Social media is a powerful tool for engaging with your target audience. But which channels should your dealership be using? Let's take a look at the three biggest platforms you should be strongly considering.
A recent study in social media trends by marketing and management firm, Digital Air Strike, found that over 75 percent of car buyers research online and use social media to decide what car dealership to go to. People, this is huge. That stat alone is just one out of thousands that prove how important it is for your business to be on social media. However, the number of social platforms on the market make it difficult to decide which one will be the best for your company and your potential customers.
These social media platforms are guaranteed to help you generate more leads and create better engagement with your audience.
1. Facebook
Roughly 20 percent of the world’s population is on Facebook, making this site one of the highest used of all time. Over 50 million businesses use Facebook for marketing purposes, and over 2 million businesses use Facebook for advertising. What was once just a platform for keeping in touch with others has evolved into one of the largest channels for commerce. Facebook makes it easier for dealerships to reach potential customers at-market stage in the buying process. The platform allows dealerships to extend customer relationships beyond initial contact, and with newsfeed advertisements, dealerships can stay at the forefront of a potential customer’s mind which encourages the final purchase.
2. Twitter
Dealerships can use Twitter for keeping up with customers, advertising new promotions, and to gain better insight onto who their target audience is. Twitter’s search feature is a powerful tool that allows a business to see what’s popular and trending. The search engine targets results geographically, which can help a business be in direct contact with potential customers. Twitter is a fast-paced platform that is used more for engagement and building relationships than it is for hard selling. This involves some time, but if utilized correctly, it can be a great asset to your dealership. Use Twitter to listen and monitor the market place, create conversation, engage, and build trust in your brand.
PRO TIP: Encourage your associates to use Twitter outside of the company as a personal follow-up for a before and after sales service. This will not only save time on face-to-face walk-in’s that result in no sales, but it will encourage people who have more prospects and interests of buying based on the initial trust established and information received online to visit the showroom.3. Instagram
Instagram is driven by photo and video content, and it’s quickly climbing towards being one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Owned by Facebook, Instagram gives the option of running the same ads on both platforms. Through visually compelling imagery of your products and company culture, Instagram is a great way to let your customers step into your showroom without them having to physically be there. Honda uses Instagram as an extension of their showrooms, while Lexus USA use Instagram to give people backstage access at otherwise closed-door events – and with over 500 million active users and 4.2 billion ‘liked’ posts per day, it’s no wonder these two dealerships are doing incredibly well on social media. Instagram isn’t something you’ll want your business to miss out on.
Choosing what social platform to get started on can be tricky if your company is new to the digital world. However, if you know your purpose and what your target audience likes, you’ll be guaranteed a high customer return rate.
