How to Increase Brand Awareness for Car Dealerships

How to Increase Brand Awareness: Strategies for Brand Visibility

Without strong brand awareness, your dealership risks being invisible to potential customers. When customers need a car, you want them to think of your dealership first. It’s not enough to offer great vehicles—you need to make sure people know you exist, or they’ll choose your competitors instead. As the top of the marketing funnel, brand awareness is the first step in guiding potential customers through their buying journey. Building brand awareness means making sure people know who you are, what you offer, and why you’re the best choice for them. In this guide, we’ll explore practical strategies to help your car dealership stand out and attract more customers.

Key Takeaways

Understand your audience: Tailor your marketing based on customer needs.
Optimize your online presence: A user-friendly website and local SEO are essential.
Utilize online ads: Invest in targeted social media and Google Ads for maximum visibility.
Explore video marketing: OTT ads provide excellent engagement opportunities.
Engage on social media: Build a community and interact with your followers.
Collaborate with influencers: Trust in influencer partnerships to expand your reach.
Focus on customer service: Happy customers drive referrals and reviews.
Measure success: Regularly track website traffic and social media engagement to refine strategies.

1. Understand Your Target Audience

The first step in increasing brand awareness is knowing who your potential customers are. Car buyers have different needs—some are families looking for a reliable SUV, while others might be young professionals seeking a fuel-efficient car.

Collect information about your current customers and website visitors by using tools like Google Analytics, surveys, and social media insights. Are they first-time buyers, families, or professionals? Understanding their needs will help tailor your marketing efforts effectively.

For example, if many of your customers are families, highlight features like safety and spaciousness in your marketing to draw their attention.

2. Update Your Online Presence

A solid online presence is essential since the majority of car buyers start their search online. In fact, 60% of car buyers spend six or more hours researching online before making a purchase decision. (1)

Optimize Your Website: Ensure your website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and up-to-date with your latest inventory. Include clear images, videos, easy-to-find information about your inventory and customer testimonials to build trust.
Use Clear Calls-to-Action: include buttons like “Schedule a Test Drive” or “View Inventory” guide visitors to take the next step. A slow or difficult-to-navigate website can drive potential customers away.

Leverage Google My Business: Register your dealership on Google My Business to improve your visibility in local searches. This is a powerful tool in helping your dealership stand out when potential customers search for services in your area. By including your dealership’s address, phone number, and hours of operation on your website and registering with online directories, you make it easier for customers to find and trust your business. This increased visibility attracts more local traffic and enhances overall brand awareness in your community.
Improve Search Rankings: Incorporate local keywords like “best car deals in [your city]” to help people find you when they search online. Incorporating local SEO strategies will make it more likely for a customer to find your business.

3. Invest in Online Advertising

Online advertising helps you reach potential customers where they spend a lot of their time—on the internet. Investing in digital advertising platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads allow businesses to target specific demographics effectively, ensuring your ads reach potential customers where they spend most of their time online.

Social Media Ads: Use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to target specific demographics. Show ads to people based on their age, location, interests, and more.

By placing your dealership’s content directly in users’ feeds, you consistently reinforce your brand identity. This repeated exposure increases familiarity with your offerings, helping your dealership stay top-of-mind when potential customers are ready to make a purchase.

Increased Brand Visibility Google Ads: Google Ads provide a toolset for increasing your dealership’s online visibility. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns allow you to drive more traffic to your website by showing ads to users actively searching for vehicles or related services. The best part? You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it a cost-effective way to maximize your advertising budget and attract qualified leads.
Email Marketing: Send personalized emails to keep your audience informed about new inventory, special offers, or car care tips. Personalized email campaigns are key to nurturing leads and reinforcing your brand message over time. By regularly sending newsletters, you keep your audience informed and engaged.

4. Video Advertising- TV Streaming ads (OTT advertising)

With over 254 million people in the U.S. watching OTT (Over-The-Top) video content (2), streaming services have revolutionized media consumption. Platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Paramount+ have become household staples, with 88% of internet households subscribed to at least one OTT service.(3) This shift offers dealerships a prime opportunity to connect with potential customers and enhance your dealership’s brand image by reaching highly targeted audiences through video marketing and streaming ads.

Unlike traditional TV ads, OTT ads provide precise targeting and measurable results. Businesses can place their ads on platforms like Netflix ads, Hulu ads, and YouTube TV ads, reaching audiences who have moved away from cable.

OTT ads are highly effective because:

Targeted Advertising: Your ads are shown to specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and viewing habits
Multi-Device Reach: Your ads appear on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, and computers. This ensures consistent exposure through connected TV ads, engaging consumers wherever they watch.

Non-Skippable Ads: Many OTT platforms feature non-skippable ads, ensuring viewers see your full message. This leads to higher ad recall and better engagement compared to skippable ads.

By leveraging video marketing services or partnering with a video marketing agency, you can develop an effective video marketing strategy tailored to OTT platforms. As audiences continue to favor streaming over traditional cable, positioning your brand in this space is essential.

5. Engage on Social Media – Build an Online Community

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn are excellent for connecting and engaging with customers through comments, messages, and visual posts. By actively engaging with accounts, you can increase your brand’s visibility, making your name more recognizable within the community.

Regular Posts: Share engaging content like photos of new cars, customer testimonials, and behind-the-scenes looks at your dealership.
Interact with Followers: Respond to comments and messages to build relationships with your audience.
Create a Community: Encourage discussions and create groups or forums where car enthusiasts can share their experiences.

By building this online community, you not only enhance loyalty but also position your dealership as a trusted authority in the automotive market.

6. Collaborate with Influencers

Partnering with local influencers or automotive enthusiasts can significantly expand your reach, especially since 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals over brands (4). By selecting influencers who align with your brand values and have a following that mirrors your target audience, you can effectively amplify your message.

It’s also beneficial to track the performance of these partnerships to understand their impact on your brand awareness. Monitoring results will help you refine your strategies and identify which collaborations yield the best outcomes.

7. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Happy customers are more likely to recommend your dealership to friends and family.

Train your staff to listen to customers’ needs and offer tailored solutions. By training your staff to respond promptly to inquiries and resolve issues efficiently, you create a positive customer experience that encourages loyalty.
Follow up with customers after their purchase to ensure satisfaction. A customer who feels valued is more likely to leave a positive review.
Ask for reviews and testimonials, and use them to improve your services.

8. Measure Brand Awareness

Track your progress using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, social media engagement, and customer feedback. Tools like Google Analytics and social media insights can provide valuable data. Analyzing these metrics helps refine your strategies for better results and demonstrates the effectiveness of your efforts. Additionally, regular performance reviews can help your team stay aligned with your goals and adapt to changes in the market.

Website Traffic: Monitor the number of visitors to your website.
Social Media Engagement: Look at likes, shares, comments, and follower growth.
Customer Surveys: Ask customers how they heard about you.
Search Trends: Use tools like Google Trends to see if searches for your dealership is increasing.

9. Get Started!

By applying these strategies, your dealership can significantly enhance brand awareness and attract more customers. For expert help, contact New Road today to boost your brand’s visibility. At New Road Advertising, our experts know what it takes to boost your dealership’s visibility. With proven experience in OTT streaming ads, email marketing, local advertising, social media marketing, SEO, and more, we use targeted strategies to help you stand out in a crowded market.

Whether you’re aiming to increase online traffic, drive more local customers, or enhance your overall brand presence, we’ve got the tools and expertise to get results.

Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with us today and discover how we can help grow your dealership’s brand awareness and get you the leads you need.