Dealer: “I’m spending a lot of money for my website and PPC campaigns. Why do I need to spend even more money on SEO?”
Webopedia defines Search Engine Optimization as a methodology of strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the amount of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine (SERP) — including Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines. There is a nice video explanation from Common Craft here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF515-0Tduk&t=10s
Search Engine Optimization is essential if you want Search Engines to place your website higher than others in the organic search area. Your website is typically created with relevant content from the onset that will position it into the organic search ranks. However, that won’t allow you to dominate the organic search results. Additional SEO efforts have to be continuously updated to put you top-of-page based on keywords and search analysis specific to your market. You must also remember that most automotive website providers are also using templates which typically have minimal unique content versus another dealer using the same website with the same brand.
So, yes it cost money to have someone professionally optimize your website for search engines, but there is the opportunity for this to save you money on the PPC side of your search engine marketing efforts. Among other factors, paid search rewards those ad campaigns that are most relevant to the keyword search terms used in a search. That would mean if you have been optimizing your website on a continuous basis for your market and search history, you can be more relevant than your competitors and pay less for those clicks to drive customers to your website.