s the marketing for used and pre-owned vehicles continue to grow, many dealerships are looking for places to promote their inventory besides classified sites. Paid ads on search engines, known as PPC, continue to grow in popularity because they are customizable. Social media platforms also offer opportunities to market inventory. If you’ve noticed more used car Facebook ads in recent months, you’re not alone. Learning how to navigate social media websites requires a learning curve, though the campaign-building process works similarly to PPC ads. To get the most out of these advertisements, GMs need to decide what sort of leads they want to arrive in their CRM.
When it comes to paid ads, be they on search engines or social media, various techniques are available to vendors. Two of the most widely used are geo-targeting and behavioral targeting. Geo-targeting, as the name implies, prioritizes location. As potential shoppers scroll through their feed or search for something on the web, they see ads for inventory located in their vicinity. It makes sense, too. If you’re on the west coast, you don’t need folks in the deep south checking out your inventory. This has become a standard in all digital marketing.
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Behavioral targeting is the next frontier of possibility. This method requires more research and creativity. Rather than relying solely on readily available metadata, such as location, age, or income level, behavioral targeting uses that information to attract shoppers through original copy. Vendors who use this tactic learn about the communities that live in your area and their preferences. They then create original ads that work to engage with shoppers as they search the web for their next car, truck, or SUV. For example, research has shown that while Baby Boomers prefer to use auto or automobile to describe vehicles, Millennials opt for cars as a broad term. These slight differences seem minor, but they speak to the broader goal of consumer engagement.
Instead of creating an ad meant to catch anyone’s eye, behavioral targeting works to learn about the buyers that live and work in your area. Multiple ads run simultaneously in the hopes of attracting people from all walks of life. To better understand this, think back to the last time you worked in the showroom. Let’s say an elderly couple came in at 10 am and looked at a hybrid sedan. A few hours later, a young professional came in to test drive the same car. Even though they were all intrigued by the same model, you likely talked about the model a little differently. Maybe for the first couple, you emphasized safety and ergonomics while you discussed style and fuel economy for the young professional. Behavioral targeting mimics those minor differences in the ad form.
Making sure your ads are location-specific is just the tip of the iceberg. With behavioral targeting, there are many opportunities to create a direct link between your store and consumers. Incorporating this strategy into your digital marketing campaigns is one of the best ways to increase your traffic, leads, and profits. So if you’re looking for a way out of a lull, this is the technique you need. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to add it to your online advertising toolkit – you won’t regret it.
