Auto Repair & Dealers: How do I get more cars in the bays?

Search by symptom, search by make

Drivers search two ways: by symptom ("brakes squealing", "check engine light on", "AC not cold") and by make ("Toyota mechanic Kissimmee", "BMW repair Winter Park"). Then they look at the map, read three reviews and either call or book. Shops that rank for the symptoms and makes in their city keep the lifts full without coupons.

What usually goes wrong

Chains outspending on ads. Independents try to compete on the same broad keywords and lose. The win is in specific ones: makes, systems, neighborhoods.

Reviews concentrated in one place. Great on Google, invisible on Yelp and the make-specific forums. Assistants and Google weigh both.

No online booking. Phones go unanswered during the lunch rush and the customer books elsewhere.

Service pages that say nothing. "We do brakes" does not rank. A page that explains symptoms, what the inspection involves, typical price ranges and warranty does.

What we do for repair shops and dealers

Local SEO (from $150/month automated, from $500/month advanced). Profile with the right categories (auto repair shop, brake shop, transmission shop, specific make specialties), services listed with prices where you publish them, booking link, photo plan, review requests sent by text after every invoice, and a monthly rank grid.

Service and make pages. A page for each system (brakes, AC, transmission, diagnostics, tires) and each make you specialize in, written to answer what drivers ask. Dealer service departments get a dedicated silo separate from sales.

Google Ads for the profitable jobs. Diagnostics, brakes, AC before summer, tires, fleet accounts. Call and booking tracking, negative keywords for DIY and parts searches. $100/month plus 3–5% of spend.

A website with a schedule button. Fast, mobile, click-to-call, online booking, specials, financing, real photos of the bays and the team. $1,500 flat plus $200/month.

The first 90 days

Weeks 1–2: audit, service and make priority list. Weeks 3–6: service pages live, profile rebuilt, booking connected, review texts running. Weeks 7–12: rank grid movement, Ads tuned to cost per booking, first monthly report.

What we would do, in order

Questions people ask us

We are independent. Can we compete with the chains?

Locally, yes. Chains rank on brand; independents rank on specificity: the make you specialize in, the neighborhood you serve, the reviews that mention honesty and price.

Should we let people book online?

Yes. Drivers compare three shops and book with the one that lets them pick a time without calling. It also feeds Google a booking link, which helps the profile.

Does this work for dealers and service centers?

Yes. Dealer service departments are usually buried under the sales site. A dedicated service silo and profile category ranks for "brake service" and "oil change" searches the dealer currently loses to the quick-lube down the street.

How do I get more cars in the bays?

What usually goes wrong

Search by symptom, search by make

What usually goes wrong

What we do for repair shops and dealers

The first 90 days

What we would do, in order

Questions people ask us

Tell us what you do and where. We will tell you what would work.