One common mistake when it comes to companies and their marketing is not utilizing a blog on their platform. Blogs bring many benefits like gaining more traffic to your website, building your brand online and strengthening your relationship with your customers. It is a very important form of content marketing that can increase your online presence. Since you’ve stumbled across this blog, it’s likely you know how effective it can be for automotive digital marketing.

Here are four different reasons why a blog would benefit your dealership.

1. It will drive customers to your website.

It is highly recommended to build your blog within your current website domain. That way you are not bringing any customers off your website. Your blog will be updated consistently with new content which will increase your opportunity to populate on search engine results pages. You can also include SEO tactics in your blog to increase that chance. 

2. Blogging helps build your relationship with your customers.

Blogs are a way to show all sides of your dealership. Some blog posts can be industry-related, and others can be news about your dealership. It gives you a platform to update your customers on the latest topics surrounding your brand and within the automotive industry. In addition, you can gain a more personal relationship through blogs that are geared towards company news. Both strategies help build trust with your customers.

3. Gives you control over your online presence.

Build your online presence, reputation, and brand on your own. Having a blog allows you to be in charge of what you want to publish and how you want to reflect your dealership. 

4. Generates leads for sales and service.

The blogs are already bringing in additional traffic, which increases your chances that a customer will engage with your website. This can include filling out a form fill, clicking on a call-to-action or shopping your website. Including a call-to-action on every blog post will solidify that chance. See the timeline below on how website traffic can turn into a lead for your sales team.

1. 1. Strangers – they see your content such as blog, keywords, and social media.
   2. Turns into Visitors – they’ll engage with your call-to-actions, form fills, and website landing pages.
   3. Turns into Leads – you receive the lead from step 2. Your team handles the sale through dealership sales emails, workflow and follow-ups.
   4. Turns into Customers – you focus on customer retention and relationships by hosting events, social follow-ups, and content drivers toward existing customers. 

What Blog Topics Should You Post?

As an automotive dealership, you want to post blog topics that are geared toward your audience. You want to stay relevant to what your consumer is looking for. When it comes to blogs, stay consistent with your posting. You can touch points on many different topics, starting with the list below: 

1. Updates on Latest Topics and Industry Knowledge – Be the first to announce upcoming topics within your brand and the automotive industry. Get your customers just as excited as you are for the future of car buying at your dealership. Some topics can include:

a. New Models

b. Inventory Shortages 

c. Growth Opportunities

d. New Vehicle Reviews

2. Dealership News and Successions – This is where you can become a little more personal with your customers. You want to use this blog to help build the relationship you have, gain trust, and show them who you are. You can do this by the list below:

a. Dealership Expansions/Building Updates

b. Hitting Sales Goals

c. Thanking Your Customers

d. Monthly Newsletters

3. Upcoming News – A blog is a great place to give your customers more details about upcoming news, or to talk about events that have happened. 

a. Dealership Events

b. Dealership Fundraisers

c. Post-Event Updates 

4. Inventory Vehicles/Guides to Buying/Dealership Incentives – This is a perfect spot to add anything from your current inventory to buying trends and tips, to vehicle safety, and more. Think about what a buyer would need to know before investing in such a big purchase. 

a. Vehicle Tutorials 

b. Inventory Spotlights 

c. 10 Things You Need to Know About Your New Vehicle

d. How to Enhance the Life of Your Vehicle

e. Used Car Buying Guides 

f. Financing vs Leasing – Tips on What Fits You Best

g. What We Love About (Model Name)

h. How to Know When It’s Time for a New Car?

i. Best Vehicle for a New Driver – Add in budget-friendly inventory link to this!  

j. Comparison between two vehicle models

k. Trading in Your Vehicle or Private Selling

l. Dealership Promotions/Incentives

5. Brand Awareness – Use your blog to build up your brand awareness and give gratitude towards your current employees. This can be done by using the blog topics below, which can also be used towards social media posts! 

a. Employees of the month:

i. Sales Manager of the Month

ii. Salesmen/women of the Month

iii. Service Advisor of the Month

iv. Technician of the Month

b. Meet Our Team

c. Benefits of Buying at Your Dealership

6. Service Blogs – Service is a big part of your returning customers. You want to be the dealership that sold them their vehicle and can maintain that same vehicle. Having different blog topics about how important service is, and when to schedule will help drive customers to schedule with you. 

a. Car Maintenance and Service Checklist

b. Have you gotten your tires rotated and balanced?

c. When Was Your Last Oil Change?

d. How to Inspect Your Oil? 

e. Why You Should Never Ignore Warning Lights & Understanding What They Mean

f. Maintenance and Car Tips (geared towards your location – winter weather, mountains/rocky roads, busy cities) 

g. What to Do When You Get a Flat

7. Extras/Fun Topics – Get creative with your blog! It doesn’t have to be fully centered around your business. You can give fun ideas, or places to visit, in your products, or that have to do with owning a vehicle. 

a. Best Vacations within Driving Distance

b. Best Places to Get Your Car Washed – Add in your dealership’s detail center if you have one!

c. Getting Your Vehicle Road Trip Ready

d. Car Cleaning Hacks for Your Spring-Cleaning

e. Best Car Shows Around Here

f. Christmas Gift Guide for Your Vehicle

When it comes to blogging, find what fits your dealership and brand best. It’s all about staying consistent in posting, and you’ll start to see the benefits of having your blog up to date. If you’re interested in generating more quality traffic to your website, D2D can help. Contact us to speak to an automotive digital marketing expert today.

In today’s digital world, it’s pretty much a must for any successful business to have some sort of online presence. With so many tools and platforms available, making the right decisions for your dealership can be overwhelming and quite challenging. Just like you’re an “expert” in your area of expertise, so is a digital marketing partner, which is why you NEED one.

Let the Pros Handle It

As I mentioned above, you’re an expert in your area of expertise. You know what to do and how to get the job done. The same concept works for a digital marketing partner. Digital marketing requires a professional with the knowledge and specialized skills that it takes to be successful in the digital marketing world. They are continuously staying on top of the trends, tools, and programs that are required to reach your target audience and capitalize on your ROI.

Save Yourself the Time and Money

When you’re thinking about marketing, the old cliché is true; you need to spend money to make money. Rather than trying to figure it all out yourself, testing spends, taking the time to learn how it all works yourself, you can SAVE that time and money and let an expert handle it. Your marketing partner will know the most successful way to spend your money which in the end will save you money. They will alleviate the time it takes you to set up a campaign because your partner will be doing it, successfully.

Developing a Marketing Strategy

It is essential for a business to have a marketing strategy in place to be successful. This ensures that you’re targeting your ideal customer and the ideal location when trying to generate business. A digital marketing partner will help customize a marketing plan that works best for your dealership. They’ll know the suitable channels to help pinpoint those ideal customers which will result in sales and brand awareness.

Stay Ahead of the Competition

With a digital marketing partner, you’ll be sure to stay ahead of the competition by developing your own unique voice and presence among a sea of competitors. With your developed marketing strategy and a partner who is continuously keeping up with the trends, your dealership will see an increase in traffic and you’ll have the ability to adjust your strategies quickly and effectively.

Results. Results. Results.

Let’s be real, results are all that matter when it comes to marketing. Having the ability to monitor and review those results is a key piece to seeing your dealership grow and be successful. With a digital marketing partner and their analytic tools, your dealership will be able to track its performance, adjust where you see fit, and truly understand what works and what doesn’t.

We only covered a few of the MANY benefits that come with having a digital marketing partner. Save your dealership that time and money that is wasted when trying to figure it out on your own. Let the professionals handle this one. Don’t know where to start when selecting a digital partner for your dealership? D2D is here to help! Give us a call today at 877-958-4524 or contact us online. Our automotive digital specialists are here to answer your questions!

Like it or not, Labor Day is headed our way in just a couple of weeks which marks the unofficial end of summer as kids head back to school and cooler temps await us. So, it’s officially coming: Fall! This selling season might look unlike anything we’ve seen before, and your dealership needs to be prepared. Here are some tips to get your store ready for sales this fall and winter.

Do your Homework

Just when you thought you graduated and homework was over, here it is again. Go to the factory and industry meetings and conferences. See what people across the business are saying and experiencing. Talk to your automotive digital marketing agency about the data they are seeing. There are some interesting patterns developing in car buyers in 2023. For instance, according to CDK, even though inventory is on the rise, buyer satisfaction is dropping. Are you seeing this same trend?

Be Prepared

You’re reading this blog, so you’re off to a good start. But, it’s just that; a start. There are a lot of important times and events coming up that you’ll want to be prepared for: Labor Day, Black Friday, end of year, and holiday travel (hopefully) bringing in more service appointments.

We know they’re coming, so don’t let them catch you off guard. Start preparing now. A good place to start is Labor Day. It’s right around the corner, so hopefully you have a strategy and creative in place already, but if you don’t, it’s not too late. Work with your marketing partner to develop a sales even approach and make sure to communicate with your customers any dealership closures you are planning for the holiday. It’s always a great time to do something special to recognize your own employees as well as those in the community.

In addition to all of this, there could be another thing coming. Have you noticed that your sales start to slow after Labor Day as everyone settles back in from vacations and summer houses and a new school year routine? Buying a new car is often the last thing on people’s minds while they deal with all of this. So, your family car sales might go down, but your college-aged buyers might peak at the same time. What have you noticed in your dealership in the past that you want to prepare your sales team for?

Consider Going Backwards

That’s probably something you never expected to read in this blog but know that I only mean in a very small way. It’s no secret or surprise that the industry has changed so much so over the last few years that it’s likely never going back to “the before times.” However, as inventory starts to roll back in, don’t forget everything you used to do. Incentivize your sales team for sales numbers (whereas perhaps you’ve been incentivizing for gross). Perhaps you need to go back into different areas of advertising that you stepped away from with low inventory. Make sure you’re showing up in certain areas for digital advertising where competitors have a large presence. Digital advertising is our specialty at D2D, and if you need any help here -we’ve got you!

Let’s recap! Keep track of industry trends by talking to other dealers and auto experts. There is no better time to invest in conferences and events! Make sure you plan ahead to stay ahead of the calendar and competition. Meet with your automotive advertising team and make a plan for the rest of the year. It might seem like a long way away, but we all know how fast it goes. Consider some of the “old” strategies that worked well for you and whether or not you could benefit from them now if your inventory level is higher.

If you need any help developing a plan or simply want some input on your current plan, D2D is here to help! Give us a call today at 877-958-4524 or contact us online. Our automotive digital specialists are here to answer your questions!

Have you ever been in a marketing meeting and been thinking, “what are they talking about? This sounds like another language!”.  You are not alone! The marketing, advertising, and public relations industries use a variety of abbreviations when talking about strategies, metrics, and tools. We understand this can be confusing and overwhelming, so we compiled a list of acronyms so you can jump right into your next meeting and sound like a professional.

Have you ever been in a pitch meeting and a marketing professional mentioned a strategy they wanted to try and only said a few letters? Those few letters come together to form very powerful and effective campaigns.

• CTA = Call to Action

  • CTAs are used in advertising creative to entice users to take action on your ad, such as a click or phone call.

• SEO = Search Engine Optimization

  • SEO is the strategy of utilizing copy, content, and links to enhance your organic ranking in an online search.

• SEM = Search Engine Marketing

  • SEM refers to your search campaigns that run on search engines like Google and Bing.

• Pmax = Performance Max

  • Pmax campaigns are a Google Ads product that allows advertisers to utilize all of Google’s advertising platforms from one campaign.

When you are in a meeting with your marketing department or automotive advertising agency, do they refer to metrics with terms like KPIs and ROAS? Continue reading for breakouts and definitions to commonly used data points.

• KPI = Key Performance Indicator

  • KPIs are the metrics that advertisers and marketers use to measure success. See below for some examples.

• CPC = Cost Per Click

  • CPC provides an average of how much an advertiser was charged for each click.

• CTR = Clickthrough Rate

  • CTR is a metric that determines how many users clicked on your ads versus those who did not. The higher the click through rate, the better the engagement.

• CPM = Cost Per Mille/Thousand Impressions

  • This one may not be so easy to figure out from the acronym alone, but it is a simple metric to comprehend. CPM provides the average fee for an advertiser to show their ad one thousand times.

• ROAS = Return on Ad Spend

  • ROAS tells you how much bang for your buck you got. For example, you sold X number of cars with Y advertising spend.

• SIS = Search Impression Share

  • SIS tells how often you showed in your SEM campaigns versus how much you could have shown.

Digital to Dealer Direct knows that as in any field, there are tools and software to enhance the ease and performance of the job. That is no different in advertising! Check out a few abbreviations of tools used in this industry.

• GA4 = Google Analytics 4

  • You might be hearing this one often right now as it just became the official Google Analytics tool. It is a hub to see all your website traffic, events, and data.

• GTM = Google Tag Manager

  • GTM is home to a variety of tags and codes that are placed on your website without the need to consistently update the base code.

• GMB = Google My Business

  • GMB is your digital storefront that provides Google users with quick information about your business like your store hours, address, and phone number. Keeping your page optimized is important for your business and your customers.

We hope that this guide to advertising acronyms will assist you in your next meeting and allow you to dive deeper into the marketing world. If you have any questions about acronyms, or how to apply any of these to your business, reach out to us today!

It’s hard to believe that we are more than halfway through 2023 already! During this year, like all other years, we see many changes, life events, entertainment, news and the changes to the auto industry. The auto industry has continued to evolve and adapt to emerging technologies and consumer preferences.

Halfway into 2023, we see more developments and trends that are shaping the remaining half of the year and our 2024.

Whether we like it or not let’s start with Electric Vehicle (EV) Dominance: Electric vehicles have solidified their position as the future of the automotive industry. Most major automakers have significantly expanded their EV lineups, offering a wide range of models to cater to different consumer needs.

Another changing development in the automotive industry that some are not a fan of or questionable on is the Autonomous Driving Progress: Autonomous driving technology has made significant strides, becoming more mainstream. With Autonomous vehicles already out on the market, manufacturers are working, testing and currently developing higher levels of autonomous vehicles. However, widespread adoption of fully autonomous vehicles on public roads is still a few years away due to regulatory and safety considerations.

As we move forward people are becoming busier with less time to spend time at car dealerships, because of this Video for Substitution of In-Person Test Drives and Service Appointments are becoming more widespread. This became the go-to in the height of the COVID pandemic, now with dealerships still offering this service, it helps to drive more customers in. Recreating great customer experiences online becomes more critical as in-person customer visits decline. Recent studies show the following: Online videos influence nearly 75% of vehicle consumers when purchasing.  65% of those consumers who use web videos to research their purchases, innovative formats like the 360-degree video might persuade them to buy a car without first giving it a test drive! While 60% of potential customers would buy more quickly if the process were more accessible. Being able to connect with a service tech without having to drop everything and wait at the dealership has also become a new feature dealerships have seen success in. Overall, 55% of potential buyers will do business with the dealer providing the best possible customer experience, even if that dealer does not offer the most competitive prices.

The vehicles themselves are ever-changing, exterior, interior and the way we use them. Connectivity and Smart Features: Vehicles are more connected than ever before. Built-in infotainment systems with seamless integration of smartphones, voice assistants, and other smart devices have become standard across most vehicle models. Car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communication technologies are being implemented to enhance safety, traffic management, and overall efficiency.

Now more than ever consumers (and non-consumers) are caring more about the world around them. Sustainable Manufacturing Practices: Automakers are focusing on sustainability and reducing their environmental footprint. More companies are investing in green manufacturing practices, such as using recycled materials, implementing energy-efficient processes, and adopting renewable energy sources for production, which is show above with EV vehicles. The push for sustainability extends beyond the vehicles themselves and into our culture.

As always top priority for most when choosing a vehicle is the Continued Push for Safety: Safety remains a top priority for the industry as well. Automakers are equipping vehicles with advanced safety features, including enhanced driver-assistance systems, pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking. Crash avoidance technology and comprehensive safety ratings continue to evolve, resulting in safer roadways.

With all the positives we will also have what some may view as negatives. For starters the auto industry does still need to work on bouncing back to where it once was pre-pandemic. Even as supply chain problems begin to ease, new challenges are emerging: a possible recession, high inflation, the impact of challenges overseas impacting the financial markets. These events could have buyers on spending money for new and used vehicles.

Dealership owners will be forced to get more creative. Those in the market for new vehicles that can be modified to their needs will be in for a longer wait, causing them to look for alternative ways to get what they want faster. Due to consumers having more options even with longer waits for what they want dealerships need to really drive what they already have on the lot.

A new law will have automakers scrambling. Although final details are still being worked out, the Inflation Reduction Act modified the rules for which electric vehicles qualify for tax credits, requiring some components to be manufactured and assembly to happen in the U.S. to get the maximum credit.

With some hurdles and new challenges what won’t slow down is the industry’s development of fresh products, designs, testing, and sales evolutions.

Overall, 2023 is shaping up to be a pretty good year in the automotive industry and at Digital to Dealer Direct, we take pride in staying up to date on emerging trends and industry changes as well as automotive digital marketing trends. To speak to one of our experts give us a call at 877-958-4524 or contact us online today!

If you’re a dealership owner or GM, it is crucial to have a Google My Business page. If you’re not familiar with this platform, it is a business listing within Google. It is a snapshot of your business that points out your best features and allows customers to engage with you. Google My Business Profile is free for businesses and enhances your digital presence. It is a powerful tool used for businesses to increase their visibility and reach potential costumes. The more content you fill out, the easier it is for a customer to get to know your business. To get the most out of your page, you need to make sure that your profile is fully optimized.

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR GOOGLE PROFILE

Step 1: Fill Out Each Section on Your Profile

There are a few different areas to look for when updating your business information. The more you fill out, the more engagement. It will invite customers into your business and will help Google rank you higher in local search results.

These sections are quick and easy to set up:

• • Website: Link your website directly into your Google profile.

  • Address: Make sure to have your address populated and verify your location. Having your location will provide customers with directions straight to your establishment.

  • Phone Number: Filling out your contact phone number will make it easier for customers using a mobile device to click to call.

  • Business Hours: don’t forget to update for holiday closures/etc.

  • Business Description: Add a short description of your dealership including aspects of both sales and service departments.

  • Questions & Answers: You can create owner-generated FAQs to answer basic questions someone may have about your business.

  • Define Your Category: Make sure to put your dealership into the category section, this will populate as: “Subaru Dealer in Montville, NJ” for example.

These sections are ongoing:

• • Products: You can add products such as service specials, parts, and more.

  • Posts: Adding updates on what’s going on at your dealership, promotions and more will help attract more potential customers.

  • Reviews: These are a huge part of what will make or break a customer’s decision to use your dealership.

Step 2: Stay up to Date on Google Reviews

Reviews can make your business much more appealing online. They are an essential component to your digital presence. People lean towards others to give them a direct look into your business through their experience. They can also increase how your website is ranked in search results. Learn how to easily request reviews from your customers by clicking here.

Staying up to date on reviews and replying to them builds up your brand reputation.  Handling both good and bad reviews with respect will show your commitment to your customers. It builds a relationship between you and your customers which can build lifelong loyalty to your dealership. Click here for more information on reputation management.

Step 3: Post Photos Regularly

People love looking at photos, it brings them in, makes them question more about your store, and gives them an extra pull to come in. When you have up-to-date photos on your Google Business Profile, it elevates the entire thing. It will help you stand out from all other profiles and keep their eyes on your page. One photo that is crucial to have is a profile cover photo. This will show up at the top of your Google Business Profile.

Some other types of photos to add are the exterior and interior of your dealership, your service and parts center, your service and parts van, some showroom vehicles, and anything else your dealership has to offer. You want to make sure the photos are high-quality, clear, and eye-catching. This will leave a lasting impression on your customers. 

Step 4: Post Frequent Updates

Updates let you promote real-time specials through posts. You can post anything that will attract them into your showroom, this can include:

• • Special offers and promotions

  • Dealership Events

  • Products and services

  • All-new models

This is another avenue to keep your customers engaged in your store and up to date on what you offer.

If you’re having trouble navigating the waters of Google My Business, D2D can help. As an automotive digital advertising agency, it’s our job to make sure your digital presence is top-notch. Contact us today to get started!