The bad part about social media has always been demonstrating ROI. Even with conversion pixels and proper UTM tracking through Google Analytics, it can be challenging for dealers to see the impact they can make through social media dark posts. Recent tests have shown that the value is clearly then when done right.That brings up the second bad part about social media. Most aren’t doing it right. Running dark posts on Facebook is easy and with a modest budget under $2500 a month a dealership can really move the needle on sales. The problem is that it requires daily maintenance, not an automated set-it-and-forget-it mentality. That’s the thing that has hurt many who have tried it and watched it fail. Both vendors and even some dealers are pushing the easy button too quickly.
Facebook has the data that we all want. They know who is in the market for each individual new car make and they are aware of who is in the market for any pre-owned vehicle. They offer the tools necessary to target them with the right message and then drive them to the dealership’s website for conversion. All it takes is some time, effort, and a mild budget. When we see dealers spending tens of thousands of dollars on traditional media but they’re unwilling to spend a small portion of that on social media, it hurts a bit. It’s not that we take it personally, but it pains me to know that there are dealers who still don’t believe that their customers use social media. They do.
If the idea is that you don’t want to be on a medium where people don’t like to see ads, then why be on television? Why would you use radio or television? Nobody goes to television to buy a car, but we know it works. On social media, the same thing holds true but it’s even better because it’s less expensive and more interactive. If they see something they like, they can go to your website.
The data shows that when more people are exposed to your dealership and vehicles, sales numbers go up. For the cost, it makes sense to make social media a prominent part of your marketing.