Since the advent of social media, the internet has become a hub for dealerships to make new connections with potential buyers and nurture existing customer relationships. However, not all dealerships reap the full benefits of automotive social media marketing because they struggle to follow the necessary content creation and channel management techniques. 

This article outlines a few of those techniques and why their implementation might be crucial to a well-balanced marketing strategy. 

Automotive Social Media Marketing Strategies

All dealerships, whether new to social media or revisiting their strategy for 2022 and beyond, should consider the following strategies:
 

Make Use of Multiple Channels

• Leverage Instagram’s appeal to Millennials. Millennials are shifting their focus away from Facebook towards Instagram, which promotes uploading and sharing photographs and videos, primarily utilized on mobile devices. This development makes Instagram a powerful tool for telling unique, image-driven stories about a dealer’s brand. 

• Target the large Facebook Audience. Facebook is a crucial marketing channel, given how many customers use the platform. Dealers might consider advertising content that reaches consumers who have expressed an interest in purchasing a vehicle. Facebook allows users to narrow the audience based on proximity to the dealership, vehicle makes and models, and similar factors, to focus on higher potential customers. 

• Use Twitter to find specific buyers. Twitter has become a popular communication platform for car buyers. Dealers can attract this audience via keyword targeting and follow up with direct communications and advertising to customers who have shown buying intent. 
  
  

Incorporate Online Videos 

Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook all have video advertising options for automotive social media marketing. Dealers can choose from a variety of video types, including: 

• About Us. Dealers can share more details about their operation, including what sets them apart from the competition and why consumers should choose their dealership. 

• Customer Testimonials. These videos can include various customer conversations, including storytelling and interviews answering specific questions about their experiences. These videos should be short, concise, and encourage the customer to act. 

• Promotional Videos. These commercials advertise specials or promotions a dealership is offering. Dealers should create and market these videos when they know their prices to buy or sell a specific vehicle are attractive in the current market. 

• Product Demo Videos. These videos visually communicate products to potential customers by demonstrating how individual vehicle features work. These techniques are often more effective than stating the benefits alone. 
  
  

Follow Up With Your Audience 

A dealer’s social media marketing strategy should not end after providing information, telling stories, and sharing impactful visuals. Instead, dealers should remember to communicate with social media followers promptly via the following: 

• Responding to tweets 
• Addressing complaints 
• Answering queries 
• Thanking potential or existing customers who shared positive stories 
  

Social media is a fast-paced, real-time medium, and dealers should react to communications as soon as possible to maintain their audience. Otherwise, they may be missing crucial possibilities. 

Commit to Your Strategy 

The social media marketing strategies listed above are only as impactful as the dealership’s dedication to managing and upholding them. Dealers should continue connecting and communicating with social media followers once they have established the proper audience.  

Social reputations fade fast if dealerships are slow to publish content or react to comments. There is a small window of time to communicate with online auto consumers to maintain a solid digital presence. 

Make Sure Your Technology Keeps Up With Social Media

While automotive social media marketing can be a powerful advertising channel, you might see lackluster results without implementing the strategies listed above.  

If you find yourself unable to design and execute a social media strategy for your dealership, you might consider working with an experienced solutions provider that can help drive results. 

Contact us today and discover how Affinitiv’s Audience Activator can help you design a social media marketing strategy that promotes your dealership to interested buyers and sellers.