In the digital age, influencers have become the new tool in marketing for many Millennials and Gen Z-ers alike. Not only are these influencers pushing products such as hair vitamins, clothing subscriptions, and weight loss items to their followers, but they are also used to persuade car buyers as well. In today’s blog, we will talk about influencer marketing and how it can help your dealership.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is using someone who has a high social standing on social media to spread positive views in regard to your car dealership. Typically those with a high social standing have over 10,000 followers and therefore have huge credibility. Using these influencers can help quickly build your brand and push your sales targets. If you’ve ever thought about expanding your marketing strategy now is the time to do so.
Why should I use it?
Influencer marketing has been shown to produce a return on investment that’s 11x higher than the other traditional forms of marketing. CBT News also reported that more than 71% of consumers have a higher likelihood of purchasing something if it is recommended by an influencer. Teaming up with an influencer can immensely benefit your dealership in today’s day and age. You also don’t need to worry about snagging the big fish right away. If you’re a small, local, single showroom dealership, micro influencers are probably better for your brand than the bigger ones. With the smaller reach micro influencers have, their credibility gives them more authority, therefore making them a strong marketing and sales tool. Additionally, these influencers are typically more approachable and are more likely to resonate with advice-seeking buyers because they seem more authentic. Try to find a local social media influencer or celebrity near you that you think would benefit from partnering up. If you’re a larger dealership that’s trying to get more of a national reach, using a more nationally well known influencer might be a better idea for you. Many people view influencers as their friends so they are likely to trust their words and recommendations rather than just seeing a random ad on their feed.
Steps to start influencer marketing
Step 1: Search for Influencers
By using tools such as Buzzsumo or Followerwonk, you can easily find influencers for your dealership. An important thing to note is that you want to make sure you do your research on influencers before reaching out and teaming up with them. Just because someone has a large following on social media does not always mean they are credible or respected.
Step 2: Build an interesting page but stay grounded
Social media users are constantly switching from one social media app to the next, seeing hundreds of posts, tweets, and videos each day. It is important to make your content stand out from the rest by having unique designs and layouts. However, you don’t need to get too extravagant with what you’re posting. Influencers and the general population of those looking at your content are normal people like you and me. Be real with your content and don’t feel like you have to put on a show to be interesting.
Step 3: Communication is key
Starting a friendly discussion with influencers about related topics in the automotive industry could get them to promote your brand and give insight about your brand to the public. The more you interact the more likely it is that you’ll get noticed by their followers, leading to more exposure. Get the conversation started with a simple question or suggestion!
Step 4: Collaborate as many influencers as you can
Instead of hiring an influencer to act in a certain way you want, doing a collaboration with them has shown more flattering results. When you choose to collaborate the influencer has more creative freedom which they can use to bring your brand to life with their own personal flair. They know what their followers like to see and can therefore promote your brand in a way they know will get more engagement.
Leading Automotive Influencers
If you’re still unsure about influencer marketing for your dealership, take a moment to look over these automotive influencers and consider how people with this big of a following can help you.
1. Jody DeVere
As the CEO of AskPatty.com, Jody DeVere is one of the most prominent female influencers in the automotive industry. After seeing such a low female presence in this industry, Jody decided to change that with AskPatty. She inspires and motivates the significant representation of women in the automotive industry, especially within leadership positions. After creating the @AskPatty Twitter account, there are now over 17,000 followers (a significant amount being women) asking questions and learning more about the automotive industry.
2. Rob Ferretti
With more than 775,000 subscribers on YouTube and 73,000 followers on Instagram, SuperspeedersRob, or Rob Ferretti, has become one of the most important automotive influencers on social media. Being the owner of a rental car company that specializes in exotic cars, Rob gives his followers the in depth experience and joy of driving one of his fine automobiles. Being a bit of a car addict, he knows a thing or two about how to get the proper attention.
3. Krispy
Chris Petruccio has shown that you don’t have to specifically be a part of the automotive industry in order to become a major influencer in it. Being owned by Krispy Media did not slow down the Krispy account from thriving in the automotive social media world. Having 216,000 followers on Instagram, Krispy’s feed is packed with content that engages their audience by keeping them on their toes about the new and exciting things happening in the automotive arena.
Overall, influencer marketing is becoming a fast growing way to gain new leads and get more exposure. Although it may seem silly to try to create a grand social media presence for a dealership, this has become the new way to reach younger audiences. If you make sure you are targeting the right audience and teaming up with the right influencers, you can’t go wrong.
If you’re still unsure of how to start, our wonderful marketing team would be happy to assist you. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 515-232-2024 or send us a message today!