In the digital age, many industries have had to move away from word-of-mouth and other traditional advertising methods to reach their target audience. And the automobile industry is no different.

Large car manufacturers have a particularly challenging time trying to get the attention of their consumer base. However, the smaller players in the industry – like dealerships – face even more competition for potential customers.

Car dealerships have to work much harder to grab the attention of a potential customer, make a sale, and retain that client’s business. Traditional advertising channels are poorly equipped to target younger customers – gaining repeat businesses is even more challenging in the automobile industry because consumers can go years without buying a new car. Old lead generation tactics like direct mail and cold-calling simply won’t cut it in the digital age.  

Lead Generation in the Digital Age

Lead generation has changed in the last two decades – 61% of consumers no longer rely on salespeople to find out more about the car they want. Instead, they do their research online.

Having a strong online presence is one way to keep your car dealership afloat; however, setting up a website and posting on social once in a while won’t be enough. You have two options: you can call on the expertise of an auto lead generation company like Cyberleadinc.com, or you can find ways to attract more potential customers to your website.

Read on to learn four of the best ways to generate auto leads in the digital age.

1. Use Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques are invaluable to your business because they improve the visibility of your website. With a strong SEO strategy, your website will appear in the search engine results when potential customers make relevant queries online.

The higher your website appears in the search results, the higher the chances that potential customers will click through to your landing page. More traffic to your website translates into more leads and sales for your dealership.

There are many SEO strategies – from choosing the most relevant keywords to optimizing the user-friendliness of your website. Taking a deep dive into SEO is a necessary step in any successful digital marketing strategy.

2. Implement a Live Chat Feature

Providing visitors to your website with instant support is a way to answer any questions they might have about your products and keep them engaged. You can provide instant support by implementing a live chat feature like an AI chatbox or live customer support on your website.

With a small pop-up box in the right-hand corner of your page, you can alert potential customers of the live support option. When their questions are answered quickly, you are more likely to convert potential customers into sales for your dealership.  

3. Attract Customers with Social Media

In the digital age, one of the best ways to reach your target audience is by using social media. A social media marketing strategy can amplify your website’s reach and visibility.

While you may already have pages on the major social media platforms – like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn – an effective social media strategy does not mean you can post your content every now and then and hope potential customers will stumble across your pages by themselves. Social media platforms offer custom ads to promote your webpage – use them.

For instance, you can buy Facebook ads designed to target a specific audience – like people who live in your area or have visited your website before – and Instagram can help drive traffic to your website by linking your stories directly to your product pages. Social media strategies help drive traffic to your website, which results in more leads and sales.

4. Invest in a Content Marketing Strategy

Another digital marketing strategy that is often used alongside SEO is content marketing. A good content marketing strategy can increase your website’s trust index and authority, leading to higher page rankings in search results.

The most vital aspect of content marketing is creating relevant content in your niche and genuinely helpful to your target audience. Since you will be targeting people interested in cars, think about what your audience is interested in and craft your content to appeal to them. For instance, you could create content about car maintenance, car reviews, or the latest releases.

To implement this marketing strategy effectively, focus on creating quality content that’s engaging, informative, and well written. If you aren’t a writer, consider hiring someone else to create the content for you.

The content format you use in your content marketing strategy could be articles, blog posts, podcasts, videos, infographics, e-books, or podcasts.