When it comes to trying to connect new car buyers with your vehicles, sources like listing sites, reviews, manufacturers, and many others all offer to help with this. But with so many options available, where are new car buyers actually looking? Is there one place you need to put your marketing dollars, or should the efforts be spread out?
When we asked Canadians these questions we found that a typical new vehicle buyer will use five different resources to discover their next vehicle, car reviews being the most popular. Car reviews also sit at the top of the list of ‘the most popular place to begin a new vehicle search’ and ‘the most likely place to first see a new vehicle you end up buying.’ While there may be limited opportunities for dealerships to partner directly with car reviewers, integrating your dealerships advertising near relevant reviews could help you reach the greatest number of new car buyers, and convert them from looking at new vehicles generally to looking specifically at your latest model.
Another common trend for searching new vehicles are dealership websites, and physical dealership visits ranked third. It’s important to note that every resource in the top 10 list is still used by at least 1 in 4 vehicle buyers, meaning they’re all a significant opportunity for you to connect with potential buyers.
With the typical new car buyer using five resources to investigate cars, reaching customers isn’t about having the right information in one place, it’s about having a consistent experience across multiple sources. Finally, providing a great experience to your current customers for when your next customer consults their friends or family is always an effective marketing tool.