At last week’s Google I/O conference, Director of Google Maps Daniel Brath announced that Google Maps ratings are going to return to a 5 star scale. The move helps simplify listings, and in doing so will likely motivate car shoppers to leave reviews for their dealerships of choice. It’s also part of ongoing enhancements to Google plus. Here’s what dealers need to know about the change.

A close look at eBay’s decision to stop running paid search campaigns shows actually reveals the importance of well-executed PPC campaigns within automotive. Here are some key lessons for dealers.

Today’s digital world can be approached with a “beer guy” mentality, where digital thinking is simplified around four key areas—Inventory, Websites, Advertising, and CRM. Focusing on those basics helps make sense of the various tactics and trends that are always floating around our space these days.

Before setting off to Orlando to unveil new CRM enhancements at NADA 2013, three of Dealer.com’s CRM Architects — a team of longtime dealers and automotive industry lifers — came together to answer some frequently-asked CRM questions, and share the thinking behind the product.

92% of consumers trust ‘earned media’, including unpaid recommendations, tips, and social media check-ins (In contrast to 47% of consumers who trust television, representing a 24% decline since 2009). In other words, social credibility matters to your reputation.

Geotargeting is “SEO-speak” for helping to ensure websites rank for searches that include specific places (cities, towns, counties, etc.).