The worst has happened—you’ve run out of innovative marketing ideas. Don’t feel bad, it’s actually not that uncommon. In fact, if you ask anyone what one of the main challenges of the automotive industry is, they’ll probably say standing out from competitors. So, how do you differentiate yourself from the other guys? And how do you make sure you’re not wasting valuable resources on campaigns that produce underwhelming results?

Read on to learn top-market ideas for automotive marketing and for specific ad examples for car loans, used cars, and new cars.

Car Dealership Advertising Ideas to Grow Your Business

Running out of ideas for car dealership ads is not only understandable—it’s ubiquitous. There comes a time for nearly every business owner when you no longer know where to put your efforts and innovate. Or perhaps you want better results than your efforts are producing. Advertising for car dealers, whether you’re advertising used cars or creating new car ads, can be challenging in our current marketplace. And expensive.

But, we’re here to help you learn what car dealership digital marketing is and how your business can benefit from venturing into it. There are a number of car dealership advertising ideas and resources (some of which you might already be using) that can help take you to the next level and get excited about advertising again. More importantly, they can raise your bottom line.

What Is Car Dealership Digital Marketing?

Car dealership digital marketing includes creating and implementing innovative strategies to appeal to potential customers and promote your products/services through digital ads. These can include car loan ads, car sales ads, new car ads, and used car ads. In essence, car dealer marketing is your game plan of how you’re going to catch and keep buyers’ attention long enough to make an impact. Like marketing in any industry, it is most successful when you have a clear direction.

Good car dealership advertising ideas include optimizing your dealer website, creating social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.), getting customer testimonials, using modern communication channels, and researching competitors to reach large audiences. Key benefits of venturing into digital marketing include:

Global and local reach
Easy to learn
Effective audience targeting
Multiple advertising options

Ready? Let’s get started.

woman at a car dealership

5 Car Dealership Advertising Ideas

After acquiring a basic knowledge of digital marketing and its benefits, it’s time to venture into some digital advertising campaigns to start growing your business. What will help you specifically in your industry? How can you reach customers in a way that is unique to your brand, allowing you to create customer relationships that are stronger than those of your competitors?

Here are five car dealership advertising ideas that can help you change up your game. You will learn how to get the most out of resources you’re already using, how to access resources you’re not using, and why they will be effective in helping you get the most out of your car dealer marketing efforts.

1. Get the Most out of Social Media Ads

Did you know that 4.76 billion people use social media? That’s over 59% of the world’s population. Receiving likes, shares, and comments on your business’s social media posts can be a powerful way to grow your reputation and reach customers you might not normally reach. In addition to the sites listed below, you should see if professional sources like LinkedIn or more casual ones like TikTok might help you reach niche demographics.

Facebook Ads

Facebook has become a huge hotspot for dealerships to reach potential buyers. Because Facebook is so good at personally advertising to each customer, posting your ads on Facebook can be an ideal way to spend your ad budget. Facebook is particularly good at capturing information and intent, so you can engage personally with vetted leads. Don’t forget to use messenger when customers contact you or comment to continue the conversation.

Instagram Ads

Like Facebook, Instagram is quickly becoming one of the top places for dealerships to capture the attention of car lovers. Why? Instagram, like Pinterest, is a great place to curate pages dedicated to a single subject—in your case, cars. With your messaging and storytelling, you have the power to draw in local car communities and car enthusiasts alike with images, stories, well-crafted videos, and live streams.

Google Ads

Using Google Ads is one of the top ways for dealerships to interact with and sell directly to customers without the help of a third party. It helps you take control of your reputation and engagement. Google Search Ads help you reach customers through ads (text or banner) that show up on search results pages. Google Vehicle Ads allow customers to check out your entire inventory with revolutionary convenience and detail.

2. Try Out Email and Text Marketing

Modern digital marketing isn’t complete without a stellar email/text marketing strategy. The key is to focus, as usual, on the visual component—quickly loadable gifs, pics, and video. Your texts should include links and emojis, (and your emails as well), to increase engagement and accessibility.

What Is Email Marketing?

While text marketing takes the cake in this round, email can also help. With an average open rate of 18%, a click-through rate of 2.6%, and a click-to-open rate of 14%, email can help you reach specific demographics (82% of people aged 35-44 use email). Typically, customers prefer emails once a week, with a length of 20-125 words.

What Is Text Marketing?

Text marketing is the use of SMS technology to reach your customers where they want to be reached: their phones. It is quickly becoming a primary way for businesses to reach consumers:

Response rate 209% higher than phone, email, or Facebook
Customers’ preferred communication method (consumers are nearly twice as likely to prefer it over any other method)
Up to a 98% open rate

With the right tools, you can personalize your texts to fit customers’ history with you as well as their personal preferences, making for very powerful car dealership marketing.

“Hey Liz, Taylor at Belvin Auto here. Want to keep your new Volvo as fresh as the day you got it? Come in this week for 20% off your first detailing. Here’s a link to schedule: http://detailme726.com.”

For more on text marketing, check out our guide to The most effective way to market your business.

3. Optimize your Dealership Website

Whether it’s been a few years or you’re just getting started, having an optimized website is non-negotiable. A great website goes a long way when it comes to getting customers into your sales funnel and through the door.

Optimizing your website is more than just spacing and logical link flow (though these are important too). You should employ software to ensure that all of your videos, images, and pages load at top speed. Displaying video ads and reviews on your homepage can be a very effective way to build credibility with your web visitors.

Good car dealer marketing also includes good communication, and we’re not just talking about in-person communication. It’s always helpful to have a chat feature that customers can use to contact you quickly from your home page. Bonus points if it collects information for you and allows your customers to chat with you asynchronously, switching from computer chat to text with ease.

Local SEO

Did you know that 86% of car shoppers research online before visiting a car dealership? Whether you’re advertising used cars or new ones, you definitely want to show up in local search results. Topping the Google Map Pack requires using localized keywords—which you can easily find by using Google search results (search your primary keyword, like “dealership,” and see the section at the bottom called “related searches.”)

For example, if you’re a small business in Salt Lake, you might target “Salt Lake dealership.” You should also ensure that your information is accurate across all of your listings and that you’re collecting plenty of top-tier local reviews. For more on this, check out our guide to Local SEO.

4. Know your Competitors and Emulate their Strategies

It’s time to get competitive. Any owner can tell you that some of the best research you’ll ever do is to find out what your competitors are doing, then emulate the ad strategy and ad campaigns that are working for them. And discover their weak points—oversights that could turn into opportunities for you.

This starts with asking questions. Is everyone in your area using email when you could be using text? Is there a specific advantage that could disrupt your neighbors—like offering bilingual services or a deal on snow tires if you live in a colder area? Is there a way you could connect more personally with a demographic that other businesses are overlooking?

5. Get Customer Reviews

Did you know that reviews influence 88% of customers in discovering a local business? They’re also twice as likely to be an important factor than loyalty, and 7.4x more likely than traditional marketing methods.

However, many businesses find it difficult to collect a good number of positive reviews, even if they offer stellar service. Luckily, we’ve got the scoop. One of the most efficient ways to collect customer reviews is through text.

First, set expectations by asking the customer for a review or letting them know that they will soon receive a text with a link that they can click to leave you a review.
Explain why reviews are important for your business. Context matters.
Send a personalized review link at the optimum moment—right after a sale or a fitting, when the customer is happiest.
Display your reviews where it counts—your home page, social media accounts, and local listings.

While search engines discourage incentivizing customers to give you positive reviews, you can incentivize customers to leave you a review—as long as it’s an honest one. So if you’re having trouble getting off the ground, start by offering a small discount or raffle reward for customers who leave you a review—whether it be through your link or a personal post to social media.

To learn more about getting reviews, check out More reviews. More business for you.

Car Ads: 6 Examples

After figuring out where to put your efforts, checking out some examples of good ads can be very helpful.

Car Loan Ads

This ad effectively communicates the relief of a hassle-free process to car buyers, linking to social media at the bottom.

car loan ad

This loan ad appeals to experience, using a direct quotation and facial expression. It also effectively increases brand awareness: “We Look At Things Differently.”

car loan ad example

Car Sales Ads

This vintage ad captures leads with its captivating, informative content delivered in a tone that perfectly toes the line between expert and enthusiast.

Car sale ad

This Land Rover ad does an excellent job of selling experience instead of features, making potential customers want a test drive.

land rover car sale ad

New Car Ads

Looking for the newest small car? Honda comes in clutch with their use of dimension, diagram, and relativity, turning the heads of customers who want a small new vehicle.

New car ad

This brand knows exactly who they’re appealing to—the ad clearly focuses on a target demographic and centers around lifestyles and relationships.

new car ad example

The Challenges of Growing your Car Business

We listed the tips and you’re ready to roll—but as a business owner, you know how complicated it can get. Knowing how to grow an automotive business isn’t easy. There are so many tactics to try, and there’s never a 100% guarantee that what you try will work.

Podium helps businesses like yours grow their organizations through online reputation management, simplified communication, high-quality lead generation, and more.

Learn how to hit your monthly quota and grow your business successfully here. While you’re at it, check out some of our favorite customer success stories.

5 Effective Car Dealership Ads to Boost Your Business

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