Automotive Marketing Trends Through COVID and Beyond

Albert Einstein once said that “the measure of intelligence is the ability to change”, and that advice definitely applies to the used car market. Keeping a finger on the pulse of the automotive market is essential, especially in transformative times. Automotive marketing trends are evolving.

Digital Retail

Since people are more likely to stay home, digital retail is becoming the norm. 2 out of 3 car buyers are more likely to buy online rather than step foot in a dealership. In fact, Google searches for “dealerships near me” have dropped over 20% in the year 2020.

That being said, dealerships should not be worried by this change. With an accessible, easy-to-read website, dealerships can compete as heavily as they could before in the automotive market, and connect new customers to their inventory just as effectively as they could in person. Studies have shown that a 360-degree video of a car inside and out is enough to convince a customer to purchase a car. It isn’t necessary to physically see a car to know that it is the right fit. Providing videos and data in a clear and concise manner is how a car dealership can get ahead in the digital age.

Let go of the Traditional Marketing Past

Dealers should be familiar with the radio and cable ads that were working for decades. However, in the time of Netflix and Spotify, customers are much less likely to be tuning in to these traditional marketing channels. That is why digital marketing is crucial – if the audience is in front of a tablet and computer, then the best bet is to reach them there. It can be hard to let go of trusty methods that worked for so long, but there is a silver lining at the end of the tunnel. Buyers want to hear a message that is specific to them, and digital marketing allows for a higher level of personalization and targeting that cable could not provide. Stop wasting money and living in the nostalgia of the past.

Direct advertising

During the car-buying process, 31% of shoppers make their last stop at a dealership website. A dealership should be doing everything in its power to make sure that these shoppers click on their website. Creating and running digital ads can give dealerships a leg up, without money going to a third-party ad agency. Find out what the customers in your area are looking for and appeal to them with specifically targeted ads. Make sure that your dealership’s website has the maximum visibility possible. Getting people to click on your dealership’s website is most of the work, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a struggle.

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