Facebook seeks to optimize mobile shopping through new automotive ad initiative

According to J.D. Power, 53% of automotive internet shoppers use a mobile device to gain information about automobiles. The world of automotive research is changing for consumers, as potential car buyers have the option to visit third-party inventory sites or dealership pages to find their next vehicle on a smartphone. However, another platform is emerging to put cars in front of consumers on mobile phones: Facebook. According to Statista, Facebook has over 2.6 billion monthly active users as of the second quarter of 2020. This is one of—if not the most massive—social media audience for businesses in all industries to pursue.

Facebook realized that it could support dealers to reach these audiences when it launched its Automotive Industry Ads features in 2019. This initiative made it possible for dealers to efficiently set up inventory ad campaigns, ensure that ads reach ideal audiences who are ready to buy and that customers can visit mobile-optimized vehicle detail pages with relevant information. However, this year, Facebook is adding more bells and whistles to this offering with its On-Facebook Destination tool.

What are On-Facebook Destination Enhancements for Automotive Inventory Ads?

Facebook is now offering dealers the opportunity to use automotive inventory ads (AIA) to drive consumers to a mobile-optimized Vehicle Detail Page on the Facebook platform. This new feature makes it easier for customers to research vehicle details in real-time, search through inventory, and connect with dealership staff on Facebook Messenger without leaving the app.

According to Facebook’s research, 55% of U.S. consumers are unwilling to wait for a web page to load when shopping. Instead of being taken to another web page and waiting for a website to load, consumers can quickly find the vehicle inventory information they need in the same place. These ads can be placed across various Facebook and Instagram pages, including Facebook Marketplace, Facebook News Feed, the Instagram Feed, Instagram Stories, and various other locations on both platforms.

The Potential Benefits for Dealers

These ads offer a variety of potential pros for dealers who take on this initiative. According to Facebook, there is an opportunity for dealers to drive more traffic to their dealership websites through these ads. These features also enable dealers to take advantage of retargeting by re-engaging consumers who have shown interest in vehicle inventory by showing them ads. Facebook also identified some quantifiable benefits for dealers:

• AIAs that led consumers to an On-Facebook Destination page reduced cost-per-lead by 82% and cost-per-view by 17%.
• The reach with On-Facebook ads is twice as high as website destinations.

These ads also help to move consumers through their customer journeys more efficiently as they are more likely to find what they need since the VDPs include personalized and relevant information.

Another Potentially Valuable Tool During a Challenging Season

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 outbreak has altered how many individuals are now choosing to shop for goods and services. Online shopping has dramatically increased since the start of quarantines and lockdowns across the country. As a result, many dealers have had to embrace online purchasing options. This offering by Facebook could be another way to make the online purchasing process more straightforward and engaging to customers. On-Facebook Destination pages can effectively lead interested consumers to vehicle options, where they can contact a dealership staff member for more information through Facebook Messenger.

This feature can also aid in simplifying the entire online shopping process. It allows customers to bypass a lengthy research phase to find the right vehicle more quickly since inventory pages are customized to their preferences. For years, consumers have been trending more toward frequenting businesses who know how to use personalization to ease their shopping journey. Ultimately, a feature like On-Facebook Destination pages can put you and your dealership ahead of the competition if used strategically.

Suppose you are looking for more ways to engage customers, increase traffic to your website, or even make your customer’s discovery and research process much easier. In that case, this is a tool that you may want to consider adding to your digital marketing tool suite.

For more information about On-Facebook Destination pages, check out this link.

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