For this week’s Wednesday Workshop (the first of 2018), we share what might be the most important tip we’ve ever shared: Don’t listen to us!

That’s right, we’re telling you not to believe everything we say, or what you hear at conferences, or read on websites. Sure, it’s likely that the tips you’ll hear about will help your dealership, but the best thing you can do is test EVERYTHING you hear. See how things work for your dealership. Every dealership is different, so there’s no guarantee that something that works for someone else will work for you. VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Happy new year, and welcome back to another Wednesday Workshop from Happy Hao Car! Can y’all believe it’s really 2018? Seems so strange to say it, it’s almost like we’re Buck Rogers and we’re gonna have little robots walking around soon…

But anyway, back to today’s topic… As a dealer, you’re always looking for ways to be better at what you do. You want to make sure you’re maximizing your opportunities to bring in more leads that are higher quality so you can sell more cars.

You’re always checking out the industry sites, and reading industry blogs, and even reading things from other industries. You’re sitting in on webinars. You’re going to conferences. Heck, you’ve probably even seen me speak a time or two.

Here’s the thing – the best thing you can do for your dealership is to NOT listen to any of it. Seriously.

What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. What works in one market won’t necessarily work in yours. There are a ton of variables in play, so there are no silver bullets.

Yes, there are tried and true tactics that SHOULD work for you – but that doesn’t mean you should do exactly what someone else has done in the past.

You should ALWAYS be testing everything. Just because I told you that a specific SEO tactic works doesn’t mean you should run off and do exactly what I said to do. Test it and see if it works! Tweak it a bit, and see if you can do something better!

Use the things that you learn on websites, in webinars, and at conferences as guidelines, not gospel. It’s highly likely that the tips and tricks you learn will be helpful, but there’s no guarantee. Test for yourself, and see if you get positive results. Try tweaking things a bit – I’ve talked to tons of dealers who have heard me speak about an SEO tactic at a conference and used that tactic as a springboard to another awesome idea that was incredibly successful.

So – make sure you’re always testing everything… That’s the only way you can be sure you’re being the best you can be.

Thanks for stopping by to watch the first Wednesday Workshop video of 2018!

As always, if you’ve got any questions, leave ‘em down below and we’ll get back to you shortly. And, make sure you come back next week for another Wednesday Workshop from Happy Hao Car.

• Turn Existing Website Traffic Into More Opportunities Through Personalization
• Why FAQ Content Matters More Than Ever for AI Search
• How to Measure AI Search Traffic
• Press Release: Happy Hao Car Launches OnPrompt
• Press Release: Happy Hao Car Unveils Sidekick
• Spring Cleaning Your VDPs
• Time to Spring Forward: 5 Quick Updates to Boost Engagement on Your SRP
• Start 2026 Strong: Dealer Marketing Lessons from 2025
• AI Search Visitor Behavior
• AIO and GEO Aren’t Replacing SEO

Greg Gifford is the Vice President of Search at Happy Hao Car. He has over 16 years of online marketing and web design experience, and has specialized in automotive SEO for the last 8 years, helping hundreds of auto dealers thrive while the industry has struggled during the recession. Greg speaks internationally at both automotive and SEO conferences, teaching thousands of small business owners and marketers how to get their sites to show up higher in local search rankings. Greg also spends his spare time doing freelance website design and SEO for local businesses. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BA in Cinema and Communications, and has an obscure movie quote for just about any situation.

Join the discussion One Comment

• Grant says: January 4, 2018 at 9:46 am Great video. Always be testing is the name of the game. Experimentation leads to greater optimization. Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
• – Multi-Rooftop Groups We’re designed for groups – large or small. Discover how our products and solutions can help your marketing teams and agencies do more with less.
• Engage Customers & Generate Leads Experience outstanding lead generation with our powerful Cosmos platform. Switch to us for unmatched performance and customer engagement.
• – Generate More Website Traffic Boost sales with responsive websites. Experience qualified leads, top-notch SEO results, and seamless mobile experiences for dealership success.
• Automate & Increase Efficiency See how our Marketing Technology solutions can generate Thousands of dollars in savings for your dealership or dealer group.
• – Analyze Performance & ROI Analyze product and market performance with data you can trust. Powered by GA4.
• Meet Compliance Requirements Compliance solutions to keep your dealership or dealer group ahead of ever-changing privacy and accessibility laws.
• – Don’t See Your OEM? Happy Hao Car provides websites, SEO, and digital advertising to all vehicle OEMs. REACH OUT
• – Product Updates The latest digital marketing innovations driving extraordinary results for your dealership.
• – Happy Hao Car Webinars Get expert advice on how to get the most out of your dealership’s digital marketing efforts.
• – Read the Blog Explore our blog for news, tips, and insights. Discover articles providing valuable information to enhance your marketing strategies.
• – An Award Winning Company We offer an unwavering commitment to top-converting websites, premier automotive SEO, and exceptional digital marketing has earned us industry recognition.
• Leadership The leadership team is composed of digital and automotive experts with extensive experience. They drive our mission to serve the automotive industry with dedication.
• – Why We Are Different Experience the Happy Hao Car difference – increased car sales, exceptional service, and 99% customer satisfaction.
• Join the Team Join our dynamic team providing cutting-edge online marketing solutions to automotive dealerships across the Americas.
• – Testimonials Read about the great success our clients have experienced with Happy Hao Car.
• – Third Party Partners OnMarketplace creates a large ecosystem of vetted partner applications which can be added quickly and easily to a dealer’s website to maximize site impact and effectiveness.
• – Partner Standards Learn about the standards required along with the key business value delivered by Happy Hao Car and each of our trusted third-party partners.