With Instagram hitting almost one billion users, now is a great time to jump on the bandwagon. However, not many auto dealerships are taking advantage of this opportunity yet. With many people now saying that Instagram is their preferred social media platform, there’s no reason not to create an account for your dealership!
Instagram is different from other social media platforms because it is primarily based on visual content, such as photos or videos. While it’s okay to make text-only posts on Facebook and Twitter, you need to have a photo for every post you make on Instagram. Not only that, but the text should be more concise because Instagram doesn’t display the entire text if it’s too long. Posts will often display the first few sentences, followed by a “read more” button.
The good news is that Instagram allows you to create business accounts for free, and it offers many features. You can view your analytics to see when your followers are engaging with your posts the most, see the demographics of your audience, and more!
Creating a new social media page can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we will talk about four steps to help you achieve a successful Instagram page.
Identify Your Goal
The first step is to identify what you want to obtain from Instagram. Ask yourself, why are you creating an Instagram account for your dealership? Are you trying to build brand awareness for your business? Are you trying to show off the new cars that come into your inventory? Are you trying to advertise the specials you have going on? Or maybe it’s all of the above. Whatever it is that you want to accomplish, be sure to outline your specific goals. It’s much easier to maintain a social media page if you know what it is that you want to achieve, and it’s harder to get sidetracked into posting random or irrelevant content.
Create Your Profile
- Name & Username
Your name and username are searchable, so be sure to name them carefully. Your name should be the official name of your dealership, and your username should be similar as well. - Profile Photo
Don’t pick something too complicated or a photo that has a lot of words on it, as the photo will be smaller on users’ feeds and, therefore, harder to see. Be careful not to pick something too tacky either. Your profile picture can easily become how your followers will recognize you when they scroll through their feed. A photo of a car on your lot or your dealership’s logo are both good choices for a profile photo. - Biography (Bio)
Your Instagram bio should summarize what your dealership does, prompt the customer to take action, and be less than 150 characters. It’s best to keep this section concise and to the point and let your feed do the rest of the talking. - Additional Links
Instagram allows business accounts to add a phone number, address, and email address. You can also add a link to your dealership’s website. These are important features to take advantage of, so make sure to include them in your bio!
Diversify Your Content
Make sure to post more than just photos of cars on your lot. That’s not engaging to your followers, and it won’t make your page stand out from competitors. Diversifying the content you post will help your feed look more attractive and keep your followers more interested.
Some examples of things to post are:
- Photos of new cars on your lot
- “Meet the staff” – let your salespeople upload selfies, and post them with a quote or a fun fact about them
- Holiday posts
- Satisfied customers’ new purchases (with their permission)
- Tours of the inside of your dealership
- Before and after pictures of car repairs
- Updates with specials and deals
- Regrams – reposting photos from your customers that are related to your business
You can also post live videos. For a step by step guide, click here.
Interact with Followers
Instagram is a great way to build relationships with your customers and maintain a positive reputation. Customers are more likely to spend their hard-earned money at businesses that show they care about them. Reply to their comments, respond to their messages, and like their posts. Consider doing small giveaways for coupons or offering specials that are specifically for your Instagram followers.
Instagram is an easy to use platform that is has a simple setup process. If you don’t already have an account for your dealership, now is a great time to get started! Following these four steps will help you master one of the most popular social media platforms that people are using today.
If you’re having any trouble with your social media pages, AutoJini can help you! We provide Social Media Management (SMM) services with automotive marketing in mind. Give us a call today at (515) 232-2024 or contact us through our online form!