Most customers start shopping for a new car by searching the internet. Some go to the dealership to purchase the vehicle, while others complete the entire transaction online. 

The internet presents a perfect opportunity for dealerships to enlarge their market share. But this advantage will only be possible if you develop sound digital marketing strategies.

Dealerships that invest in digital marketing have a higher potential of tapping into the ever-growing online market. So how can you take advantage of digital marketing tools to gain more customers? This guide will show you five marketing trends top dealerships use.     

Online sales

Today, e-commerce sales account for 21% of all sales by businesses globally. This trend is growing fast and spreading to the automobile industry. In 2020, car dealers in the US sold 30% of new cars online. Therefore, a dealership that wants to remain competitive should capitalize on the surge.

Moreover, you can sweeten the deal with your customers by partnering with auto shipping services to deliver the car to the buyer. Knowing that they can get all assistance from one dealership, customers will be more likely to buy from you.  

Content marketing

Content marketing involves writing blogs and other written content for your website. Your content helps customers learn more about your services. It also provides an opportunity for you to engage with them through comments.

Plus, content marketing can make your website easier to find by customers. But to achieve this benefit, you have to make it SEO-optimized. An SEO-optimized content uses keywords to make it easier for search engines like Google to find it. As a result, you’ll get high traffic to your website, which will convert to sales.

Social media

Social media has proven to be an effective marketing platform. Most businesses use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach out to the vast number of people who use these platforms. For instance, you can create short posts with links that direct visitors to your main website.

You can also use social media to showcase the brands of vehicles you have in your dealership. A picture speaks a thousand words, so you can post pictures regularly on Instagram and Facebook to generate interest.    

Pay per click (PPC)

PPC is an advertising method where you pay a constant rate for every click on the ad. Since it’s sponsored marketing, it’s highly likely to show at the top of search results. The ads can also appear on other websites, mobile apps, social media, and videos. This strategy works well since it directs traffic to your website.   

Ask for reviews from satisfied customers

When making a purchase decision, customers go through the reviews first. These reviews help customers decide which seller is best. Consumers trust each other more than advertisements and salespeople because honest reviews reflect the buyers’ experience.

So when you provide excellent services to customers, ask them to leave reviews. The more positive reviews you’ll have, the more customers will trust you and buy from you.

Parting shot

An increasing number of customers start their car buying process online. So if you have a massive online presence, you stand a good chance of gaining those customers. The five tips highlighted above will give you solid ground to build your digital marketing strategies.