The automotive industry has never been more competitive, and it’s a challenge for brands to cut through the noise and connect with their target audiences. With so many choices out there for vehicles and aftermarket parts, it’s never been more important to show potential customers and distribution channels the value your products offer them. This has made brand awareness and guidance through the buying process a key differentiator in such a sales-driven industry.
How can automotive brands help ensure they check all those boxes we listed above? It all starts with digital marketing.
From reliable car brands like Subaru to quality aftermarket auto parts manufacturers such as the Denso Corp, it’s common for automotive brands to have a base of super users. These brand advocates can often be the focal point of a marketing program. While this audience is a crucial part of a brand’s success, there’s also a broader audience that’s out there who can help drive sales.
One of the core benefits of digital marketing for automotive brands is its ability to get your name out in front of more people than ever before. With strategies like paid advertising campaigns that can use specific targeting to crafting content that directly speaks to industry pain points, previously unserved audiences are put into the spotlight.
Superfans have the potential to be key drivers for your digital marketing strategy. This audience is a group of super-users who are already believers of your products and are often eager to share their experience with others. These people can be end users or individuals in the supply chain. Some of these super-users have social followings of their own and speaks to the power of user-generated content (UGC).
For example, an aftermarket auto parts content creator with an online following is a huge opportunity for your brand. Any product they showcase on their platform can drive a large number of sales from fans who want to emulate their work. In fact, it’s estimated that 60% of consumers are more likely to trust an influencer about a product compared to a branded message.
With the right digital marketing strategy, a list of micro and macro influencers can be nurtured to add excitement around your brand. While this type of tactic might feel like a heavy lift at first glance, it doesn’t have to happen all at once. Even a small connection with a low/mid-level influencer with an offer of a product can jumpstart a program and show the value to brand stakeholders. For example, Damien Knight is an automotive influencer on YouTube that shares his passion for cars by creating honest product reviews.
Automotive purchases can take a fair amount of research before a final decision is made. Many people in your audience are going to search engines like Google to find the answers they’re looking for. If your brand doesn’t show up within the top results, there’s a chance you’ll miss the opportunity to connect with them. That’s why search engine optimization (SEO) is so important. With optimized content, your brand can work its way higher up in the rankings, breaking through the wealth of options to drive more traffic to your website. It’s also a great method to help reduce your reliance on paid media to attract more online prospects.
To get a clear picture of the potential waiting to be unlocked with SEO, we look to our case study on Transtar. Team True evaluated and refined more than 100 product descriptions on their website. Once the process was completed, Transtar saw a 400% increase in sales of the optimized product listings. The key to this success was adding terms their customers were using during their research process into the website copy.
Digital marketing really helps with lead generation for automotive brands by providing a guide for your audiences to follow. Whether you’re talking to distributors, retailers, shops, or end users, you have an opportunity to develop content they find valuable in key stages of their buying journey.
For example, let’s say your brand is targeting a dealer who’s looking for new products to help drive sales across their store locations. Offering them a piece of content that provides social media tips for getting more foot traffic at store could be the deciding moment where they recognize the value your brand has. By leading with value, you can break through the messaging being used by the competition, while setting up your sales team for success.
At True, we specialize in making digital marketing simple for our clients. By getting a deep understanding of your automotive brand, our expert team will develop a strategy custom made to help you reach your goals. We take what’s unique about your brand and weave strategies that resonate with your target audiences. If you’re ready to discover the benefits digital marketing can bring to brand, contact us today.
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