Back in Lesson 2, I spoke about search engine strategies to get your Auto Repair website ranked well in the search engines such as Google.

It covered things like “on-page” optimization using specific “meta tags”. And it also talked about “off-page” tactics such as inbound links, articles and a few others.

It’s all designed to get your website ranked well, and get more website traffic.

Fact is, you want your prospects to find you. What’s the point of having a website if it is no where to be found?

And you want to be ranked at least in the top 5 for any specific keyword.

So in this Lesson, I want to go over some other strategies that are overlooked by most websites that I see.

1. Create Relevant Content

You’d be amazed at how many of your potential clients are at work or home searching the internet for a solution to their most pressing problem.

It’s happening right now… and it’s happening every day.

So what should you be doing about it?

Here’s the solution… create content on your website that’s providing the information that your audience is wanting.

Here’s what I mean.

Most Auto Repair websites are lucky to be found for their main keyword eg. auto repair. Now here’s what you need to understand. Most of your potential clients are searching “locally”.

If you’re living in a big city, then it’s a great strategy to not only get listed locally for the services you provide (Auto Repair Google Business Listing) but also to create a website page specific to that particular service.

So if you have a potential client wanting to find a Auto Repair Shop in your part of the City, then create a website page specific to that keyword search term.

What about keywords such as tune ups, oil changes, brake maintenance? Do the same thing… create website content specific to that search term.

Here’s what one Auto Repair Shop I know did leading up to the 2009 Christmas period. They wrote an article about a service gift voucher and put it on their Auto Repair Blog. Within a short period of time they were listed in the search engine for that particular keyword.

They got more website traffic… and they made sales. PLUS, they gained a new client that they can now email in the future with other promotions and special offers.

2. With Promotions, Direct Your Audience Back To Your Website

This applies equally to promotions that use other forms of media or those that are distributed using email or other internet based systems eg. Facebook

Let’s first talk about offline promotions. You might create an ad, postcard or flyer, distributed by mail or maybe to place in the newspaper or magazine.

Always… and I mean always… include your website address. I would even use a specific page address so that they go online and read more about the promotion.

And the reason I do that is that most people are “immune” to these type of ads. They are bombarded with them on a daily basis and the last thing they want to do is to ring a telephone number to enquire further.

Many will go to the web page as an alternative to using a telephone. Here’s a great tip… always provide more information on the web page… testimonials, use photos of happy clients, even provide an incentive to get them to provide you with their name and email address.

Now, let’s talk about email promotions. The big problem with this form of distribution is deliverability. Your audience may not get the email, it may get stuck in their SPAM filters. And that may have been caused by the words you use inside your email promotion.

You should always try and get your prospect back to a web page which has all the details of the particular promotion. Your web page is not subject to SPAM filters… you can say whatever you want.

So, your email should be a “teaser” to get them to click on a link to the web page where the full promotion and offer is revealed.

3. Facebook Tactics

In Lesson 3, I discussed the power of Facebook. You should have your own Auto Reapair Facebook Fan Page.

One great feature of Facebook is the ability add a link to any update you may post. So, if you have a promotion on a web page, make a short “teaser” post on Facebook and include the link to the promotion web page.

Here’s another great tip with Facebook. Once you make the post to your promotion, encourage a few of your clients to add their comments to the Facebook post.

It’s like a testimonial. It’s “social proof” from your clients that your promotion is well worth the investment.

Conclusion

The goal of each of these Lessons is to keep you ahead of the pack. Each strategy when applied will put your online presence a jump ahead of your competition.

Fact is, I rarely see Auto Repair Shops doing any promotions through their websites or through the use of email. Most websites I see have not been updated for years and many of them aren’t even visible on the search engines.

So when Auto Repair Shops do use these strategies many of them have great results. It’s about delivering the right message, to the right market at the right time.

And you will get great results when you understand how to get MORE traffic visiting your Auto Repair websites.