How to Sell More Cars Using Social Media in a Low Inventory Market

With new vehicles in short supply, it is crucial to turn cars more quickly to receive more inventory from your manufacturer. There are two great ways you can sell more cars using social media: organically (slower but cost-effective) and through paid social advertising (faster and targetable). I suggest you do both!

How to build a social media presence organically

Whether you have a lot to spend on paid ads or not, using organic social is a great way to bring in additional leads. According to Facebook for Business, 44% of auto consumers say they learn about new car launches on social media or messaging services and 77% say that posts on social media would make them consider buying or leasing a new auto model. This means that your social posts make a huge difference to both potential and existing customers. Keep your audience informed of new inventory you have coming in and any deals you may be offering. 

To begin building (or ramping up) your social media presence, I recommend posting frequently, ideally several times per week, and engage with your audience through comments. Pay attention to what people are saying and be prepared to address any questions or concerns they may have. A good way to engage with potential customers is to follow  manufacturing brand hashtags (ex. #Ford) and comment on similar vehicles that you have in stock when consumers post a vehicle and tag the brand. For example, under someone's post showing off their new Ford, you could write "Anyone having car envy can follow us on Facebook for the latest availability and deals." You’ll also want to make sure that you have a presence across all platforms. The best social media sites for auto dealers are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Produce content that is engaging and useful to both potential clients and existing customers. To build trust with customers you already have, consider putting out tutorials such as how to perform routine maintenance on their cars. It is also beneficial to solicit testimonials from these customers that you can publish to your social media pages. Good reviews on social media can be extremely beneficial in establishing trust with people who haven’t shopped at your dealership before.

Invest in paid social media advertising

One Crowdtap study found that 68% of auto buyers have purchased a car they found on social media and 87% research potential car purchases on social media prior to making a purchasing decision. Here is how I suggest you take full advantage of social media advertising:

1. Only target people who are interested in the brands and models you carry.
2. Use an inventory feed to automate ad creative so that each ad speaks directly to the user’s interest.
3. Monitor your return on ad spend and make sure you have enough ad frequency to maximize your ROI. 

One huge benefit of social ads is that they can accurately locate and target your potential customers. On platforms like Facebook, these ads can also be directly linked to your live inventory, so you are not wasting ad spend on cars you have already sold. Since social media ads are so targetable, you know you are reaching auto shoppers who are searching for the same as or similar cars that you have in stock. These potential buyers will see a photo of the vehicle along with the year, make, model, and more right within their social media feed. Then, when they click your ad, they’ll be taken directly to a page on your website, a lead submission form, or a native vehicle detail page. This seamless process eliminates roadblocks like incompatible devices and slow load times.

In addition to these dynamic inventory-based ads, you can run simpler image and text ads promoting your dealership and any special offers. Always keep your followers up to date on any promotions you may be running and how they can access the offer. Through these ads, you’ll be able to drive traffic directly to the web page where they can sign up to receive the special.

Although social ads can be extremely beneficial for car dealerships, getting set up can be tricky. ZeroSum can help you run paid social ads hands-free. Book a demo today to see how easy it can be to gain the competitive advantage in your market.

About the author:

Serena Ralph is a specialist in content and social media marketing for ZeroSum.