What if people were willing to fly from Brazil for your next dealership promotion? What if they were willing to wake up at 4 a.m., hire a professional “line-waiter,” or pay $900 for a first spot in line at your store? Yes, we’re talking about the launch of the iPad 2-and the opportunity vehicle launches present for automotive professionals.

A Balance of Pride and Profit

Many dealers are rightfully proud of the local brand they have created – this is an investment that pays back throughout the year. However, there are times when the most effective marketing strategy is simply to ride the coattails of the many millions your OEM is spending to create buzz and interest for their new product. By studying Apple’s marketing strategy, it becomes obvious that dealers can emulate this flagship brand to create similar salivating demand for their own inventory.

The Most Important Product in the World

Much like Apple stores, car dealers are all selling basically the same inventory from store-to-store. The launch of an Apple product is a study in beautiful synchronicity. When Apple goes to market, every aspect of the Apple experience-commercials, online ads, website, store fronts- align around a singular objective: promoting the launch of that new product. The result of this multi-tier campaign is a single, powerful message: at that moment, this is the most important product launch in the world. Customers in turn believe this message, and respond accordingly. The proof is in the profits. Apple sold an estimated million units in the first day.

Leading dealers recognize the value of this “synchronicity” in their marketing in support of OEM marketing campaigns. If you are fully deployed with messaging aligned with the OEM’s launch activities you will provide the consumers a seamless online experience directly to your showroom – and facilitate that self-reinforcing consumer buzz for your store that is so essential to Apple’s success.

Synchronicity is a matter of degree. Virtually all OEMs will insure that there is appropriate messaging on your franchise website, although you’ll need to stay on your toes if you are using an independent website. Search marketing and content aligned with the vehicle launch would be the next tier. The most advanced digital marketers will deploy an integrated multichannel campaign of search, display, retargeting and web content to channel shoppers directly to their stores. These complex campaigns can be developed by your agency partner. However, investigate whether there are endorsed packages from your OEM’s digital marketing partner – they will have early access to OEM assets to provide that valuable synchronicity and cost efficiencies from use of technology and integration with the franchise marketing platform.

Synchronicity Doesn't Mean Selling Your Soul

If you’re worried about “selling your soul” or diluting your dealership brand, take a cue from Apple as well, where Seattle stores celebrated the iPad launch with Starbucks coffee, Virginia with hot cider, and Florida with palm-tree lined storefronts. Once your shoppers get to your website or showroom it is your opportunity to deliver the exceptional experience that makes them the rabid fan of your dealership as well at the vehicle. It doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition.

The message is obvious: there are times where it is in your interest to focus on your dealership brand and there are times when it is most profitable to ride the wave of interest created by your OEM. Successful dealers will exploit both strategies with today’s new generation of cost-effective digital marketing solutions.

Chris Reed joined ADP Digital Marketing (formerly The Cobalt Group) in July 2007 as Chief Marketing Officer. Chris brings over 25 years of experience in marketing strategy for businesses ranging from start-ups to IBM. Chris holds a BA in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University, and a MBA from Harvard University. In addition to education, Chris’s marketing inspiration could be attributed to his international upbringing-he used to ride an elephant to school in the jungles of Sumatra.

The Cobalt Group

www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.facebook.com/CobaltTalent

What if people were willing to fly from Brazil for your next dealership promotion? What if they were willing to wake up at 4 a.m., hire a professional “line-waiter,” or pay $900 for a first spot in line at your store? Yes, we’re talking about the launch of the iPad 2-and the opportunity vehicle launches present for automotive professionals.

A Balance of Pride and Profit

Many dealers are rightfully proud of the local brand they have created – this is an investment that pays back throughout the year. However, there are times when the most effective marketing strategy is simply to ride the coattails of the many millions your OEM is spending to create buzz and interest for their new product. By studying Apple’s marketing strategy, it becomes obvious that dealers can emulate this flagship brand to create similar salivating demand for their own inventory.

The Most Important Product in the World

Much like Apple stores, car dealers are all selling basically the same inventory from store-to-store. The launch of an Apple product is a study in beautiful synchronicity. When Apple goes to market, every aspect of the Apple experience-commercials, online ads, website, store fronts- align around a singular objective: promoting the launch of that new product. The result of this multi-tier campaign is a single, powerful message: at that moment, this is the most important product launch in the world. Customers in turn believe this message, and respond accordingly. The proof is in the profits. Apple sold an estimated million units in the first day.

Leading dealers recognize the value of this “synchronicity” in their marketing in support of OEM marketing campaigns. If you are fully deployed with messaging aligned with the OEM’s launch activities you will provide the consumers a seamless online experience directly to your showroom – and facilitate that self-reinforcing consumer buzz for your store that is so essential to Apple’s success.

Synchronicity is a matter of degree. Virtually all OEMs will insure that there is appropriate messaging on your franchise website, although you’ll need to stay on your toes if you are using an independent website. Search marketing and content aligned with the vehicle launch would be the next tier. The most advanced digital marketers will deploy an integrated multichannel campaign of search, display, retargeting and web content to channel shoppers directly to their stores. These complex campaigns can be developed by your agency partner. However, investigate whether there are endorsed packages from your OEM’s digital marketing partner – they will have early access to OEM assets to provide that valuable synchronicity and cost efficiencies from use of technology and integration with the franchise marketing platform.

Synchronicity Doesn't Mean Selling Your Soul

If you’re worried about “selling your soul” or diluting your dealership brand, take a cue from Apple as well, where Seattle stores celebrated the iPad launch with Starbucks coffee, Virginia with hot cider, and Florida with palm-tree lined storefronts. Once your shoppers get to your website or showroom it is your opportunity to deliver the exceptional experience that makes them the rabid fan of your dealership as well at the vehicle. It doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition.

The message is obvious: there are times where it is in your interest to focus on your dealership brand and there are times when it is most profitable to ride the wave of interest created by your OEM. Successful dealers will exploit both strategies with today’s new generation of cost-effective digital marketing solutions.

Chris Reed joined ADP Digital Marketing (formerly The Cobalt Group) in July 2007 as Chief Marketing Officer. Chris brings over 25 years of experience in marketing strategy for businesses ranging from start-ups to IBM. Chris holds a BA in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University, and a MBA from Harvard University. In addition to education, Chris’s marketing inspiration could be attributed to his international upbringing-he used to ride an elephant to school in the jungles of Sumatra.

The Cobalt Group

www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.facebook.com/CobaltTalent

Column: The Automotive Marketing Infobahn with Volker Jaeckel

Three German Proverbs for Three Common Automotive Marketing Scenarios

Volker Jaeckel, Digital Marketing Ambassador for ADP Digital Marketing

As a German “elder” of the automotive industry, I decided to use my beloved German proverbs to illustrate common scenarios auto industry Internet Managers know all too well. By the end of this article, you may not be fluent in German, but hopefully you will at least have the chance to chuckle, nod, or smile in recognition of a classic industry situation.

1. Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist. This one may be familiar to you Americans. It translates to “Strike while the iron is hot.”  Let me catapult myself back in time. It is 2001, a younger VJ (then with no gray hair) worked as a BMW and Mercedes Benz salesman in Michigan. At this time, our dealership was confronted with an intruder of a special kind, and every salesperson wanted to avoid contact with the nasty beast known as StarLeads. For those who don’t remember, StarLeads was a new lead program designed by Mercedes, sending Internet inquiries from real prospects. These prospects had researched a car on the OEM website, and now wanted to hear from a sales person in the dealership to gather more information.

Because I was the Benjamin in the dealership at this time, I was doomed by management to run this technology feature, even though many established sales personnel reported to management that the tool was a dud. It turned out it wasn’t a tool issue, but was a timing issue: many of these salespeople were waiting up to two days to contact the leads, at which point of course the person’s interest had waned and the lead had expired. Once I began speedily responding, or “striking” when a hot lead came through, the prospects began to convert.

The proverb’s truth isn’t limited to CRMs. You must “strike while the iron is hot” in every aspect of the dealership profession: responding to 3^rd party leads, joining the chat conversation on your website, or immediately engaging with a disgruntled customer on a review site to try to avoid damage to your dealership reputation.

Everybody knows about the essence of speed in our business, but when you mystery shop your competition and maybe even your own dealership, you’ll see that even basics are not always followed. Seeing the lack of timely responses in our industry, I can only shake my head and say, “What are you thinking?”

2. Eine Schwalbe Macht Noch Keinen Sommer. In English, the proverb means, “A single swallow doth not the summer make.” Swallows? Summer? What is this kooky German fellow speaking of? Believe it or not, this beloved German proverb ties in perfectly with pitfalls I see, particularly in dealers’ social media strategy. When an industry peer asks you how many Facebook fans you have, and you say “280,” what happens? Your smug peer responds that they have 5,234 fans and that their base is growing daily. Now you see where the proverb comes into play.

The “single swallows” don’t matter in social media. You could have 100,000 fans, but if they’re not engaged, what’s the point? What matters in social media is not numbers, but R.O.P. (Return-On-Post) R.O.P. includes engagement such as comments, links, referrals, or any other goal conversion you’ve set for your social media campaigns. This proverb also applies to your own social media efforts as a dealer. You have to continuously post and provide insight; a single blog post here and there does not a social media program make.

3. Rom ist auch nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden. This one will be popular with any Gladiator fans out there-it means: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  This is the “other half of the coin” to the first German proverb “Strike while the iron is hot.” While it is important to be speedy when making contact with a hot lead, you can’t lose heart if it takes much longer to close the sale. For new prospects coming through our CRM, I recommend at least a 120-day email follow-up approach, combined with telephone contact attempts. Some dealers come on hot and heavy, but they don’t have the patience to follow through after the initial “thrill-of-the-chase” wears off. The truly successful dealer is the one who establishes contact in a timely fashion, and then continues to nurture that relationship over time.

And now for one final proverb: Probieren geht über studieren. It means “trying is better than studying”- so get out there and sell some cars!

Volker Jaeckel, Digital Marketing Ambassador for ADP Digital Marketing

Column: The Automotive Marketing Infobahn with Volker Jaeckel

Three German Proverbs for Three Common Automotive Marketing Scenarios

Volker Jaeckel, Digital Marketing Ambassador for ADP Digital Marketing

As a German “elder” of the automotive industry, I decided to use my beloved German proverbs to illustrate common scenarios auto industry Internet Managers know all too well. By the end of this article, you may not be fluent in German, but hopefully you will at least have the chance to chuckle, nod, or smile in recognition of a classic industry situation.

1. Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist. This one may be familiar to you Americans. It translates to “Strike while the iron is hot.”  Let me catapult myself back in time. It is 2001, a younger VJ (then with no gray hair) worked as a BMW and Mercedes Benz salesman in Michigan. At this time, our dealership was confronted with an intruder of a special kind, and every salesperson wanted to avoid contact with the nasty beast known as StarLeads. For those who don’t remember, StarLeads was a new lead program designed by Mercedes, sending Internet inquiries from real prospects. These prospects had researched a car on the OEM website, and now wanted to hear from a sales person in the dealership to gather more information.

Because I was the Benjamin in the dealership at this time, I was doomed by management to run this technology feature, even though many established sales personnel reported to management that the tool was a dud. It turned out it wasn’t a tool issue, but was a timing issue: many of these salespeople were waiting up to two days to contact the leads, at which point of course the person’s interest had waned and the lead had expired. Once I began speedily responding, or “striking” when a hot lead came through, the prospects began to convert.

The proverb’s truth isn’t limited to CRMs. You must “strike while the iron is hot” in every aspect of the dealership profession: responding to 3^rd party leads, joining the chat conversation on your website, or immediately engaging with a disgruntled customer on a review site to try to avoid damage to your dealership reputation.

Everybody knows about the essence of speed in our business, but when you mystery shop your competition and maybe even your own dealership, you’ll see that even basics are not always followed. Seeing the lack of timely responses in our industry, I can only shake my head and say, “What are you thinking?”

2. Eine Schwalbe Macht Noch Keinen Sommer. In English, the proverb means, “A single swallow doth not the summer make.” Swallows? Summer? What is this kooky German fellow speaking of? Believe it or not, this beloved German proverb ties in perfectly with pitfalls I see, particularly in dealers’ social media strategy. When an industry peer asks you how many Facebook fans you have, and you say “280,” what happens? Your smug peer responds that they have 5,234 fans and that their base is growing daily. Now you see where the proverb comes into play.

The “single swallows” don’t matter in social media. You could have 100,000 fans, but if they’re not engaged, what’s the point? What matters in social media is not numbers, but R.O.P. (Return-On-Post) R.O.P. includes engagement such as comments, links, referrals, or any other goal conversion you’ve set for your social media campaigns. This proverb also applies to your own social media efforts as a dealer. You have to continuously post and provide insight; a single blog post here and there does not a social media program make.

3. Rom ist auch nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden. This one will be popular with any Gladiator fans out there-it means: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  This is the “other half of the coin” to the first German proverb “Strike while the iron is hot.” While it is important to be speedy when making contact with a hot lead, you can’t lose heart if it takes much longer to close the sale. For new prospects coming through our CRM, I recommend at least a 120-day email follow-up approach, combined with telephone contact attempts. Some dealers come on hot and heavy, but they don’t have the patience to follow through after the initial “thrill-of-the-chase” wears off. The truly successful dealer is the one who establishes contact in a timely fashion, and then continues to nurture that relationship over time.

And now for one final proverb: Probieren geht über studieren. It means “trying is better than studying”- so get out there and sell some cars!

Volker Jaeckel, Digital Marketing Ambassador for ADP Digital Marketing

How to Optimize your Dealer Website in Five Minutes a Day

John Goad is the SEO Quality and Process Manager for ADP Digital Marketing

We won’t mince words: If you’re a dealer still dragging your feet about keyword optimization, it’s time to jump in the game. In fact, a recent study from AutoTrader.com (you’ve heard of them, right?) just confirmed that shopping for automobiles online is less of a passing trend and more of a permanent reality. The study revealed that 71% of consumers use the Internet while shopping for new and used vehicles, more than double any other information source. It also reaffirms the importance of search engines, saying, “Search engines are…commonly used during the vehicle shopping process, with Google being by far the most prevalent. New and used vehicle buyers who visited a dealer site arrive at the site via search.”

Satisfied? Good. Now since we know that keyword optimization is not the average dealer’s idea of a good time on Saturday night (it’s not ours either, for the record), the experts at ADP Digital Marketing have provided you this list of clever keyword tactics that will help you trounce your competition in just five minutes a day. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to make your dealer website fully discoverable by customers dying to find that perfect vehicle-yours!

Killer Keyword Tips For Your Car Website

1. Think locally. The average dealer may dream of being number one for “Chevrolet” or “Chevy Malibu,” but you know better. You know that bidding on global terms is pointless because most consumers won’t drive more than 20 miles to pick up a new car. While it would be nice for your ego to be number one for “Chevrolet,” it would be unbelievably expensive and an ultimately fruitless effort. Instead, it’s better to pre-qualify the consumers that will actually convert by optimizing your site for local keywords like “Chevrolet Seattle” or “Chevy Malibu Seattle.” Not only do you have an infinitely better chance of ranking number one, you limit your traffic to consumers you could actually serve. Winner, you.
2. Go  beyond vehicle keywords. Sure, your business is selling cars, but that’s certainly not your only sales opportunity. Attract a greater array of customers by including keywords like “Detroit oil change,” or “Mazda shock absorbers Santa Barbara” or even “bad credit auto financing Houston.” Savvy keywords like these will allow you to attract new customers, even those who are not in-market for a vehicle.
3. Spice up your urls. Believe it or not, that little www address in your browser is one of the first places search engines look when ranking a site, so it pays to optimize them for key terms. The easiest recipe for optimizing your dealer website url is: brand name + subject matter. For example, if your page features your Service Sign-up sheet, a url like www.excellencemotors.com/ServiceApptForm would be perfect. Updating urls takes literally five minutes and can do wonders for your site’s rankings.
4. A picture is worth a thousand keywords. Well maybe not a thousand, but at least a few juicy ones! When optimizing your site, don’t forget about photos. When you upload a photo, you can include what is known as “alt-text.” Alt-text is basically an SEO caption; it tips off search engines to the photo content, therefore giving them yet another great opportunity to send relevant traffic your way. By taking a few minutes to add keyword-rich descriptions like “Seattle Chevy Dealer employees at a winter barbeque,” or “Seattle Green Infiniti J30 shining in the autumn sun,” you can give your dealer website a more competitive stance in just a few minutes.
5. Think links. A final quick keyword trick is to optimize your site links. Search engines treat links with added importance, so give yours some extra punch by incorporating key phrases. Instead of copy that reads “To view used Seattle BMWs, click here,” have it read “Check out our great selection of Seattle used BMWs.”  Why? Because, of course, no one is searching the phrase “Click Here.” They are searching phrases like “Seattle used BMWs.” This type of “link-thinking” takes a little while to get used to, but once you get in the mindset, it becomes second nature.

Needless to say, these tips work best when you combine them all together. Don’t settle for making your site a little easier to find by in-market consumers – make it a  dynamic car-selling destination by following all these tips for a powerfully optimized digital automotive website.

Last but not least, remember this isn’t about keywords; it’s about customers. ADP Digital Marketing SEO expert John Goad reinforces this maxim. “The best SEO tip isn’t an algorithm or some gaming technique. It’s about simply putting yourself in your customers’ shoes so that they can find what they’re looking for,” Goad says. “They’re doing a great job of pre-qualifying themselves; it’s up to you to make that connection by optimizing your site for those key terms. They’ve already told you what they’re shopping for. It’s not like a billboard on a freeway. People are actually telling you exactly what they want, down to the details. It’s your job to make sure they know you’re the one that can give it to them.”

John Goad is the SEO Quality and Process Manager for ADP Digital Marketing

John Goad is the SEO Quality and Process Manager for ADP Digital Marketing. He brings 14 years of digital marketing experience, including founding startups and advising Fortune 500 companies. When he’s not working with clients like Ford and Converse, Goad enjoys restoring air-cooled Volkswagens and watching baseball.

The Cobalt Group

How to Optimize your Dealer Website in Five Minutes a Day

John Goad is the SEO Quality and Process Manager for ADP Digital Marketing

We won’t mince words: If you’re a dealer still dragging your feet about keyword optimization, it’s time to jump in the game. In fact, a recent study from AutoTrader.com (you’ve heard of them, right?) just confirmed that shopping for automobiles online is less of a passing trend and more of a permanent reality. The study revealed that 71% of consumers use the Internet while shopping for new and used vehicles, more than double any other information source. It also reaffirms the importance of search engines, saying, “Search engines are…commonly used during the vehicle shopping process, with Google being by far the most prevalent. New and used vehicle buyers who visited a dealer site arrive at the site via search.”

Satisfied? Good. Now since we know that keyword optimization is not the average dealer’s idea of a good time on Saturday night (it’s not ours either, for the record), the experts at ADP Digital Marketing have provided you this list of clever keyword tactics that will help you trounce your competition in just five minutes a day. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to make your dealer website fully discoverable by customers dying to find that perfect vehicle-yours!

Killer Keyword Tips For Your Car Website

1. Think locally. The average dealer may dream of being number one for “Chevrolet” or “Chevy Malibu,” but you know better. You know that bidding on global terms is pointless because most consumers won’t drive more than 20 miles to pick up a new car. While it would be nice for your ego to be number one for “Chevrolet,” it would be unbelievably expensive and an ultimately fruitless effort. Instead, it’s better to pre-qualify the consumers that will actually convert by optimizing your site for local keywords like “Chevrolet Seattle” or “Chevy Malibu Seattle.” Not only do you have an infinitely better chance of ranking number one, you limit your traffic to consumers you could actually serve. Winner, you.
2. Go  beyond vehicle keywords. Sure, your business is selling cars, but that’s certainly not your only sales opportunity. Attract a greater array of customers by including keywords like “Detroit oil change,” or “Mazda shock absorbers Santa Barbara” or even “bad credit auto financing Houston.” Savvy keywords like these will allow you to attract new customers, even those who are not in-market for a vehicle.
3. Spice up your urls. Believe it or not, that little www address in your browser is one of the first places search engines look when ranking a site, so it pays to optimize them for key terms. The easiest recipe for optimizing your dealer website url is: brand name + subject matter. For example, if your page features your Service Sign-up sheet, a url like www.excellencemotors.com/ServiceApptForm would be perfect. Updating urls takes literally five minutes and can do wonders for your site’s rankings.
4. A picture is worth a thousand keywords. Well maybe not a thousand, but at least a few juicy ones! When optimizing your site, don’t forget about photos. When you upload a photo, you can include what is known as “alt-text.” Alt-text is basically an SEO caption; it tips off search engines to the photo content, therefore giving them yet another great opportunity to send relevant traffic your way. By taking a few minutes to add keyword-rich descriptions like “Seattle Chevy Dealer employees at a winter barbeque,” or “Seattle Green Infiniti J30 shining in the autumn sun,” you can give your dealer website a more competitive stance in just a few minutes.
5. Think links. A final quick keyword trick is to optimize your site links. Search engines treat links with added importance, so give yours some extra punch by incorporating key phrases. Instead of copy that reads “To view used Seattle BMWs, click here,” have it read “Check out our great selection of Seattle used BMWs.”  Why? Because, of course, no one is searching the phrase “Click Here.” They are searching phrases like “Seattle used BMWs.” This type of “link-thinking” takes a little while to get used to, but once you get in the mindset, it becomes second nature.

Needless to say, these tips work best when you combine them all together. Don’t settle for making your site a little easier to find by in-market consumers – make it a  dynamic car-selling destination by following all these tips for a powerfully optimized digital automotive website.

Last but not least, remember this isn’t about keywords; it’s about customers. ADP Digital Marketing SEO expert John Goad reinforces this maxim. “The best SEO tip isn’t an algorithm or some gaming technique. It’s about simply putting yourself in your customers’ shoes so that they can find what they’re looking for,” Goad says. “They’re doing a great job of pre-qualifying themselves; it’s up to you to make that connection by optimizing your site for those key terms. They’ve already told you what they’re shopping for. It’s not like a billboard on a freeway. People are actually telling you exactly what they want, down to the details. It’s your job to make sure they know you’re the one that can give it to them.”

John Goad is the SEO Quality and Process Manager for ADP Digital Marketing

John Goad is the SEO Quality and Process Manager for ADP Digital Marketing. He brings 14 years of digital marketing experience, including founding startups and advising Fortune 500 companies. When he’s not working with clients like Ford and Converse, Goad enjoys restoring air-cooled Volkswagens and watching baseball.

The Cobalt Group

When it comes to Super Bowl advertising, auto marketing expert Max Steckler has one piece of advice for auto dealers: don’t forget about breakfast.

What does he mean? “The Super Bowl is the dance,” Steckler, Vice President of Advertising Products for ADP Digital Marketing, explains. “That’s where the courtship between advertisers and consumers begin.  It’s a whirlwind, and it’s incredibly exciting. But what about after the excitement of the event fades? The one who’s actually going to win that customer relationship is the dealer who thinks about breakfast the morning after.”

Breakfast, in this case, is the retargeting campaign that displays your ads across consumers’ favorite websites long after the dust from The Big Game has settled. “The day after is just as important as the day itself,” Steckler says. “You want to be continuing to reinforce the national ad message so you can draw consumers to your store. If you can get that click, you can continue to fold your brand into that initial, electric Super Bowl experience.”

That’s just one tip the ADP Digital Marketing team offers on how dealers can make their Super Bowl advertising soar, so read on for the rest.

Tips for an Automotive Digital Marketing Upset

1. Make Your Campaigns More “Likeable.” Gen Y are not only sports-lovers (or at least beer-lovers), they also represent 40% of new car buyers for 2012.  Since we know they’ll be documenting their Super Bowl experience through status updates, why not turns sports fans into your fans? Offer a discount for new “likes” on Facebook, or have people tag their team spirit pictures and award a free oil change for the best decorated car or clever bumper sticker.
2. Score Big with Search. Search, you say? What does that have to do with a TV ad? Everything, according to ADP’s Chuck Tilton. “For today’s consumer, the viewing experience and the online experience are intrinsically linked,” Tilton says. “Today’s consumer is watching the game on their couch with their laptops on their lap. We know this because when the commercials air, we can literally watch the web traffic jump minute-over-minute. Search is the bridge between those two worlds, so make sure you are showing up for your key phrases,” he said.
3. Rock your Online Reviews. Who’s rooting for you? When consumers search your name on commercials, are they going to find roaring fans or booing bad sports? “Reviews are now a form of advertising in their own right, and a powerful one at that,” says ADP’s Matt Muilenburg. Therefore, it’s worth your time to pay extra attention to your reputation monitoring tools in the days leading up to the game. It might even be worth doing a “review drive” to pump things up.
4. Compete and Conquer. That said, if you don’t have an OEM advertising in the game, don’t despair. If you’ve got a great alternative offering, don’t be afraid to launch a “competitive conquesting” PPC campaign pitting your inventory against the advertised model. The Super Bowl’s all about the spirit of competition, right?
5. Watch your Language. Yes, you read that right. While colorful phrases may be a quintessential part of the viewing experience, it pays to pick your words carefully when it comes to your Super Bowl ad campaign. Avoid a hefty fine by steering clear of phrases like “Super Bowl” or even “Super Sunday” in your advertising. Try “The Big Game” or perhaps something more creative like “The Dallas Duel to the Death.” True fans will get your drift.
6. No Parked Pages Please. “This is a huge one I see all the time,” ADP’s James Fabin said, “Nothing kills a sports buzz like a ‘Coming Soon’ or ‘Expired’ page, so update all your pages before the Big Day to capitalize on all those crazed fans.”
7. Mobile-ize Your Fans. As we’ve already noted, Gen-Y is a huge car-buying market, so that’s one good reason to add mobile to your site for this text-happy crowd. Want an even better one? Cobalt’s research shows mobile users are the most serious about actually making a purchase. “Laptops are for research,” Steckler says, “mobile is for finding a car, finding a price, and finding a dealer near you while the consumer is on the go shopping for their vehicle.” In order to convert those Super Bowl leads to the point-of-sale, mobile is a must.
8. Give your Campaign more Yardage. We’ve talked about the day of, and the day after, but don’t forget about the day before. According to a recent article, Super Bowl advertisers are beginning their campaigns earlier than ever this year, so get in the game and start early to be competitive.

Everyone Loves an Automotive Marketing Underdog

In conclusion, with at least eight auto-makers and car companies airing ads this year (double the usual number) this could very well be one of the most exciting events for automotive advertising in history. Much like the event itself, with the level playing field created by automotive digital advertising and social media, this year truly is anyone’s game, so don’t be afraid to grab your piece of the action.  Go (whatever team you want to win)!

Contributing Writers

Max Steckler is the Vice President of Advertising Products for ADP Digital Marketing Solutions.  An automotive buff in both his professional and personal life, Max spends his spare time restoring vintage Japanese motorcycles, and is preparing for an off-road motorcycle trip to Alaska.

Matt Muilenburg is Vice President of Social Media  for ADP Digital Marketing Solutions, where  he has been working closely with dealers and OEMs to identify new ways to improve automotive retailing and marketing effectiveness.  When not sitting in front of a gadget, you’ll find Matt volunteering at the YMCA, attending his kids academic, musical and athletic events, or releasing stress by working in his yard and garden.

Chuck Tilton is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at ADP Digital Marketing Solutions.  He has worked extensively in the field of digital marketing since 1996.  Outside the office he and his family enjoy camping in the Cascade Mountains and beaches of the Pacific Northwest.

James Fabin is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at ADP Digital Marketing Solutions. He founded The Hyundai Connection in 1994, one of the earliest online communities for car enthusiasts. In his spare time, he works with local animal rescue shelters creating videos of dogs in need of a loving home.

When it comes to Super Bowl advertising, auto marketing expert Max Steckler has one piece of advice for auto dealers: don’t forget about breakfast.

What does he mean? “The Super Bowl is the dance,” Steckler, Vice President of Advertising Products for ADP Digital Marketing, explains. “That’s where the courtship between advertisers and consumers begin.  It’s a whirlwind, and it’s incredibly exciting. But what about after the excitement of the event fades? The one who’s actually going to win that customer relationship is the dealer who thinks about breakfast the morning after.”

Breakfast, in this case, is the retargeting campaign that displays your ads across consumers’ favorite websites long after the dust from The Big Game has settled. “The day after is just as important as the day itself,” Steckler says. “You want to be continuing to reinforce the national ad message so you can draw consumers to your store. If you can get that click, you can continue to fold your brand into that initial, electric Super Bowl experience.”

That’s just one tip the ADP Digital Marketing team offers on how dealers can make their Super Bowl advertising soar, so read on for the rest.

Tips for an Automotive Digital Marketing Upset

1. Make Your Campaigns More “Likeable.” Gen Y are not only sports-lovers (or at least beer-lovers), they also represent 40% of new car buyers for 2012.  Since we know they’ll be documenting their Super Bowl experience through status updates, why not turns sports fans into your fans? Offer a discount for new “likes” on Facebook, or have people tag their team spirit pictures and award a free oil change for the best decorated car or clever bumper sticker.
2. Score Big with Search. Search, you say? What does that have to do with a TV ad? Everything, according to ADP’s Chuck Tilton. “For today’s consumer, the viewing experience and the online experience are intrinsically linked,” Tilton says. “Today’s consumer is watching the game on their couch with their laptops on their lap. We know this because when the commercials air, we can literally watch the web traffic jump minute-over-minute. Search is the bridge between those two worlds, so make sure you are showing up for your key phrases,” he said.
3. Rock your Online Reviews. Who’s rooting for you? When consumers search your name on commercials, are they going to find roaring fans or booing bad sports? “Reviews are now a form of advertising in their own right, and a powerful one at that,” says ADP’s Matt Muilenburg. Therefore, it’s worth your time to pay extra attention to your reputation monitoring tools in the days leading up to the game. It might even be worth doing a “review drive” to pump things up.
4. Compete and Conquer. That said, if you don’t have an OEM advertising in the game, don’t despair. If you’ve got a great alternative offering, don’t be afraid to launch a “competitive conquesting” PPC campaign pitting your inventory against the advertised model. The Super Bowl’s all about the spirit of competition, right?
5. Watch your Language. Yes, you read that right. While colorful phrases may be a quintessential part of the viewing experience, it pays to pick your words carefully when it comes to your Super Bowl ad campaign. Avoid a hefty fine by steering clear of phrases like “Super Bowl” or even “Super Sunday” in your advertising. Try “The Big Game” or perhaps something more creative like “The Dallas Duel to the Death.” True fans will get your drift.
6. No Parked Pages Please. “This is a huge one I see all the time,” ADP’s James Fabin said, “Nothing kills a sports buzz like a ‘Coming Soon’ or ‘Expired’ page, so update all your pages before the Big Day to capitalize on all those crazed fans.”
7. Mobile-ize Your Fans. As we’ve already noted, Gen-Y is a huge car-buying market, so that’s one good reason to add mobile to your site for this text-happy crowd. Want an even better one? Cobalt’s research shows mobile users are the most serious about actually making a purchase. “Laptops are for research,” Steckler says, “mobile is for finding a car, finding a price, and finding a dealer near you while the consumer is on the go shopping for their vehicle.” In order to convert those Super Bowl leads to the point-of-sale, mobile is a must.
8. Give your Campaign more Yardage. We’ve talked about the day of, and the day after, but don’t forget about the day before. According to a recent article, Super Bowl advertisers are beginning their campaigns earlier than ever this year, so get in the game and start early to be competitive.

Everyone Loves an Automotive Marketing Underdog

In conclusion, with at least eight auto-makers and car companies airing ads this year (double the usual number) this could very well be one of the most exciting events for automotive advertising in history. Much like the event itself, with the level playing field created by automotive digital advertising and social media, this year truly is anyone’s game, so don’t be afraid to grab your piece of the action.  Go (whatever team you want to win)!

Contributing Writers

Max Steckler is the Vice President of Advertising Products for ADP Digital Marketing Solutions.  An automotive buff in both his professional and personal life, Max spends his spare time restoring vintage Japanese motorcycles, and is preparing for an off-road motorcycle trip to Alaska.

Matt Muilenburg is Vice President of Social Media  for ADP Digital Marketing Solutions, where  he has been working closely with dealers and OEMs to identify new ways to improve automotive retailing and marketing effectiveness.  When not sitting in front of a gadget, you’ll find Matt volunteering at the YMCA, attending his kids academic, musical and athletic events, or releasing stress by working in his yard and garden.

Chuck Tilton is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at ADP Digital Marketing Solutions.  He has worked extensively in the field of digital marketing since 1996.  Outside the office he and his family enjoy camping in the Cascade Mountains and beaches of the Pacific Northwest.

James Fabin is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at ADP Digital Marketing Solutions. He founded The Hyundai Connection in 1994, one of the earliest online communities for car enthusiasts. In his spare time, he works with local animal rescue shelters creating videos of dogs in need of a loving home.