About 95 percent of automotive sales are sealed at dealerships. But search is still the first place people go to start their buyer’s journey.
Online advertising is the key to bringing new leads to your automotive business. You need proven auto repair marketing strategies that regularly drive customers to your dealership. Fortunately, it isn’t too difficult to formulate a marketing plan for your automotive shop. With assistance from a trusted automotive marketing agency, you can create a tried-and-tested plan.
Here are must-have strategies in your plan.
Rank on the First Page of Google’s Search Results
Google is the first line of offense and defense for businesses. You want to be the first business people see when they search “high profile vehicles in California”or “auto repair in Long Island,”especially considering how often people scroll to the bottom of the search results (spoiler alert: they don’t often do so).
The first few listings will get the most clicks, so make sure you’re in the top position. To do this, you’ll need an extremely effective Google Ads Strategy.
Consider the following strategies to secure higher positions without breaking the bank:
- Keep keywords related to your ad text
- Include two to three ads per keyword/ ad group list
- Ensure your Google Ads account is structured properly with the right ad groups
- Allocate your budget properly between campaigns
- Add negative keywords to prevent irrelevant searches
Bid on Competitor Keywords
While on the subject of keywords, avoid bidding on the obvious keywords like “new Honda Civic.” Don’t forget to set up an automotive marketing campaign that gives you a one-up over your competitors.
A compelling ad can help you stand out in a fierce and competitive world. Saying negative things about your competitor is a big no-no in ad making. Instead, bid on your top competitor’s brand names and create persuasive ads to lead visitors to your website instead.
Target The Right People with Your Automotive Campaigns
Who is your typical customer? What type of automotive business are you marketing? It pays to know who your prospective customers are. All of your customers have different questions, wants, needs and concerns when it comes to investing in a new car. Your Honda buyer is most likely concerned about longevity, mileage and gas while your Mercedes customer may be concerned with the leather interior and heated seats.
Different automotive marketing audiences must be broken down and targeted separately. Consider your audience’s priorities; targeting their needs is a critical way to get the right message to the right person, increasing your chances of conversion.
If necessary, split your audiences into two separate campaigns to ensure you’re sending the right message to the right people.
Build Trust with Customer Reviews
Reviews are the simplest yet most effective marketing strategy there is. It can be tricky, though; you need to not only make sure you have good reviews, but you have to ensure these glowing reviews are visible on all the review sites (e.g. Google and Yelp), your social media profiles and your website. Cover all the bases.
Take this method a step further by creating customer success stories with your most loyal and valued customers. Use their photos and videos on different platforms, such as your website, paid social ads or digital newsletter.
Compel Customers with Unique Offers
Customers will ask, “Why should I purchase a car from you when another dealership is nearby?”
A crucial aspect of your strategy is convincing your prospects to choose your business. Having the best reviews or the lowest prices is great but you still need unique incentives. For example, offer new car buyers a five percent discount or free oil changes for a certain number of years. Incentives create a sense of urgency to encourage people to buy before they miss out on special limited-time offers.
Remarket Always!
Remarketing is a critical component of your marketing strategy. It’s important to not lose new leads in the marketing stage. Give your customers reminders using intriguing remarketing ads to ensure no leads will fall out of the business funnel.
Remarketing lowers your abandonment rate and closes more deals by showing ads to people who recently visited your website. Try showing them more deals to entice them to go to your store.;
These automotive marketing strategies can help your campaigns take off at a lightning pace. You can also find more ways to advertise your automotive business in your local area. Doing so will drive more customers to your new shop. Good luck with your business!