Last week I wrote about ways auto dealerships looking to have their pay-per-click ad campaign managed by a vendor can find the best partner that best fits their goals.  I realize that not every auto dealership will decide to go that route, so I’ve found some tips for car dealers looking to manage their own PPC accounts.

You have to have some knowledge of the pay per click process.  This can be found in books, conferences, online articles or auto industry blogs, or by talking to other dealers that are running their own ad campaigns.  “Knowledge is Power” may be a bit of a cliché, but it holds true; before you begin, educated yourself on at least the very basics of PPC.  Make sure you continue to research and learn throughout your time as a PPC ad campaign manager.

Start slowly.  Get your feet wet with a few keywords to help you understand the process and the amount of time a full PPC campaign will take to manage. Diversify your ad campaign only when you feel comfortable doing so.

Test often and consistently.  Test which keywords are performing the best, the cost-per-click of these keywords, and which positions result in the best ROI for your auto dealership.  Only through testing will you be able to determine if you are successfully managing your PPC accounts, or if it might be time to partner with an auto dealership PPC vendor that can get better results.

Car dealers that use pay-per-click advertising for their dealership website often turn to a managed service.  If your car dealership is ready to turn your PPC campaign over, or you’re just looking to get started with PPC, here are some things you should look for when determining which car dealer PPC manager is best for your dealership.

It’s so important that you know what is important to your dealership.  There is no PPC managing program that has everything for everyone.  When you know what your dealership’s needs and wants are for your PPC ad campaigns, you’ll be better able to find the PPC manager that fits your car dealership best.

Ask the vendors you are considering what is coming down the pipeline.  What new features are they working on?  Where is the company headed?  You’ll want a company that is continually moving forward and constantly innovating.  You should also ask vendors what their strong points and weaknesses are.  This will help you make sure the vendor can deliver on the needs you’ve established your dealership has.

Ask around.  There are tons of forums, blogs, and 20 groups that have a lot of information your auto dealership can use.  See which vendors have been successful, which are lacking, and which are recommended.  Just like your customers use dealership reviews to evaluate which car dealer to buy from, testimonials and first-hand experience can be very telling.