Drawing a customer in and closing a sale isn’t as simple a task as it used to be. In today’s world, people aren’t often seeing a TV commercial or newspaper ad then coming straight into the dealership to purchase. With the amount of time people spend online and the variety of digital ways that make it easier to reach people, it can be hard to predict how any given prospect will be exposed to your business or choose to interact with your dealership. That’s why it is smart to be prepared for any type of digital interaction both on and off your website. This opens the door for a prospect to find your dealership in many ways.
One major aspect of digital marketing strategy to keep in mind is the search engine. Research shows that 71% of consumers start with a search engine to discover new products¹. Clearly, it’s important to optimize your site for a high ranking on search engines through Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It’s also wise to advertise your dealership on search engine platforms through Search Engine Marketing (SEM). A search engine like Google may likely be the first place where a prospective customer sees your business, so you want to make a good impression by having a strong presence. Your dealership’s citations (also known as business listings) as well as your dealership’s reputation (through ratings and reviews) are also visible on search engine results pages, and these are both manageable through SEO strategy.
Although search engines create a major avenue between consumers and businesses, they aren’t the only way a prospect might find your dealership. Many consumers may have an idea about the kind of unit they are interested in but choose to do some research before visiting a dealership website. Different website, such as an industry-related blog for example, provide a great platform for advertising to prospects. People visiting these sites clearly have an interest in units like yours, so targeting them with ads is a smart way to drive traffic to your site. This is called Behavioral Targeting.
Once a person has visited your site, Website Retargeting creates a way to keep them interested and encourages them to return to your site again. It keeps your business at top of mind by serving those past website visitors ads for your dealership.
Another way to stay connected to a past website visitor is through Marketing Automation. This tool identifies website visitors and tracks the actions they take on your site as well as other online platforms like social media and email marketing. Customized Lead Scoring abilities and automated, personalized follow-up techniques give each prospect a positive experience that matches their needs and preferences. Marketing Automation puts each prospect on an individual customer journey with the highest likely chance to convert.
There are other ways to reach likely prospects on digital platforms as well. Online and in-app video ads can reach prospects in a way that is highly engaging, while Video & OTT/CTV advertising delivers video ads to people streaming content on connected devices like Apple TV and Xbox. In this way, a digital strategy takes the place of a traditional marketing method.
Geofence Targeting is another powerful strategy that can help connect likely prospects to your dealership. This tool serves digital ads via smartphone to people visiting physical locations that signal a likely interest in your business – for example, your competing dealership in town. Geofence Targeting allows you to advertise to visitors in any location, and there are also even more advanced strategies within the tool like Event Geofence Targeting and Addressable Geofence Targeting that let you get even more specific.
There are so many ways to connect to customers digitally, and with the increased exposure an online presence provides it would be foolish not to do so. Expand your marketing reach by adding a variety of digital strategies to the mix.