Automotive Trends

In today’s digital world, the car buying process continues to evolve, affecting buyers’ path to purchase and ultimately conversion. It is important for dealers and manufacturers to get ahead by adjusting their advertising strategies to target consumers where they are spending their time. This week, we invited businesses to join us for an event, co-hosted with Google, about how digital marketing can help grow their automotive business online.

Live from Googlplex in Mountainview Californa we had:

Alex Chan- Product Marketing Manager, Google

Rohit Bal- Strategic Partner Manager, Google

Spencer Arielle Lane- Senior Account Manager @ Auto Retail Team, Google

Rohit spoke about today’s consumers who are shopping for cars and how to engage with these people online. He touched upon the evolution of the automotive shopper over the years. “Automotive shoppers are so different than they were before. We moved towards an online first world and this has changed behaviors,” he said.

Spencer spoke about measurement, getting your message everywhere and reaching customers online. She touched upon strategies and best practices to carry out to make the most of your advertising budget. In addition to this, she explained how auto companies and dealerships can optimize their online presences to connect with customers in the right place at the right time.

Listed below are the 5 main points that were touched upon.

  1. Own your Google My Business listing. GMB is a free tool that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps.  Update your information and encourage people to leave honest feedback about your service.
  2. Reach the right prospects. It is important to match your targeting to the buying stage your prospective customer is in. This will differ customer by customer, so take the time to understand your prospects needs. 
  3. Make ads more profitable. Be sure to allocate budgets more effectively and track all conversions. 
  4. Build a great mobile experience. 70% of all auto queries on Google come from mobile devices. Make sure you eliminate unnecessary steps and build a smooth and easy experience for people coming on your website. 
  5. Drive impact with innovative ad formats. Make your ads more visible by adding visual sitelinks and ad extensions.

We host industry-specific events on a monthly basis. In the past, we have held events catered towards Healthcare, B2B, Real Estate, Home Services and more. If you have a particular event you would like to request, simply let us know! You can check our events page for upcoming events here.

Currently running Google Ads, and not sure how you’re doing? You can request a free no obligation consultation by clicking here. We will do a complete analysis of your account, and let you know your areas of opportunity- if any!

Kiran Sandhu

Kiran Sandhu is an avid digital marketer who received her BBA degree from the Schulich School of Business, where she specialized in marketing and operations management. She is responsible for educating clients on trends, strategy, and advertising products. As resident of Toronto, Kiran has spent the past 3 years in digital marketing with clients across Auto, Retail, and SMB verticals.