In the competitive automotive industry, standing out in local search results is key to attracting more foot traffic and phone calls, and one of the most effective ways to do this is by actively managing your presence on car dealer review sites.
Why? Because car dealer reviews play a major role in how your dealership ranks in local search, not to mention how much trust prospective customers place in your business!
Why Do Car Dealer Reviews Matter for Local SEO?
When a potential buyer searches for car dealerships near them, search engines like Google pull in signals from various sources to determine which businesses show up in search results. These signals include the quantity, quality, and recency of reviews. In fact, reviews are one of the top ranking factors for local search!
High ratings and thoughtful feedback can boost your dealership's reputation, increase your visibility in local search, and drive more clicks and conversions. On the other hand, negative or sparse reviews can keep you buried below competitors.
So, whether you own or manage an automotive dealership or do marketing for one, it's essential to focus on getting reviews on the top car dealer review sites, including local search giants like Google and Apple Maps as well as industry-specific sites for car dealer reviews.
Additionally, collecting reviews across as many high-authority platforms as possible can help you optimize for generative engines (AI tools) that are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional local search engines.
If a user asks an AI tool what the top-rated car dealers near them are, the AI will scan reviews across multiple sources to provide an answer, making it more important than ever to diversify car dealer reviews.
Get Reviews on These Car Dealer Review Sites To Improve Local Search Performance
Below are some of the most important general and industry-specific review platforms to focus on if you're aiming to boost a car dealership's local SEO performance.
1. Google Business Profile
As the most influential review platform for local search, your Google Business Profile is ground zero for reputation management. Reviews here are directly tied to your dealership's local pack (Google Maps) rankings.
Google reviews show up prominently in both browser search results and on Google Maps, and they heavily influence how users perceive your dealership.Â
Responding to reviews and encouraging satisfied customers to leave feedback on your dealership's Google Business Profile is crucial for building credibility and climbing the local rankings.
2. Apple Maps
Apple Maps may not get as much attention as Google Maps, but it's growing fast, especially among new iPhone users who default to using the Apple Maps app on their mobile devices.Â
Apple Maps has a built-in rating system, so optimizing your Apple Maps Place Card can help you build a reputation on the platform and attract more iOS users who are actively looking for car dealers near them.
Car dealerships that show up and are rated well on Apple Maps can capture high-intent traffic from iPhone users searching while on the go, making this a smart long-term play for improving local visibility.
3. Yelp
Although Yelp is widely known for restaurant reviews, it's also a top-tier platform for other types of local businesses, including car dealerships.
Yelp reviews often appear in platforms that pull reviews from other sites, such as Bing, and can even show up in Google's organic search results, improving overall local search visibility.
For example, if a user searches Google for something like "best car dealers in Ottawa," they might see a Yelp link for the top 10 car dealerships in Ottawa near the top of results. This page would show a mix of the dealerships with the most reviews and the highest average ratings.
4. Cars.com
This is one of the most trusted automotive marketplaces, and it features reviews specifically for dealerships. A strong presence here can build authority with car shoppers who are already deep in the decision-making process.
Reviews on Cars.com focus not only on the buying experience but also on service quality, transparency, and staff behavior. It's an excellent platform for showing off the strengths of your team and building long-term trust!
5. DealerRater
As its name implies, DealerRater is a review site built specifically for automotive dealers. It allows customers to rate their experience with both the dealership and individual salespeople, making it a powerful tool for boosting personal and brand reputations.
DealerRater reviews are often syndicated to other platforms like Cars.com and even manufacturer (OEM) websites. This gives the site added weight in terms of both visibility and SEO value.
6. Edmunds
Best known for car reviews and pricing tools, Edmunds also offers dealership reviews. It's a trusted name among car buyers doing in-depth research before making a purchase.
Being active on Edmunds can help build your authority as a dealership and catch the eye of discerning shoppers who are comparing features, financing options, and overall dealership experiences.
7. Facebook
With its massive user base and integrated business profiles, Facebook is a valuable (but often overlooked) review platform. Reviews left on Facebook often reflect customer satisfaction with your social engagement, responsiveness, and dealership environment.
Because Facebook reviews can also appear in search engine results and are shared easily by users, maintaining a positive reputation here helps expand your online reach beyond traditional automotive platforms.
8. Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Although not a traditional car dealer review site, the BBB is still an important place to monitor and manage reviews. Many consumers trust the BBB for evaluating business credibility, especially when it comes to larger purchases like vehicles.
Having an A+ rating with the BBB (and handling any complaints professionally) can strengthen your online reputation, boost SEO, and improve trustworthiness in the eyes of searchers.
9. RepairPal (for Service Reviews)
If your dealership includes a service center, RepairPal is a great place to gather customer feedback related to repairs, maintenance, and diagnostics. It helps establish your credibility as a trustworthy source for auto service, which is a big factor for repeat customers.
Having strong reviews here can support your SEO by showing up in niche searches for auto repair, helping you dominate more keywords tied to both sales and service.
10. Cargurus
CarGurus blends listings, dealership profiles, and consumer reviews, making it a strong discovery platform for both new and used vehicle buyers. Reviewers on CarGurus often provide detailed feedback on pricing fairness, transparency, and overall satisfaction.
Because CarGurus has strong SEO and frequently ranks for vehicle-related queries, reviews here can drive traffic directly to your dealership and reinforce your brand reputation in search.
Conclusion
Getting reviews on the right car dealer review sites can make a major difference in your dealership's local SEO performance. Whether it's broad platforms like Google and Yelp or industry-specific ones like DealerRater and Cars.com, every review contributes to your overall visibility and trustworthiness.
If you're serious about growing your dealership, make a plan to actively request, monitor, and respond to car dealer reviews across multiple platforms. Your future customers are reading, and so are the search engines!
