This may be from the US but the principals and advise are universal....
Create a pro-social media presence inside your dealership – This isn’t so much a tip, as it is simply a starting point. This is often one of the most difficult tasks due to the lack of understanding about social media and its benefits. To get others on board with having a social media presence, you may consider highlighting the potential SEO benefits of an active social media presence. Links are one of the most important parts to rankings, and social media can help attract additional inbound links to your website, thereby potentially improving SEO.
Go where your competition is – One way to get others at your dealership on board is to simply point out your competitors on social media websites. Customers are becoming increasingly web-savvy, and are looking for car buying information in more places, including social media websites. As such, more dealers are ready to provide that information and so should you.
Your customers are using it – Even the most non-tech savvy car buyers are becoming increasingly comfortable with web research when it comes to buying a new or used car. In general, these users are also becoming more social online, via websites such as Twitter or Facebook. If your customers are using it, why sit idly by without giving it a try?
In addition to customers, don’t forget about your vendors – Vendors, partners, and others that you do business with are becoming involved in social media as well. Having multiple channels in place to communicate with them can be extremely helpful in building relationships, just as you would hope to do with your customers.
Social media and its tie to the SERPs – As already mentioned, social media can have an impact on SEO. Social interactions online can easily lead to more links for your websites. This process can then yield greater visibility in Google and other search engines where other potential customers may be looking for your dealership.
Consider its low cost – With the economy putting ample pressure on car dealerships across the country, many forms of marketing are becoming more costly. As dealers tighten their belts, even pay-per-click advertising has become unfeasible for some dealers. Social media is free, and requires only a time commitment and the ability to show off your unique voice. While there is no cost, the potential is huge.
Your website is like a billboard – Some websites are better than others, but regardless, communication is often one way, similar to a billboard. For this reason, social media could be the one tool at your disposal to facilitate online communication away of your website. It will also enable you to broaden your reach beyond that of a single billboard.
