If you’re in the commercial automotive world and want to build traction, it’s important to reinforce your car ads. In this article, we’ll discuss what that means, why reinforcing your automobile advertising is one of the smartest changes you can make, and how to do it effectively.
The Problem With Traditional Car Ads
TV commercials, billboards and print ads used to be the best strategy for car advertising. Over time, however, car buyers began to change the way they consumed content, and as a result, these old style of ads have become less effective.
Today, people are watching more and more content on demand. They’re also skipping ads that don’t apply to them, reading reviews, checking social media and using multiple screens at once. If you’re still using only a single avenue of advertising to bring in new customers, it’s likely you’re missing out on opportunities. This is where automobile advertising with reinforcement can help.
What Is Reinforcement in Automotive Marketing?
Reinforcement means continuing to show people your offers over a period of time. Here, we cover some of the basics about what that is and why it works.
Repetition Helps Messages Stick
People need to see your message multiple times before they remember it. Psychologists call this the “mere exposure effect.” The more often someone sees your brand, the more they trust it, and the more likely they are to choose you over someone else.
Buying a Car Takes Time
On average, it takes a person 89 days to choose a car and make a purchase. This is a long timeframe and includes the initial interest, research, online comparisons, financing, and finally closing the deal. Through this journey, people are constantly reevaluating and visiting new dealerships, which is why reinforcing your message over and over can keep your brand on their minds.
Cross Platform Reinforcement is Best
Today’s shopper might see your commercial on Hulu, visit your website from a Google ad, and then get retargeted on Facebook. Using this kind of cross platform reinforcement is a great strategy, since automotive marketing services that use multi-platform reinforcement tend to create a more memorable message that follows customers wherever they go.
The Best Ways to Reinforce Your Automobile Advertising
Now that you know why reinforcement matters, let’s talk about how to actually do it. Here are some of the smartest automotive marketing strategies that can help you move customers from awareness to action.
Retargeting
If you’ve ever visited a website and then suddenly seen ads for the product in other places, that’s retargeting. If someone checks out your inventory or finance page on your website, you can later show them follow up ads on social media, Google or streaming platforms to remind them of their interest and keep your dealership at the front of their minds.
Streaming Services
Advertising with video on streaming services is a great strategy for commercial automotive brands. Not only can you target by location and demographics, but you can also reach the growing number of people who are no longer watching traditional TV. Additionally, video car ads tend to be more memorable, especially when they’re part of a larger campaign that reinforces the same message across platforms.
Social Media Campaigns
Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok can be an excellent advertisement avenue for automotive marketing. You can use a mix of organic and paid posts to continually reinforce your brand and answer common questions.
Email Drip Campaigns
Email marketing lets you stay in touch with people who aren’t quite ready to buy at this moment. You can use a sequence of follow-ups, special offers and resources to help them stay informed and remind them that you’re there when they’re ready.
Creatives Across Channels
As you’re crafting your messages, make sure they look the same no matter where people see them. This consistency will help reinforce your brand identity and build trust.
Tips to Get More Leads with Reinforcement Ads
If you’re ready to get started, here are a few tips to make the most of your ad spend. First, we suggest pairing your car ads with paid search and social media campaigns. This is because someone who sees your ad might Google your dealership next, and having these extras will expand your reach.
Next, have a strong landing page. If someone clicks on your ad, it’s important that they land somewhere helpful, like a current deals page that makes it clear what action they should take next. If you’re running a specific ad for a certain car model or to promote a deal, make sure your sales team knows the details so that when someone contacts you, you’ll be ready.
Finally, it’s important to continuously test and adjust your ads as you go. Run A/B versions of your commercials to what messages pull in the most visitors and adjust from there.
Partner With the Right Automotive Marketing Services
If you’re not seeing results from your current car ad campaigns, it might be time to partner with a team that specializes in automotive marketing services. Look for an agency that understands the unique demands of commercial automotives, knows how to build multichannel campaigns, and can help you track what’s working.
With the right partner, you can identify your local audience, produce car advertisements for digital platforms, and understand which advertising platforms are best for your goals. Additionally, advertising companies can provide reporting so you can see how many impressions, clicks and walk-ins your ads actually bring in, helping to adjust your ad creatives to optimize for yet more traffic.
Not sure where to start? Dealer Stream offers a connective engagement strategy with reinforcement. Our experts can help you reach your ideal audience, engage them with compelling content, and drive results.
Learn More About Reinforcement Automobile Marketing Strategies with Dealer Stream
Ready to learn more about reinforcement automobile advertising? Here at Dealer Stream, we offer streaming-first ad campaigns built specifically for car dealers. We combine curated CTV/OTT ads, audio and car dealership videos, and performance tracking, all optimized to drive sales. If you’re interested in learning more about our car dealership marketing services, contact us today.