Let’s face it, if a dealership is firing their digital marketing agency, it is a last resort after working to improve results. Ideally, the dealer can identify campaigns that are not performing, audiences that are not being properly targeted, or creative that is not very compelling, and work with the agency to make improvements. However, if after repeatedly trying to work through obstacles, the dealership still cannot make progress, then moving forward with another agency is the only logical choice.
We’ve all heard about the “onboarding process” when beginning work with a new agency, but we never talk about an “off-boarding process”? What I mean is, when we fire the agency, how do we unwind and disconnect the many layers the agency has already installed? Have we secured our paid keyword list and a record of which terms have worked best in the past? Does the agency still have access to our systems, data, and shopping audiences?
Here is a quick list of 4 steps that dealers should take before and during an agency termination:
- Google Analytics Access – This is one of the most common areas I see dealers neglecting. Who owns the primary Google Analytics instance for the dealership, and which people still have access? First, dealers should always make sure they are the admin for their Google Analytics. This way, they never have to wrestle control away from a terminated vendor. I’ve seen too many cases in which the dealership is required to start over with Google Analytics because the agency is claiming they own it. Dealers should take ownership, and should regularly trim the list of people with access. Part of any agency off-boarding should include removing the agency’s access to the dealers Google Analytics.
- Keyword Lists – I believe a dealer’s paid keyword list is part of their intellectual property. Ideally, a dealer should groom their keyword lists over the years, from agency to agency, knowing the paid keywords that have performed well and the ones that do not. This keyword list should also include the keyword match type, as well as the negative keyword list. This combined suite of information should be treated as intellectual property, as the dealer’s asset, and kept as confidential as a winning football team’s playbook. This is also a reason I strongly discourage dealers from working with agencies that will not connect Google Ads with Google Analytics, and offer transparency on keyword lists. Again, the dealer should own this asset, not the agency. When switching agencies, the dealer should secure their keyword list and carry it to the next provider.
- Google My Business / Google Search Console – Your Google My Business listing is your most important secondary website, and should be fed content, curated, and cared for. This includes removing access to this page from any agency or consultant who is no longer working with the store. Google Search Console is a powerful free tool that helps a dealer manage and analyze their organic search results. When terminating the agency, the dealership should also remove this access.
- Site Tracking Pixels – What are site tracking pixels? These are tags that agencies may place on the dealer’s site, to gather shopper data for retargeting and other campaigns. The longer these pixels are in place, the more valuable data is collected that can help the dealership in their marketing campaigns. However, if you fire the agency and don’t remove these pixels, the agency still has access to the dealership’s shoppers. While most agencies have high integrity, and would never try to use or resell a dealer’s audience, I strongly recommend “closing the barn door” on the dealer’s website by removing any old pixel trackers from their site. At the same time, this trimming will make sure the site is always performing with the best response times vs. being loaded down with multiple old tracking pixels.
My goal in working with dealerships is to make the agency better, not to get them fired. However, there are many times that moving forward with another provider is the best solution. By completing the four steps above, the dealership can best protect their interests and make sure that every agency makes the next agency better.
If you are an automotive retailer, let us help you find and eliminate the wasted spending in your digital marketing investments. We can help you greatly improve your return on ad spend and gain more transparency with your digital marketing investments. Details here: generationsdigital.com
You can also follow us on these social networks:
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/georgenenni
Facebook: facebook.com/generationsdigital/
Twitter: twitter.com/generationsdig