Hidden marketplaces of online auto shoppers

Since the rise of the Web, dealers and vendors have scrambled to find ways to use the Internet to sell more cars and increase ROI. While much has been accomplished in the past 10 years, there seems to be a growing gap between where consumers are and where dealer inventory is displayed.

A recent article published on MediaBuyerPlanner suggests that,

“More than 40% of all social networkers said they use social networking sites to learn more about brands or products that they like, and 28% said at some point a “friend” has recommended a brand or product to them.”

Few website/marketing providers today have the tools and technology in place to reach these consumers which means that your advertising dollars are not reaching the eyes and ears of large volumes of prospective buyers. They are only reaching those that consciously seek what you sell.

The priority then for dealers and advertisers is in finding ways to reach these audiences.

Much like with conventional advertising such as radio, T.V., and print where your dealership is made visible to audiences actively engaged in a car-buying quest as well as those not even thinking about it. The Internet should not be treated any differently. Dealers need to focus their marketing efforts on both spectrums – generating leads AND building their brand.

Building a dealership brand is fun and exciting and adds a whole other level of business to your cause. In a recent Nielsen study reporting that 77% of people shop online to save time, dealers can not resort to strictly lead generation if they intend to penetrate today’s buyer market.

While Search Marketing has reached parity with OEM sites and Third-Party Automotive sites as a top destination of choice for their research, there is still and always will be something to be said for marketing to your current customers to. This of course is accomplished through CRM efforts that include newsletters, direct mail, blogs, and discussion forums.

[tags]automotive marketing, internet marketing, social media, smo, search engine marketing, oem, blog marketing, blogging for car dealers, crm[/tags]