Web Wise: Dynamic Ideas for Your Site

One of the best ways to improve your search engine ranking is to keep people on your site. You can't physically force people to hang around, but you can make your site much easier to use and interactive, thereby increasing your chances they will stay engaged and interested in your site. Let's look at some ways to make your site "stickier" for visitors:

• Pictures, images and other graphics - A picture really is worth a thousand words, and one of the best uses of graphics is to use charts, graphs and action shots that explain complicated processes or concepts to educate your site's visitors about vehicles, automotive repair, and laws and regulations.

• Videos and podcasts - Do you have a television or radio commercial already created? Do you host a radio show or have you been a guest on one? Did a local television station tap your knowledge for a recent news story? Make sure you are placing all these items on your site; if you can't get the actual feed, be sure to link to the item and feature that link prominently on your home page.

Don't have any multimedia items to promote? Creating your own video or podcast is fairly easy and many times only takes an investment of your time. Create a "How-To- Find-a-Great-Shop" video for potential clients, or demonstrate proper car washing techniques for recently painted vehicles. The possibilities are endless.

• Polls, surveys and quizzes - Polls and surveys are great ways to gauge the effectiveness of your site, as well as gain valuable feedback from customers and potential clients. Quizzes provide an enjoyable way to educate your visitors about vehicles and service, and all these ideas can be implemented with little to no financial investment. Search for free services online and you can get started today.

• Live camera feeds - Believe it or not, people visiting your site just might be entranced seeing you and your team at work. Live camera feeds are fairly simple to set up and don't take a huge investment in cash. You can get started for free at UStream.com.

This is also a great time to re-evaluate the effectiveness of your site overall. Review all of the pages on your Web site and remove or de-emphasize any old or stale information, and promote new or updated content. Fill out all your forms and ensure they still work properly, and make sure all of the links on your site are functioning correctly.

Remember, your site is just one tool in your marketing arsenal, but its potential is limitless. Be sure to spend some time each month on your site to maximize its capabilities.

ASA Web Ways: Get Your AAM

Are you working toward the Automotive Management Institute's (AMI) Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation? If so, AMI requires students to complete its self-study "Automotive Service Management Course," available online. The course is designed to provide students with an interactive management training experience on topics that include sales and marketing, personnel management and financial management. After successfully completing the six modules of this course, students receive 12 credits. To order the course online, visit www.AMIonline.org and click on the "Self-Study Courses" ad.