Car Shopping Research & Information | How Digital Tools are Changing Everything about how People Buy Cars
At 3G Engagement, our expert content team sets us apart from agencies that might know digital search, but lack true mastery of the automotive world. Plenty of agencies can offer SEO and PPC services. 3GE is different. We go a step further to create content suited to stand out from that of your rival dealerships. Content for your site turns it into a one-stop shop for your customers to find all the information they need about the vehicles in your inventory. Our SEO content team is staffed by automotive experts and we're well-versed in helping dealerships refine their approach in the digital age.
The team at 3GEngagement is also well-versed in Google digital marketing best practices, effective paid search strategies and automotive lead generation. What's more, our agency is proud to be a certified Premier Google Partner.
Below, we'll let you in on some of what we know about dealership success in the digital space. It's just the tip of the iceberg of what there is to know! If your team needs a digital marketing boost, it's important to choose an agency that truly knows your industry. At 3GEngagement, we focus our attention on the automotive scene. We closely monitor trends. We learn new skills. We stay current so our services are as effective as possible.
Digital First Research | How Today's Car Shoppers Use Your Website
A 2017 study by Netsertive reveals that 67% of new car shoppers visit just two or fewer dealerships before making a purchase. That's because car buyers are doing more research online than ever before, and visiting fewer dealers.
This means that, if you're ranked poorly on Google for the kind of searches your customers are performing, you're missing out on a huge number of potential sales. Today's car shoppers know what they want, how much they expect to pay and where to find it before they even step foot on your lot. If they find the vehicle they want at a price they like on your website, before your competitors' websites, you've got a huge leg up. Conversely, if you're not showing up well in Google, you're not just being overlooked by potential customers — they may not even know you exist.
That's why our services are designed with search engine needs in mind as well as the needs of your customers. We craft text ads, display ads, content pages and special offer listings designed to do one thing: Rank on Google and other search engines ahead of the competition.
How Dealerships are Adapting to the Changing Online World
Here are some more eye-opening statistics we found which tell us that the world of car buying is experiencing a planetary shift in 2018:
Mobile-Friendly Websites are a Must
A digital strategy that puts mobile devices front and center is no longer just a good idea: It's absolutely crucial. A 2016 J.D. Power and Associates study shows that, while desktop usage is declining, mobile phone use surpassed the use of tablet devices to research new cars. If your website doesn't provide a clean, simple user interface on mobile, customers will go elsewhere. But if they find the information they want from you right on their phone, it's simple for them to call your salespeople to ask questions or schedule a test drive! We ensure all your pages display optimally across desktop, tablet and mobile at 3GEngagement.
Let Customers Know You're Available to Meet Their Needs
Data released by Google in August of 2018 shows that searches including the term "open now" have tripled in the past two years. Customers are not only shopping online first — they're asking Google which businesses are open to serve them immediately. We can put this information to work for you in your fixed ops departments as well as with new car sales. By properly formatting metadata, structured data, Google My Business listing information and more, we tell Google everything it needs to know about your dealership. That way, your dealership shows up when a customer in your area asks, "What car dealerships are open now near me?"
Why Search Engine Ranking Without Ads is So Important
Digital Marketing Research firm eMarketer tells us that 30% of internet users employ ad blocking software in 2018, and growing. That means nearly one third of your potential customers won't see any ads you're running online. Ad block software can disable local video ads, hide display ads and remove PPC Google ads from the user's device. The only way to reach these customers online is through effective SEO. Even when a potential customer blocks all your ads, 3GE can craft pages for your site that will show up organically for common search terms your customers are most likely to enter into Google. As ad blocking becomes increasingly common, the importance of good SEO practices is no longer something that can be ignored.
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