Remember when all we had to worry about was Google rankings?
Ah, the simpler days of SEO. Stuff your page with keywords, tweak your meta tags, and boom – your dealership popped up first when someone typed in “used SUVs near me.”
But the world of search is shifting fast. If you want your dealership to stay relevant – and visible – you need to think beyond traditional SEO and start considering AI Search Optimization (AISO).
How has AI changed online searches?
Google recently rolled out AI Overviews, a new feature that summarizes answers directly at the top of the search page. Think of it as an AI-powered cheat sheet. Users get the info they need without clicking through a bunch of links. Sounds great for users, but it’s a game-changer for marketers – including those of us in automotive.
And it’s not just Google. ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and other generative AI tools are becoming part of how people discover information online. Shoppers are turning to AI to ask more complex, specific questions like “What’s the best AWD SUV under $40K with good fuel economy near me?” That means your content has to be ready to answer those questions clearly, accurately, and in a format AI can pull from.
If your dealership site isn't optimized for these new tools, you could miss out on valuable visibility at the exact moment shoppers are narrowing their decision. According to Digiday, AI is not only changing what gets seen – it’s changing who gets seen. Brands with content that’s well-structured, authoritative, and helpful get prioritized.
Should car dealers focus on SEO or AISO? Spoiler: Both!
Let’s be clear: SEO isn’t dead. Far from it. Shoppers still end up on your website via search results. That’s why you need to play both games.
Here’s the new game plan:
- Write with humans and AI in mind. That means structured content, clear headers, question-based formats (think FAQs), and concise answers.
- Focus on long-tail keywords and natural language queries that mimic how real people speak to AI tools.
- Build authority. Back up your claims with citations, customer reviews, and real data.
This guide dives deeper into SEO best practices for dealerships in 2025, including page speed, internal linking, and structured data (schema). Combine that with AISO-minded content, and you’ve got a winning strategy.
Don’t just get found – Wow them when they land
OK, so now your site is showing up in both AI summaries and search results. Great. But then what?
Once a customer lands on your website, the experience has to deliver. If your site feels like it was built in 2013 – or worse, doesn’t load properly on mobile – you’ve just lost a lead.
Over 50% of car shoppers start their journey on mobile. Your site needs to be responsive, fast, and built for thumbs, not mice.
Here’s your checklist:
- Listings with impact: Merchandise your inventory with professional, branded vehicle photos (AI-edited, anyone?) to set your listings apart.
- Research-ready tools: Offer trade-in evaluations, credit checks, pre-qualifications, and test-drive bookings right on the site to help convert web traffic into paying customers.
- Mobile-first everything: Navigation, buttons, and forms must be easy to use on any device.
What about SEO and AISO for social media?
Here's something not enough dealers are talking about: social media platforms are now search engines too.
When a shopper wants to check out reviews of a dealership or browse inventory videos, where do they go? Increasingly, it's Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube — and the algorithms on those platforms are using SEO signals to decide what content to deliver.
According to Forbes, AI-driven platforms now prioritize content that matches specific user queries, behaviours, and preferences — not just what's trending. That means your post descriptions, hashtags, video captions, and alt text are more important than ever.
Want to boost visibility? Try these social SEO strategies:
- 🏷️ Use location tags and keywords like "2023 used trucks in [City]" in your video captions.
- 🎥 Create short-form videos that answer common shopper questions — like “What credit score do I need for 0% financing?”
- 📢 Include call-to-actions like “Book your test drive now” in the first few seconds of a video or post.
- 🔍 Add relevant hashtags and think of them like keywords. Use both broad (#usedcars) and specific (#torontousedcars).
By optimizing social content this way, your dealership can show up not only on Google, but also in AI-powered discovery feeds across the web.
Final thoughts
AI isn’t just another shiny new toy. It’s changing how your customers shop, research, and make decisions. Your website and your content need to evolve with it. That means:
- Balancing traditional SEO with AISO strategies.
- Writing content that answers real shopper questions in ways AI can use.
- Optimizing your site for mobile-first browsing and seamless lead capture.
Search is still the gateway. But in this new era, it’s AI that’s holding the keys. Make sure your dealership is ready to show up – and shine – wherever and however shoppers are searching.
Request a demo below to see how AutoVerify can help.
