SEO Portfolio Project: Used Car Dealership in Laurel, Delaware

Project Overview

The Opportunity

This was a ground-up SEO project for a new car dealership in a rural town. No domain history, no web presence, no content. Just a brand-new business in Laurel, DE looking to get found online.

The dealership owner had no prior SEO experience and was unsure how people would discover the business online. That made this the ideal opportunity to apply foundational SEO from day one without needing to reverse old issues.

My Role

• Conducted competitor analysis and keyword research
• Set up Google Search Console, Analytics, and Bing Webmaster Tools
• Performed technical SEO setup before launch
• Built a clean, crawlable, fast-loading website structure
• Optimized content for small-town and nearby service areas
• Implemented Local Business Schema and Vehicle Schema
• Wrote localized, conversion-focused content
• Designed long-tail keyword strategy for hyperlocal queries
• Monitored and adjusted SEO performance post-launch

Challenges

• Zero domain authority: New domain with no trust or history
• Low search volume: Rural town with limited monthly traffic
• Limited inventory: Only 20–30 vehicles listed, so every page needed to work harder
• No existing citations or backlinks

Strategy Breakdown

Technical Foundation

• Pre-launch crawl setup
• Submitted sitemap and fixed robots.txt
• Fixed mobile usability and load time issues
• Set up fast, SEO-friendly URLs to avoid future redirects

Local SEO

• Created custom Local Business schema
• Used Vehicle schema on listings
• Geo-targeted nearby towns: Seaford, Georgetown, Salisbury (MD)

Content

• Local-first messaging (“Serving Laurel & Sussex County families”)
• Unique descriptions for each vehicle
• Optimized images (compression, naming, alt text)

Results

After 3 Months:

• Ranked on Page 1 for “used cars Laurel Delaware” and related long-tail keywords
• Organic impressions grew 300% MoM
• Website started generating direct phone calls from search users

By April 2025:

• 30+ indexed pages
• Dozens of top-10 keyword rankings for hyperlocal terms
• Consistent lead flow from organic search

Key Takeaways

• A clean slate is an opportunity to build things right
• Small towns can be SEO goldmines if you go hyperlocal
• Patience pays off, especially in low-competition areas
• Every image, page, and schema element can have measurable impact

What’s Next

The site is now in growth mode. As the dealership adds inventory and services, the SEO structure supports scale. Future plans include adding financing-related content and targeting new locations.

Want results like this?

If you’re launching a local business or have a dealership in a small town, I can help you get found just like we did here. Reach out to discuss your project.