Social media marketing is one of the newer and highly effective online marketing strategy for auto dealers.  In terms of reach and cost, social media  can be an effective tool for marketing to your customers and potential customers. Social media marketing is a commonly used term used to describe the use of online social networking sites (for example, Facebook, MySpace, Youtube, Twitter, Linked In). Other social sites include online communities and discussion boards,  forums and web blogs. These gathering places are often used for marketing, sales promotion, public relations and customer service and retention, and reputation management.

While many auto dealers are looking for immediate sales, any internet marketing related to social media generally takes place higher up in the sales funnel. That said, many companies do find success with special offers, one off vehicle selections, and service coupons. Many social sites include features where companies can create profiles where users can interact with the company and review products, promotions, and services.  Social media marketing as an online marketing strategy, is about building a reputation that you can grow that supports your other marketing efforts. Social media marketing is also a great way to build long term sustainable, natural growth website traffic and improved search engine rankings.

To enjoy the maximum benefits of social media marketing as part of your online marketing strategy, you need to understand how it works best for your dealership. More importantly, understanding how and when to use social media correctly will produce the highest yields for your online marketing strategy. This takes time, and is a key issue for many auto dealers who may assign social media to the Internet manager, who most likely is not a professional marketer or content writer. Without a clear understanding of social media marketing, the results often fall below dealer expectations.

Benefits Of Social Media Marketing For Auto Dealers

However, according to a recent social media survey, when social media marketing for auto dealers is done correctly, many businesses have found that they have been able to:

• acquire more visibility for their organization,
• increase traffic to their website,
• develop new business partnerships.

What auto dealers need to do is embrace the benefits of social media as part of their overall online marketing strategy, while very carefully thinking through the goals of their marketing campaigns. Different goals will require different strategies.

While social media marketing for auto dealers is a great addition to any traditional search engine marketing campaigns don’t consider it as a sole substitute. Recognize that successful social media marketing is a process that promotes your website or dealership through social media channels.
This powerful online marketing strategy will add inbound links and increase “share of mind” with your customers resulting in additional web traffic. Social media marketing isn’t intended as a replacement for traditional marketing, but it is an important piece of the puzzle to your overall marketing strategy.

After carefully assessing whether or not social media might be the missing link in your overall marketing plans, take the next step an establish some modest goals to get started. There are plenty of resources available to savvy Internet dealers that are looking to expand their brands into the social media arena. Get started today, it’s a great investment in your online presence.

Google introduced a “geographic box” at the top of its search results and found that its users value this component. The engine now displays ten local search results at the top of the listings for relevant queries, provided they have a geographic modifier attached. For example, if you type “Chicago accounting” in Google, you will see ten results bordering a map that shows the location of ten accounting firms in Chicago.

Take note; you will not see local search results for all queries that contain a local modifier. Google somehow “knows” when a geographic modifier truly means that you only offer services in a specific area. Yeah, those guys are pretty good.

Some benefits of using local keyword phrases to improve search engine ranking are as follows:

1. Higher search-engine rankings: Competition will be weaker for the local keyword phrase you have identified.
2. Higher conversion rates: Since you are using the actual local keyword phrase your visitors are looking for, the website traffic you get is highly targeted.
3. Make more money: Your earnings potential is higher when you pull in local search engine traffic because people who come to you are more serious about your product, service or information. Many customers prefer to deal with people that are local, even if the business is national, or even global.

It’s a red-hot consideration for your online marketing strategy right now to include your regional presence, so contemplate the impact of local search engine optimization for your business.