What Google Search Knows About Your Dealership Website

By Michael Masouras, Founder & CEO of MotoHunt
As shared on the Dealership fiXit Podcast

Your powersports website is your digital showroom. But here’s the hard truth: even if it looks great to you, it might not look great to Google. And if Google doesn’t like it, your customers won’t find it.

Before founding MotoHunt, I spent years working at Google as an engineer on the Search team. On a previous podcast, I explained how search engines actually view dealership websites and why even a good-looking site can underperform in search.

Here is what you need to know if you want more visibility, more leads, and better performance online.

Your Dealership Site Might Not Show Up

There are three major things Google looks at when deciding where to rank your website:

1. How Good Is Your Website?

Google favors websites that are fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to use. If your site loads slowly or looks cluttered on phones, it can get pushed down in search.

You can test this with Google’s free tool: search for Google PageSpeed Insights and enter your website. It gives you a score and suggestions to improve. If your score is under 70, ask your web provider for help.

2. Who’s Linking to Your Website?

Google sees backlinks (links from other websites to yours) as votes of trust. If you’re getting links from manufacturers, local riding groups, community pages, or event partners, that tells Google your site has value.

If your competitor has 25 links and you have 2, you’re already behind.

3. What Do People Do When They Click?

Google watches what happens after someone clicks your site. If they stay, click around, and look at inventory, that’s good. If they bounce and go back to search, that’s not. The more helpful and complete your major unit details & content is, the more Google promotes it.

Why Big Sites Win and How You Can

Websites like CycleTrader, Craigslist, Motohunt.com and other online marketplaces dominate search results because of their size and popularity. That’s the reality.

But there’s a silver lining. If someone searches “Polaris Ranger for sale near me” or “used Harley in Des Moines,” Google recognizes that as a local search. That’s your chance.

To win, you need your local SEO set up right. That includes a fast site, a strong Google Business Profile, accurate inventory listings, and landing pages with unique content and photos.

Six Things You Can Do Right Now

1. Run a Google PageSpeed Insights test and share the results with your website provider.

2. Use multiple original photos for your inventory listings.

3. Write custom descriptions for new & used vehicles.

4. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. Respond to reviews and be active.

5. Encourage backlinks from people who run related websites, event pages, or sponsors.

6. Add your website link to many platforms & mediums to increase visibility and referral traffic.

These are small but powerful changes that make your dealership easier to find.

Ready to See What Google Sees?

Making these changes does not require a full website rebuild or hiring a team of experts.

With a little bit of time and using some AI for direction, dealers can start to see improvements within weeks. Better rankings, more qualified traffic, and more leads are all possible when your website is set up the way Google, and your customers, want it.

Small steps lead to big results. Start today, measure progress, and keep building. The dealers who take action are the ones who win online.

Interested in more? Book a free demo of Motohunt Premium and let us walk you through it. You will learn what’s working, what’s not, and how to fix it.

Even small improvements can drive major results when it comes to online search. Your next customer is already searching. Make sure they find your local dealership site.