Paradigm Shift in the Automotive Industry

Paradigm Shift in the Automotive Industry

The changing paradigm in marketing for automotive and related companies is becoming increasing focused on engagement through social media. The effects of trickle-down marketing have never been more evident than today in the automotive industry, as major brands are creating new marketing opportunities for all the businesses down the food chain. As worldwide auto brands focus on national TV advertising and Super Bowl commercials coupled with social media campaigns, secondary companies in the industry from dealerships to repair shops to parts stores are all using various forms of social media to drive new business. Technology is forever changing the industry and allowing for a level playing field for small businesses to drive national exposure through digital marketing campaigns with a fraction of the advertising budget of major brands.

Lets take a moment to look at how the trickle-down effect is changing the automotive and trucking industry's marketing strategies.

Major Auto Brands Are Creating Unique Social Experiences

Auto brands are seeing the power of national TV advertising coupled with social media promotions, as automotive brands represented 17% of overall web chatter on popular social media websites. This staggering figure provides proof that targeted campaigns through social media can provide the brand equity to drive traffic to the dealerships and increase sales. This year, U.S. industry sales of new cars and trucks should exceed 15.3 million, up from 14.4 million in 2012, according to Finbar O'Neill, president of J.D. Power and Associates. Look at Mercedes, with close to 10M Facebook fans and 100K Twitter followers they utilized pre-built buzz with a viral Twitter contest that fed into their successful Super Bowl commercial. The interactive nature of social media establishes strong brand to customer relationships and helps connect fans worldwide.

Dealerships are Driving Sales Through Targeted Social Media Promotions

The traditional local TV ad is not lost on dealerships nationwide, but social media has provided the ability to target potential buyers like never before. With approximately 41% of auto dealerships active in social media according to CNW Research, dealerships are pushing the boundaries of social marketing with creative promotions, discounts and incentive plans that drive traffic. Dealerships can channel relevant content to build loyalty and interest in their brand to local fans.

Repair and Maintenance Shops Are Creating Business with Social Reviews

The Internet has created the infrastructure for peer-to-peer referral marketing to be key for service shops to drive new business. Some of the biggest concerns with consumers searching for maintenance providers in the auto industry are reliability, ethical pricing, and speed of service. Nothing is more powerful in dispelling any worries for consumers than a referral from a friend or seeing hundreds of positive reviews online. Creating a strong online reputation is imperative to your success in driving brand awareness and increasing sales.

Auto/Truck Part Sales are Rapidly Moving to e-Commerce

The e-commerce marketplace for auto and truck parts is red hot! Businesses including repair shops are making all their purchases online as it allows to quickly find easy and hard-to-find parts. Consumers are becoming more self-reliant and are purchasing parts and accessories online to remove the service fees associated with maintenance companies.

Companies like Finditparts.com have over 3M parts from thousands of manufacturers and provide dynamic search abilities by part number, global shipping and a business line of credit. E-commerce is changing the industry and will be a major catalyst for the overall growth in the auto and truck industry.

The changing paradigm in marketing for automotive and related companies is becoming increasing focused on engagement through social media. The effects of trickle-down marketing have never been more evident than today in the automotive industry, as major brands are creating new marketing opportunities for all the businesses down the food chain. As worldwide auto brands focus on national TV advertising and Super Bowl commercials coupled with social media campaigns, secondary companies in the industry from dealerships to repair shops to parts stores are all using various forms of social media to drive new business. Technology is forever changing the industry and allowing for a level playing field for small businesses to drive national exposure through digital marketing campaigns with a fraction of the advertising budget of major brands.

Let's take a moment to look at how the trickle-down effect is changing the automotive and trucking industry's marketing strategies.

Major Auto Brands Are Creating Unique Social Experiences

Auto brands see the power of national TV advertising coupled with social media promotions, as automotive brands represented 17% of overall web chatter on popular social media websites. This staggering figure provides proof that targeted campaigns through social media can provide the brand equity to drive traffic to the dealerships and increase sales. This year, U.S. Industry sales of new cars and trucks should exceed 15.3 million, up from 14.4 million in 2012, according to Finbar O'Neill, president of J.D. Power and Associates. Look at Mercedes, with close to 10M Facebook fans and 100K Twitter followers they utilized pre-built buzz with a viral Twitter contest that fed into their successful Super Bowl commercial. The interactive nature of social media establishes strong brand to customer relationships and helps connect fans worldwide.

Dealerships are Driving Sales Through Targeted Social Media Promotions

The traditional local TV ad is not lost on dealerships nationwide, but social media has provided the ability to target potential buyers like never before. With approximately 41% of auto dealerships active in social media according to CNW Research, dealerships are pushing the boundaries of social marketing with creative promotions, discounts and incentive plans that drive traffic. Dealerships can channel relevant content to build loyalty and interest in their brand to local fans.

Repair and Maintenance Shops Are Creating Business with Social Reviews

The Internet has created the infrastructure for peer-to-peer referral marketing to be key for service shops to drive new business. Some of the biggest concerns with consumers searching for maintenance providers in the auto industry are reliable, ethical pricing, and speed of service. Nothing is more powerful in dispelling any worries for consumers than a referral from a friend or seeing hundreds of positive reviews online. Creating a strong online reputation is imperative to your success in driving brand awareness and increasing sales.

Auto/Truck Part Sales Rapidly Are Moving to e-Commerce

The e-commerce marketplace for auto and truck parts is red hot! Businesses including repair shops are making all their purchases online as it allows to quickly find easy and hard-to-find parts. Consumers are becoming more self-reliant and are purchasing parts and accessories online to remove the service fees associated with maintenance companies.

Companies like Finditparts.com have over 3M parts from thousands of manufacturers and provide dynamic search abilities by part number, global shipping and a business line of credit. E-commerce is changing the industry and will be a major catalyst for the overall growth in the auto and truck industry.