Today, social media marketing is not an optional element for brands and businesses. Whether the Labubu Dolls or the viral Stanley Cup, all rose to success and garnered massive sales simply because they became a trend on social media. And it’s no different for the automobile industry, according to reports, 82% of the automotive buyers conduct online research before visiting a dealership. And 76% use social media to learn about automotive brands. Social presence is your online showroom where potential customers explore, compare, test, and make buying decisions.
To understand what automotive social media marketing is, why it matters, and how you can leverage it in the best way, keep reading.
What is Automotive Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing in the automotive industry is no different from any other social media marketing. It is a strategic way of leveraging social media to promote your cars, services, and automotive brands. It includes various types of engaging content to increase brand awareness and visibility in the market and consumer circle. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X can be utilized.
Major Elements in the Marketing Process
1. Content Creation
Create high-quality & info-tainment content that is both exciting and interesting to interact with, yet insightful. You can make product videos, use testimonials and UGC content as social proof, car buying & maintenance tips, BTS sneak peeks, car financing knowledge, trivias, busting myths, and more.
You can choose the relevant format, such as audio, video, image, written, or multimodal, as per your content type.
2. Automotive Social Media Advertising
You can choose from various advertising formats: Image ads, story ads, video ads, carousel ads, lead generation form ads, message ads, product ads, and text ads.
Decide your target audience, platform, budget, and objectives before launching an ad campaign. Customize ads according to the platform, use CTAs to direct the audience to your website, retarget, and study your competitors to understand the market pattern.
3. Influencer Marketing
Collaborate with popular social media personalities of your niche and ask them to represent your brand with genuine reviews. People trust people, and influencers carry the trust of a large chunk of the audience; it can help make and break perceptions about your brand or car models.
4. Build a Strong Community
Engage with your audience, respond to their questions, comments, and solve customer issues. Share educating FAQs.
5. Customer Service & After Sales Marketing
Offer a worthy after-sales service, and guide them through necessary accessories and maintenance packages. Your reputation is not just limited to sales; you need to retain the customer. They will keep coming back to you if they are offered value for their money.
How to Market a Car Dealership on Social Media?
According to the IJRPR, out of 83 responses, 91.6% people primarily use YouTube to gather information about cars, and 78.3% use social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Numerous automotive social media platforms drive results; let’s look at each one.
1. Videos on YouTube
Video content is one of the most influential and effective types of content in social media marketing that you can use. By making both long and short form videos to engage and interact with the viewers, who can turn out to be your potential customers. You can upload content such as:
- New launches
- Auto events, meetups & expos
- Brand or influencer partnerships
- Expert reviews
- Product walkthroughs
- BTS
- Customer testimonials
2. Cover a Large Audience on Facebook
Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms by all types of audiences. You can use target advertising and connect with your audience in real-time with the help of messages, and generate more leads.
The Automotive Inventory Ads (AIA) feature by Facebook is solely focused on in-market car buyers. You can easily retarget your audience and even make a car catalogue to avoid individual ads.
3. Use Instagram
The most used app by youngsters, tech, and car enthusiasts is Instagram. You need a tailored strategy to leverage the platform. Create a business account or convert your existing account into a business account on Instagram.
And start creating inspirational, storytelling, and especially catchy and visually appealing content. As Insta is primarily for short-format videos. The attention of the users is low, so your content must be attention-grabbing within the initial 2 seconds.
You can use various features of Instagram, such as Q&As, polls, fun games, and interactive stories. Use relevant hashtags and focus on having a robust local SEO strategy.
4. Use LinkedIn to Build Authority
LinkedIn is the perfect platform for building B2B brand awareness, introducing company updates, and innovations. You can target customers looking for personal luxury vehicles, as they are most likely to be on LinkedIn rather than any other social media platform. Connect with relevant industry professionals and industries.
5. TikTok & X
While Instagram is ideal for visuals and grabbing attention, YouTube helps buyers to research and compare, and LinkedIn to build leadership. TikTok can be your driver for automotive social media trends, the Stanley Cup was a viral TikTok product, and then it was everywhere. It appeals to young generations quickly. And you can leverage X (Twitter) for real-time updates, launches, and any significant event for the company and brand. These social media tools for car dealers holistically complete the buyer’s journey and help make informed decisions.
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Benefits of Car Dealership Social Media Marketing
- This multichannel automotive marketing strategy helps you build higher brand visibility.
- You are able to build better trust by connecting and personally engaging with your customers.
- Lead generation and higher conversion rates can be raised. By using lead management system effectively, you can track, nurture, and convert prospects more efficiently.
- Social media advertising is the most cost-effective form of advertising; you can reach a larger audience at minimal expense.
- You can offer real-time support to your customers.
- Social media campaigns can increase sales during launches, as customers are already bombarded with constant information about the newly arriving product.
- You can learn trends, patterns, and user behavior with the help of insights and beginner-friendly analytics tools used for social media platforms.
Some of the Most Famous Social Media Marketing Campaigns by Automotives
1. Full Self-Driving (FSD) by Tesla
Tesla used user-generated content and real-world demonstrations of their fully self-driving cars. Real experience and driving footage of cars to display their capabilities. Each new software update becomes a new marketing gig. It shows not just the pros but also the limitations of the product. Elon Musk and the brand support amplifying UGC.
2. Mercedes-Benz
In October 2022, the brand collaborated with professional BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester to promote their Mercedes AMG in a video series. And in another partnership where they worked with Palace Skateboards, creating an exclusive line of merchandise.
3. Subaru
The first ad released by Subaru in the 1990s, which marketed different Subaru models to LGBTQ+ consumers. Since then, the brand has kept reflecting its diverse and inclusive values, repurposing messages across platforms. This type of car dealer marketing strategy and generating brand appeal to all kinds of people can gear you up for success.
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Conclusion
Just like any other business, automotive social media marketing is much needed for the industry. In the present digital world, your online presence alters every part of the customer journey: from gaining information about a product, reviews, and comparing to making a final purchase decision.
Therefore, leveraging social media is not optional, but needs to be planned and strategized in steps. Different social media platforms serve you with different purposes and target audiences, like Instagram can help you grab attention, whereas LinkedIn will help you build authority.
Win the scroll, win the buyer & lead the automotive industry.