WASHINGTON, D.C. — Dealers who want to use Facebook as a way to push their inventory listings and more on the ever-growing Web site now have that opportunity thanks to an industry-first solution developed by GOSO, a Web and social media marketing suite.

GOSO coordinated with a Minnesota dealership on an early version of this new application to boost its presence on Facebook. Now the dealership can send more than just status updates on the popular social networking Web site.

GOSO claims BMW of Minnetonka was the first dealership in the world to deploy GOSO's new Facebook application. The solution can seamlessly connect the dealership's inventory to its Facebook page. GOSO contends the application is the first of its kind to be able to pull current inventory from a dealer management system.

Matt Mahoney, the Internet manager of BMW of Minnetonka, used the solution to revamp the dealership's existence in the popular social networking site and for good reason. Facebook reportedly gained more than 200 million new users worldwide last year.

The dealership's new page is www.facebook.com/BMWofMinnetonka.

"GOSO has allowed our BMW dealership to be on the cusp of the social media movement," Mahoney noted.

"We're excited to work with their innovative team on our Mercedes-Benz dealership as well," he added.

GOSO executives further detailed how their Facebook application is geared to do more than just push inventory listings. They said the company can provide dealers with inventory management, social media broadcasting, buzz monitoring, testimonial management and customizable vehicle landing pages.

"GOSO's team has taken a very aggressive approach to application development and has been launching new feature iterations practically every week," company officials explained.

"It is important for dealers to understand that the social media industry is rapidly changing and their strategy needs to adapt accordingly," they continued.

Dealers who want to enhance their Facebook presence like BMW of Minnetonka can find an invitation for a BETA version at GOSO's Web site. GOSO indicated that its entire suite of tools and services will be publicly available this spring.

GOSO plans to share more details about its Facebook application during the National Association Dealers Association Convention & Expo in Orlando, Fla., next month.

"Social media has changed the automotive retail industry by empowering customers with the ability to share their car buying experiences," contended Adam Boalt, founder of GOSO, whose company recently won the automotive category for Best in Class, at the Interactive Media Awards.

"It's imperative that dealers maintain a strong social media presence, especially now that consumers have an abundance of online research tools," Boalt concluded.