Not Another Automotive Social Network?!?!?
The automotive social networking space has a new entry. Jeff Kershner over at DealerRefresh is adding a forum to his already popular blog. This is a welcome addition to the already fragmented automotive social networking space.
While forums and blogs are not true social networking spaces like some of the other offerings out there they do offer a level of connection and two way communication. I know from personal experience you can build a business completely from online networking and it all started with this blog.
After speaking with Jeff about his new automotive resource and watching others who offer best practices and guidance I can see where his platform may very well trump all others in the automobile niche today.
This is not to take away from the other offerings but his concept and unique position in the auto industry, a dealership manager, will allow for more of a hands on approach and problem solving platform versus other venues in this highly segmented space.
Jared Hamilton’s DrivingSales and Ralph Paglia’s Automotive Digital Marketing, both very recommended resources, are the original entries that have survived but seem to cater more to the vendor marketing aspect of the business versus hands on knowledge. Many of the vendors that inhabit these locations don’t bring problem solving on use of their products as much as they use these entries as publishing platforms to showcase their areas of expertise and to keep their names and offerings infront of other in the car business. Each has a different dynamic and level of quality and are worth checking out.
Others have tried to bring this type of resource to the industry, most notably Automotive News and Imagic Connect, and have failed. The reasons can only be assumed but perhaps because they were vendor based and tightly moderated. Neither gained any type of sustainable traction. While the Imagic offering is still live it is but just a shell with no recent activity.
Ralph Paglia will openly admit the reason he started his network was due to the moderation found on another platform but his does not fall into the “Me Too” crowd like Selling Iron and Auto Dealer Monthly’s offering Auto Dealer People to replace their other abandoned forum because he was able to use his vast network to build his offering to the where it is today, the second largest automotive social network. Personally I do not see what either of these offer than an attempt to sell advertising based on previously published content and bring little if any value to the industry.
Kain Automotive and I Auto Consultants networks are very different in the space and are not looking to take over like the other commercial offerings and do have a very valid puprose. The first catering primarily to their customers and inhouse process and the second to consultants in the niche. Neither one trying to be all things to all people like the two big established networks.
That is the very reason the Dealer Refresh Forum will also take off in the months to come. It’s traffic and growth will come organically from attraction versus push marketing that we have seen from some of the other networks. It is will be a great addition as long as they keep it real and do not become influenced by the vendors whose products will eventually come under fire.
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Thanks for the mention Paul. Could you please make sure Auto Dealer Monthly’s site is listed correctly as Auto Dealer People. Also we are not connected to Ralph Paglia. We are owned by Greg Goebel.
Thank you,
Anna Hildebrandt
Thanks for pointing that out. The links and title have been corrected.
Paul, thanks for the mention and your support. We hope DealerRefresh Technology Forum offers something a little different while helping dealers discover new opportunities on how to maximize their dealers software programs i.e. CRM, ILM, inventory management, service modules and more.
You mentioned some sites that I was not even aware of like, Auto Dealer People and I People Consultants. Of course all those ning.com sites start to look the same.
I can’t believe you resurrected The King of Micro Media. HAHA…I totally forgot that was out there (I need to revisit my godaddy account more often). Very NICE!! Thanks for the laugh Paul. Funny thing is..that Micro Media website is one hell of an idea huh??
Thanks Paul
Anything I can do to help someone out in this space who has helped me as much as you have is an honor.
I just hope that true transparent vendor support and platform discussions is how things will roll in your new forum. That is something that the industry needs as it comes to maturity in it’s online marketing initiatives.
I got “peeps to shout out to” and convince them that the Micro Media sites are a farce.
Paul:
I am shocked at your comments regarding Auto Dealer People. It has been my experience that each of the social networks kind of specializes in a “niche”. Most of the other sites are heavily concentrated on the internet side of things.
Auto Dealer People tends to specialize in used vehicles. Some of the people that frequent this site are some of the best used car operators in the Country. They range in backgrounds from BHPH to Independents to Franchise Dealers. With the current state of the economy, I am not sure there is a more important Department than the Used Vehicle Department. I am amazed that you say that it has nothing to offer!
I personally love all the networking sites. There is opportunity to learn on each site. I am sure Jeff’s site will also be very good.
I think Auto Dealer People is the second largest because its content is very, very informative in a difficult market. I might also add it is the second largest in a very short time. If my memory serves me right, it was started in February and we are only in April! For those that are especially concerned about profitability, I would highly recommend it.
@Courtney Auto Dealer Monthly was poised to do so much better job than they have in that space. Their efforts are like the car dealer that just got on the web last quarter, trying to play catch up because they now have competition doing a better job than they are.
If they were pblishing original content that had not been published anywhere else, not regurgitated stuff from other places they may of gotten a thumbs up. As is they are just another vendor/advertising portal.
As far as size and scope. I have more email subscribers here than they do members times four. Right now they are a little fish in a very big pond.
They may make up for lost opportunity with a marketing push but it may never out run the head start others have. They missed the boat by not paying attention. So sad…
[...] was inspired by a recent post by Paul Rushing regarding social networks in the retail automotive community. Below is a short list of these [...]
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