How to leverage automotive advertising for your dealership

With the automotive industry continuing to suffer from supply chain issues, acquiring inventory for your dealership has been increasingly challenging. The days of hundreds of customers looking to sell their vehicles and trade them in for the newest models are a distant memory. So, to keep your inventory levels up, you must employ different advertising techniques to attract clients to your dealership. Here we will discuss the best ways to leverage car dealership advertising to maximize your inventory acquisition efforts. 

Advertising for your dealership 

When it comes to car dealership advertising, there are a lot of different ways to go about it. You can invest in traditional marketing methods like TV and radio ads, or try newer strategies like social media and search engine optimization. Regardless of your approach, ensuring that your dealership gets the most out of your advertising budget is essential. 

The purpose of advertising is to create awareness for your dealership and to attract potential customers. It’s important to remember that not all advertising techniques are created equally. Some methods will be more effective than others, so it’s essential to find the right mix of strategies that work best for your business. Here are the top car dealership advertising methods to increase your inventory acquisition. 

1. Search engine optimization 

The first part of your advertising strategy should ensure that your dealership’s website is optimized for search engines. This means that your website should be easy to find when people are searching for keywords related to your business. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a complex process, but there are a few simple things you can do to improve your website’s ranking. 

• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. More and more people are using their smartphones to search for businesses, so your website must be easily viewed on a mobile device. 

• Use relevant keywords on your website. Potential customers will use specific words and phrases when searching for a dealership. Ensure that these words and phrases are included on your website. 
• Write articles and blog content for your website. This will help to improve your website’s ranking in search engines and attract potential customers to your dealership. You want to include backlinks to authoritative websites in the car dealership space. For instance, linking your articles to a website like Kelley Blue Book. 

2. Run display advertisements 

A display advertisement is online advertising that allows you to show images, videos, and other forms of media on websites and apps. These ads attract potential customers to your dealership’s website. 

When creating display ads, it’s important to use appealing visuals and clear messaging. You want your ad to stand out from the rest, so potential customers will click on it. It’s also key to target your ads to specific demographics so that you’re not wasting your time and money on ads that don’t appear to your likely customers. 

Display advertising can be a great way to attract potential customers to your dealership’s website. But it’s important to remember that this is just one part of your overall advertising strategy. One of the best ways to get started with display advertising is to use highly trafficked websites. Kelley Blue Book offers display advertising services to help you reach your target audience. 

3. Offer rewards and incentive programs 

Offering rewards and incentive programs are a great way to attract potential customers to your dealership. You can offer discounts on vehicles, free services, or other incentives to encourage people to visit your dealership. These programs can be a great way to build loyalty among potential customers and turn them into lifelong fans of your business. 

When creating a rewards or incentive program, it’s essential to ensure that the benefits are communicated. You want potential customers to understand what they will get out of the program to be more likely to participate. It’s also essential to ensure that the program is easy to sign up for and use. The last thing you want is potential customers to get frustrated with the process and give up before they even start. 

4. Utilize email marketing 

One advertising technique that is often overlooked is email marketing. Email marketing can be a great way to reach potential customers and encourage them to visit your dealership. Email marketing can send potential customers special offers, coupons, or other incentives. You can also use email marketing to keep potential customers up-to-date on your dealership’s new inventory, specials, or events. 

When creating an email marketing campaign, you must ensure that your messages are clear and concise. You want potential customers to read your emails and understand the offer or incentive you’re providing. Personalizing your emails is also essential so they feel they come from a friend rather than a faceless corporation. 

One of the most important elements of email marketing is having a lead magnet that allows you to collect potential customers’ emails. A great way to do this is to use Kelley Blue Book LeadDriver. The service will enable you to add a form to your website that potential customers can fill out to receive more information about your dealership. 

The form will collect the potential customer’s name, email address, and phone number. This information will then be sent directly to your dealership so that you can follow up with them. Once you collect the emails, add them to your mailing list and start your email marketing campaign. 

5. Set up social media ad campaigns 

Social media advertising is another excellent car dealership advertising method that can allow you to reach millions of new customers through geotargeted campaigns. There are a variety of social media platforms that you can use to reach potential customers, including, but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

When creating a social media ad campaign, you must ensure that your ads are targeted to your target audience. You also want to ensure that your ads are creative and visually appealing. Your goal is to create ads that will grab the attention of potential customers and encourage them to visit your dealership. 

It’s also essential to track the performance of your social media ad campaign so that you can see what’s working and what isn’t. This information will help you adjust your campaign as needed to get the most out of it.  

Additional car dealership advertising methods 

While these are just a few ways to use car dealership advertising to reach potential customers, many other methods are available. Some other techniques include: 

• Sponsoring a local event 
• Advertising on radio or television 
• Creating an online video campaign 
• Using search engine marketing (SEM) 

How automotive advertising can help you acquire vehicles 

Regardless of your method, car dealership advertising can be a great way to reach potential customers and encourage them to visit your dealership. By leveraging incentives and programs which are easy to sign up for and use, you can build loyalty among potential customers and turn them into lifelong fans of your business. And with the help of Kelley Blue Book, it’s easy to collect potential customers’ information so that you can follow up with them. If you are interested in learning other ways to grow your dealership, check out Kelley Blue Book’s dealer resources today.