Don't Blow Your Budget During Election Season: How to Make the Most of Your Ad Spend Until November 8 - AutoSuccessOnline

Don’t Blow Your Budget During Election Season: How to Make the Most of Your Ad Spend Until November 8

Katie Barth, AutoSuccess Blog

By Katie Barth, Marketing Manager PureCars

Ten years ago, politicians relied primarily on traditional advertising to further their campaign efforts. Refocus on 2016: When is the last time you saw an advertisement for the upcoming election outside of television? Candidates are dominating across all mediums: from traditional to mobile, Facebook to Twitter, and YouTube to Snapchat. There’s one thing both candidates have in common: having a digital presence is not only critical for success, but became increasingly difficult in 2016. And they’re not alone. 


​This August, AdAge reported that half of the overall digital ad spending in 2016 would go towards local elections, breaking $1 billion dollars. With election advertisements dominating advertising mediums, it’s no secret that the cost of advertising will increase — and that presents a challenge for advertisers working with limited budgets. So what can advertisers do to make the most of their budgets until November 8?
 
Relevancy
Whether they’re driving to work, checking their Facebook feed on lunch or tuning into a big NFL game, consumers are being exposed to countless advertisements in one day. The majority of those advertisements won’t resonate. Message alignment — reaching the right consumer with  relevant content or ad — is what resonates. If a consumer searches “used Honda CR-V near me” and your dealership serves an ad for a new Civic, you’re not only wasting the consumer’s time, but wasting your valuable ad dollars. Focusing on relevancy drives awareness, and ultimately action.
 
Strategic Targeting
Efficient spending is not only about relevant content — it’s also about targeting the most relevant consumer. That’s where strategic targeting comes in. ZIP code-level data allows you to meet the consumer in immediate need of an oil change with your service lane’s incentive. Customer match helps you retarget previous consumers based on your CRM data. Inventory targeting helps you determine which vehicles need the added spend, versus which will sell themselves. Data provides insight into where your spend goes, and where it should be going. With targeting, you’re able to replace guesswork with strategy — a much more efficient use of time and budget.
 
Focus on User Signals
And finally, user intent: a key component in efficient spending. Reaching today’s consumer starts with being present during the critical moments, and many of those moments are marked with intent. Keywords like “price” and “near me” indicate purchase intent, and are more likely to convert. Is your ad showing up “above the fold”? Is your listing and contact information up to date? If they’re searching for a specific vehicle, are you matching their inquiry with the exact model they’re looking for?
 
Actions reflecting purchase intent don’t always result in an immediate sale, but they do push them down the sales funnel. Focus your advertising — and your budget — on moments of intent. Reach them when they’re looking, and where they’re looking.
 
Ultimately, it comes down to one thing: creating a more relevant user experience based on consumer intent and available data. You don’t have to deplete your ad budget to be successful this election season. It’s what you do with your budget that makes the difference. 

You May Also Like

New Research Reveals Age and Gender Differences in Vehicle Add-On Purchases

Are there certain age/gender demographics with a higher propensity of purchasing any specific set of VPPs? This study sheds light on consumer preferences and priorities when it comes to safeguarding and maintaining vehicles.

study about age and gender differences - man and woman

By Tom Oscherwitz, VP of Legal and Regulatory Advisor at Informed.IQ

When consumers purchase cars at an auto dealer, they often buy supplemental products and services called voluntary protection products (VPPs). These provide additional coverage and protection for certain vehicle components or services not covered by or beyond the manufacturer's original warranty. 

How Generative AI Is Impacting Auto Lending Compliance

What is often left out of recent headlines, is the extraordinary power of AI to reduce harm, including fair lending and discrimination risks.

5 Predictions for Front-Line Chat Solutions

In the next few years, prepare for a chat solution that must act like a personal greeter to every customer who visits your digital showroom.

Maximizing Fleet Uptime: A Dealer’s Guide

This guide provides actionable insights for dealers to ensure their fleets are always on the move.

Your Service Department’s Undervalued Opportunity: Streamlining RO Stories

Consider how much time repair event stories take to write. Now, multiply that by the number of technicians employed at your dealership and you could easily be wasting hundreds of technician hours every month.

Other Posts

Ways to Save on Credit Card Merchant Transaction Fees

A processor should lessen your workload by handling merchant processing. They should free you up to focus on the customer, while feeling confident that your processing remains compliant and safe.  

How End-of-Year-Sales May Impact Auto Finance Digital Transformation Strategies

We still have a very paper-driven culture but we need to continue to shift focus to digitization to reduce risk and liability.

The ROI of Giving Back

The key place to begin for any type of giving-back initiative is to determine what drives you and inspires you.

5 Technologies That Have Transformed Automotive Transportation

Recent advances in transportation offer efficiencies for drivers and carriers and provide peace of mind for customers. These improvements often offer cost improvements, as well as reduce liability for the carrier.

car carrier Ship.Cars