Think with Google always provides interesting tidbits. From an August 2018 insights report, their research tells us that “84% of Americans are shopping for something at any given time and in up to six different categories.” Shoes and razors to kitchen appliances and car parts. Americans are constantly looking for their next purchase, and with a minimum of one in four people starting their search on their smartphone.

Yes, you already know people search their phones – you probably do it too. But finding the cheapest kitchen gadget on the Amazon app is very different than sourcing a local provider for a product or service.

How It Plays Out

Here’s a scenario with a shopper – pretend it’s you. As you walk up to the five-year-old Honda Civic or Chrysler 200 you drive, you notice your taillight is busted. That simply won’t do, and you certainly don’t want to get pulled over for something as simple as a broken taillight. Before you even get in the driver’s seat, you whip out your iPhone 7 Plus, unlock it, and search Safari or Google for “parts for Honda near me”.

Four types of search results are displayed, all jumbled together. You have the manufacturer’s website in there, dealership results, local aftermarket parts suppliers, and online parts retailers. Which one do you pick?

Like most people, you disregard the top results – the ones with ‘Ad’ listed on the corner. Because you live a busy life, you’ll usually pick the most convenient option from the first page of results. It might not be the cheapest option, but you’ll sacrifice a few extra dollars for immediacy.  The trouble is, how do you get to be a top result?

Relevant Content Marketing is the Ticket

That’s right, content marketing. It involves putting relevant, searchable information in front of the users’ eyes. But how does that tie into driving dealership traffic from the service department?

Here’s the rub: more people search for auto service and parts-related information every day than for new cars.

So, if you’re looking to create relationships with more customers that will eventually buy a car from you, capitalize on the larger market. Go after service customers and you’ll be nurturing relationships with your next sales customers.

What Type of Content?

Figure out what your customers are searching. Google Trends is a good place to start. You can narrow down the geographical area for more precise search results. Then use those keywords and topics to create dealership blogs that people actually want to read.

For service-related content, have posts with keywords like ‘Chevrolet oil change’, top accessories, services to have the dealership perform, and so on. Write parts-related content with search terms like the aforementioned ‘parts for Honda near me’ or questions like ‘does the dealership charge more for parts’.

Answer questions people have about service, parts, and the dealership itself. The content needs to have meat – substance that people will read and find valuable. And it must have a call-to-action in it, telling the reader how they can respond.

Why Create Content?

It’s simple. The TWG research shows that 80 percent of smartphone users will buy when they get easy answers. If you aren’t the search result that gets them their easy answer, there’s a very high likelihood they’re buying from someone else. A dealer that will get their future business and develop rapport. A dealer that will get their business when they need a car next.

Be a dealer that makes good on smartphone and online search results.