Auto dealers, automotive repair shops, service centers and car companies are very local businesses. Digital marketing for auto dealers and car dealerships must strategize according to their town, city and state. The idea is that a consumer will only travel within a certain radius to purchase a car from a dealership. Dealership owners and marketing managers need to think about the prospect who googles the phrase “auto dealer near me.” Car buyers and people who want to lease, usually want to be within around 20 to 30 miles from where they make a purchase. People will travel a bit farther for a very specific model car that might be in stock in the color or style they are seeking. If a consumer is in the market for a used car, they might travel even farther.

As cars range from being necessities to luxury items, digital marketing campaigns for auto dealers must keep in mind the correct audience to whom they are catering. 

When working on digital marketing campaigns for the automotive industry, whether they are for local dealerships for one brand or used cars with many different brands, one must keep in mind all of the keywords related to geography, location, makes, models, car parts, accessories, oil changes and service.

SalemGlobal has worked with a number of auto dealers throughout the years and has developed a solid integrated marketing plan that includes SEO, social media, email marketing, video and pay per click Google Ads. 

When a dealership decides to venture into the car parts and accessories side of the business, they must understand what it takes to maintain an ecommerce store. Not only do they need to keep the site up to date on a daily basis, they also need to become experts at affiliate marketing and amazon sales. The competition for local car sales is fierce but at least you have a limited geography. When it comes to ecommerce for car related products, the competition is unlimited. Online stores have to rely on price, coupons, shipping deals, contests and social media to really stand out from the crowd.