Let’s face it! It is not the 2010s anymore. The automobile business ideas that worked in the past, may not give your business an edge in today’s digitally progressive market. The expectation levels of today’s consumers have changed, and so have their shopping trends. And the pandemic just gave a nudge to the already rolling ball.

Almost every consumer today conducts online research about cars before going to a dealership. And when we say research, we mean combing through every nook and crack of the internet. From company websites to social media pages, to influencer handles and review sites, a customer goes through multiple touchpoints before finally buying a car. Smart auto dealers will recognize this trend and adopt digital automotive marketing strategies to convert these online shoppers into buyers. But how do you go about it? Let’s discuss that in detail!

How is Digital Marketing for Automotive Industries Different from Traditional Marketing?

Digital marketing strategies for car dealerships are more interactive and focus more on customers. Unlike traditional car dealership advertising, digital marketing can target specific demographics and categories of potential car buyers. Also, dealers can easily assess their marketing efforts and find out how well they have performed. This will help dealership owners to analyze their strategies and modify them according to the customer requirements.

Why is Automobile Digital Marketing Important?

According to a study conducted by Adtaxi, 86 percent of car shoppers conduct online research before visiting a local car dealership. Also, according to a Digital Air Strike study, seven in 10 car buyers say online reviews of dealerships affect which dealerships they will visit. All these studies mean that car dealership owners must have a strong online presence and actively engage with potential customers. You need to ensure that the automobile business ideas you implement online focus on particular groups and provide them with the information they are looking for.

What are the Popular Digital Channels for Automotive Marketing Strategies?

Pay-per-click online car dealership advertising

Pay-per-click management is highly popular and continues to grow in the digital marketing automotive industry. Your car dealership needs to pay a search engine in order to display your link at the top of a search result for certain keywords that are related to your industry and products.

SEO-optimized website

Search engine optimization continues to lead the digital marketing arena. And this is true for auto repair advertising ideas as well. Make sure you have a well-designed website that features relevant and useful information on individual automobiles

Blogs

Blogging and other content marketing for auto dealers’ strategies will provide your consumers with basic information about cars and the car-buying process. It can also improve your search engine results. Your blog will also help users view your car dealership as a trustworthy source of information and advice.

Social Media

Make sure you have an active presence on every social media channel and regularly post engaging content about your dealership, car-buying, and vehicles. One major advantage of these social automobile business ideas is that you can target specific segments of potential customers and measure your marketing efforts accurately.

Read more: How to use social media for small businesses

Video marketing

The Video marketing industry is skyrocketing. And this can be used for automotive digital marketing strategies as well. You can create short and long videos on test drives, testimonials, vehicle highlights, maintenance tips, etc.

Email marketing

Email is a traditional marketing method that is still relevant and effective. You can make separate mailing lists for your current and past customers, and also for potential buyers. Make sure your email campaigns are personalized as much as possible and only send them the information they want.

SMS marketing

It is a quicker car dealership advertising strategy and a more efficient way to reach customers than emails. People are now increasingly using their mobile phones to access websites and so sending them a text will increase your likelihood of grabbing their attention.

Auto Dealer Digital Marketing Strategies

Understand where your shoppers are

Online car shoppers use a number of websites and tools to research cars. Using extensive market analysis, find out where your shoppers are and formulate strategies to reach out to them.

Polish your content skills

Content is still the king in all digital marketing strategies. So, make sure your content production delivers pieces that are interactive and engaging. Also, be regular in posting updates and maintaining an active presence. The content marketing strategy for car dealership advertising should be prioritized to maintain a good online reputation.

Deliver the right content for the right channel

It has been found that shoppers’ research goals and responses often vary according to their device. For instance, on a desktop computer, users may browse a website, compare details, get warranty info, etc. Whereas, on a mobile device, they may research location information for local dealers, reach out to a dealership, book a test drive, etc. So, make sure your automobile business ideas take into account these behavioral changes and create strategies accordingly.

Invest in video marketing

Video is the next big thing in auto dealer digital marketing. Through engaging videos, you can give your viewers the experience of quality content production with complete automotive essentials, extras, and other add-ons. In short, give the customer what they want!

Create digital campaigns that target the right people

Each customer looks for a different feature in a car. Remember that when you are marketing the broad category of cars your dealership sells. Consider these different factors when working with your customers and selling different brands at varying price points. Just make sure that you get the right sort of automobile digital marketing message to each customer.

Focus on customization

Creating automotive marketing strategies around originality and customization will take you places. Dealers must focus on giving their campaigns the personal refinement that works with your branding, image, or preferences. In order to achieve that, identify the markets you are most active in, push the vehicles that would most likely persuade your clientele, and market every model with passion.

Monitor and track all results

Most automotive industry digital marketing channels allow you to track results and performances easily. However, you also need tools to monitor how your campaigns are performing. One example would be a call tracking software that will track incoming phone calls that may result from specific digital marketing.

Consider hiring a full-time digital marketing expert

Instead of recruiting an in-house team for marketing, you can rely on a professional team that is completely equipped with digital marketing experts. Many dealerships now hire a third-party digital marketing agency for car dealership advertising and marketing. There are several agencies with expertise in automotive marketing. But it is important to make sure that you find an agency that is right for your business – one that fits your budget, understands your core values, and shares the same culture.

Read more: Things to know when hiring a digital marketing agency

To sum it up

We hope you have learned a few things from this guide! Remember, for an auto dealer, digital marketing is crucial for keeping existing customers and attracting new ones. Don’t forget:

• Putting together an automobile digital marketing strategy is vital if you hope to succeed with today’s ever-changing consumer habits.
• PPC is a great way to reach clients quickly and can be an effective first step in digital marketing. However, it takes effort and knowledge if you hope for it to succeed.
• Irrespective of the size of a website, SEO is important, as search engines such  as Google and Bing are generally the top website referrals.
•  Social media marketing is one of the most effective approaches to connecting with consumers in their own space.
•  Different types of automotive industry digital marketing can all work together to build brand recognition and bring customers in today and down the road.

Digital marketing for car dealerships can be complex and challenging. If you want the best results, you have to first understand your target audience, know the marketing options you have, and monitor everything you do to get a grip on what works and what needs to be modified. Reach out to us at Get My Sites today and let us work with you to build a digital marketing package that will help your car dealership rise above the competition. We are certain we can help you grow your dealership to new heights with our extensive experience in the field. Contact our experts today to get started with your new car dealership online marketing strategy!