Car Dealer Blogs: Where are They?
One of my pet projects is convincing car dealers of the necessity of blogging. I know it's coming, but I don't know if I'll be successful in selling locally before someone else comes and does it wrong first.
There are many, many ways to use a blog in a dealership, but for right now, it looks like newspaper ads are still king.
Chew on this. Twice as many people visit a car dealer's website as read their ad in the newspaper. Qualified leads are the most important and most diffcult online tool for the dealers, and yet I can't find one dealer blogging in the country.
Let's go to the news articles.
DriveItAway Starts a Blog.
ClickZ Article says Auto Dealers need to engage customers earlier.
Auto Blogs the future of advertising.
If you work for a auto dealer in St Louis and you're curious how to drive traffic to your site and keep it there, then learning to blog should be a top priority. Over the next two weeks, I'll be giving the reasons why.
-Jim Durbin
There are many, many ways to use a blog in a dealership, but for right now, it looks like newspaper ads are still king.
Chew on this. Twice as many people visit a car dealer's website as read their ad in the newspaper. Qualified leads are the most important and most diffcult online tool for the dealers, and yet I can't find one dealer blogging in the country.
Let's go to the news articles.
DriveItAway Starts a Blog.
ClickZ Article says Auto Dealers need to engage customers earlier.
Auto Blogs the future of advertising.
If you work for a auto dealer in St Louis and you're curious how to drive traffic to your site and keep it there, then learning to blog should be a top priority. Over the next two weeks, I'll be giving the reasons why.
-Jim Durbin
posted by James Durbin @ 9:31 AM PERMALINK
6 Comments:
I had to laugh a little when I read your first sentence. But that's a good thing :)
I'll be curious to read your analysis as to why car dealers need a blog. My guess is it may have something to do with such issues as calming buyers' anxieties, marketing themselves as more approachable and user-friendly, deciphering the mysteries of the car buying process. Ah yes, I can see the need!
I think it comes down to basics, the same reasons we have blogs....blogging is additional exposure for dealerships and it gives them a chance to provide additional info to potential customers that may not be on their website (or more in-depth info). We've created a blog at http://onlineautodealer.blogspot.com for these purposes, and it also helps with search engines. The biggest hurdle in the auto industry is getting someone to actually take a few minutes to keep it up to date with current content. Most dealers cringe at the thought of even updating inventory, let alone content that doesn't directly make them money. Those who do blog on a regular basis will reap the benefits, and I think it's something that will just continue to grow with time, much like online auto advertising has over the past few years.
Jim,
Dealers will embrace blogging when they understand the value and benefits of building relationships.(As we know, blogging is another way to hug consumers) It's easy to generalize in the auto dealer category now but I see a branding revolution on the horizon. The idea is so ripe someone will find the courage to pick it.
auto dealers, you can brand your dealership even better with a tagline
audio logo 5-8 second original jingle that plays when a potential customer clicks on your website! very cool and keeps your site alive! visit our website to instantly hear this result and get a quote on one for your store! it is indeed the new "craze" in website embellishment!
jingleads.com and/or call toll free 888-933-6546
Jim,
This post is nearly a year old, appearing in the top search results on Google for "auto dealer blogs" and for whatever reason this is the first time I have seen this post. Have you made any headway on a blog product for auto dealers?
Please visit my site. Several months ago I began exploring the idea of a blog marketing product for auto dealers and quickly scrapped the idea and focused on blog marketing products for other things automotive, but I am prepairng to roll out an auto dealer blog product soon, called AutoBurst. It's not so much about using it to build relationships as it is about driving traffic to dealer websites so they can spend less on the classifieds. There is more to it of course but check it out. Would love to hear your input.
Also, I posted an entry recently about dealer blogs being full service that you might enjoy, too. Check it out.
Hope to hear from you
-Ryan
No doubt these days everyone access internet for their marketing and advertising but still there are some who does if totally offline like our local car dealers. Moreover, even if they go by net, they mostly use a site rather blogging. Its like living in our own house(site) without any exposure to neighbours(blogging) or letting people know that you have recently moved in and your work.
Nice topic mate!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home