We all know that 2020 created huge shifts in consumer habits and behaviors – from the way we shop, work, eat and even how our kids learn. Our world has become much more digital and companies have embraced contactless business models almost overnight. Of course, this shift to digital has had a profound impact on the automotive industry. With customers now spending the majority of the purchase journey online, Dealership Social Media Marketing is no longer something that can be ignored.

Consumers are making it clear that digital retailing is here to stay. In fact, 64% of shoppers want to do more of the purchase process online the next time they buy a vehicle. And dealers agree that digital retailing is key to a long-term winning strategy – with 75% of dealers acknowledging that they won’t be able to survive without it.

Customers Spend the Majority of Their Time Researching Online

The study which surveyed 2131 car buyers, found that car buyers spend almost 60% of the purchasing journey online. This means more than half of the time customers spend researching cars and dealerships is done in a digital format where your advertising can possibly reach them.

This equates to 8.5 hours on average that a customer’s spends online looking at dealerships and the products available to help them make a decision.

It’s Important to Showcase Your Brand Personality

President of Cox Automotive Media, Jared Rowe said the study really reinforced the need for dealerships to showcase their personality online and communicate effectively with customers.

“The study findings reinforce why it is so important for dealers to communicate on experience in addition to product and price,” said Mr Rowe.

Australians are Also Avid Consumers of Social Media

Social media is becoming more recognized as not only a valuable but a necessary form of advertising and interaction for businesses.

The Sensis report also revealed an increasing number (57%) of Australian’s were using social media every day. Of this over a quarter (26%) of people were checking social media more than five times a day. These figures further highlight social media’s importance as a communication tool.

Facebook is the Platform You Need to Be Across

Facebook continued to lead as World’s most popular platform.

Facebook continues to dominate with 95% of social media users on the platform and the average time spent on the site rising by more than four hours this year alone. 

While many dealerships haven’t yet evolved to have a developed online and social media presence, they are not alone. The Sensis Report revealed that only 48% of small businesses and 54% of medium size businesses were on social media.

Why Not Having an Online Presence is a Bad Thing

Low adaption across social media channels means dealerships are missing out on valuable opportunities to interact with and advertise to their customers.

When 69% of people in age 20-55 have social media accounts and 87% use the internet every day, dealerships really can’t afford not to be online and across social media.

Why a Bad Presence Can Be Worse Than Not Having One

As social media is a valuable tool for two-way interaction between a business and its customers it is important to have a strong, professional marketing and monitoring strategy in place.

There are many cautionary tales out there about ineffective or sloppy social media management and its lasting detrimental impact on brand.

Finding the Right Social Media Management Company is Key

Social media is a growing presence which is here to stay, so it’s important to find the tools and people to help you manage this marketing channel properly.

As the Sensis report puts it:

“Maintaining a business presence on social media is likely to be even more data driven in the future, with a range of new tools coming on line to help businesses manage their social media presence. By choosing the right tools and the right partners, there are some fantastic opportunities for savvy business owners to stand out and succeed on social.”

Finding the Social Media Strategy for Your Dealership

While anyone can open a Facebook Page, running an effective and impactful Dealership social media marketing strategy requires a whole different set of specialized skillsets.

CAR AD MASTERS is a social media marketing company catering exclusively to the automotive industry.

Automotive social media is what we do best and we get a real thrill out of helping our clients build their dealership up to the best it can be. We continue to stay at the forefront of social media strategies to ensure maximized results for our clients.

If you want to get the most out of your dealership social media but aren’t sure where to start, contact us and we’ll set up a strategy meeting to help get you back in the race.

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Automotive Marketing can be a daunting task so don't hesitate to reach out if you require some assistance. We are here to help!