Most people familiar with car dealer marketing are well aware of the commercials and the radio jingles that previously dominated the landscape.
While these may be fine for dealers with an unlimited budget, they’re expensive. Plus, it’s hard to measure their effectiveness.
Also, 83% of buyers say they don’t trust traditional advertising anymore. They’re more likely to trust reviews from people on the internet. However, in today’s world you can now do more than reach customers through messages on their screens.
It’s now possible to engage in conversations with them.
You can now do more than reach customers through messages on their screens. It’s now possible to engage in conversations with them.
Spend It on Social Media
According to the Social Media Trends study created by Digital Air Strike, car shoppers want to see your social media.
In fact, the study showed that social media networks are more important for car dealer marketing than the dealer website. The results weren’t a one-time thing. Buyers have said the same thing for three consecutive years. While the report recorded many trends, one looks particularly promising for marketers.
More and more people do more than just initial research online. According to the CMO Council report, 23% also talk about their purchases online. This is an opportunity that is unprecedented. It gives dealers the opportunity to join in on the conversation in a meaningful way.
It allows you to start conversations, narrate them, or even join in on them in ways you can’t do with a commercial.
And if you’re able to navigate their process from the beginning, they’re more likely to choose you in the end.
Encourage Reviews on All Platforms
The same Social Media Trends study also provided some other useful information.
Review sites are incredibly important to the buying process. The study found that customers expect a reputable dealership to have at least a four-star rating on a review site
Reviews are important because reporting bad experiences puts customers off the dealership, even if they like the car. Send current customers an email after the sale goes through. Have your sales reps text them a week after the sale to see how they’re doing.
Remember: Don’t worry about independent sites alone. Encourage reviews here as well to keep everything in one place.
Focus on Local SEO
You might already have an SEO strategy.
But what you need to know here is that local SEO is different from standard SEO. And local searches are game changing for small dealerships. So, make sure you have a Google My Business page and ensure your website has the right local keyword data, just to get started.
Plus, did you know dealer reviews impact your SEO efforts? Keep local SEO in mind when asking for reviews!
The Last Word On Car Dealer Marketing
The internet is a powerful tool. You can wield it to give firepower to car dealer marketing by focusing on free promotional tools like building reviews and engaging with customers.
Ready to transition into internet marketing and not sure where to start? Let us know. We’re happy to help.
