Today’s world is digital – and is necessary for businesses of all types and sizes to maintain a strong digital presence. The automotive industry is no different – having a website, social media profiles, and effective advertising campaigns is essential to keeping your dealership ahead of the curve. Read on to learn three great steps you can take to boost your digital marketing strategy.
Design is Key
While you probably already know it’s important to have a website, making sure that your website looks beautiful and functions well is key. A poorly designed website can detract from your sales goals, and turn customers away. Focus on making information easy to find, and package it in an exciting way. Stunning video and high-quality images can draw people in on your home page, and an easy to navigate menu can make for a friendly user experience.
Keep in mind that people may be accessing your site on a mobile platform like a phone or tablet, so optimizing your site for mobile is necessary. There are so many tools available to create functional and beautiful websites – there’s really no reason for you to not take advantage of these tools to make the best website you can.
Be A Reliable Source of Information
If you provide helpful and relevant information on your website and social media platforms, customers will come looking for you! Many people who are shopping for cars do a lot of research online, so think carefully about what your prospective customers are searching for, and be a reliable and trustworthy source of information.
If potential customers find that you’re providing them with answers to their most important questions and solutions to their most pressing problems, they’re more likely to make a purchase from you, because you’ve created a trustworthy image. Helpful content includes articles, testimonials, video reviews, comparisons between cars, and expert advice. If customers know that they can turn to you when they need help, you’re likely to create lifelong loyalty.
Use technology to your advantage. Tools like live online chat, payment calculators, or appraisal tools are great features to add to your website, and they are legitimate ways of inviting the customer to check out your brand and service at their own pace.
Today’s customers don’t want the “in your face” marketing of years past. They want to do things at their pace, and offering them the tools to do so will reflect well on you as a business.
Build Relationships With Your Customers
Social media is a great way to communicate with the customers that keep your business running. Ask for reviews and feedback, and respond to each person individually, even if they are less than happy with your service. If you show them that you care about what they have to say and that you’re taking their feedback into consideration, you can turn a customer’s negative experience into a positvie one.
Being active on social media means answering questions, posting relevant and informative content on the regular, and letting people know that customer service is your top priority. Have a contact form on your website and answer inquiries promptly, and maybe even offer a “schedule a test drive” feature on your site. The easier you make it for people to get in touch with you, the more likely they are to reach out! Creating an email list can also be a great way to let people know about sales, discounts, or any news about your business.
Making sure your dealership stands out online is key. If you’d like more tips about how to improve your digital presence, contact M1-Data & Analytics today.
Topics: Digital Marketing
