Dealer HD

Dealer HD Enhances autoTweet Capabilities

Erin O'Connor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:17:35 +0000

(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – February 26, 2010 – Dealer HD enhanced its existing autoTweet capabilities in the 1.13 service update allowing for the use of custom timing on inventory tweets.

Dealer HD has been diligently building on its integration with Twitter. The starting point with Twitter came with DHD’s introduction of autoTweet in the 1.11 service update (June 2009). Using autoTweet, dealers were able to connect the RIMS Admin inventory to their Twitter accounts and tweet fresh vehicles in inventory daily. In the 1.12 service update (September 2009) the Twitter interface was integrated into the RIMS Admin – allowing dealers one login to manage their website and Twitter account. In its latest update, 1.13, Dealer HD revisited its original autoTweet feature and added automation spanned across time.

“Tweeting your newly arrived inventory is a great addition to your twitter stream and we wanted to make it feel less automated. AutoTweet now sends your newly arrived inventory throughout the day between your dealerships tweets – enhancing your timeline and making everything seem more natural,“ said Bruce Etzcorn, Director of Product Development at Dealer HD.

Dealer HD’s 1.13 service update focused on SEO improvement and Dealership communication capabilities. For more information on autoTweet and Dealer HD’s Automotive Website services visit dealerhd.com

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Dealer HD is an Automotive Website and Solutions Provider serving clients Nationwide. Located in the southern suburbs of Chicago, the Dealer HD team has over 100 years of combined automotive experience. Dealer HD provides customizable dealer web sites with a comprehensive admin tool that collects dealer leads, allows the quick and easy editing of website content, inventory modification and more. Dealer HD makes sure your dealer website is ready for mobile applications, social networking, and all future web innovations.

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Dealer HD Strengthens Offerings with Texting

Erin O'Connor — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:34:45 +0000

(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – February 23, 2010 – Dealer HD is now offering a Dealer texting program that allows dealers to provide vehicle information, promotional and service updates directly to customer’s mobile phones.

The Dealer HD 1.13 service update included website features like Pretty URLs and products like the Lead Central ILM, Dealer HD’s texting program is yet another strong addition from the quarterly update.

The texting platform is versatile and unique to Dealer HD. One of its differentiators is that Dealer HD allows customers to get information on every vehicle on the dealer’s lot. Texting an assigned number will text back Year/Make/Model, mileage, body, engine information and dealer notes, as well as a link directly to the vehicle where customers can view photos and schedule a test drive. The platform is not limited to just vehicle texting – it has promotional and service capabilities as well. Text-to-win contests and service coupons or notifications can also easily be set-up using the Texting admin.

“Having your inventory text-ready allows your dealership to send vehicle details to customers instantly – while they’re interested and on a platform they prefer,” says Bruce Etzcorn, Director of Product Development at Dealer HD. “With text messaging use rising year after year, you cannot ignore SMS as a valid communication channel any longer.”

Dealer HD’s 1.13 service update focused on SEO improvement and Dealership communication capabilities. For more information on the texting and Dealer HD’s Automotive Website services visit dealerhd.com

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Dealer HD Creates Smarter Images with 1.13 Update

Erin O'Connor — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:45:14 +0000

(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – February 19, 2010 – As part of the SEO upgrade made in the 1.13 service update, Dealer HD has made its image galleries smarter by adding additional descriptive tags for search engines.

Dealerships hosting their websites with Dealer HD will see increased indexing of images with the Smarter Image galleries. Descriptive tags will continually be added to every photo in every media gallery hosted. The tags extend to all vehicle photos in inventory, media player slides and photos as well as uploaded advertising.

“Search Engines can’t ’see’ what an image is. Providing alternate text to describe that image to Google, Bing and Yahoo allows them to index the photo and display it in their search results,” said Bruce Etzcorn, Director of Product Development at Dealer HD. “The RIMS Admin adds these descriptions to each photo displayed on all Dealer HD websites creating more information about each vehicle and even more indexable content.”

Adding descriptive tags to images on dealer websites allows them to be “seen” by search engines and eases the ability for them to index with the rest of a website’s content. Smarter Image Galleries ensure that all images are capable of being processed by search engines, ensuring increased search results.

Dealer HD’s 1.13 service update focused on SEO improvement and Dealership lead management capabilities. For more information on the 1.13 update and Dealer HD’s Automotive Website services visit dealerhd.com

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Dealer HD Advances Vehicle URLs with 1.13 Update

Erin O'Connor — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:54:35 +0000

(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – February 17, 2010 – Dealer HD has taken strides in SEO with its 1.13 update. Changing the URL structure used for vehicles on their websites, Dealer HD has increased inventory-indexing capabilities using Pretty URLs.

With the addition of Pretty URLs during the 1.13 quarterly update, Dealerships hosting their websites with Dealer HD will benefit from increased indexing capabilities and additional keywords on every vehicle in their inventory.

The Pretty URL addition has two components – the URL structure on all vehicles has changed from a dynamic structure to static which increases every vehicles ability to be indexed because the URL will remain the same for the length it stays in inventory on the website. Whereas dynamic URLs contain variables that sometimes confuse search engines. Pretty URLs also contain commonly searched keywords allowing vehicles to be optimized and found on search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing more easily. The new URLs include each vehicles’ Type (new, used, commercial, etc.), Year, Make and Model.

“A static URL structure makes sense right now. Search Engines are putting a lot of weight on keywords in the URL and you just can’t ignore that,” said Bruce Etzcorn, Director of Product Development at Dealer HD. “We pride ourselves on our commitment to ensuring Dealer HD clients have websites that take advantage of what works today and make them ready for what’s to come tomorrow.”

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Dealer HD Releases Lead Central ILM

Erin O'Connor — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:16:37 +0000

(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – February 12, 2010 – Dealer HD will unveil its Internet Lead Manager, Lead Central, this weekend at the NADA Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida.

Combining the ease-of-use of Dealer HD’s RIMS Admin with lead processing power the Lead Central ILM is designed to manage leads from a dealer’s website and 3^rd party providers. Lead Central was designed with dealerships’ workflow in mind. Features include a task manager, appointment calendar, documented correspondence and response time, HTML mailer templates as well as customizable phone and email scripts.

“Adding a lead management tool to our offerings was a natural step for us,” said Justin Duff, Vice President of Sales at Dealer HD. “We’ve built Lead Central into our RIMS Admin to give our clients a fully integrated lead management system. One login, one click.”

Lead Central has been integrated into the Dealer HD RIMS Admin interface allowing Dealer HD customers to easily toggle back and forth between the lead manager and website tools. Lead Central is available as a standalone product as well and does not require users to host their sites with Dealer HD.

Dealer HD prides itself on providing cutting edge technology to its clients, giving them a leg up in an ever-competitive market. Lead Central is just one of the many product releases Dealer HD has planned for 2010. For more information on Dealer HD, product releases and becoming a Dealer HD client, please visit dealerhd.com

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Checking-in 2010

Erin O'Connor — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:45:04 +0000

If you’ve been following us over here at DHD, I’m sure you’ve noticed we’ve had a pretty busy 2010 thus far. We’re very happy with the progress we’ve been making on the development side, and we’re getting ready for our first update of 2010 this weekend.

We’ll be implementing RIMS features that will help us help YOU as dealers. Our mission here is to make things as easy-to-use as possible when it comes to your website. In the next few days if you’re a DHD client you’ll be getting our email with the details of the 1.13 update and features you can look forward to. If you’re not a Dealer HD client yet, don’t worry, we’ll let you in on the features too. They’ll be added right here on the DHD blog as they’re available.

In addition to our development efforts this year we’ve also made a point make our brand more available. You’ll be seeing more of us in your dealer publications and dealer forums. We want you to know what we’re up to and what you think. Check us out in Auto Success on page 16, Auto Dealer Monthly on pages 26-29 and in our latest AS Podcast.

For all of you heading to Orlando for NADA, we’d love to meet you. Stop by our booth, #461 to chat.

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Dealer HD discusses website best practices with Auto Success

Erin O'Connor — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:47:52 +0000

(FRANKFORT, Ill.) – January 22, 2010 – Dealer HD’s Vice President of Sales, Justin Duff sat down with Auto Success this month to discuss the industry, his experience and Dealer HD’s take on where dealerships are headed with interactive media, for a podcast that airs today.

The podcast, available for download on AutoSuccessOnline.com and iTunes, it is a first for Dealer HD and a starting point for becoming more vocal in the industry. “Up until now, we’ve been fairly quiet. Our focus has been building the best products we can and earning trust. Now we’re ready to start making some noise,” said Justin Duff, Vice President of Sales.

Topics include: effective website tools, SEO strategy and the use of video. Duff discusses how dealers can improve the effectiveness of their websites to garner more quality leads. Social media is also a hot topic. He describes the roles social media plays for dealerships. ”Dealers need to think of social media more as a way to build relationships with their customers, rather than a direct sales approach.” Full details are available in the podcast.

Partnering with Auto Success on the podcast as well as with other advertising ventures in 2010 Dealer HD is planning to become a more prominent fixture in the dealer website market. With new Dealer HD products and services up for release early this year you can expect to see and hear a lot more about DHD. As always, to find out the latest with Dealer HD, visit www.dealerhd.com

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Dealer HD offers 90-Day Test Drive of Dealer Websites

Erin O'Connor — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:19:22 +0000

(Frankfort, Ill.) – January 20, 2010 – Dealer HD has announced its plan for the 90-Day Test Drive promotion. The promotion, which begins during the 2010 NADA Convention allows dealerships near contract expiration to sign on with Dealer HD at no cost for 90-Days.

The promotion aims to attract dealers nearing the end of their contracts that are looking for a risk free change of pace. At no cost dealerships can get the full Dealer HD website and service experience and decide if the product is the right fit for them.

The promotion starts during the 2010 NADA Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida. “We pride ourselves on personal service and believe NADA is the perfect opportunity to demo our products in person to those interested in getting in the driver’s seat,” said Justin Duff, Vice President of Sales at Dealer HD. “We’re very confident in the DHD product and believe dealers that take the Test Drive will find Dealer HD is exactly what they need.”

The 90-Day Test Drive promotion incorporates the use of NADA’s stimulus vouchers. Dealerships interested in additional site add-ons not included in the promotional sites can trade in their vouchers for additional services.

Dealer HD believes finding the perfect fit with products and services is essential to Internet success. The 90-Day Test Drive will be available to dealerships within 8-months of their contract expiration. Appointments are being made now for NADA demos and 90-Day Test Drive opportunities. If you’re interested in taking the drive email nada@dealerhd.com or call today 866.222.7712 to reserve your appointment at the NADA Convention and Expo, February 13^th through 15^th.

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Circle Automotive Group in Schererville, Indiana Switches to DHD

Erin O'Connor — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:47:52 +0000

(Frankfort, Ill.) – January 13, 2010 – Dealer HD is pleased to welcome the Indiana-based Circle Buick Pontiac GMC dealership to their nationwide client list with the launch of their website this week (circleautomotive.com). Circle Automotive is starting their relationship with Dealer HD’s advanced websites and automatic manufacturer incentives.

With Dealer HD dealer web sites, customers have access to a variety of features, which assist in their online automotive shopping experience. Some of these features include Car Builder HD, full-motion video reviews, Vehicle History, automated manufacturer rebates and incentives, Car Finder HD and Live Chat. Circle Automotive, along with all other Dealer HD clients, will also benefit from Dealer HD services such as quarterly site updates and one, dedicated account manager for their account.

“Circle has been absolutely wonderful to work with in the website development process,” said Justin Duff, Dealer HD National Sales Director. “We are looking forward to working with more closely now that the site is live engaging them with more of Dealer HD’s product offerings.”

Circle Automotive represents three GM brands in Northwest Indiana. They join the Dealer HD team leaving automotive web competitor, Dealer.com.

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Harbor Cars of Northwest Indiana Chooses Dealer HD for Automotive Websites and Digital Needs

Erin O'Connor — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:33:06 +0000

(Frankfort, IL) – December 23, 2009 – Dealer HD is proud to welcome the Indiana-based Harbor Cars Group to their group of nationwide clients with the launch of six sites this week. Harbor Cars is taking advantage of the full-range of web services Dealer HD offers, such as advanced websites, SEO (search engine optimization) practices and other additional features.

With Dealer HD dealer web sites, customers have access to a variety of features, which assist in their online automotive shopping experience. Some of these features include Car Builder HD, full-motion video reviews, Vehicle History, automated manufacturer rebates and incentives, Car Finder HD and Live Chat. Harbor Cars, along with all other Dealer HD clients, will also benefit from Dealer HD services such as quarterly site updates and one, dedicated account manager for their account.

“We are excited to start work with the Harbor Cars Group,” said Justin Duff, Dealer HD National Sales Director. “They are a great addition to our growing client list and we’re looking forward to helping them enhance their online presence.”

The Harbor Cars Group represents eight brands, three rooftops and six websites across north west Indiana. They join the Dealer HD team leaving automotive web competitor, TheNetLab.

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