Let’s be real—visual storytelling sells cars. From TV ads to perfectly placed Facebook campaigns, big brands and small dealerships everywhere use these tactics to tell emotional stories that captivate and convince their audience. But, what if we told you that you could take things one step further and increase your leads, generate brand awareness, and boost traffic through a different platform of online promotion? That’s exactly what you can do when you figure out how to use Instagram for your auto business!
According to recent studies, over 1 billion people use Instagram each month, with 63% of users logging in at least once a day. These numbers are astronomical and not something to be ignored. So, if you’re a dealership owner looking to improve sales and put people in your cars, the busy bees of beMarketing are exploring 4 Instagram tips for car dealerships that are sure to boost your Instagram presence.
Optimize Your Profile
One of the most important Instagram tips for your car dealership is ensuring your profile is optimized. Your Instagram profile can be used as a strong first impression, so make it count! You’ll need to first make sure that all your business information is accurate—that includes your company name, address, phone number, and website. Try to choose a relevant and recognizable profile picture, like your logo or storefront, so potential customers can easily identify you. To triple your searchability scores, try incorporating relevant keywords into your name and description. Even if your username doesn’t contain this keyword, customers can still find you while searching. Don’t forget to make your profile a “Business Profile” as well.
Rev Up your Instagram Content Strategy
While posting beautiful pictures of your car selection is great, it’s not a good enough Instagram strategy. Your followers and engagement will increase, but your sales might still be struggling. When you partner with our automotive digital marketing agency, we can present a clear and precise plan of action that will boost sales and encourage growth. Our busy bees get to work building a social media content strategy geared towards your targeted audience. This includes a mixture of Instagram feed posts, stories, IGTV posts, and Reels. Your photos and videos can include:
- Car service and maintenance tips
- Common vehicle troubleshooting tips
- New deals and promotions
- The latest inventory
- How-to content
- Staff bios
Once you’ve decided what and when you want to post, ensure your posts have a visual flair that will put you miles ahead of the competition. Crisp, clear, and well-composed pictures with creative, bold backgrounds will not only increase your online engagement but encourage more customers to walk through your doors. It’s also a smart idea to check out what your competition is up to!
#Hashtag It
Instagram posts that include relevant hashtags receive 12% more engagement compared to posts that don’t include them. With that being said, don’t overdo it! Instagram only allows 30 hashtags per post, with the sweet spot being 9 hashtags to engage and attract. Smart, relevant hashtags will always boost visibility and engagement, and it’s a good idea to double-check the meanings of the popular, trending hashtags you’re using. You can also try creating a hashtag that’s unique to your dealership as a fun way to encourage customers to interact with your company.
Some popular car hashtags you can include are:
- #cars
- #carsofinstagram
- #auto
- #carlifestyle
- #carswithoutlimits
- #automotive
- #carstagram
- #instacars
Excel with Ads
Instagram ads, similar to Facebook ads, are feed posts or stories that a company uses to promote its business to a user’s feed. They look exactly like a regular post but will be marked with a “Sponsored” label. Your Instagram ads should be different than other ads you are currently running because your potential customers are always scrolling. This means your ad needs to be cool, exciting, and interesting and the messaging must be short, sweet, targeted, and to the point. Single image ads and high-quality videos work best for auto dealerships. Be sure to track your ads closely and adjust them as needed.
At beMarketing, we are the premier automotive digital marketing agency in the Greater Philadelphia area. With our expertise, you can learn how to use Instagram for your auto business to increase traffic, boost sales, and watch as your company grows and goes from last to first place! If you’re ready to send your business’s success into overdrive, contact us today to get started.
