The days of going straight to a car dealership when you want to purchase a car are long gone. Instead of trusting the salesman, many consumers prefer to do their own vehicle research before they actually go to a car yard.
If you’re an automotive business, you need to understand and work with the changes in the customer experience when it comes to buying a vehicle. Here are three of the main ways that digital marketing has changed the car-buying experience so far, and how to implement them for your own business.
Customers Research And Make Decisions About Cars Differently
While you still need to visit a dealership to actually purchase a car, over half of consumers have already made their mind up before they step foot inside. Dealers don’t have anywhere near as much influence as they used to on customer’s decision-making, because of the online research most engage in when they decide they want a new vehicle.What car dealers need to do is utilise digital marketing to influence purchasing decisions at this new earlier stage, reaching consumers before they decide.
Video Marketing
It’s not enough for customers to just read about a vehicle or look at pictures while doing their research; they want to experience as much of the car as possible without going to a dealership and driving it. This is why things like 360-degree interior and exterior car walkarounds are becoming increasingly popular. Reach your potential customers and influence them by using video media platforms like YouTube or IGTV to show vehicles in new and technologically-advancing ways.
Dealership Websites Must Be Optimised For Mobile Phones
More people use their phones or other mobile devices when doing just about anything online these days, and researching vehicles is no different. If your website isn’t mobile-optimised, you’re driving away a large number of potential consumers, who will likely turn to your competitors instead. Make sure that the customer experience on mobile devices is considered when making any changes or additions to your website.
Don’t Miss Out On Utilising Digital Marketing For Your Automotive Business
Keeping up with the changes that digital marketing has caused for automotive customer experience is tricky, and you likely have other important things to focus on. However,neglecting to use digital marketing effectively and taking advantage of what it can do for your automotive dealership is going to see you left behind.
If you want help with – or someone to take over – your digital marketing, the experts at MacZin Digital Marketing are ready and waiting to assist. We keep up to date with trends in your industry and implement effective strategies to boost your business.
