CHICAGO -

A new program by Automotive Internet Media is finding success with dealerships, exceeding the company’s expectations in its first month.

AIM’s new CarClicks advertising program drives auto consumers shopping on independent automotive sites directly to the dealership’s website, the company said.

“We’ve had an incredible start with the launch of our CarClicks program,” said Tony French, president of AIM. “We had some very good operating dealerships and dealer groups sign up for the new program.”

CarClicks displays dealership inventory with priority placement on a network of automotive shopping sites, the company said, and when auto shoppers click on the dealership’s listing, they are taken directly to the vehicle detail page.

AIM says CarClicks offers dealers increased exposure for their inventory by leveraging a proven network of sites, as consumers increasingly show preferences for dealing directly with the dealership.

The program is also gaining popularity with online publishers, AIM said, reporting the company is in various stages of adding many new automotive shopping websites.

French noted, “Our program is resonating with dealers for three reasons. First, you can track the results in Google Analytics and see the traffic that’s being driven to your website. Second, it’s affordable and you can set whatever budget you’d like. The daily spend is entirely up to the dealer. And finally, it’s a month-to-month agreement and the dealer can either cancel or pause the program whenever they’d like.

“Dealers are looking for ways to drive quality traffic to their inventory and website,” continued French. “And the best part about CarClicks is it’s a pay for performance program; dealers only get charged when we drive a consumer that is interested in their vehicle to their website.”

Dealerships seeing the best results of CarClicks are those that use market-pricing and photos, the company said.