- May 1, 2005
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- Jeff
You higher end (Mercedes-Benz, Bmw, Audi, etc.) vehicles can do well on Instagram.
Should dealers be on Instagram?
- Thread starter Lisa Lansing
- Start date
You higher end (Mercedes-Benz, Bmw, Audi, etc.) vehicles can do well on Instagram.
- Mar 15, 2012
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- Steve
..and that's why I would likely recommend Instagram posts for those dealers. Of course, as I wrote, time and marketing budgets are finite resources and need to be allocated to those sources and activities that best drive the goals for the business.
Consumers are in lots of places - not just on Apps like Instagram - and we cannot afford to be in all of those places. So, I would cautiously allocate time and money to those that provide dubious ROI.
- Feb 11, 2015
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- Alex
Organically, Instagram isn't going to convert much for you, it's more about branding.The bottom line, people aren't necessarily interested in following a car dealership socially (unless they are giving stuff away or really doing a lot in the community).
Get a paid budget and test it.
- Oct 28, 2012
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- Chris K
You dont have to be a car dealership on Instagram. You could always just be someone who adds to the community. For example look at all these tags related to Camaros. There are fans of the products we are selling out there in the world. Why not just provide them with some cool shit to look at every once in awhile.
Read more at http://websta.me/search/camaro#dYTBc7j9z23f5CTf.99
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#camaro
1,997,367
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#camarones
203,218
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#camaro5
101,615
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#camarote
238,979
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#camaross
176,763
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#camaros
37,717
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#camarors
32,108
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#camarozl1
29,262
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#camarosonly
33,049
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#camaro_porn
25,381
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#camaroz28
22,656
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#camarosdaily
46,484
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#camaroporn
28,221
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#camaro6
10,442
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#camarosix
14,873
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#camarochicks
30,603
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#camarotebrahma
38,906
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#camarofamily
17,934
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#camaronation
15,878
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#camarotes
11,405
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#camarosofinstagram
20,987
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#camarotesalvador
36,561
Read more at http://websta.me/search/camaro#dYTBc7j9z23f5CTf.99
- Mar 15, 2012
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- Steve
Why not, indeed? Unless, of course, there is something that provides a better return on your time and/or budget. Time and budgets are finite, and should be deployed where they provide the greatest return (today and in the future). If that's on Instagram as a salesperson posting Camaro pics, then so be it. (I could certainly make the argument for posting there.)
It's just that if I was selling again, posting on Instagram would be pretty far down my list, since I would be busy working the service drive, making phone calls to my database and the orphaned owners at the dealership, handing out business cards at the local Chamber meetings and anywhere I had a coffee, drink or meal outside the house.
There is a desire to be where the people are, and I get that; but why is that only an internet thing? I saw today that more than half of drivers still spend their time in the car listening to AM/FM radio. That's a greater percentage than is on Instagram and they all are in my market and of driving age. Shouldn't I have commercials running 24/7 on every single station in town.
Of course not, it's too costly and provides dubious ROI...
- Oct 28, 2012
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- Chris K
I guess that's the difference between people who are "In The Car Business" and people "Who Like Cars"
It took me all of 5 seconds to snap a pic and post this colorado.
It took me all of 5 seconds to snap a pic and post this colorado.
- Mar 15, 2012
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- Steve
Well, you proved me wrong. It's a wonderful use of time and will surely sell lots of cars. My bad.
- Oct 28, 2012
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- Chris K
I don't really care if its a good use of time.
I would argue spending time on this site is less useful than many other activities.
Wouldn't you agree?
The thing about social communities is that you either are a part of them and contribute or you suck the life out of them because you can't step outside of your marketers persona to see what's really going on here.
It's not about hoping that it sells me more cars. It's about contributing cool stuff to the common good. If thats a bad way to spend time than I guess i'm a horrible person.
I would argue spending time on this site is less useful than many other activities.
Wouldn't you agree?
The thing about social communities is that you either are a part of them and contribute or you suck the life out of them because you can't step outside of your marketers persona to see what's really going on here.
It's not about hoping that it sells me more cars. It's about contributing cool stuff to the common good. If thats a bad way to spend time than I guess i'm a horrible person.
- Mar 15, 2012
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- Steve
Yeah, someone wrote it on another post, but I'll repeat it here: there is a problem with the nuances on these boards. Not trying to be argumentative - and the question was whether dealerships should be on Instagram - so to stay on the original topic and question, all of my answers were focused on the business (not social/personal/interesting) part of the Instagram equation.
Moreover, I'm not a salesperson in a dealership, so how I spend my time isn't of concern to the person at the dealership responsible for driving sales and profits. If I was a salesperson at a dealership, I wouldn't waste my time posting on Instagram for business, though I would certainly work my Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter networks for sales and referrals.
- Feb 11, 2015
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- Alex
It doesn't hurt to test these techniques, but if it fails to provide value, then what's the point? There has to be some form of a barometer for it.
If a dealer has the resources / money to do it, go for it, it's just going to improve your overall reach, maybe once in a while influence a potential customer (along with other forms of marketing), who might turn out to be a life-long customer.
I think we get TOO WRAPPED UP with what converts and what doesn't, when in reality, it's combination of traditional and digital marketing pieces, location, word of mouth, etc. This is not an easy equation to crack.
As always, what works in one geo-demographic might not in another.
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