Top 2020 Social Media “Must-Do’s” For Car Dealerships

The new year is quickly approaching and so is the deadline to really focus on your Q1 strategy for social media. Below, I’ve outlined some of the ultimate “Must-Do’s” for 2020 to take your automotive social media presence to the next level.

Focus on Quality Content. 

It’s a new decade and if you’re still recycling syndicated content, it’s time for a refresh. Quality and unique-to-platform content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will dominate in 2020. Keep it simple, eye-catching, and for the love of all that is holy, stop asking your audience for “Likes, Shares, and Comments.” If you haven’t figured it out by now, when you use those buzzwords, you’re literally killing your chances to get quality engagement.

Plan Your Budget.

It’s been a long time now since Facebook (and Instagram) allowed much organic engagement. Know that both are 100% pay-to-play platforms and require a daily Post Engagement budget. Post content, swap budget, engage in comments, repeat. As far as targeted ads go, the CPC days of $.08 are pretty much over – there’s plenty of competition and you need to fight to be the top in your area. I suggest a minimum of $5 per day for post engagement and an absolute bare minimum of $10 per day for each ad.

Know Your Audience.

There are two key parts to knowing your audience. One: you need a third-party data provider if you want to target in-market shoppers in your local area. Two, you need to use Facebook’s credit category to even be able to run ads that go to your inventory. Facebook is taking its users’ privacy (somewhat) seriously now, and you’ll have to pay if you want to connect with people and get new website traffic.

Collection Ads Reign Supreme. 

If you’re still running dynamic ads, you’re falling behind. Dynamic ads often feature missing images from your inventory and copy too long for the new “3 visible lines of text” rule. Basically, they’re a garbage fire that should stay in the last decade. Collection/Canvas/Instant Experience ads are mobile optimized, hand-built, and you can custom tailor them to feature the exact models you want to promote. They’re somewhat simple to build, they cut out the “accidental clicks” that increase your bounce rate, and let’s be honest – they look amazing.

Hop On The Instagram Train. 

Remember back in 2009 when you were saying “Facebook is for kids, why would I even consider trying to advertise my inventory there?” Yeah – that’s exactly how you sound when you say that your dealership isn’t on Instagram yet. From featuring inventory to running uniquely placed ads, it should be an absolute essential part of your strategy now and in the coming years. Sign up now — claim your name — get the ball rolling before your competition does.

Live Video Domination. 

Dealerships that have figured out how to successfully run and engage with their audience through live videos are on top right now and that isn’t going to change in the new decade. A simple run-through of your inventory, going live in your sales meeting, or showing the human side of your dealership brings in an engaged and attentive audience. Utilize this tool on Facebook and Instagram whenever possible.

Integrate a Chat Bot. 

Connecting your Facebook to whatever chat system your website is using is a simple and effective way to have a high response time on Facebook Messenger. Leads quickly and easily go from Facebook to CRM to BDC — it’s a no-brainer.

Focus on the Future. 

While Facebook and Instagram are still the main focuses, let’s not forget about other viable platforms. From Waze to Twitter, your dealership should be everywhere possible. Connect with your local market as people first and a dealership second. Always put the audience first in all of your marketing efforts and make conversations seem natural, unique, and purposeful.

Who’s ready to go into the roaring 20’s? I certainly am!