By: Yasmine Syed
Approximately sixty-seven percent of American adults use some kind of mobile device, whether it be a smartphone or a tablet. But who are they exactly? It’s important to know, especially if you are serving up mobile ads.
In a nutshell, they’re the ideal target consumer. Mobile device users are more educated and earn higher incomes than their non-smartphone using counterparts. This revelation may prompt you to wonder if traditional print media advertising should be relegated to the ash heap, but a study conducted by the University of Missouri’s Reynolds Journalism Institute proves otherwise. The same consumers who use mobile devices also continue to utilize traditional print mediums like newspapers and magazines. Rather than replacing traditional media with digital, these consumers consume both.
Mobile devices are as diverse as their owners. For example, smartphone and iPad owners are predominately male, while e-readers and small tablet owners skew female. IPhone and Blackberry users tend to be more educated and earn higher incomes than Android users and earn, on average, $75,000 or more annually. In fact, a whopping 81.3% of mobile device users earn more than $75,000 per year while 55.5% of mobile device users have a 4-year or advanced degree. What’s even more interesting is that nearly the same percentage of mobile device users and non-mobile device users read print publications. This data suggests that digital media is not replacing traditional media; it is simply an extension of it.
So just how do individuals us their mobile devices? Most people take their smartphones everywhere and use them for task-related activities like sending text messages and reading and responding to email, while tablets are used for longer-term media consumption.
The following chart depicts tablet use:
Because tablets are largely used for viewing richer content and enhancing leisure time, display ads do not perform as well on tablets as they do on smartphones. Because smartphones are task related they are predominately used while traveling, in a store while shopping, in the car, and in a restaurant.
The following chart depicts smartphone use:
When it comes to automotive advertising, the evidence supports the need for ads to be optimized for smartphone users. Given the fact that they have disposable income, they are ripe potential car-buying consumers.
By: Jenn Mayer
If your company is involved in pay-per click advertising, click through rate, or CTR, is one of the most important metrics to measure. Click through rate is defined as the number of times a given ad is clicked on divided by the number of times the ad is shown, or impressions.
For example, if an ad is shown 1000 times and receives 10 clicks, the click through rate is 1%. Sites like Google Ad Words provide a plethora of statistics about your CTR and your advertising campaign as a whole, and often it can be overwhelming to wade through them all. With more graphs and charts than you can shake a stick at, how do you know what a good measurement of your success is?
A good click through rate depends on how competitive your industry is. Earlier this year, a Google employee said that beginning advertisers should shoot for a 2% click through rate. Other PPC experts say the figure should be between 2% and 5% for competitive industries, and above 5% for less competitive industries.
Most would agree that the car business is extremely competitive, but your company’s market may be more or less competitive depending on the number of people and dealerships in your area.
Additionally, where your ad is placed can affect your CTR. A recent report concluded that ads on Bing have a higher CTR than Google and Yahoo.
Your CTR is also dependent on the quality of your keywords. It’s important that the users who are clicking on your ad are qualified buyers in your target market. Let’s say, for example, that you sell televisions. People who search “TV” might not be looking to purchase a television, but they still might end up on your site. They might be looking for television programs, television guides, or just want to research types of TVs and aren’t ready to buy.
They might click on your ad, but they aren’t considered qualified buyers, so the chances of them converting are small. A conversion is defined as the move from simply looking at your website to taking some sort of action. That action could be to fill out a form, request more information, or schedule a test drive. In other industries, a conversion could be a sale, but since most car buying transactions take place offline, we usually measure conversion differently.
Therefore, a keyword like “TV” might generate a higher click through rate, but those clicks won’t be from people who actually want to buy from you. A click through rate on an ad with specific keywords might not generate a lot of clicks, but the clicks are more likely to come from qualified buyers.
The best way to ensure you’re getting a good CTR is to monitor your ads progress regularly, and ensure that your bids and keywords are appropriate. There are a lot of factors to manage, so it’s best if a professional mans the helm. Need help? We just happen to be digital ad campaign experts. Give us a call!
The More Information, The Better!
What makes a good SEO Video? It has to be informative! The more information you provide, the more effective the video will be. If someone is going to spend time watching a video about a specific car, that means they are a potential customer!
Give Them What They Want!
Show everything there is to show on the car inside and out. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to say, “here’s the tire” but it wouldn’t hurt to mention, “this car has alloy wheels, and 17” tires”. Focus on the technology and features the specific vehicle offers; that is what customers are looking for. They want to know what the car offers.
It’s also important to talk about gas mileage and safety, which are possibly the most important purchasing factors for a car buyer.
I Want It, And I Want It Now!
You might think the SEO videos don’t add much value or aren’t worth the time it takes to make them. After all, the specfications on each vehicle are on your website and the manufacturer website. But let’s face it. We live in a society in which we are used to instant gratification. We don’t want to have to search for the information we are seeking; we want it provided to us in an easy and efficient matter.
SEO Videos are a great opportunity to provide potential car buyers with specific information about a precise vehicle in your inventory. So what are you waiting for? Do you provide these videos for your customers? No? We can help! contact us now and let’s get started!
By: Jenn Mayer
Previously, Google Places was always on the “SEO checklist” for dealerships and other businesses that were interested in climbing to the top of the search results page. Creating a Google Places page for your business was fairly simple and required little attention afterwards from the business owner.
All that has changed. Google recently announced its new platform for businesses, called Google+ Local. Those businesses with Google Places pages will automatically be merged to the new platform, but the time-frame for this to happen is not certain. Now, your Google presence is not just a vertical listing, but also a social media page. Google+ Local is a necessity for SEO value, but it also enhances your social media presence. However, with this new development, businesses looking to stay ahead of the competition can no longer “set it and forget it” as they could before.
Google+ Local Pages will give businesses a method to communicate with users in much the same way businesses can use Twitter and Facebook, and therefore needs to be maintained in order to keep pace with the competition. The new layout is part of Google’s mission to expand it’s own social platform, Google+. Google+ users will be able to see local businesses on their sidebar, and you must have a Google + account to review a local business. Google hopes that this will prompt people who have previously avoided Google+ to create an account and become more active users.
Google+ Local Pages will be much more visible than its predecessor. Google+ Local Pages will get precedent when a user makes a Google search for a place. So, if you have a Google+ Local Page, you will automatically get an advantage over the competition. In addition to being integrated into search, Google+ Local pages will also appear in Google Maps, the mobile version of Google and as a new tab in the Google+ sidebar. In essence, it’s crucial to build and grow your page as quickly as possible in order to appear at the top of the search results and above your competition.
A new and integral feature of Google+ Local pages is the scoring system. Since Google bought Zagat last year, they have integrated their famous reviews and scoring system into all Google+ Local pages. Because Google+ users can now leave reviews that are seen on your page and affect your score, it is essential that you are constantly monitoring your page and its content.
Another intriguing thing about Google+ Local is that Google has actually scarified a large part of its ad revenue in order to promote these pages. Now, there is only one paid aid showing up on these local searches. Now, the top organic, or unpaid, listings are even more valuable – and completely free!
Your Google+ Local page is now a vital part of both your social media and SEO efforts, and it is indispensable in placing you on the first page of the Google search results. Google uses an extremely complicated algorithm that takes hundreds of factors into account. While you can’t control all these factors, the number one driver of ranking results is a strong presence on Facebook and other social media accounts. Effectively, search is now social. If you want to be successful in search, you have to be successful in social media.
Does this new platform seem like a lot of work? Let us manage your social media presence. Contact us today!
Do What You Say!
Sounds simple enough right? You’d think so, but unfortunately a lot people lack the ability to follow through on their promises. Car sales are just that – a sale. How are you going to make that sale if you don’t keep good on your word? Who will trust you? Who is going to make the conscious decision to purchase a car from someone who isn’t honest with them? If you aren’t keeping your word, then the potential customer is going to automatically wonder, “If they lie about that, what else are they lying about?”
The important thing to remember is “don’t make promises you can’t keep.” This means you shouldn’t say your going to do something if you can’t actually do it. We all know how busy a dealership can be, but make the time, because in the long run it will help you establish yourself with a customer, and that’s what’s important.
Make Sure You Follow Through
Make the phone call you said you would make. Locate the specific vehicle the customer is interested in and provide incentives and current offerings so they are well informed. Keep in mind that this is a serious investment for most customers. If you value their time and investment as much as they do, they will be much more inclined to sign the papers for the sale.
Do you know how to make your sales staff stand out and go beyond what is expected? We can help get you there. Call us now to find out how.
By: Kimberly Roselle
The human body is capable of so many incredible things. Recently I watched a TV show called Lie to Me. It reminded me of how I used to try and watch actors on stage to see if their “true selves” could be seen or if they could fully embody the character. Most people are capable of lying with their words, but not with their body language. So, what does this have to do with sales?
Without realizing, your body language might be sending the wrong signals. You might be communicating mistrust or offending your potential customers without meaning to. If you know how to use body language, you will be able to avoid sales pitfalls and convey body signals that make your customers say “yes!”
I recently found this fascinating infographic: http://dailyinfographic.com/improve-attractiveness-with-body-language-infographic
Some important take aways from this infographic are:
- Words account for only 7% of our overall effective communication
- Body language accounts for 55%
How can you apply this information to your sales technique? When a customer comes onto the lot, don’t rush out to them. First, read their body language and take your cues from them. Do they have a closed posture or are they open? Are they keeping their head down and moving quickly or are they looking about and lingering over vehicles? Understanding your customers’ unspoken signs can go a long way to helping you build trust and a positive relationship with them.
In the first four seconds, people will make judgments about you and will subconsciously decide:
- I will (or will not) buy from this person.
- I will (or will not) like this person.
- I find this person kind (or not).
- I find this person intelligent (or not).
As you approach your customer they are also unconsciously reading your body language. Are you standing tall? Do you look them in the eye? Is your smile genuine? Be aware of yourself. While you can’t lie with your body, you can project the confidence and friendliness the majority of customers are looking for while shopping.
Procrastination
We all know about it– continuously pushing things off until the last possible moment, always saying tomorrow, next time etc. Well one Argentinean publisher says no more, recently developing special ink that will disappear within two months time of coming into contact with the sun and air, allowing a reader a limited time to complete the book before all the ink vanishes.
I believe this is a very effective way to ensure the product is seen and used. It’s very easy to make a purchase and then never use it. I mean I know I have lots of outfits in my closet still with the tags on them; but given the idea that they would dissolve within a few months time, I might consider wearing them especially since the alternative would equate with having just thrown my money away in the trash. I’m sure there will be many people who will not purchase the product knowing it won’t last, but I think there will be a lot of people who will purchase and subsequently use said product in order to beat the constricting time limit.
I think it’s important to apply this way of thinking to your car dealership; how can you make something non-lasting? Now I’m obviously not suggesting we develop dissolving cars; that would just be crazy, but I am saying providing some serious incentives to your customers. Why should they buy this now? Most people purchase a vehicle when they need one, not because they want one but if the deal was really sweet wouldn’t you consider the purchase a little bit sooner?
What Customers Want
Offer your customers something worthwhile. Now, I know you can’t just go out on the lot and decide the prices of vehicles, but you can provide really strong incentives for why they should buy now. The words ‘for a limited time’ are extremely effective because let’s be honest, nobody wants to be the one who missed out. Establish programs that only run for short periods of times such as come in before 3pm to save x amount of dollars on a selected service.
In addition, you could develop contests such as the 100th person to come in a test drive this car today wins an iPad. The opportunities are endless; depending on your dealerships location you could work with a local organization to help promote an event such as free tickets to a theme park, the movies, or even a gift certificate to a popular restaurant.
Have you given your customers a reason not to wait? What are you waiting for? Contact us now and let’s get started!
By Dan Vincent
Giving Back to the Community
As a local car dealer one of your main priorities should be to establish a strong community presence. Doing so is a great way to ensure that members of the community know of your dealership for the right reasons. Why not take a different approach than all of your competitors? When you give back to the community people will remember your dealership for being unique.
Giving back is simple and will cost your dealership little to nothing. Try some of these ideas in your area:
Everyone feels better when they are riding around in a freshly washed vehicle. The problem is not everyone has the time to do it themselves, or they do not feel like paying to have something done that they know they can do on their own. Giving out free car washes once a month is a great a way to help out people around the community.
Placing donation containers for food and other products in the waiting areas of your facility (especially service departments) is a simple way to help out in your community. People will see the containers and know that they can donate on their return visit to pick up their vehicle. You can take a proactive approach by using social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter to promote the drive. You will be giving back to the community, but at the same time you will be creating a positive image for your dealership.
There is always a need for school supplies. Supporting children and their education is one of the best reasons and ways to become known in your area. Although donating school supplies will be an expense, it is well worth it. Parents throughout the community will see that your dealership supports their youth. As a result, you will be the first on their list when it comes to buying a car.
As you establish your positive community presence, free publicity will come along with it. People in and around your area will see that your dealership is more than just a selling mechanism. This involvement will lead to a growing support for you and your cars. As a result, you will be making the sales that you desire without leaving the impression that all you are interested in is money. People will now know your dealership for reasons other than just trying to make a sale.
There are talks of a new highway getting the fastest posted speed limit in the United States at 85mph. What do you think, is this a good idea? Should all highways have a faster speed limit?
By: Lauryn Kowalski
“Hands-Free” Technology System Becomes “Eyes-Free” Technology System
This week at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Senior Vice President of iPhone software made an announcement that Apple plans on taking our driving experience to a whole new level by incorporating Siri and the new iOS 6 operating system into several brands of vehicles within the next 12 months.
Apple has partnered with Mercedes, BMW, GM, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda with a plan to integrate mobile phones and automobiles with features that will upgrade us from a “Hands-Free” technology system to an “Eyes-Free” technology system, with this new enhancement drivers will be able to control the music, send text messages, create reminders, set alarms and create events, all using the virtual assistant Siri. Siri can talk back to drivers so there is essentially no reason that they would need to take their eyes off the road or hands off the wheel thus increasing safety and the increasing the ability to stay connected while on the road.
Another feature that Apple will be offering is a new Maps program that will be part of the new iOS 6 operating system that is set to launch this fall. The new program will not only have turn-by-turn navigation but it will also be using anonymous data sourced from other motorists running iOS 6 to determine traffic patterns and they will use incident reports to tell users what the holdup is on a given route so they can reroute drivers around gridlock.
By: Jenn Mayer
We’ve Heard It All Before.
The Internet is changing the way we live, work, entertain, and market to our customers.
We’ve seen how our changed habits have impacted the newspaper industry, and now experts are beginning to predict the same fate for the television industry. Before you overhaul your ad campaigns, read on to find out exactly how the future of television should impact your marketing strategy.
In the case of newspapers, users began to change their reading habits long before we saw the collapse of the industry begin. Now, some are beginning to predict the same fate for the television industry. While there’s no way to know how the TV business will change in the next five years, we can look at our television consumption habits and think about how they’ve changed in the last five or so years.
In my household and many others, the DVR rules. We almost never watch TV when it’s actually broadcast, with the exception of live sports events. Another way to watch TV is through on demand. Most cable providers offer this free component that lets consumers watch primetime and entertainment TV at will. Additionally, many people are watching their favorite television programs on their computers, iPads, and smart phones.
With all these new technologies driving people away from live TV, how do you continue to reach your target audience? Well, there’s no reason yet to stop investing in traditional commercials yet. Most on demand and online programs still include limited commercial breaks. Additionally, I can’t count how many times I’ve been watching my DVR and simply forgot I had the option to fast forward through commercials.
However, now is the perfect time to begin taking advantage of the new advertising methods that are being developed to adapt to consumer’s new habits, if you haven’t already. Some advertisers are starting to target viewers while their program is running, through pop up type ads that appear on screen during the program, rather than the commercial break. Digital advertising is also growing exponentially, through video pre-roll, and graphic overlays, which target the consumer while they are watching their favorite programs on their computers and smartphones.
Utilizing a mix of advertising is essential in today’s world, when there are so many entertainment platforms available to the consumer. Don’t abandon tried and true forms of advertising, but don’t be afraid to try the new digital possibilities either. Need help developing the advertising cocktail that’s right for you? Give us a call.
