With the virtual space more crowded than the M4 on a sunny Bank Holiday weekend, being able to stand out from the crowd is an issue which digital marketing agency Greenlight plans to bring sharply into focus at AM’s Digital Dealer Conference.

Greenlight’s business development director Ian Hucklesby explores how search has changed and how retailers can increase their potential of reaching the top of the search engines.

Hucklesby first started work as a technical and design apprentice for Vauxhall, becoming an engineer in R&D testing.

After moving to Mercedes-Benz Finance he led a team which launched the first e-commerce platform selling Mercedes stock to dealers which saw him work closely with the brand’s dealer network and some prominent independent retailers.

Speaking at the conference, AM’s third digital event, which takes place at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire on September 12, Hucklesby argues the dealer web offering can be stronger, fresher and more meaningful than that of the manufacturer’s which should be harnessed to full potential with a finely tuned search strategy.

He said: “Since the early 2000s, when the realisation that search engines and brand visibility within them was going to be the primary marketing channel on the web, search has changed beyond all recognition and continues to evolve.

“For example, we were all told 2012 was going to be year of the mobile, in fact, it is this year where we are seeing mobile having the biggest impact on search so far.

“We are finding consumers are searching very differently depending on the device they are using and the time of day; it is all these nuances which come into play and interact in a certain way which can enable dealers to forge ahead in the search engines.

“Understanding the buyer’s journey is at the heart of the most successful dealer search campaigns and the business’ which embrace this will be the ones who gain the most wins in terms of targeted traffic to their websites.”

As well as exploring the impact of mobile searches and the way it fits into the buyer’s journey from one device to another to the forecourt and back to mobile, Hucklesby will take a close look at search terminology and identify underused terms which could help dealers rank higher, as well as other digital advertising opportunities, in display, retargeting contextual advertising, and social. He will also draw on Greenlight’s experience in vertical markets including fashion retail, consumer finance and travel.

Tickets are available to dealers and manufacturers, to book, please contact Nicola Baxter on 01733 468289 or email nicola.baxter@bauermedia.co.uk or visit www.amdigitaldealer.co.uk