Welcome to the spring selling season.

Are you ready for it?

It’s no secret that automotive advertisers spend an enormous amount of time and mountains of cash seeking the latest and greatest marketing techniques.  Unfortunately, many of these strategies end up becoming a total waste of time, energy and money.

While spending money is easy, here are several proven marketing strategies that will help keep you in front of potential customers.  

1): Local Search & Off-Site SEO.

 By getting involved with local search, you’re working to build a solid foundation of success for your dealership.

Just about anything that get bought starts with an online search.  And the best way for you to get on someone’s shopping list is to be found online.

Take the time needed to make sure your digital and social media profile pages are up to date with fresh, current content.

This includes Google Business Profile, Bing Places for Business and Yelp.

And if you want to update multiple pages simultaneously, consider a service like Yext or BrightLocal.

These platforms make it really easy for consumers to see what you have to offer.

2): Localized SEM Campaigns.

 I’ll admit – it’s easy to empty the wallet with search campaigns.   But you can build and manage a localized campaign that will reach in-market buyers without breaking the bank.

Just be vigilant and selective with your keywords and location targeting.

And if you’re using broad match keywords, make sure you have plenty of negative keywords keeping your traffic relevant.

3): Create & Publish Video Content

 Consumers have been screaming for years “we want video.”  It’s time you started giving them what they want.

This doesn’t have to be a big-production. A good smart phone & tripod will get you in the video business.

What type of content?  Walk-arounds, test drives and demonstrations are all content consumers love.

Where should you publish your videos?  Google Business Profile, YouTube, TikTok (while it’s still with us), Facebook, Instagram and your website would be great.

4): Email Marketing

Most dealers have been collecting names for years.  And contrary to popular belief, email is still one of the most preferred methods of communication.

Create a content calendar so you email all those contacts.   Let them know that you’re ready to take care of their automotive needs

5): Paid Social Media Campaigns

Now’s the time to really ramp up your paid ad activity on social media.  And the top platforms for automotive are FaceBook, Instagram, and TikTok (again – while it’s still around).

SMM is great in that you communicate directly with consumers and customers in real time.  This is where you can have a lot of fun and let your personality shine.

None of this is rocket science – but it does take time and some expertise to do it right.