These days, an online presence seems necessary for a business's success. The internet is an excellent medium to market products and services since you have the opportunity to amplify your reach in today’s digital age. It's no different for car dealerships.
Online Presence and Content 101
A dealership's website or blog can act as a virtual showroom. The dealer can display many products and even offer live chat through an employee to answer any questions a potential customer might have. However, the virtual showroom won't serve its purpose unless you're generating traffic to your website or social media platform. To do this, you'll need effective content.
Developing content is about catering to your potential customers’ needs. This is why the content you produce must add value to their lives, relating to the product you offer or the industry you’re in. Think about your region and demographic of customers you serve: what are they looking for? And no, we’re not talking about specific vehicles. Think deeper: education, community, general interest, etc.
If you need help brainstorming, here are some ideas to get you started!
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Car Care Advice
If you want your customers to feel like they're getting the best service possible, you will want to offer some helpful advice. A blog or video series on how to take care of your vehicle is a great place to start. Not only will this help your customers, but it will also give them a reason to come back to your site or platform - and maybe even book a service with you.
Common car care advice can include:
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Recommended timelines for things like oil changes and brake services
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How to know when it’s time to switch your tires
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Simple maintenance you can do in your driveway
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How long bigger jobs typically take
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A walkthrough of dashboard alerts and what they mean
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A round of “what’s that noise” and what it could be
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General tips for extending the life of your car
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Buyer's Guides
Having a buyer's guide on your website or blog will help your customers in a variety of ways. The guide will help them find the car they want while also letting them see the value of your dealership. In addition, your customers will become more aware of your dealership as a helpful resource for their automotive needs.
You can include content like how to choose the right vehicle for your needs, top cars for work/family/commuting, quizzes, benefits of leasing vs. buying, clear information about what the warranty options will be, and even what to do with your old car. If you say you make “car buying easy,” then make it easy. No question should be left unanswered!
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Community Success Stories
Your dealership has probably helped a lot of people get on the road, and they may have special stories to share. Consider collecting your customers' stories and making content with them. Not only will this give your customers a chance to be recognized, but it will also help interested buyers learn more about the long-term implications of purchasing a vehicle from your dealership.
You can also share community events that your dealership is involved with and various ways that you are supporting and giving back to your local community. Many of our dealer partners include regular content like this, and our analytics suggest that these are highly viewed and shared blog posts and pages. Take photos, tag real people, post to your Facebook or Instagram page, and have fun with it.
Here are a few examples:
Lange & Fetter Community Car Giveaway
Scott Campbell Dodge Farmer Appreciation Program
PineRidge Ford’s Annual 50/50 Charity Draw
Vernon Toyota at the 12th Annual Jubilee Hospital Foundation Charity Classic
Castlegar Toyota’s Monthly Charity Efforts
Haley RV is a Proud Living Wage Employer
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Driver Education Content
If you want to make your dealership one that people feel like they can trust, demonstrate your commitment to safety. Driver education content shows your customers that you care about their well-being. This is also a great way to help promote safer roads for everyone.
You can take this a step further by offering free in-store driver education sessions for the local community. It brings people from your dealer website right into your store, where they can engage with your staff and start building relationships.
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Market Value Pieces
Your customers will likely want to know the value they can expect from a vehicle. Try making content about car models and their value, or content about market trends and what customers can expect if they want to sell their car in the future. This will give them helpful advice for handling finances.
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SEO-Boosting Blog Posts
If you want your dealership to make a bigger impact online, you're going to want to consider creating content that appeals to search engines. Learn about search engine optimization (SEO) and ranking for certain keywords. This will help you drive traffic to your website better and show up more frequently in search engines. For more tips on writing powerhouse blog posts, check out our blog post on the same topic here (we know, blog posts on blog posts is pretty meta!).
Use Your Dealer Website to Put Your Dealership into the Spotlight!
Making content for your dealership can be a huge opportunity. If you can effectively market your dealership, both online and offline, you'll have a much better chance of attracting buyers. Just remember that when making content, give your audience something useful and worth their time.
Boost your content marketing with our help! Here at FlexDealer, we’re committed to creating quality content that will engage your audience. Collaborate with us and together, we’ll create content that will earn you more customers!
