Dealership marketing trends are always evolving—partly because technology itself is evolving, and partly because consumer behavior changes along with it. For your dealership to remain competitive, it’s vital to stay abreast of changing trends. Here are four things to watch for as we enter 2018.
The Consumer Journey Will Continue to Change
There was a time when every consumer’s purchasing process began in the dealership itself. Today, it usually starts online. The majority of consumers do plenty of online research before they ever visit a showroom; in fact, they tend to have their purchasing decision made before they ever set foot inside the dealership. This trend is even more pronounced among millennial-age buyers.
The point? Your independent auto dealership must have a robust online presence, easily discoverable by consumers who are completing their online research. Both local SEO and PPC are invaluable here.
Voice Search Will Rise
It is predicted that, by 2010, half of all online searches will be done via voice search. Given the rising popularity of services like Siri and Alexa, to say nothing of the ubiquity of mobile devices, this makes sense: A lot of Google-ing is now done by customers on the go, who revel in not having to actually type their query.
Your SEO efforts should keep pace with this trend. That means targeting long-tail, conversational keywords, which will help you to hone in on the ways in which your customers really search. Writing content in question-and-answer format can also be prudent.
Search Will Become Increasingly Localized
Dealerships need to be found by search engine users, but it’s especially important that they be found by local search engine users. If your dealership is in Orange County, you need shoppers in Orange County to know you exist; maintaining a robust SEO presence in Nebraska is frankly not that important.
Local SEO activity will continue to be important for dealerships—and in fact, being able to make it onto the Google Map Pack may be the true Holy Grail of SEO.
Craigslist Will Be Your Secret Weapon
Craigslist has been around for so long by now that it’s hard to think of it as a cutting-edge marketing tool—but the dealerships that pursue an active Craigslist strategy will undoubtedly reap the benefits.
That’s because Craigslist has been proven to generate traffic and to facilitate conversions—yet many dealerships have abandoned it. Sticking with a strong Craigslist strategy could help your dealership transcend the competition in 2018.
Where is Dealership Marketing Headed?
Dealership marketing is always in a state of flux—but having a sound strategy in place can help you feel like your company is on solid ground, and that you’re ready to compete no matter what comes your way.
Get My Auto is here to provide you with just such a strategy; contact our automotive marketing experts today to learn more about how your dealership can thrive in 2018.