When you want to sell a product, you want to market it in ways that will capture the attention and interest of the audience. Over the years, there have been many interesting ads for cars, most of them going toward television. In 2018, the automotive industry spent a total of $35.5 billion across 14 key markets around the world.
However, more and more of them are increasing their budget for digital advertising. In 2020, the automotive industry in the U.S. spent more on marketing campaigns online, proving that the importance of social media and search engines in advertising can no longer be ignored.
How has the automotive industry approached digital marketing strategy so far?
Toyota
Toyota, a Japanese carmaker, has positioned itself to be a tech-savvy brand. Both of its Facebook and Instagram pages have millions of followers, most of whom regularly engage with its posts. It also has a widely popular Pinterest page that seeks to improve brand appeal by presenting its cars as fun and youthful.
The automotive brand leverages data on social media to help identify which consumers are actively doing research with the intent to purchase a car. It analyzes conversations that mention specific keywords and influence them toward preferring the brand. It also uses social media to identify which features are most popular among its customers.
Toyota has been very successful with its approach to social media. Consumers do trust and look for Toyota vehicles for sale whether new or secondhand.
Tesla
Tesla is currently the hottest brand in the automotive industry. All eyes are on the company founded by billionaire Elon Musk.
It would not be easy to pinpoint the secret to the success of the brand, but one reason that every business should look at and learn from is the simple and easy way it sells its products to consumers.
Tesla, unlike other car dealerships, makes the buying process as seamless as possible. If you want a Model X, for example, you would not have to deal with a salesman who is trying to earn a commission. You do not have to negotiate the price or the payment process. All you have to do is check the company’s official website, choose which vehicle you want, and schedule a pickup.
Moreover, support does not end. The manufacturer provides post-purchase assistance to ensure that customers enjoy their vehicles.
In addition, Tesla anticipates the needs of its customers and supplies them beforehand. The company has established a network of supercharging stations across the United States and Europe, making driving a Tesla as convenient as possible.
Nowadays, providing an excellent customer experience is the best type of marketing, especially in the digital landscape where consumers report their interactions with brands. Tesla is winning it. The company has the highest customer loyalty across all car brands and enjoys a 90 percent satisfaction rating.
Ford
Ford Motor Company is one of the most famous automotive brands in the U.S. and across the world. It continues to maintain its relevance in the present market by being the first to embrace social media platforms. In the 2010s, Ford created content not just for Facebook and Instagram, but also Vine and Tumblr. More recently, it was trending on TikTok. By January 2020, #fordranger received over a hundred million views.
Ford, despite being founded over a century ago, often uses pop culture references and wit to appeal to younger audiences. It creates a friendly brand image that consumers positively respond to and resonate with.
BMW
BMW is taking digital marketing seriously. In January, reports revealed that the company is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to improve its online presence and provide a seamless digital experience to its consumers.
What the investment will lead to, but BMW has had an interesting digital marketing strategy for years. At the Mobile World Congress in 2019, the company’s head of digital marketing shared that their strategy will move beyond just automotive and include lifestyle, design, innovation, and fashion content. It is also prioritizing mobile. The German carmaker knows that consumers nowadays primarily use their smartphones and tablets to access the internet at home or while on the go. They are creating content for mobile users that are easily digestible but engaging.
The automotive industry is fiercely competitive and has enormous budgets that they use for marketing. Now that the companies that operate within the market realize the importance of having a digital marketing strategy, it will be interesting to see what they will do to increase sales and gain more customers.