Car dealerships are intentionally built to attract attention – from sprawling lots to colorful banners. Your brick-and-mortar auto store may be easy to spot, but how visible is your dealership’s online presence? Make sure your auto store is just as easy to find online as it is in person by creating an automotive blog. A high-quality, regularly updated blog offers a host of benefits for car businesses both large and small. Keep reading to learn why you should consider building an automotive blog for your car company's content marketing strategy.
Why Do You Need A Car Dealership Blog?
We depend on the Internet for a wide range of information, and the research conducted during the car-buying process is certainly included under that umbrella. Here are several reasons why a blog strategy would be beneficial for your car dealership:
- Your customers are online. It’s not just a portion of them, either. AutoTrader’s 2016 Car Buyer Journey report indicated that 88% of car buyers now use the Internet to shop, and of those shoppers, the average buyer spends nearly 9 hours online.
- Your blog will make your website easier to find. Your customers are already online, but according to the same AutoTrader report, the typical customer spent only 16% of their time online browsing dealership websites, with the majority of online shoppers using third-party sites for their research. Oftentimes, dealership websites simply don’t offer enough information, especially unbiased information. But if you pack your blog with solid, exceptional content, your website will be both easier to find and a much more useful resource than the websites of your competitors.
- Blogging allows you to bolster your reputation and assert your dealership as an authority in the automotive industry. Some consumers might be wary of dealerships, especially if it seems that the dealership’s ultimate goal is to simply make a sale. Consistently posting valuable, non-promotional information on your blog can show customers that your business truly wants to offer a helping hand – without the aggressive sales pitch attached. Plus, it’s a great way to let potential customers see that you know what you’re talking about.
Another tip worth remembering: these points don’t exclusively apply to car dealerships. They’re equally relevant if you’re involved with selling other types of vehicles. Just be sure to tailor your blog’s content to suit your audience’s specific needs. Other types of dealerships that should consider blogging include:
- Construction equipment
- ATVs
- Tractors
- Semi trucks
- Motorcycles
- Boats
How To Write Great Content For Your Car Dealership Blog
At this point, you may be wondering what sort of content you need to create to help your automotive blog stand out. Below, we’ve compiled a few options to get you started:
- Car care tips: Buying a new car or truck is a major decision, and there’s often a hefty price tag attached. Recent customers will want to know how they can protect their investment, and since your business is made up of industry experts, your blog is just the place to provide these tips. Whether you’re guiding readers through preventative maintenance procedures or explaining the benefits of snow tires, care tips can appeal not only to those who have purchased cars from your dealership, but to anyone interested in maintaining their vehicle.
- Reviews: Before making purchases, consumers often try to learn as much about what they’re buying as possible. This includes seeking out customer or expert reviews, as they not only describe what the product is all about, but also give an assessment of its value. Your blog is an excellent place to highlight reviews of cars and accessories alike.
- Car search tips: As we’ve mentioned, purchasing a car isn’t a light decision. Writing blog posts to assist in the buying process is the perfect way to help out your readers while subtly promoting your own business. Consider posts that help buyers choose between new and used vehicles, buying and leasing a vehicle, various vehicle body styles and other similar topics.
- Car spotlights: Looking for a feature that you can repeat monthly without wearing out its benefits? The car spotlight makes for an excellent recurring topic. Choose a specific vehicle from your inventory and explain why it’s worth buying. What sort of lifestyle does it complement? What features does it have that set it apart from similar selections?
- Community involvement: Since most car dealerships draw business from local residents, getting involved with your community is essential – it fosters goodwill while spreading awareness of your dealership. Likewise, outlining your community involvement on your blog can help bolster your company’s reputation while optimizing your blog for your specific location.
While you create these blog posts, keep in mind that your content will be much more effective if it follows good search engine optimization (SEO) practices. SEO is a lengthy subject in itself, but try to use conversational keywords throughout your copy, include links to expert sources as well as your other blog posts and incorporate photos and videos whenever possible.
Get To Work
By following this outline, you’ll be well on your way to developing a blog that pays off. But remember – blogging takes time, and your website metrics won’t immediately reflect all the hard work you’ve put in. Don’t have the time to create your own posts? Virtucom Group’s expert writers and editors can get the job done. Check out our monthly blog writing services to get started.
About Virtucom Group
Consistent business blogging yields results – more clicks, more subscribers and – ultimately – more conversions. Whether you’re writing an automotive blog, an accounting blog, a healthcare blog or a home renovation blog, blogging for business and content development are useful for any industry. Follow the content writers at the Virtucom Group blog as they share digital marketing tips and discuss website content writing services that can optimize your business blog.
