Dealers looking for a marketing partner are advised to look for one that will not only reach out to relevant leads and potential customers with quality, custom content that converts, but also one who will stay on top of marketing trends so that their website and social pages are always optimized.
That partner should educate its dealers so that they know how to best serve their clients online; and personalize their digital strategy while always staying flexible and available to the dealer.
Let’s dive a little deeper into one of our pillars of success: Driving Change.
1. Industry Research
Knowledge is power. With the digital landscape constantly changing, it’s incredibly important to stay on top of new and emerging trends — along with keeping track of any changes in old standbys.
An informed marketing partner will attend industry events like National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), Innovative Dealer Summit, and Digital Dealer every year to gain valuable insight about the trends in the automotive industry.
Marketing strategists should stay up-to-date on relevant topics, reading multiple industry blogs, and keeping open communication with other experts in the industry through emails, phone calls and social media.
Look for well-rounded strategists who are well-educated and well-versed in all the topics needed to make your dealership’s online reach soar.
2. Education for Dealers
What good is help if you don’t understand what a marketing partner is doing for you? They should want you to understand the ins and outs of what they do — along with helping you learn how to dive deeper into industry research yourself.
The tools and data available to dealers to gain valuable insight into their niche is better than ever. With Polk, Google, Experian, Dataium and dozens of other sources giving dealers the data they need to gain this understanding, dealers can make the right decisions in their marketing strategy.
With companies like String Automotive helping dealers compile the data and make it actionable, dealers have access to the “what” and the “how” in car-buying data. Your marketing partner should discuss your metrics and data with you, and help you analyze your Google Analytics.
3. Reverse Automation
Many dealerships automate their entire online presence — in fact, there is no “strategy” involved. Tools abound where you can auto-fill car models and place names to fit your niche, but the content on these pages never changes. And this is where the error is made: by not utilizing unique, customized content on your social media sites or landing pages, search engines don’t differentiate your site from the thousands of others that are similar (and are using similar automation techniques).
You and your marketing partner can counter against this with digital strategists who go in daily to check and update your website and social pages, create customized content for you, and communicate with you about your brand messaging and desires.
Look for a company that offers social, SEO, Facebook ad and PPC specialists, who are all in charge of executing your dealership’s online strategy and maintaining a clear, effective brand message across all platforms.
4. Flexibility
You’ll also want to look for a marketing partner that is flexible in not just dealership strategy, but also in communicating with you. Look for a team that is available when you are available.
And finally, don’t settle for anything less than the best!
