Physical neighborhoods not as reliable

The following information is provided to you almost verbatim from Dealer Marketing Magazine. Unfortunately, there is not an online point of reference to provide as it was delivered via email. However, you may request a copy of this email by submitting to us your request to do so here.

Research by Yahoo! and The Cobalt Group shows that 88 percent of new car shoppers research auto dealerships before making their first visit to a dealer lot. In fact, search engines have become the method of choice for dealership research.

According to the study, 79 percent of consumers use search engines to research auto dealerships. Not including physical drive-bys, online search now trumps all other media as the number one source consumers use when locating a dealership.

Consumers now visit an average of six dealerships during the buying process. One-third of those surveyed say they traveled more than 20 miles to visit a dealership, and online shoppers were the most willing to travel long distances to shop. This means a dealer’s sphere of influence in the marketplace can increase significantly simply by using online marketing tools effectively.

The research also uncovers a growing trend…the effect of social media outlets. These consumers are brand advocates, and it’s becoming increasingly important that dealers pay attention to them and their behaviors online.

For information about how your dealership can benefit from search engine brand marketing, please contact us today.

[tags]auto marketing, automotive marketing, car dealer marketing, internet marketing, search marketing, search engine marketing, brand marketing, brand awareness, social marketing, social media marketing, social network marketing, Yahoo!, Cobalt Group, Dealer Marketing Magazone[/tags]