In today’s business landscape, digital marketing is indispensable for marketers. Today’s customers and market trends have experienced a significant transformation that forced all businesses to join the virtual world.
Today’s customers expect businesses to reach them in the online world. According to 2018 data from Search Engine Land, which proves that before they interact with a business in the offline world, they look the company up on the Internet. Consumers also place huge importance on their peers’ online reviews and feedback about a company before making their purchase decisions these days.
So, all industries that wanted to stay in business had to shift their focus from the traditional promotional methods on reaching their customers through digital marketing. Obviously, the automotive industry is no exception to this rule. According to Forbes, in the US, a total of 17.3 million vehicles have been sold by the car manufacturers, which is a 0.6% increase from 2017. So, it is obvious that the automotive industry did a great job in .
Here are the 4 digital marketing trends that fueled the automotive industry in the last several years:
Reaching customers through mobile
Since every individual has a smartphone in their pockets these days, mobile engagement is more popular than ever. In fact, Google reports show that 71% of the digital interactions that take place in the car-buying process happen on mobile.
We are talking searches, video views, clicks on ads, and site visits that took place on mobile. So, the automotive industry has now shifted its focus on mobile-first buyers, reaching them through websites, apps, videos, Social Media, blogs, and many other digital marketing tactics.
Mobile engagement of the customers is paramount for all car manufacturers since 86% of today’s individuals from the Millennial and the X generations are spending time in the virtual world on their smartphones.
Video marketing
Visuals are king in digital marketing because they have proven to be the most engaging method to attract the interest of the audience. Many medical studies show that visuals are so effective in marketing thanks to the fact that content in the form of visuals is 60.000x times easier to be understood and retained by the audience compared with written text. So, it seems that 4 times more buyers prefer watching a video than reading a text about vehicles.
According to Neil Patel, . This is why the automotive industry has fully embraced video content strategies as their primary promotion channels.
Videos are a great way for car manufacturers to show why their products are essential for their customers. They can show the latest technological innovations their cars feature and offer the customers the opportunity to imagine themselves driving their cars.
However, in order for a video content strategy to be effective, marketers should create videos that address their customers’ needs and questions. For example, if a marketer is creating a video that promotes a family car, their targeted audience will obviously be parents who are looking for a car that suits their needs. So, the video should show the features of the vehicle that are important for families including large storage space and safety features.
Virtual showrooms
Today’s tech-savvy customers simply love all technological innovations that enhance their experiences with a product or a brand. And, virtual showrooms are the new thing in attracting young customers who rely on technology.
Virtual showrooms on tablets, video walls, or tabletop touchscreen surfaces can give potential customers a completely revolutionized experience in digital showrooms.
For example, Audi is one of the car manufacturers brands that rocks the virtual showroom trend. The brand uses real-time 3D rendering technology which allows potential customers to create a life-sized digital vehicle. This allows customers to see a 360-degree image of the car and even hear authentic sound effects that enhance their buying experience. Virtual showrooms simply offer a unique digital experience with the product they are interested in.
Personalized customer experience
Personalization is the newest and hottest trend in digital marketing. It aims to take the right message to the right pair of eyes, at the right time which increases the chances of sales. For example, digital marketers who promote luxury and classic cars often target investors as their main targeted audience. Investors who prefer , the stock market, or blockchain are usually the customers who collect expensive and vintage cars. So, marketers focus on offering them a personalized customer and marketing experience in order to attract them.
However, personalization in the automotive industry doesn’t only come in the digital marketing sector. Car manufacturers also place huge importance on personalizing the customer experience. For example, customers can choose from many features when designing their perfect car. From choosing the color of the vehicle to choosing to include the most innovative tech car features, customers get the opportunity to buy a car that fully suits their needs and lifestyles. Also, one great example of personalization in the automotive industry comes from the car manufacturer Jaguar. The brand sells intelligent cars which are able to learn the behaviors and preferences of the drivers. The data collected by the artificial intelligence integrated into the vehicles are used by marketers to .
By mapping the customer journey and using personalized content in the marketing strategy, automotive companies can create the most effective tactics that lead to increased sales by attracting the new tech-savvy customers.
Since some of the brightest minds in the tech industry have teamed up with automotive companies, the automotive industry has undergone through drastic and innovative changes. As a result, automotive marketers are finding that the key to success is adapting the way they reach their audience to this modern era. So, digital marketing has become paramount for car manufacturers in order to attract potential customers and increase their sales.