by: David Wigder
Yahoo Auto’s Green Center is a powerful auto buying portal focused on hybrid and other eco-friendly vehicles. Its web pages are packed with engaging content, tools and community features that help users evaluate, compare and find the green car that is right for them.
Site features target consumer needs at every stage across the purchase funnel – from building awareness of green cars and technology to enabling comparison of available choices to facilitating purchases at the dealerships. Moreover, Yahoo built the site using relevant proprietary applets such as Yahoo Answers, Groups and News that are used across its portal, while forming partnerships to do the rest. In doing so, Yahoo is able to integrate best-of-breed tools within the site experience.
Yahoo Auto’s Green Center
Green Center Site Features and Partners
|
Features |
Partners/Yahoo Applets | |
| Content | ||
| Car information including pricing (MSRP and invoice), rebates and incentives, features & specifications, performance reviews, photos and videos | JD Powers | |
| Exclusive “Green Ratings” | Environmental Defense | |
| Federal and state purchasing incentives | HybridCars.com | |
| Gas saving tips; Hybrid newsletter | HybridCars.com | |
| Relevant news articles | Yahoo! News, del.icio.us | |
| Tools | ||
| Car comparison | ||
| Gas mileage impact calculator (consumption, costs, emissions) | HybridCars.com, ACEEE’s Green Book | |
| Alternative fuel gas locator | US Department of Energy | |
| Financing (rates + quotes) | CapitalOne, CarsDirect, Bankrate.com | |
| Insurance (quotes) | Allstate, Progressive, GEICO | |
| Community | ||
| Groups | Yahoo! Groups | |
| Q&A | Yahoo! Answers | |
| Opinion polls | ||
| Most popular/viewed cars | ||
One of the most engaging tools is the Gas Mileage Impact Calculator which enables direct comparison of vehicles based on gas milage, fuel costs and emissions. Here I have provided a direct comparison between the Camry and the Camry hybrid. Note the 2,500 lb reduction in carbon dioxide emissions when shifting to the hybrid.
One of the best community features on the site is Yahoo Answers which allows users to pose questions and others to provide answers. Users then select the best answer through popular vote.
Yahoo Answers on the Environment & Ecology
Original Post: http://marketinggreen.wordpress.com/2006/12/28/targeting-green-on-yahoo/
