• by Karl Greenberg , October 16, 2007

Autobytel Inc. has launched a new consumer Web site that may be the first all-things-auto portal. The company hopes the new Web site, MyRide.com, which launched last week, appeals to those looking to buy, looking to modify and just looking by serving up both its own content and search-like results from millions of blogs, social networks, auto-club and enthusiast Web sites and more traditional Web content.

The company this week launches a multimillion-dollar online push to tout the new site. The campaign, via Y&R Brands and KSL Media, uses humorous teasers to direct consumers to MyRide.com, and consumer-uploaded videos and content, all to make the point that the new Web address goes beyond the traditional automotive sites focused on the bottom of the purchase funnel.

The site contains a proprietary Internet search tool for automotive users; a library of car-themed videos (ranging from video reviews to motor sports); video/photo sharing; a nationwide local parts and service directory; and wide-ranging community features, including interactive personal pages. It delineates its offerings with into five areas: "Find, See, Buy, Learn, Belong."

The effort uses direct, banner marketing and search engine marketing components. Autobytel will do an email blast to its current database of more than 9 million users. The banner marketing campaign is scaled to reach well beyond Autobytel's established consumer base of millions of monthly visitors--targeting consumers on leading sports, entertainment, technology and finance sites with consistently fresh and provocative questions and statements that reflect MyRide.com's unique offerings, such as: "What Happens when you put a Hemi on a Tricycle? " or "10 Tips to Keep You Safe from Hippie Violence."

Mark Cannon, chief product officer, says the ad campaign is targeted to directed consumers, searching for specific information, and discretionary consumers. For the latter, ads will run on finance, sports, entertainment, automotive and tech sites. The ad buy is on all major portals within their lifestyle and automotive channels, per Cannon.

As consumers click through each ad, they will come to a specific landing page that introduces them to an area of the site that matches their current interest. For example, those seeking to find out what exactly happens "when you put a hemi on a tricycle" will be directed to a user-posted video of a Hemi on a tricycle while also being introduced to the broader community user-generated and video-sharing section of MyRide.

President and CEO Jim Riesenbach, former senior vice president of AOL's Search Group, says that the form and function of the site reflects how consumers conduct searches and how savvy younger consumers have gotten with doing their on research online. "Consumers are much more aware that it's easier to navigate the Web via search engines, and search has made consumers more aware that traditional automotive sites are narrow. This industry is entirely focused on the in-market auto consumer, but that's a small sliver of the auto consumers who are online."

He says the new Web site is built around the entire automotive life cycle. "In the auto category there are half a billion searches going on per month, and only one third is from actively in-market consumers."

Riesenbach says that in addition to a vertical for consumers looking to buy vehicles, MyRide.com also comprises an "Enhancement" vertical focused on parts and accessories consumers; "Ownership", focused on inquiring vehicle owners, who would otherwise be searching through owner Web sites, social networking sites and the like for information about their vehicles; and "Enthusiasm" for hobbyists, fans, seekers of dream cars and the like.

Cannon, also an alumnus of AOL's search business, says: "There's a huge market and growing in parts and accessories. But it is highly fragmented on the Web today. And there's a huge amount of information about one's own car, a lot through social networking, and if you look at the web at large, there's over one hundred thousand blogs specific to makes and models. They are driving significant traffic, and they are being generated by consumers."

Riesenbach says MyRide.com is modeled on sites like WebMD, and similar sites in travel and real estate verticals. "There are two extremes: the walled-garden approach, which is authoritarian, and search engines, which returns an overwhelming amount of results. MyRide is built right in the middle of those two, as a gateway to all auto information, organized intuitively."