5 SEO Mistakes Automotive Dealerships Make (And How to Fix Them)

Hello! I’m Jorge, a 59-year-old freelance SEO consultant based in Leeds. For years, I’ve helped car dealerships across the UK shine online. In my previous role as an SEO manager for a company building websites solely for the automotive industry, I managed major accounts—multi-franchise, multi-location dealerships from Cardiff to Edinburgh. Now, through my consultancy at JJSEO, I work with a select group of qualityunionly clients, like car dealerships, to achieve results without the big agency overheads.

Running a car dealership is tough. Customers search for “car dealers near me” or “BMW for sale in Leeds” daily, and if your website isn’t ranking on Google, you’re losing business. The good news? Most SEO mistakes are fixable. Here are the five biggest SEO mistakes I see automotive dealerships make—and how you can fix them to attract more clicks, calls, and customers.

Mistake 1: Ignoring Google My Business

In my days managing SEO for dealerships, I saw many neglect their Google My Business (GMB) profile. It’s like leaving your forecourt unlit! Your GMB listing is often the first thing customers see on Google Maps or local searches. An unclaimed or poorly optimised profile hands leads to competitors.

The Fix: Claim and optimise your GMB profile. Upload high-quality photos of your showroom and stock, update your hours, and list services like “test drives” or “finance options.” Encourage reviews from satisfied customers and respond professionally, even to negative ones. For multi-location dealerships, set up separate GMB profiles for each site. My SEO Localisation service can help you make your GMB profile a lead-generating machine.

Pro Tip: Post regular GMB updates, like “0% finance on selected models this month,” to stand out in local searches.

Mistake 2: Neglecting Local Keywords

I once worked with a multi-franchise dealership in Birmingham that ranked for “car sales” but not for “Ford dealer Birmingham.” Broad keywords are hard to crack, especially for smaller dealers competing with national brands. Local keywords, like “Volkswagen dealership Leeds” or “used cars Dorset,” drive real results.

The Fix: Research local keywords that match customer searches. Tools like Ahrefs or Google’s Keyword Planner are useful, but it’s about knowing your audience. Optimise title tags, meta descriptions, and content with phrases like “car dealer in [your city].” My work with a Dorset Audi dealership (see their 44% YoY growth story) used local keywords to dominate regional searches. My SEO for Automotive service includes bespoke keyword research to boost your visibility.

Mistake 3: Thin or Duplicate Content

I’ve seen dealership websites with pages saying little more than “Welcome to our dealership!” or using manufacturer-copied descriptions. Thin content doesn’t impress Google, and duplicate content can harm rankings. Customers want detailed, unique information, like model-specific pages or finance guides.

The Fix: Build rich, original content for key pages. A “Used BMWs in Leeds” page should highlight your stock, unique selling points (e.g., certified pre-owned), and customer reviews. Blogs work, too—try “Top 5 SUVs for Families in West Yorkshire.” My SMEs SEO service can create content that engages customers and climbs Google rankings.

External Resource: For content ideas, see Moz’s guide on content strategy. It’s a solid starting point for Google-friendly pages.

Mistake 4: Poor Website Structure and Speed

I once worked with a multi-location dealer whose website was slow and hard to navigate. Customers left, and Google penalised it. A clunky site with broken links, no mobile optimisation, or slow load times hurts SEO and frustrates visitors.

The Fix: Audit your website for technical issues. Ensure it’s mobile-friendly (Google prioritises mobile-first indexing), compress images for speed, and fix broken links. Use a clear structure: homepage, stock pages, about, and contact. For multi-franchise dealers, organise by brand (e.g., “Audi,” “Ford”) and location. My Services include technical SEO audits to make your site fast, user-friendly, and Google-ready.

Pro Tip: Check your site speed with Google’s PageSpeed Insights. Aim for a score above 80.

Mistake 5: No Competitor Research

One of my biggest wins for clients was analysing competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. With big automotive accounts, we studied rival dealers’ keywords, backlinks, and content to find opportunities. Skipping competitor research is like driving blind—you’re guessing, not strategising.

The Fix: Use tools like SEMrush to check competitors’ ranking keywords and backlink sources. If a rival ranks for “used cars Manchester,” create better content or optimise a page to outrank them. My post on Leveraging Market and Competitor Research for Local SEO Success explains this approach. My SEO for Automotive service can give you a competitive edge.

Why Choose Me?

I’m not a big agency—I’m Jorge, bringing over 20 years of SEO expertise to a small group of quality clients. I’ve managed SEO for some of the UK’s largest automotive accounts, and now I help dealerships like yours succeed without the fuss. No long-term contracts, just clear, tailored strategies. Curious about my clients’ experiences? Visit my Testimonials.

Ready to fix these SEO mistakes and drive leads to your dealership? Let’s talk. Reach out via my Contact page or check my SEO Questions and Answers for more tips. I’d love to help your dealership—whether a single-site operation in Leeds or a multi-franchise group across the UK—rank higher and grow.

Fun Fact: I use the Opera Browser to streamline my SEO work—it’s a lifesaver for productivity. Read more in my post on How Opera Browser Enhances Efficiency.

Let’s get your dealership to Google’s top spots. Contact me today, and let’s make it happen!