More web savvy car dealers are using paid search to drive sales and showroom traffic, says a new study from automotive market researcher The Cobalt Group.
The study of about 300 car dealers finds that 50% currently advertise on search engines and intend to increase their paid search budget in the next 12 months. "The Internet search engines are becoming a crucial way for dealers to connect with in-market car buyers," says Cobalt CEO John Holt.
Cobalt also notes that dealers are using paid search to target local and regional buyers within a radius of 50 miles of their dealership. To pay for a search engine marketing program, more dealers are shifting money from traditional print advertising to bid on keywords and phrases.
Auto dealers are also looking for more outside help to assist them with launching and operating a search engine marketing program. “Only 21% of survey respondents were dealership executives that felt knowledgeable on the topic of search,” the Cobalt study says.
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