Marketing has always been a key factor for the automobile industry. Both television commercials and newspaper ads have traditionally greatly benefitted automakers for many years. But currently, automobile manufacturers are focusing more on digital media to reach potential customers. According to eMarketer reports, the majority of auto companies believe that investing in digital marketing is more useful than the traditional media. It’s why digital advertising spending by the auto industry rose to almost 22% in 2015.
The scope of customization for different demographics is a major reason for this growth, with the credit going to the search engines and social media. These platforms provide user details and help marketers to understand the buyer’s journey. Here are some best practice methods to consider before beginning your first digital marketing campaign for your automobile business.
People typically research online before they make a buying decision, especially when it comes to buying a high-ticket item like a car. They want to know the specifications and features of different car models they’re interest in. This is why you need to have good reviews for your product. Most car buyers seek the help of online dealership reviews before finalizing their decision. Therefore, you need to check your online reviews regularly and tackle the negative ones wisely. You can also run an ORM campaign to get rid of the negative reviews.
A report by G/O Digital shows that 30% of car buyers immediately search Google to start their car buying process. Thus, a strong online presence as an automaker is necessary. To ensure that you appear in the SERP when related queries are typed, you should make your site search engine friendly and run a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaign. An SEO strategy should include keyword analysis, link building, blogging, improving the domain authority and more.
There’s hardly anyone any more who isn’t active on social media. A CMO report states that 1 in 4 car users discuss on social media before buying a car. Apart from this, there are several social media groups that help buyers know about the advantages and disadvantages of a specific car model. Social Media sites can also play an effective role in building brand loyalty, improve user experience and influence purchase decisions. All you have to ensure is that you share a good number of engaging content and respond to customer queries.
It’s the age of mobile and people are more comfortable searching information using their mobile devices over desktops and laptops. Therefore, you should have a responsive site to ensure that customers don’t leave the landing page. Try and design a mobile site specifically for mobile visitors. You also need to optimize your site according to voice search data as mobile users often seek the help of Google’s voice search feature to save time.
Email marketing if tailored properly can do wonders for automakers. When creating emails, you need to keep in mind that personalization is the key. Most buyers want emails customized according to their interests. You should also ensure that the design of the newsletters is responsive. According to G/O Digital,61% of the recipients delete an email from a car dealer if it doesn’t open properly on their mobiles.
It’s time that you think about investing in digital marketing in conjunction with traditional media. There are a lot of opportunities for your business waiting there. Take advantage now, otherwise, your competitors will.