Digital Marketing 101: Do You Have a Handle on the Basics?

digital marketing

Over the years, digital marketing has become a must-have for small businesses that want to stay relevant and competitive. You may have heard it time and again – if your business is not on the internet, it doesn’t exist.

If you’re new to digital marketing, you might find yourself confused with how and where to start, considering the numerous forms of digital advertising available today. And if you’re one of thé 82% of small businesses that struggle with cash flow problems, you can’t just afford to spend a significant amount of money on every digital marketing strategy there is.

So, what are the best digital marketing strategies for your dealership business?

Content Marketing

Buying a car isn’t something people do all the time. Thus, it can be one pretty challenging process. You can drive more traffic and sales in your automotive business by helping people solve their problems, establishing yourself as an industry ‘expert’, and offering valuable information to your audience. In fact, 56% of shoppers say they could be convinced to buy a car if they can view a 360-degree video without having to test-drive the vehicle.

Shoppers are constantly seeking information. Giving them helpful automotive content is one of the best ways to connect with your customers. Focus on creating customer-centric content. Know their concerns and resolve them proactively. It pays to be consistent with your content marketing approach. Making use of an all-in-one marketing platform like Adrack can make managing campaigns easy and effective.

SEOdigital marketing

To drive more traffic into your website, you need to make sure that when people search for content related to your niche, your site appears on the first page of Google.

SEO is the process of improving the individual elements of your site to increase its likelihood of ranking high on major search engines. It all starts with choosing the best keywords. The only way for your site to come up when people search online is to have those relevant keywords included in your content. Note that SEO isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing process and the only way to keep improving is to track and monitor your progress.

Web Design

When people visit your dealership website, you want them to feel that they’re with a company they can trust. Thus, you want your site to look professional, with all the helpful information your customers need.

What makes an effective website design?

  • Easy navigation. 
  • Simple and less cluttered.
  • Incorporates high-quality images and videos.
  • Easy access to information.
  • Rich in valuable content.

Social Media Marketing

90% of car buyers who used social media feel that it influenced their decision. But how do you utilize social media to promote your dealership business? First of all, you can use it to share content. Social sharing is the trend today. To boost your site traffic, focus on creating highly shareable content. Next, use social networking sites as a platform for making conversations with your audience. Share experiences and ‘humanize’ your brand. Offer social-specific contests and promotions. And lastly, use lots and lots of high-quality images and videos to advertise your business.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an old strategy but it continues to deliver great results to nearly all types of business. 75% of adults prefer email as their mode of communication with brands. So make sure you have a solid email marketing plan in place.

But before you send your campaign, make sure your email list is accurate and up to date by removing inactive and invalid addresses. Doing so improves your open rate and lowers your bounce rate. Consider segmenting your contacts to ensure that they receive relevant content from your company. Lastly, make your emails mobile responsive because the majority of emails are now opened via mobile devices.

Google Advertising

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is one of the most powerful and measurable forms of advertising for car dealerships today. And with 90% of car buyers turning to Google for faster, more efficient searches, Google advertising can greatly help boost your sales.

To build a better PPC campaign, it’s imperative that you understand the automotive buyer’s funnel. When people buy a car, they have five crucial questions: Which car is best for me? Is it right for me? Can I afford it? Where should I buy it? Am I getting a deal? By considering these key buyer questions, you can build PPC campaigns that target buyers at every level. Furthermore, your Google ad strategy should be extremely effective. Some proven ways to increase your search ranking include using ad extensions, incorporating highly relevant keywords on your landing pages, and adding negative keywords.

Online marketing doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process. By focusing on the best strategies that apply to your niche, you can achieve your marketing goals while keeping your costs low.