For any vehicle to operate, various fluids, parts, and components need to be present and working together for optimal performance. The regular collaboration of a variety of mechanical and electronic parts, along with regular mechanical upkeep guarantees the engine purr’s with great power. The same goes with your automotive digital marketing strategy. In order to gain peak business, you need to implement the usage of multiple online marketing channels, coupled with an ongoing TLC. Besides, you can’t think digital marketing, without social media.
According to a research by Digital Air Strike, it was revealed that car shoppers prefer social networks to automotive websites, when deciding which dealership to visit. In fact, 75% of car buyers have even claimed that review sites and social media prove to be the most helpful mediums for choosing a local dealership. So, how can your automotive website deny the use of such a major influencer? Marketers need to understand that social sites should be integrated into a marketing strategy to generate leads and engage with customers.
Are you planning to implement social media marketing (SMM) in your automotive SEO and digital marketing strategy? If so, then this guide below might help you out:
Use Facebook for Targeting Customers
If you really want to gain a boost in rankings, then it’s time you created a Facebook profile. Bear in mind that 84% of your consumers are using this social media network. Therefore, in order to target people who are in the market to buy a car, start placing ads, images, and videos about latest offers, discounts, and specials. You can narrow down visibility of your ads to those people near your dealership by gender, interest, vehicle type and more. While joining Facebook is free, advertisements do require a little investment. It will be worth it though. A report by Unified revealed that when compared to average Facebook ads, automotive ads prove to have two times higher click-through rates.
Drive Sales by Using Twitter
In a research conducted by MarketShare in 2013, it was revealed that Twitter was responsible for driving almost $716 million in automotive sales. This was owed to the Twitter Activity of dealerships themselves, amplification of TV advertising, and positive brand mentions. A report by Canvs even found that more than 327,000 tweets relating to automobiles are sent out daily, among which 75% are related to shopping or owning vehicles. Leverage this opportunity and use targeted keywords to pick up these direct messages and then send ads to customers who have the intent of purchasing a new, used, certified pre-owned or first-owner vehicle.
Use Instagram for Marketing to Millennial’s
As we enter a more advanced world of digitalization, socialization, and virtual interaction, millennials are leaving Facebook and turning more of their attention to using the fun, photo and video-sharing application, Instagram. Use this app to your advantage and creatively share your brand story to consumers around the world. Share intriguing images that trigger the imaginative side of your prospective customers, for instance, a picture of one of your cars at a near leak, a beautiful beach, or tailgating at a sporting event. The options are limitless. Let your creative side flow.
YouTube for Video Marketing Strategy
If you are planning to take your automotive marketing strategy to a completely new level, then perhaps it’s time you considered video marketing with YouTube. Bear in mind that 84% of car shoppers watch car reviews on YouTube before entering the market for a vehicle (Source – Force Marketing). These videos provide great information on walkarounds, alternate choices, interior and exterior features, safety amenities, and model comparisons. You can boost your likeability online by embedding videos into your website. For more visibility that is organic, create your own YouTube channel for hosting these videos.
Add Pinterest to Your Social Strategy
Many businesses including those operating in the automotive sector are always thinking of marketing on popular social sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. While there is no doubt, these channels prove to be the most effective for social marketing. Check out channels like Pinterest, which proves to have a larger female base with decorating ideas, recipes, and beauty tips. How is it good for car dealers? One, you have a large female audience. Second, you can pin blog posts and share pictures of car inventory. This creates social signals that are crucial for driving more traffic to your website.
Story Telling through Social Media
Those days are long gone where it was enough to broadcast and post content and wait for it to bring about results. As we are progressing to a digital world, everything in social media is revolving around “human connection”. Therefore, if you want to separate your car dealership from the thousands already existing, you need to use a personalized tone for interacting with your audience. Display a fun and intriguing personality and share experiences. Humanize your brand. For instance, post images of your staff members, collaborating while working, or simply having a good time at work.
Encourage Customers to Share Reviews
According to a study by Dataium and DealerRater, it was revealed if you have positive reviews on your website, car shoppers are 5.3% more likely to visit your dealership and 90% more likely to check out your website. Consumers also check reviews on social media. Therefore, make sure to encourage those satisfied to share their experiences. At the same time, don’t forget on responding to negative reviews immediately. If consumers have had a bad experience, you need to be there to listen. Swift attention will mitigate the extensive damage.
Last, but not the least, SMM is great for your automotive website, producing more brand visibility, more leads, and ultimately, more sales. So, make sure you are ACTIVE and constantly sharing fun pictures, telling interesting stories, and posting great content. You need to keep your social followers intrigued for them to spread the word about YOU, refer to other customers, and rate your service.
