As a dealership, you know that digital marketing is important. But what does that mean? This comprehensive guide will show you everything you need to know about automotive digital marketing, from creating a strategy to measuring success.
You’ll learn what tactics are available and how to use them to reach your target audience. So whether you’re just starting or looking to enhance your current campaign, this guide has something for you!
Did you know that over 95% of auto shoppers use digital media to research a vehicle? So if your dealership is not taking advantage of digital marketing, you’re missing out on many potential customers.
This blog post will cover everything you need about automotive digital marketing.
- What is automotive digital marketing?
- The benefits of automotive digital marketing
- Types of automotive digital marketing
- The process of automotive digital marketing
- How to measure the success of your automotive digital marketing campaign
- Examples of successful automotive digital marketing campaigns
- The benefits of using a digital marketing agency for car dealerships
What is automotive digital marketing?
Automotive digital marketing is the process of promoting an automotive dealership or automotive-related services on social media platforms. It encompasses everything from website design to search engine optimization (SEO) to social media marketing. In other words, it’s all the ways you can reach potential customers through the internet – and turn them into leads and sales.
Why should dealerships care about digital marketing?
Because that’s where your customers spend their time, according to a study by Google, nearly 92% of car buyers begin their research online – which means if you want to sell cars, you need to have a solid online presence.
Automotive dealerships that don’t have a robust digital marketing strategy are missing out on a key opportunity to connect with their customers. It allows companies to interact with their customers on a more personal level, and it will enable customers to learn about new products and services as they become available.
In addition, it allows dealers to track customer behaviour and preferences, providing valuable insights that can be used to improve the customer experience. As a result, automotive companies that invest in digital marketing will be well-positioned to win the hearts and minds of today’s customers.
Now that we’ve answered the question, “what is automotive digital marketing?”
Let’s look at some of the benefits it can offer your dealership.
The benefits of digital marketing
There are plenty of reasons to invest in digital marketing for your dealership, but here are just a few of the most important benefits:
It’s Cost-effective. Digital marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your target market. Not only do you save on printing and production costs, but you can also target your ads to specific demographics, so you’re not wasting money advertising to people who are not in the market for a car.
It’s measurable. With digital marketing, you can track exactly how many people see your ads and how they respond to them. This allows you to fine-tune your campaigns for maximum impact.
It’s targeted. You can use data from your website and social media platforms to create laser-focused campaigns targeting specific demographics, interests, and locations. You can even target people who have visited your website in the past or find a look-a-like audience of your best customers.
It builds relationships. Digital marketing helps you connect with potential customers on a personal level – which is essential for building trust and closing sales.
It generates leads. When done right, digital marketing can help you develop a steady stream of high-quality leads – which is the lifeblood of any successful dealership.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the benefits of automotive digital marketing, let’s look at the different marketing types you can implement immediately.
Types of digital marketing Strategies
There are many different types of digital marketing campaigns you can run for your dealership, but here are the most effective:
Website design and development: Your website is often the first impression potential customers will have of your business, so it’s important to ensure it’s up to par. A well-designed website will be user-friendly, informative, and responsive (optimized for mobile devices). A recent study by Facebook found that 76% of mobile-first auto consumers know what vehicle they want before going to dealerships.
Search engine optimization (SEO): SEO is the process of optimizing your website for Google’s search algorithm. The goal is to rank as high as possible in Google’s search results for relevant keywords so potential customers can easily find you. Learn more about best SEO practices for automotive dealerships.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: PPC is online advertising where you pay to display your ads on Google’s search results pages. When done correctly, PPC can be an effective way to generate leads and drive traffic to your website.
Social media marketing: Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are a great way to connect with potential customers and build relationships. In addition, you can use social media to share helpful content, promote special offers, and much more.
Email marketing: Email marketing involves sending promotional messages to a list of subscribers. It’s an effective way to stay top-of-mind with your target market and generate leads.
Online Reputation: Shoppers trust online reviews as much, if not more than personal recommendations from friends and family. A few detailed+enthusiastic reviews on google or Dealerrater can drive steady streams of leads. Luckily DealerTraffic’s customer management solution makes it easy for your dealership to boost your online reputation.
Video Marketing: Video is one of the most powerful marketing tools at your disposal. It’s an effective way to communicate your message, build trust, and drive conversions.
As you can see, you can run many different types of automotive digital marketing campaigns, but which one is suitable for your dealership?
The answer is that effective automotive marketing requires a multi-channel approach. Using a combination of digital channels available to you, you can ensure that your dealership is in front of the largest number of potential customers possible.
You must be omnipresent on email, social media, PPC and YouTube channels. You must also constantly test and measure your website conversion rate and SEO rankings. That way, you can adjust your automotive marketing strategy and ensure that you’re always getting the best return on investment (ROI).
If you do not see the results you want from your current automotive marketing strategy, make sure to revisit your goals and objectives. With a little fine-tuning, you can run your automotive marketing campaigns like a well-oiled machine.
The process of Automotive Digital Marketing
Now that you know about the different types of digital marketing campaigns, it’s time to put them into practice. There are a few general strategies which will ensure your campaign is successful, and these include:
Set realistic goals: Before you launch any digital marketing campaign, it’s important to set realistic goals. This will help you measure your success and make necessary adjustments.
Know your target market: One of the most important aspects of any effective marketing campaign is knowing your target market inside and out. The better you understand your target customers, the easier it will be to create content and offers that appeal to them.
Create compelling ad copy: In a world where the average attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish, it’s important to ensure your ad copy is snappy and to the point. Consumers are bombarded with advertising everywhere and have learned to tune most of it out. To catch their attention, your ad copy needs to be compelling and interesting enough to break through the noise.
Track your results: It’s important to track the results of your digital marketing campaigns so you can see what’s working and what isn’t. This will help you make necessary adjustments along the way and ensure your campaigns are as successful as possible. We will discuss further how to track your results next in this guide.
By following these general strategies, you’ll be well on your way to running successful automotive digital marketing campaigns.
How to measure the success of your marketing campaign
Now let’s look at how you can measure the success of your campaigns. There are a few different metrics you can use to track the results of your digital marketing efforts, including:
- Website traffic: One of the best ways to measure the success of your digital marketing campaign is by tracking the amount of website traffic it generates. You can do this using Google Analytics or another similar tool.
- Leads generated: Another important metric to track is the number of leads generated by your digital marketing campaign. This will give you an idea of how effectively your campaigns drive potential customers to your website.
- Sales made: Any automotive digital marketing campaign’s ultimate goal is generating sales. Keep track of the number of sales made as a result of your campaigns so you can see how they perform.
- Cost per lead: Another important metric to track is your cost per lead. This will help you see how much it costs to generate information through your digital marketing efforts.
- ROI: Calculate your return on investment (ROI) for each digital marketing campaign. This will help you see which campaigns provide the most value for your dealership.
By tracking these metrics, you’ll see which marketing campaigns are successful. And if you’re not happy with the results you’re seeing, you can make necessary adjustments to improve your performance.
Examples of successful automotive digital marketing strategy
Now that we’ve gone over some general automotive digital marketing strategies and how to measure the success of your campaigns, let’s take a look at some examples of successful campaigns.
The first example is Mercedez Benz, which ran a creative and targeted Facebook ad campaign. They succeeded by using Facebook’s machine learning algorithm to personalize its advertising campaigns. The company used pixel and CRM data to create separate ads based on distinct customers’ actions, leading them straight toward their ideal purchase path. As a result, the dealership increased its vehicle sales by 10%.
- 162 vehicles sold due to the Facebook campaign
- 10.3% lift in sales
- 3.2X estimated return on investment
- 15.8X return on ad spend
Sarasota Ford
Another great example is Sarasota Ford, which regularly uploads video content to its Facebook and YouTube channel, generating over 1.4 million views.
- 1.4+ million total views
- Regularly uploading new videos
- Engaging with viewers in the comments section
- 26% increase in website traffic
- 17% increase in leads generated
- 21% increase in sales
Video content is the most effective way to show off your car and get potential buyers interested in it before they even step foot on-site. According to Tubularinsights, 70% of people who use YouTube as part of their research process are influenced by video.
As you can see, these are just a few examples of successful automotive digital marketing campaigns. From traditional advertising campaigns to social media and even email marketing, there are so many ways that a dealership can reach customers with its products. The possibilities are limitless when looking at it up-close through a digital marketing campaign lens!
Learn more about how these 5 Dealerships are Dominating Social Media Marketing.
The benefits of using a digital marketing agency for car dealerships
If you’re unsure where to start with your automotive digital marketing campaigns or are too busy to handle them, consider working with a digital marketing agency. There are a number of benefits of using an agency, including:
They have experience: One of the most significant benefits of working with a digital marketing agency is their experience. They know what works and what doesn’t in automotive digital marketing, so they can help you create a campaign that will get results.
They save you time: Another benefit of using an agency is that they can save you a lot of time. Automotive digital marketing can be time-consuming, so working with an agency can free up your time to focus on other aspects of your dealership.
They have resources: Digital marketing agencies have a lot of resources at their disposal, including designers, writers, and developers. This means they can help you create a comprehensive campaign that will get results.
Consider working with a digital marketing agency if you’re looking for help with your automotive digital marketing. By doing so, you’ll be able to take advantage of their experience and resources to create a successful campaign.
The bottom line
Digital marketing in the automotive industry is essential for any car dealership that wants to be successful. Following the tips and advice in this guide, you can create a campaign to drive results. And if you need help, consider working with a digital marketing agency like Social Traffic. We specialize in helping car dealerships generate more website traffic, leads, and sales.
Contact us today to learn more about our services. Digital marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Let us help you take your dealership to the next level.
What are your thoughts on automotive digital marketing? Have you had success with any campaigns? Share your experiences and advice in the comments below!
