportedly fired Rebecca Tinucci, who oversaw the company’s successful rapid expansion of its Supercharging stations. According to media reports, Musk ousted Tinucci after she protested aggressive cutbacks to her team. Meanwhile over at Ford, Annie Liu, a former head of supply chain, battery and energy at Tesla, last year left the company after less than a year on the job. Ford touted Liu as an expert in global technology sourcing with a specialty involving batteries and raw materials. Kiersten Robinson, who was general manager, Family Vehicles, and president, Mexico and Canada, for Ford Blue, left a year ago last July. Katherine Worthen, executive director of the Ford Blue supply chain, left the company last October after 16 months in the role. https://lnkd.in/gXwKJSBB https://lnkd.in/g3MstUZB https://lnkd.in/gUtwUv4K #dei #gm #tesla #ford #stellantis

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GM is pulling back on its projected EV goals and this could be foreboding of stalled progress across the industry. CEO Mary Barra recently announced that the company won’t meet its goal of producing 1 million EVs in North America by the end of next year. This decision was made even despite significant growth in this area for the company. EV sales were up 40% year over year. But according to Barra, the company is seeing a “slowdown” and is being “guided by the customer.” Barra has also said that it projects GM outselling Tesla in the future. What does this all mean then? I think we’re seeing a consistent trend here. The first wave of EV buyers excitedly purchased and made the transition and the next wave remains hesitant for understandable reasons — cost and a lack of reliable public charging infrastructure remain the top concerns. What is most important now is what happens next: Will GM and others delay production just for a year or so or this a much longer play? This all depends on one thing: Whether charging systems significantly ramp up during this period. https://lnkd.in/eacBmRy6 #marybarra #GM #GMevs #EVs #electricvehicles

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#ICYMI yesterday – Philipp Eng headed BMW Group Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's first IMSA - International Motor Sports Association SportsCar Championship 1-2 finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Read more ⤵️ #IMSA #BMW #BattleontheBricks #Motorsport #Endurance #Racing #Sportscars

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MOVE: Mobility Re-imagined is about partnerships. This investment between Volkswagen Group (VW) and Rivian, led by RJ Scaringe, underscores the evolving dynamics in the electric vehicle (EV) market. The deal represents a strategic effort by VW to align itself with faster-moving, tech-driven startups to gain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving EV sector. Rivian’s strength lies in its innovative software and computing systems, which VW hopes to leverage as the traditional auto giant transitions from internal combustion engines to electric powertrains. For Rivian, this partnership brings a much-needed infusion of capital—$5.8 billion, up from the previously expected $5 billion—as well as the backing of a global automotive powerhouse that can help it scale operations. In exchange, VW will access Rivian’s cutting-edge technology, particularly its expertise in integrating software with hardware. This collaboration comes as automakers recognize the importance of making their vehicles highly connected and software-driven, much like smartphones. The move also highlights the contrasting strengths of the two companies: VW’s scale, engineering tradition, and manufacturing might versus Rivian’s agility and software expertise. With Tesla and #chineseautomakers setting the pace in the EV space, legacy automakers like VW are looking to outside partnerships to close the gap. This deal suggests that the future of the auto industry will likely be shaped by collaborations between traditional automakers and tech-savvy startups. It remains to be seen how effectively VW can integrate Rivian’s innovative culture into its own operations, which have historically been marked by self-reliance and a focus on engineering prowess.

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Service Managers & Fixed Ops Directors - when you look at your projections for 2025, how many more technicians do you need to achieve your goals? What level of training do you need them to start at? Our current programs at Auto Diesel Institute of Michigan are ASE MAST & MTST accredited. I am considering adding an ASE MLR accredited program on both sides. (likely a 6 month program & still financial aide eligible) My thought process is - we get them trained on the basics and shop safety - we can get them into the dealerships faster and you can layer on your OEM training and certifications. What do you think?

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Excellent episode!

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Auto execs: The revamped Center for Automotive Research #CARMBS will dissect issues that matter, expand your network and enhance your career. The North American auto industry’s top thought leadership event, here are some highlights you can expect, including General Motors President Mark Reuss: https://bit.ly/45kqDpF #automotive #thoughtleadership

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Real-time data, 160+ micro territory specifics, condition insights, & configured business model. Time to trade up from your 90's trade tool ACV Auctions ACV MAX ClearCar

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The EV landscape is evolving, with General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor Company taking distinct paths. GM bets on big batteries for maximum range, while Ford focuses on hybrids and affordability. Which strategy will shape the future of large EVs? The competition between these auto giants is heating up! 🚗⚡ #ElectricVehicles #EV #Sustainability #Ford #GM #BatteryTech #MOVE2025 #MOVEAmerica2024 📰 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gqSJn5ZD MOVE: Mobility Re-imagined

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David Zipper for Fast Company: Detroit killed the sedan. We may all live to regret it. Last week, General Motors announced that it would end production of the Chevrolet Malibu, which the company first introduced in 1964. Although not exactly a head turner (the Malibu was “so uncool, it was cool,” declared the New York Times), the sedan has become an American fixture, even an icon, appearing in classic films like Say Anything and Pulp Fiction. Over the past 60 years, GM produced some 10 million of them. With a price starting at a (relatively) affordable $25,100, Malibu sales exceeded 130,000 vehicles last year, a 13% annual increase and enough to rank as the #3 Chevy model, behind only the Silverado and the Equinox. Still, that wasn’t enough to keep the car off GM’s chopping block. The company says that the last Malibu will roll out of its Kansas City, KS, factory this November; the plant will then be retooled to produce the new Chevy Bolt, an electric crossover SUV. With the Malibu’s demise, GM will no longer sell any affordable sedans in the U.S. In that regard, it will have plenty of company. Ford stopped producing sedans for the U.S. market in 2018. And it was Sergio Marchionne, the former head of Stellantis, who triggered the headlong retreat in 2016 when he declared that Dodge and Chrysler would stop making sedans. (Tesla, meanwhile, offers two sedans: the Model 3 and Model S.) As recently as 2009, U.S. passenger cars (including sedans and a plunging number of station wagons) outsold light trucks (SUVs, pickups, and minivans), but today they’re less then 20% of new car purchases. The death of the Malibu is confirmation, if anyone still needs it, that the Big Three are done building sedans. That decision is bad news for road users, the environment, and budget-conscious consumers—and it may ultimately come around to bite Detroit. https://buff.ly/3WKR0me

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If everything had gone to plan for General Motors over the last three years, the Detroit automaker would be well on its way to catching Tesla in sales of electric vehicles. In October 2021, GM CEO Mary Barra declared the automaker would “absolutely” catch up to the U.S. EV leader by 2025. Instead, after slower-than-anticipated EV adoption across the industry and GM-specific challenges with production, software and supply chains, the company remains well behind Elon Musk’s carmaker, as well as Hyundai Motor/Kia and Ford Motor. While GM has withdrawn most of its previously announced electric vehicle targets, the automaker believes its EV sales momentum is finally building thanks to an expanding lineup of all-electric vehicles – spanning a price range of roughly $35,000 to more than $300,000. “We are definitely outstripping the industry in terms of growth, in terms of EVs,” Rory Harvey, GM president of global markets, including North America, told CNBC. “We have the most comprehensive EV lineup out of any manufacturer in the industry, in the U.S., at the moment.” EV sales data provided to CNBC by the Detroit automaker, which publicly reports sales quarterly, shows a notable increase for GM through August. GM sold nearly 21,000 EVs in the U.S. in July and August – almost matching its full second-quarter EV sales. GM’s EV sales through August were up about 70% compared with a year earlier. “It’s a step change in terms of our EV performance,” Harvey said during an interview this month at GM’s Cadillac headquarters in suburban Detroit. Those two back-to-back record months for GM’s EVs have it within striking distance – about 2,000 units – of Ford through August. It still remained more than 20,000 units shy of Hyundai/Kia EV sales through last month. Both Ford and Hyundai/Kia report sales monthly. The legacy automakers are still fighting for a distant second behind Tesla, which Motor Intelligence estimates to have sold more than 164,000 EVs during the second quarter – roughly double the sales of GM, Hyundai/Kia and Ford combined during that time.      Harvey declined to speculate when, or if, GM expects to overtake its competitors in EV sales, but the automaker is forecasting a strong finish to the end of the year. “We have momentum on our side,” Harvey said. “We anticipate quarter four will be strong in terms of EV adoption. So, we’re looking forward to that close, and looking forward to taking a disproportionate share of the upside.” GM currently offers eight “Ultium-based” EVs for consumers — referring to its electric vehicle architecture and battery technologies. They range from mainstream models such as the Chevy Equinox and Blazer crossovers to three large pickup trucks and luxury models from Cadillac, including a bespoke $300,000 Celestiq. Two additional Cadillac vehicles – an electric Escalade and entry-level Optiq crossover – are expected to join the lineup by year’s end, bringing the total to an industry-leading 10.

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