Social Media
for the Automotive
Industry

Accelerate Your Social Media Strategy


Long gone are the days when a consumer goes to the. dealership and waits for the salesperson to sell them a car.

Nowadays, 86% of car shoppers conduct online research before even stepping foot in the dealership. 22% of this research involves social media.

What does this mean for automotive brands?

They need to be social during every stage of the consumer’s buying journey: from discovery, evaluation, and purchase, all the way through post-purchase. Consumers develop strong ties to their cars. If you’re there to support their enthusiasm, they will respond with loyalty and engagement.

Automotive brands who use social media effectively build brand affinity through authentic engagement, have a strong crisis protocol, and help customers with their car questions, pre- and post-purchase.

Don’t just take our word for it

Global Luxury Automotive Brand:

“Social Element is an arm of our team, they help us deliver best in class customer service around the clock.”

What Makes Automotive Social Media Different?

Drive Engagement with Brand Affinity

For many consumers, their car isn’t just what gets them from point A to point B.

Their car is an extension of their identity, telling the world who they are and what they value. And when consumers share so many aspects of their identity on social media, it only makes sense that content about their car is part of that.

In fact, 49% of consumers have shared auto-related content on social media.

When a consumer posts about a car show or how they souped up their 30-year old car, it’s an opportunity for the brand to listen in and respond.

Our advanced social listening practices help us identify exactly when and where these conversations are happening so we can jump in and engage.

It’s part of the “surprise and delight” strategy that makes our automotive clients some of the most engaging on social media.

 

49%

of customers have shared auto-related content on social media

Steer Customers to Cart

According to a recent Facebook report, 78% of car buyers find social media useful when deciding on a new automobile purchase.

Social media is where they discover, evaluate, and ask questions about cars that they’re thinking of buying.

This presents the perfect opportunity for auto brands to engage with customers where they’re shopping.

Advanced social listening tools will allow your customer care team to jump into conversations in real-time, directing the shopper to the right arena for help.

The consumer journey doesn’t end after they’ve left the dealership. 86% of consumers reported that they want to engage with brands post-purchase.

This can be maintenance reminders, promotional offers, and tips on vehicle usage and maintenance.

 

78%

of car buyers found social media useful when deciding on a new car

Navigate Through Crisis

When a consumer has an issue with their car, social media is often the first place they turn to.

We work with our clients’ cross-departmental team to ensure they’re prepared for crisis on social.

We use crisis insight reporting to identify what people are talking about, when, for how long, and how they are reacting to certain responses versus others. This social listening data allows us to steer the conversation with real-time feedback.

Once the crisis tide has subsisted, we use sentiment analysis and social listening to give our clients a bigger picture of how updates and press releases are received. This real-time feedback allows auto brands to reframe their approach.

 

86%

of car buyers reported that they want to engage with brands post-purchase

Get in touch today and let us take your social to the next level