Automotive Industry Case Study
Understanding social media from the automotive industry customers’ perspective
Cars are both an emotional and practical purchase. When buying one, customers ask themselves what a car brand says about their brand image. The decision includes many factors like the brand, aesthetics, practicality, vehicle trends, technology, safety, reliability, brand reputation, pricing, deals, aftercare, maintenance and resale value.
Social media is just that – social. It is important to remember that these channels are optimally used when posts are engaging. Google defines social media as, “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.”
Social media has allowed for a two-way conversation like never before. Newspaper, magazine and TV advertising have seen their day. This is due to their one-sided communication approach. Social media caters predominantly for Generation X, Millennials and now the iGeneration. Social media allows brands to connect more deeply with these generational customers.
Advertising in social media should be subtle; when the audience is interested in pursuing a sale, the user experience must be easy and practical. The design of Facebook, Instagram and other social channels and the psychology of the user need to be considered when marketing a brand.
Clients:
CMH Group, Daytona, Bidvest McCarthy, Supergroup, Thorp Motor Group, BMW, BMW Motorrad, Mini, Volvo, Jeep, Fiat, LandRover, Jaguar, Izsuzu, Haval, GWM, Subaru, Suzuki, Alfa Romeo, Opel
Industry
Automotive
Services :
Strategy, Social Media Advertising, Lead Generation, Content Curation, Videography, Photography, Copy Writing, Graphic Design, Social Media Management, Community Management.
SERVICES WE’VE PROVIDED THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
1.
Strategy and implementation of your digital marketing and social media roadmap.
2.
Social media advertising from page growth, to reach ads, to web traffic.
3.
Social media advertising to generate leads for sales.
4.
Content curation through videography and photography.
5.
Content curation through specialised copywriting to entice motorheads.
6.
Graphic design to create unique brand-specific or dealership posts.
7.
Social media management from set-up to page management across all social media platforms.
8.
Community management to engage with the audience.
PROCESS
Understanding Social Media from the Customers’ Perspective
Cars are both an emotional and practical purchase. When buying one, customers ask themselves what a car brand says about their brand image. The decision includes many factors like the brand, aesthetics, practicality, vehicle trends, technology, safety, reliability, brand reputation, pricing, deals, aftercare, maintenance and resale value.
Social media is just that – social. It is important to remember that these channels are optimally used when posts are engaging. Google defines social media as, “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.” Social media has allowed for a two-way conversation like never before. Newspaper, magazine and TV advertising have seen their day. This is due to their one-sided communication approach. Social media caters predominantly for Generation X, Millennials and now the iGeneration. Social media allows brands to connect more deeply with these generational customers.
Advertising in social media should be subtle; when the audience is interested in pursuing a sale, the user experience must be easy and practical. The design of Facebook, Instagram and other social channels and the psychology of the user need to be considered when marketing a brand.
Tone And Visual Image
RED Marketing has been marketing cars for the last ten years*. Over the years, we have learned which communication strategies
work best for this type of product and service.
It is our understanding that social media communications should be bright, friendly, visually appealing, articulate and engaging in order to benefit the follower. Content should be curated for the follower or ultimately, they will move on. Generally, if the content appears like an advertisement, the audience switches off.
Content curation should be creative, dynamic, high-quality and in line with the brand’s image and OEM guidelines. Overall, it must be memorable, interesting, informative and friendly, while provoking emotion and engagement. Through this communication strategy, you build trust and loyalty.
Services
RED Marketing is a 360-degree agency and has a host of other services that can be offered to support your brand, from website development to SEO and PPC to PR and even influencer and event management.
Content Curation Through Videography And Photography
The types of images are used to establish the dealership. They are a visual reference of the dealerships as a home and what customers can expect to see when they visit. They make customers feel familiar and secure.
Servicing And Parts
Images shot inside the service department demystify what happens in
“the back” and show the combination of electronic diagnostics and manual labour in caring for your vehicle. It also makes customers aware of the dealership’s service centre and additionally, the sale of parts.
Customer Service Through The Team
Let’s debunk the stigma of the car dreaded salesman! Rather, let’s meet the team; see who works at your car dealership and show their friendly faces. Many of the teams are hard-working and loyal to the dealership with years invested in their job.
We want to share their stories as they counteract the old wife’s tale and Humanise the dealership. This builds trust. These images include the team – Dealer Principal, Sales Manager, Finance/Insurance Manager; down to the cleaning and refreshments team.
Lead Ad Campaigns
Like a multifaceted diamond, so too is the communication approach for a car dealership. One of these facets is the lead ads that run quietly in the background
drawing in customers through engagement forms. We use a portion of your monthly ad budget just for lead ads. These are downloaded, in a CSV format and shared with
the sales teams. Additionally, this captured data can be used to send mailers and SMS campaigns.
Page Growth Ads
Mark Zuckerberg is a success; because to be in his world, you need to “pay to playâ€! Part of your monthly allocated budget is focused on growing the followers of each of the pages. We invest in building a community. Unfortunately, only those who engage with the page regularly see the posts on the page. This leads us to boost posts…
Boosted Posts
BOOSTED POSTS
Boosting…just like a cup of coffee’s kick, or a turbo on your engine, boosting native posts increases the chances of the community seeing the post. Statistically, only 1% to 3% of your fans see your native posts organically. Boosting the posts increases your vis-ibility dramatically! A portion of your monthly budget is allocated to boosting some or all the posts on the page.
View the full case study
Have a project in mind?
Ready to take your online presence to the next level?
Whether you’re aiming to climb search engine rankings or establish
a formidable online presence, RED Marketing has the tools and
expertise to make it happen.
Contact us at:
info@redmarketing.co.za for SA clients or
info@redmarketing.biz for UK clients.