Most of the time, businesses wrongfully perceive the concept of creating a “Personal Brand at Work” to be self-serving for the employee and not having any form of positive outcome for the ​business. But the reality is there is no downside to having employees who are positively representing themselves to the world around them. When the words “personal brand” are brought up, characteristics such as self-awareness, willingness to improve themselves, and presenting themselves in a fun and professional light are what should come to mind. These are the foundation for a stellar online reputation. Additionally, personal branding means knowing what people are saying about a person or business, being diligent and conscientious, and helping to paint an accurate picture online. None of these qualities should be forgotten for businesses who want to remain profitable.

In fact, developing and maintaining a strong, personal brand can be an incredible asset for an institution. Employees with strong personal brands tend to share their current happenings and stories through their online identities which can in turn increase the number of customers a business has. This is partly due to the rise of social media, and the thin line between people’s “personal” and “professional” lives becoming increasingly blurry online. Sometimes this may become a problem if employees aren’t aware that their information, what they post, like, retweet, and favorite can show up anywhere. A simple Google search of someone’s name can turn up a multitude of useful information. Although this may be a bit frightening for businesses regarding their employees, it is worth noting that if employees are working to improve their personal brand online, the positives that represent them online will be equally as prevalent as the negatives. Through personal brands of companies’ team members, businesses are becoming successful in not only representing their company in an online space, but in moving forward in online engagement. Some professionals go beyond simply “spreading the word” about their employer by actively blogging, tweeting, and engaging audiences online to strengthen both their own and their institution’s brand.

Believe it or not, there are other important reasons why companies should invest in and encourage their employees’ personal branding efforts. Here are three key benefits that businesses should consider.

Improved Reputation

A simple phrase that sums up the idea of personal branding is this: “Whenever someone has contact with you, your personal brand is either strengthened or weakened.” If an employee takes that concept seriously, and has been encouraged by managers to improve his or her personal brand, the personal brand improves. By monitoring what is said and posted online, an otherwise toxic company can blossom into a healthier one simply because a positive online image is a key motivator for visitors. A good way to increase an organization’s positive reputation is to align it with someone who already has a positive reputation. The brands or an employee and their employer strengthen and lend credibility to one another.

Improved Employee Satisfaction and Retention

As an employee becomes clear on his or her personal brand, personal and professional values become clearer as well.1 In this clarity, the employee may ask if they’re happy where they are, if they like this job role, or if the company mission meshes with their personal values. The employee has to know “who they are and who they want to be” in order to perform in management and leadership roles, as well as their job, effectively.1 So what if there’s a fantastic employee who doesn’t like a specific job or boss? It would be better to know that information rather than lose the employee to the competition. Empowering employees to focus on personal branding can help foster open dialogue and communication with supervisors.1 Knowing the answers to these questions benefits companies because it improves the odds of having employees “truly happy to be there,” thus improving the odds that a business’ staff will consist of highly satisfied and talented employees.

Improved Reach and Visibility

When team members of a business focus on their personal brand, it allows the organization to reach more targeted audiences with increased credibility. Maintaining a personal brand alongside the institution allows employees to engage other audiences. Most businesses have a very diverse team. With this in mind, if every employee is using his or her personal brand through social media to promote jobs and the organization, the reach of the organization will skyrocket. Along with an increase in the number of people employees could reach using their personal profiles, imagine how much more trustworthy the information will seem coming from a known friend instead of a business. Word of mouth marketing is powerful, and positive messages to the inner circles in which professionals are personally involved allows the organization to reach a targeted group with more built-in credibility.

The concept of creating a “Personal Brand at Work” for employees has many clear benefits for businesses. Just remember, if a company encourages its team members to improve their personal brand, it can lead to improved reputation, improved employee satisfaction and retention, and improved reach and visibility.

Most of the time, businesses wrongfully perceive the concept of creating a “Personal Brand at Work” to be self-serving for the employee and not having any form of positive outcome for the ​business. But the reality is there is no downside to having employees who are positively representing themselves to the world around them. When the words “personal brand” are brought up, characteristics such as self-awareness, willingness to improve themselves, and presenting themselves in a fun and professional light are what should come to mind. These are the foundation for a stellar online reputation. Additionally, personal branding means knowing what people are saying about a person or business, being diligent and conscientious, and helping to paint an accurate picture online. None of these qualities should be forgotten for businesses who want to remain profitable.

In fact, developing and maintaining a strong, personal brand can be an incredible asset for an institution. Employees with strong personal brands tend to share their current happenings and stories through their online identities which can in turn increase the number of customers a business has. This is partly due to the rise of social media, and the thin line between people’s “personal” and “professional” lives becoming increasingly blurry online. Sometimes this may become a problem if employees aren’t aware that their information, what they post, like, retweet, and favorite can show up anywhere. A simple Google search of someone’s name can turn up a multitude of useful information. Although this may be a bit frightening for businesses regarding their employees, it is worth noting that if employees are working to improve their personal brand online, the positives that represent them online will be equally as prevalent as the negatives. Through personal brands of companies’ team members, businesses are becoming successful in not only representing their company in an online space, but in moving forward in online engagement. Some professionals go beyond simply “spreading the word” about their employer by actively blogging, tweeting, and engaging audiences online to strengthen both their own and their institution’s brand.

Believe it or not, there are other important reasons why companies should invest in and encourage their employees’ personal branding efforts. Here are three key benefits that businesses should consider.

Improved Reputation

A simple phrase that sums up the idea of personal branding is this: “Whenever someone has contact with you, your personal brand is either strengthened or weakened.” If an employee takes that concept seriously, and has been encouraged by managers to improve his or her personal brand, the personal brand improves. By monitoring what is said and posted online, an otherwise toxic company can blossom into a healthier one simply because a positive online image is a key motivator for visitors. A good way to increase an organization’s positive reputation is to align it with someone who already has a positive reputation. The brands or an employee and their employer strengthen and lend credibility to one another.

Improved Employee Satisfaction and Retention

As an employee becomes clear on his or her personal brand, personal and professional values become clearer as well.1 In this clarity, the employee may ask if they’re happy where they are, if they like this job role, or if the company mission meshes with their personal values. The employee has to know “who they are and who they want to be” in order to perform in management and leadership roles, as well as their job, effectively.1 So what if there’s a fantastic employee who doesn’t like a specific job or boss? It would be better to know that information rather than lose the employee to the competition. Empowering employees to focus on personal branding can help foster open dialogue and communication with supervisors.1 Knowing the answers to these questions benefits companies because it improves the odds of having employees “truly happy to be there,” thus improving the odds that a business’ staff will consist of highly satisfied and talented employees.

Improved Reach and Visibility

When team members of a business focus on their personal brand, it allows the organization to reach more targeted audiences with increased credibility. Maintaining a personal brand alongside the institution allows employees to engage other audiences. Most businesses have a very diverse team. With this in mind, if every employee is using his or her personal brand through social media to promote jobs and the organization, the reach of the organization will skyrocket. Along with an increase in the number of people employees could reach using their personal profiles, imagine how much more trustworthy the information will seem coming from a known friend instead of a business. Word of mouth marketing is powerful, and positive messages to the inner circles in which professionals are personally involved allows the organization to reach a targeted group with more built-in credibility.

The concept of creating a “Personal Brand at Work” for employees has many clear benefits for businesses. Just remember, if a company encourages its team members to improve their personal brand, it can lead to improved reputation, improved employee satisfaction and retention, and improved reach and visibility.

News for the New Year

Google 360-Degree Storytelling on YouTube

Storytelling is BIG and YouTube doesn't plan on missing out. Google Spotlight Stories are now available for select Android users on the YouTube app, bringing an in-the-moment, virtual reality feature to users. Now, video creators are able to share even broader perspectives with viewers using a 360-degree view of the story being told and an interactive element that brings the story to life via Google Spotlight Stories. Sensors on users’ phones make the stories interactive, unlocking various aspects of stories as phones are moved.  Created by Google ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects group), this app is sure to have users engaging and sharing as they enjoy the immersive and interactive experience. Dealerships, keep your eyes on Google Spotlight Stories, as they’ll be expanding in availability next year. Focus on creating video and in-the-moment updates from your dealership and posting via your social platforms to increase engagement and reach consumers who are drawn to a variety of content formats.

Facebook Professional Services

Facebook has joined the latest list of sites vying for consumer attention when it comes to user reviews and ratings. With its recently-launched Best Professional Services site, it joins a crowded market that caters to local businesses and organizations seeking shopper reviews. The Professional Services page allows users to quickly search businesses with the highest reviews and ratings across Facebook, following the widely-recognized 5-star review format. In its new searchable directory, businesses now earn ratings based on user reviews, which means Facebook just entered the space that has, until recently, been reserved for platforms like Yelp, Amazon, and Google. As more consumers utilize online rating and review sites, it’s extremely important for dealerships to monitor and be aware of their online reputations.  Be sure to interact with consumers, stay on top of online feedback, and if you get a negative or less-than-savory review, respond quickly and with a positive solution to remedy the situation.  Not only will the unhappy customer see your reply, but other potential buyers will also notice your attentiveness and see that as a positive sign.

Blab Adds Audience Map Feature

The latest feature from Blab allows you to see where your audience is from based on the location listed on their Twitter profiles.  Built to better the connection between Blab users around the world, the map feature doesn’t track users’ locations; instead, it simply puts a dot on the map based on the hometown location listed on user profile pages.  When users change their hometown on Twitter, they’ll be able to change their hometown location on Blab.  It’s as simple as that!  For social-savvy dealerships, keep an eye on Blab.  A fun and easy-to-use chat forum, you can go live or schedule Blabs to engage your online audience.  With the popularity of live streaming, you’ll reach a broad audience and keep your followers up to date with what’s going on at your dealership.  Think of quick, fun updates you can share and be sure to interact with followers by engaging with their content as well.

Facebook Supports Apple Live Photos

Although Live Photos are still fairly new, Facebook is already starting to support Apple Live Photos via the iOS app for iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.  While some are already seeing support for Live Photos pop up in their feeds, others won’t see this latest update until after the new year.  To upload Live Photos, the process is almost the same as uploading standard still photos.  When users upload a Live Photo, a LIVE box will appear at the bottom right of the screen.  When they tap the LIVE box, the photo will upload as Live.  If users skip tapping the LIVE box, the photo will appear as a still.  Live Photos include 1.5 seconds of video and audio—much like a video, however, Live Photos have the intentional feeling of capturing a short-lived moment, rather than a lengthier broadcast.  Dealerships, remember the importance of visuals as you post via your social platforms.  Your online followers will be more engaged and intrigued by your content when you give them something they can see.  Keep watching Live Photos and consider using the latest tech as it comes your way in order to connect with and engage shoppers.

Vine “For You” Channel

Vine recently introduced its new personalized channel, aimed to give users instant updates on Vines they won’t want to miss.  Updated with content Vine has curated for specific users, it’s now even easier for users to find new content from accounts they may not already follow.  Based on user interests, Vine personalizes “must-see” posts across its platform and presents them to users via the For You channel, a feature that is currently only available for iOS.  Dealerships, be sure not to overlook Vine as you work to boost your social presence.  A lot can be communicated in 6 seconds, and your online audience is increasingly flocking toward visual storytelling platforms that engage them and capture their attention.  Consider a New Year’s post to get things rolling!

Tip of the Week – Happy New Year: Resolve to Build Your Social Media Strategy

It’s easy to think social media is something that takes a lot of time, meanders for long hours through endless online platforms, and doesn’t leave us with anything quantifiable.  And if you jump off the deep end into the quagmire of social sites and spend hours wading through post after post—with no real purpose in mind—it can turn into exactly that.  However, if you look at social media as a tool, and if you have a solid strategy for utilizing your time, energy, and valuable content to engage your online audience, your dealership will benefit from it, and your time will be well spent. When you create a social media strategy, you’re putting a plan into place that will help your dealership build solid online relationships that will carry over onto the lot and the showroom floor when it’s time for consumers to buy.  Check out these tips for building your social strategy:

• Focus on the story you want to tell. Know your dealership’s history, the story of its relationships and friendships in the community, and how you can share this with consumers.  Do you want to talk about volunteerism?  Are you known for donating vehicles to the needy?  How do you give back?  Know what you want to share and how you want to share it.  You’ll build better, more lasting relationships with your online followers when they can find a variety of ways to connect with you.
• Discover where your consumers are. A majority of shoppers frequent online social sites, and it’s a pretty good bet you’ll find many of them on Facebook.  Do your research and find out what percentage of your demographic is on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other social sites you may be interested in publishing to.  It won’t do you any good to post great content if you post it on sites where your consumers aren’t hanging out.
• Make a daily plan. Social media doesn’t have to be all-consuming.  In fact, when you have a plan and some general guidelines regarding how much time you’ll spend, where you’ll post, and what you’ll post, you’ll be better able to monitor the time you spend on social platforms.
• Know your goals. Imagine setting out to climb a mountain without having a goal.  It’s pretty fruitless.  For most, the goal is to reach the summit; for some, the goal is to make it a certain distance.  Nonetheless, you’ll feel more accomplished—and you’ll know when you’ve arrived—if you have a goal.  The same goes for social media.  What do you want to accomplish?  Do you want more followers?  Do you want to drive more foot traffic to your dealership?  Do you want a great turnout for a big charity event?  Set goals—and then keep track of how you’re doing so that you are able to tweak your strategies and improve.

When you tackle social media, from Google to Facebook to Vine, with a plan and set goals for your dealership, you can save time and effectively leverage the platforms where your consumers are shopping and researching.  Tell your dealership’s story, build strong online relationships, and drive sales for your business by doing a little research, knowing exactly what you need to accomplish, and measuring the outcome of your posts.  This year, instead of letting social media overwhelm you, strategize!

News for the New Year

Google 360-Degree Storytelling on YouTube

Storytelling is BIG and YouTube doesn't plan on missing out. Google Spotlight Stories are now available for select Android users on the YouTube app, bringing an in-the-moment, virtual reality feature to users. Now, video creators are able to share even broader perspectives with viewers using a 360-degree view of the story being told and an interactive element that brings the story to life via Google Spotlight Stories. Sensors on users’ phones make the stories interactive, unlocking various aspects of stories as phones are moved.  Created by Google ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects group), this app is sure to have users engaging and sharing as they enjoy the immersive and interactive experience. Dealerships, keep your eyes on Google Spotlight Stories, as they’ll be expanding in availability next year. Focus on creating video and in-the-moment updates from your dealership and posting via your social platforms to increase engagement and reach consumers who are drawn to a variety of content formats.

Facebook Professional Services

Facebook has joined the latest list of sites vying for consumer attention when it comes to user reviews and ratings. With its recently-launched Best Professional Services site, it joins a crowded market that caters to local businesses and organizations seeking shopper reviews. The Professional Services page allows users to quickly search businesses with the highest reviews and ratings across Facebook, following the widely-recognized 5-star review format. In its new searchable directory, businesses now earn ratings based on user reviews, which means Facebook just entered the space that has, until recently, been reserved for platforms like Yelp, Amazon, and Google. As more consumers utilize online rating and review sites, it’s extremely important for dealerships to monitor and be aware of their online reputations.  Be sure to interact with consumers, stay on top of online feedback, and if you get a negative or less-than-savory review, respond quickly and with a positive solution to remedy the situation.  Not only will the unhappy customer see your reply, but other potential buyers will also notice your attentiveness and see that as a positive sign.

Blab Adds Audience Map Feature

The latest feature from Blab allows you to see where your audience is from based on the location listed on their Twitter profiles.  Built to better the connection between Blab users around the world, the map feature doesn’t track users’ locations; instead, it simply puts a dot on the map based on the hometown location listed on user profile pages.  When users change their hometown on Twitter, they’ll be able to change their hometown location on Blab.  It’s as simple as that!  For social-savvy dealerships, keep an eye on Blab.  A fun and easy-to-use chat forum, you can go live or schedule Blabs to engage your online audience.  With the popularity of live streaming, you’ll reach a broad audience and keep your followers up to date with what’s going on at your dealership.  Think of quick, fun updates you can share and be sure to interact with followers by engaging with their content as well.

Facebook Supports Apple Live Photos

Although Live Photos are still fairly new, Facebook is already starting to support Apple Live Photos via the iOS app for iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.  While some are already seeing support for Live Photos pop up in their feeds, others won’t see this latest update until after the new year.  To upload Live Photos, the process is almost the same as uploading standard still photos.  When users upload a Live Photo, a LIVE box will appear at the bottom right of the screen.  When they tap the LIVE box, the photo will upload as Live.  If users skip tapping the LIVE box, the photo will appear as a still.  Live Photos include 1.5 seconds of video and audio—much like a video, however, Live Photos have the intentional feeling of capturing a short-lived moment, rather than a lengthier broadcast.  Dealerships, remember the importance of visuals as you post via your social platforms.  Your online followers will be more engaged and intrigued by your content when you give them something they can see.  Keep watching Live Photos and consider using the latest tech as it comes your way in order to connect with and engage shoppers.

Vine “For You” Channel

Vine recently introduced its new personalized channel, aimed to give users instant updates on Vines they won’t want to miss.  Updated with content Vine has curated for specific users, it’s now even easier for users to find new content from accounts they may not already follow.  Based on user interests, Vine personalizes “must-see” posts across its platform and presents them to users via the For You channel, a feature that is currently only available for iOS.  Dealerships, be sure not to overlook Vine as you work to boost your social presence.  A lot can be communicated in 6 seconds, and your online audience is increasingly flocking toward visual storytelling platforms that engage them and capture their attention.  Consider a New Year’s post to get things rolling!

Tip of the Week – Happy New Year: Resolve to Build Your Social Media Strategy

It’s easy to think social media is something that takes a lot of time, meanders for long hours through endless online platforms, and doesn’t leave us with anything quantifiable.  And if you jump off the deep end into the quagmire of social sites and spend hours wading through post after post—with no real purpose in mind—it can turn into exactly that.  However, if you look at social media as a tool, and if you have a solid strategy for utilizing your time, energy, and valuable content to engage your online audience, your dealership will benefit from it, and your time will be well spent. When you create a social media strategy, you’re putting a plan into place that will help your dealership build solid online relationships that will carry over onto the lot and the showroom floor when it’s time for consumers to buy.  Check out these tips for building your social strategy:

• Focus on the story you want to tell. Know your dealership’s history, the story of its relationships and friendships in the community, and how you can share this with consumers.  Do you want to talk about volunteerism?  Are you known for donating vehicles to the needy?  How do you give back?  Know what you want to share and how you want to share it.  You’ll build better, more lasting relationships with your online followers when they can find a variety of ways to connect with you.
• Discover where your consumers are. A majority of shoppers frequent online social sites, and it’s a pretty good bet you’ll find many of them on Facebook.  Do your research and find out what percentage of your demographic is on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other social sites you may be interested in publishing to.  It won’t do you any good to post great content if you post it on sites where your consumers aren’t hanging out.
• Make a daily plan. Social media doesn’t have to be all-consuming.  In fact, when you have a plan and some general guidelines regarding how much time you’ll spend, where you’ll post, and what you’ll post, you’ll be better able to monitor the time you spend on social platforms.
• Know your goals. Imagine setting out to climb a mountain without having a goal.  It’s pretty fruitless.  For most, the goal is to reach the summit; for some, the goal is to make it a certain distance.  Nonetheless, you’ll feel more accomplished—and you’ll know when you’ve arrived—if you have a goal.  The same goes for social media.  What do you want to accomplish?  Do you want more followers?  Do you want to drive more foot traffic to your dealership?  Do you want a great turnout for a big charity event?  Set goals—and then keep track of how you’re doing so that you are able to tweak your strategies and improve.

When you tackle social media, from Google to Facebook to Vine, with a plan and set goals for your dealership, you can save time and effectively leverage the platforms where your consumers are shopping and researching.  Tell your dealership’s story, build strong online relationships, and drive sales for your business by doing a little research, knowing exactly what you need to accomplish, and measuring the outcome of your posts.  This year, instead of letting social media overwhelm you, strategize!

Facebook Reviews Matter​

Look out, Yelp.  Facebook has joined the latest list of sites vying for consumer attention when it comes to user reviews and ratings.  With its recently-launched Best Professional Services site, it joins a crowded market that caters to local businesses and organizations seeking shopper reviews.  If you’ve been working on the social media presence of your dealership, you probably already know the importance of engaging your consumers on Facebook, however, the recent enhancements to the platform make it even more important for you to zero in on specifics that will help shoppers find and interact with you. The Professional Services page allows users to quickly search businesses with the highest reviews and ratings across Facebook, following the widely-recognized 5-star review format.  In its new searchable directory, businesses now earn ratings based on user reviews, which means Facebook just entered the space that has, until recently, been reserved for platforms like Yelp, Amazon, and Google.  In addition to up-to-date consumer ratings, businesses that appear in Facebook’s Best Professional Services directory will also be able to provide a brief description of their products and services, their location, contact information, as well as hours of operation.

Your Profile Is Important

Although you already have a presence on Facebook, this latest development means you’ll want to pay even more attention to your Facebook profile.  Be sure to fill out your dealership information completely in order to let customers know where to find you, when you’re available, and what services your shop specializes in.  The more you can tell online consumers about your dealership while they are in the process of doing their online research, the better chance you stand of convincing them you’re the dealership for them.  By providing complete profile information, you’re not only allowing new customers to find you, but you’re making it easy for current and previous customers to leave feedback and ratings for your service. It’s easy to see why Facebook wants in on the consumer services action.  Just this year, Angie’s List estimated the U.S. market for local services at approximately $800 billion.  With some companies narrowing their scope to specific business models, like home service contractors or handymen, others—like Facebook—are taking a broader tack and including businesses across a wide range of specialties.  This is important for your dealership because now, not only are you able to interact one-on-one socially with online shoppers, but you’ll also be able to convey other shopper opinions and reflections via Facebook’s new review format.

Consumer Reviews Boost Your Business

Today’s consumers are often overwhelmed by the crowded marketplace and aren’t sure where to start if they don’t have trustworthy recommendations to turn to.  By leaning into feedback from shoppers who have visited your dealership in the past, potential customers are able to get to know you vicariously through the experiences of others.  In fact, according to a recent BrightLocal survey, 92% of shoppers now turn to online reviews to obtain information regarding businesses, up from 88% in 2014.  As this number continues to rise, it highlights the importance of both maintaining your presence on social media and ensuring consumers are satisfied and willing to interact with your brand to provide their insights. In order to most effectively allow consumers to access your information and learn more about your dealership, you’ll want to make sure your Facebook Page is up-to-date and full of valuable information consumers will find interesting.  Remember, you want to be easy to find and interesting so that shoppers will want to interact with you and seek you out online.  Check out the following tips to get started:

• Complete your profile.  Make sure you have your dealership’s address, operating hours, and even important milestones listed on your profile.  Offer a clickable link that leads shoppers directly to your website, making it easy to get directly to you and your sales professionals.  Don’t go overboard with descriptive copy; keep it short and engaging so consumers get enough information, but aren’t overloaded with your dealership’s entire history.

• Be a continuous presence.  In addition to posting photos, engaging videos, and dealership updates to your timeline, be sure to interact with consumer posts to your Page as well.  Remember, social media is about creating relationships, and the more you offer of yourself, the more shoppers will want to give in return.

• Vary your content.  Social media users love visual content, but be sure to shake things up and keep it fresh.  Photos, video, quick interviews, and blogs are creative ways to offer up a variety of content and keep followers interested.  Be sure to provide relevant content that positions you as a subject-matter expert, but don’t use your Page to sell.  Instead, use your Page to be social and build relationships.

• Add a call-to-action button.  Facebook is continuously innovating, and one of its fairly recent additions is a call-to-action button that allows you to choose between messages like “Shop Now,” “Watch Video,” or “Contact Us.”  Use the tools that are available to you to help you interact with consumers on a higher level.

• Encourage online reviews.  Now that Facebook is playing in the local reviews arena with its Best Professional Services site, be sure to encourage your customers to give you online reviews and feedback.  When they share their experiences, they’ll be boosting your brand recognition amongst potential new customers, and they’ll be giving you the opportunity to stay in contact and offer future service and maintenance for them.  Even a less-than-stellar review can be turned around, because it gives your dealership the chance to shine in the customer service realm and offer responsive solutions to make things right.

With Facebook garnering even more consumer attention by shining a spotlight on reviews and feedback, your dealership has an even greater opportunity to thrive in the social media setting.  In addition to engaging and interacting via posts and content, you’ll now have the benefit of previous customers who want to spread the word about the positive dealership experiences they’ve had with you.  Take advantage of this by ensuring your Facebook profile is as complete and well-rounded as it can be, as well as increasing your social interaction to include a focus on consumer feedback.  By doing this, you’ll see your dealership thrive in a crowded marketplace that depends on word of mouth recommendations and online ratings.

Facebook Reviews Matter​

Look out, Yelp.  Facebook has joined the latest list of sites vying for consumer attention when it comes to user reviews and ratings.  With its recently-launched Best Professional Services site, it joins a crowded market that caters to local businesses and organizations seeking shopper reviews.  If you’ve been working on the social media presence of your dealership, you probably already know the importance of engaging your consumers on Facebook, however, the recent enhancements to the platform make it even more important for you to zero in on specifics that will help shoppers find and interact with you. The Professional Services page allows users to quickly search businesses with the highest reviews and ratings across Facebook, following the widely-recognized 5-star review format.  In its new searchable directory, businesses now earn ratings based on user reviews, which means Facebook just entered the space that has, until recently, been reserved for platforms like Yelp, Amazon, and Google.  In addition to up-to-date consumer ratings, businesses that appear in Facebook’s Best Professional Services directory will also be able to provide a brief description of their products and services, their location, contact information, as well as hours of operation.

Your Profile Is Important

Although you already have a presence on Facebook, this latest development means you’ll want to pay even more attention to your Facebook profile.  Be sure to fill out your dealership information completely in order to let customers know where to find you, when you’re available, and what services your shop specializes in.  The more you can tell online consumers about your dealership while they are in the process of doing their online research, the better chance you stand of convincing them you’re the dealership for them.  By providing complete profile information, you’re not only allowing new customers to find you, but you’re making it easy for current and previous customers to leave feedback and ratings for your service. It’s easy to see why Facebook wants in on the consumer services action.  Just this year, Angie’s List estimated the U.S. market for local services at approximately $800 billion.  With some companies narrowing their scope to specific business models, like home service contractors or handymen, others—like Facebook—are taking a broader tack and including businesses across a wide range of specialties.  This is important for your dealership because now, not only are you able to interact one-on-one socially with online shoppers, but you’ll also be able to convey other shopper opinions and reflections via Facebook’s new review format.

Consumer Reviews Boost Your Business

Today’s consumers are often overwhelmed by the crowded marketplace and aren’t sure where to start if they don’t have trustworthy recommendations to turn to.  By leaning into feedback from shoppers who have visited your dealership in the past, potential customers are able to get to know you vicariously through the experiences of others.  In fact, according to a recent BrightLocal survey, 92% of shoppers now turn to online reviews to obtain information regarding businesses, up from 88% in 2014.  As this number continues to rise, it highlights the importance of both maintaining your presence on social media and ensuring consumers are satisfied and willing to interact with your brand to provide their insights. In order to most effectively allow consumers to access your information and learn more about your dealership, you’ll want to make sure your Facebook Page is up-to-date and full of valuable information consumers will find interesting.  Remember, you want to be easy to find and interesting so that shoppers will want to interact with you and seek you out online.  Check out the following tips to get started:

• Complete your profile.  Make sure you have your dealership’s address, operating hours, and even important milestones listed on your profile.  Offer a clickable link that leads shoppers directly to your website, making it easy to get directly to you and your sales professionals.  Don’t go overboard with descriptive copy; keep it short and engaging so consumers get enough information, but aren’t overloaded with your dealership’s entire history.

• Be a continuous presence.  In addition to posting photos, engaging videos, and dealership updates to your timeline, be sure to interact with consumer posts to your Page as well.  Remember, social media is about creating relationships, and the more you offer of yourself, the more shoppers will want to give in return.

• Vary your content.  Social media users love visual content, but be sure to shake things up and keep it fresh.  Photos, video, quick interviews, and blogs are creative ways to offer up a variety of content and keep followers interested.  Be sure to provide relevant content that positions you as a subject-matter expert, but don’t use your Page to sell.  Instead, use your Page to be social and build relationships.

• Add a call-to-action button.  Facebook is continuously innovating, and one of its fairly recent additions is a call-to-action button that allows you to choose between messages like “Shop Now,” “Watch Video,” or “Contact Us.”  Use the tools that are available to you to help you interact with consumers on a higher level.

• Encourage online reviews.  Now that Facebook is playing in the local reviews arena with its Best Professional Services site, be sure to encourage your customers to give you online reviews and feedback.  When they share their experiences, they’ll be boosting your brand recognition amongst potential new customers, and they’ll be giving you the opportunity to stay in contact and offer future service and maintenance for them.  Even a less-than-stellar review can be turned around, because it gives your dealership the chance to shine in the customer service realm and offer responsive solutions to make things right.

With Facebook garnering even more consumer attention by shining a spotlight on reviews and feedback, your dealership has an even greater opportunity to thrive in the social media setting.  In addition to engaging and interacting via posts and content, you’ll now have the benefit of previous customers who want to spread the word about the positive dealership experiences they’ve had with you.  Take advantage of this by ensuring your Facebook profile is as complete and well-rounded as it can be, as well as increasing your social interaction to include a focus on consumer feedback.  By doing this, you’ll see your dealership thrive in a crowded marketplace that depends on word of mouth recommendations and online ratings.

Creating Original Content for Your Social Media Platforms​

There’s no denying auto dealerships have traditional marketing channels down to a science, but modern consumers find every way they can to skip over ads. In response to this problem, content marketing has become one of the most successful ways to engage consumers across the internet and social media platforms this year, according to the CAM Foundation. Content marketing is a great way for your dealership to create and share promotional content across platforms, engage with automotive industry consumers, and encourage shoppers to look into your dealership and begin their car-buying journey.

Even the most creative minds can fall into a slump. Some days there just isn’t that much going on or every topic seems exhausted. When the content isn’t flowing, it’s always good to have a few simple topics in your back pocket to fall back on:

1. How-to. Create a quick demo or how-to explaining, for example, how to change your oil or how to change a tire. It’s pretty easy to come up with topics for a how-to in just about any niche. These types of posts are helpful and available on your site for people to refer to whenever they stumble across a particular problem your how-to article addresses. Even if your dealership offers services to change oil or change a tire, readers still appreciate your assistance, and offering the information to them on your end helps build trust. When your customers feel comfortable with your dealership and feel you have their best interests in mind, they will be more likely to bring their vehicle to you when it’s time for maintenance and repairs.
2. Create short bios to highlight the professionals at your dealership, introducing a different individual each week, so consumers feel acquainted with your dealership before they even step foot onto the lot. It’s also a great idea to interview local car enthusiasts or professionals to add a variety of personable and knowledgeable content to your website. Modern consumers seek out information and are much more receptive when they know who and what to expect at your dealership.
3. Round-up. Put together a list of several articles or websites that can serve as resources for your target audience as they navigate online. For example, consider topics like five of the best vehicle rating sites, eight local shops to accessorize your car, or 10 of the most influential professionals in the industry.
4. Throw together a list of your staff’s favorite car picks for this year or favorite upgrades chosen by a specific group—students, parents, etc. This is a great opportunity to show off your dealership’s knowledge and share some of your personal go-tos as a way of assisting consumers who may be in the market for the same thing.
5. Before and after. If your dealership offers services such as car washing or detailing, it’s always a great idea to create before and after posts showing customers exactly how beneficial your dealership’s services are. 
6. A guide. Consumers are constantly buying new cars or trading in old ones, but often, the industry changes even faster than consumers can track. Take the opportunity to create a guide highlighting the buying and selling process, and be sure to update it every so often, walking your customers through the current car-buying, trading, or selling process.
7. A review. Reviewing products or cars associated with your dealership is one of the easiest post ideas. The professionals at your dealership have experience, both with their own vehicles and those they work on every day, so take advantage of their knowledge and post personalized reviews. Consumers trust individuals more than they trust brand messages, so this is a great opportunity to share the voices of your employees.
8. Best of. Different from “Favorites,” best of posts allow your dealership to create a list of cars or services and then rate or review them for your customers. This may be helpful to consumers when comparing vehicles side-by-side or looking into different versions of the same vehicle. It will give consumers a reason to trust your dealership, and it will help them feel more prepared toward the end of their car-buying journey.
9. Consumers generally jump at the opportunity to win something free. If your dealership has partnerships with companies or has the opportunity to give away gift cards or tickets to an event, it’s time to post a contest. It’s sure to get consumers talking about and interacting with your dealership in a fun and positive manner.
10. A recap. If your dealership recently held an event, helped host an event, or partnered with a local charity or organization for a fundraiser, write up a quick recap. It lets readers know your dealership is involved in the community, and if it was an event they missed, it may help them take note and pay attention the next time your dealership has something going on. It’s also a good opportunity for those who attended or took part in your event to see a few photos of themselves, read about something they were a part of, and feel involved.

Content is one of the—if not the—strongest means of communication with your automotive industry consumers. 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads, and 60% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content on its site. The statistics on content improving sales and the amount of consumers that find their information via business’s content are vast, which goes to show having consistent and informative content on hand is always a positive for your dealership.

Creating Original Content for Your Social Media Platforms​

There’s no denying auto dealerships have traditional marketing channels down to a science, but modern consumers find every way they can to skip over ads. In response to this problem, content marketing has become one of the most successful ways to engage consumers across the internet and social media platforms this year, according to the CAM Foundation. Content marketing is a great way for your dealership to create and share promotional content across platforms, engage with automotive industry consumers, and encourage shoppers to look into your dealership and begin their car-buying journey.

Even the most creative minds can fall into a slump. Some days there just isn’t that much going on or every topic seems exhausted. When the content isn’t flowing, it’s always good to have a few simple topics in your back pocket to fall back on:

1. How-to. Create a quick demo or how-to explaining, for example, how to change your oil or how to change a tire. It’s pretty easy to come up with topics for a how-to in just about any niche. These types of posts are helpful and available on your site for people to refer to whenever they stumble across a particular problem your how-to article addresses. Even if your dealership offers services to change oil or change a tire, readers still appreciate your assistance, and offering the information to them on your end helps build trust. When your customers feel comfortable with your dealership and feel you have their best interests in mind, they will be more likely to bring their vehicle to you when it’s time for maintenance and repairs.
2. Create short bios to highlight the professionals at your dealership, introducing a different individual each week, so consumers feel acquainted with your dealership before they even step foot onto the lot. It’s also a great idea to interview local car enthusiasts or professionals to add a variety of personable and knowledgeable content to your website. Modern consumers seek out information and are much more receptive when they know who and what to expect at your dealership.
3. Round-up. Put together a list of several articles or websites that can serve as resources for your target audience as they navigate online. For example, consider topics like five of the best vehicle rating sites, eight local shops to accessorize your car, or 10 of the most influential professionals in the industry.
4. Throw together a list of your staff’s favorite car picks for this year or favorite upgrades chosen by a specific group—students, parents, etc. This is a great opportunity to show off your dealership’s knowledge and share some of your personal go-tos as a way of assisting consumers who may be in the market for the same thing.
5. Before and after. If your dealership offers services such as car washing or detailing, it’s always a great idea to create before and after posts showing customers exactly how beneficial your dealership’s services are. 
6. A guide. Consumers are constantly buying new cars or trading in old ones, but often, the industry changes even faster than consumers can track. Take the opportunity to create a guide highlighting the buying and selling process, and be sure to update it every so often, walking your customers through the current car-buying, trading, or selling process.
7. A review. Reviewing products or cars associated with your dealership is one of the easiest post ideas. The professionals at your dealership have experience, both with their own vehicles and those they work on every day, so take advantage of their knowledge and post personalized reviews. Consumers trust individuals more than they trust brand messages, so this is a great opportunity to share the voices of your employees.
8. Best of. Different from “Favorites,” best of posts allow your dealership to create a list of cars or services and then rate or review them for your customers. This may be helpful to consumers when comparing vehicles side-by-side or looking into different versions of the same vehicle. It will give consumers a reason to trust your dealership, and it will help them feel more prepared toward the end of their car-buying journey.
9. Consumers generally jump at the opportunity to win something free. If your dealership has partnerships with companies or has the opportunity to give away gift cards or tickets to an event, it’s time to post a contest. It’s sure to get consumers talking about and interacting with your dealership in a fun and positive manner.
10. A recap. If your dealership recently held an event, helped host an event, or partnered with a local charity or organization for a fundraiser, write up a quick recap. It lets readers know your dealership is involved in the community, and if it was an event they missed, it may help them take note and pay attention the next time your dealership has something going on. It’s also a good opportunity for those who attended or took part in your event to see a few photos of themselves, read about something they were a part of, and feel involved.

Content is one of the—if not the—strongest means of communication with your automotive industry consumers. 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads, and 60% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content on its site. The statistics on content improving sales and the amount of consumers that find their information via business’s content are vast, which goes to show having consistent and informative content on hand is always a positive for your dealership.

The automotive industry has seen an influx in sales stemming from online traffic over the last few years, and consumers are not letting this trend die down any time soon. Dealerships that take to heart customers’ demands in the online realm will boost their bottom line by integrating live chat software on their sites and utilizing responsive website design. 

Live Chat Is Convenient

With more and more customers conducting research online before even walking into a dealership, why not save time in the car-buying process by selling online through live chat? Real-time communication provides businesses a way to dispel doubts or misconceptions about a purchase and stay true to advertised deals and promotions. A customer with questions and concerns can have them answered right away with live chat, an effective tool when it comes to efficiently responding to customer inquiries.

Live Chat Makes Shoppers Comfortable

Another thing customers love about the live chat feature is anonymity. For example, car dealers who use Contact At Once! have found that chat allows a customer to remain anonymous at the outset of a car purchase, when he or she is skeptical over reaching out with personal contact information. Once the customer gets comfortable with the live chat, then the dealership can follow up with a phone call or email as needed during the car-buying process.

 Live Chat Increases Sales

Different methods of communication result in varying customer experiences, but live chat continues to be a popular choice among consumers in the automotive industry. Forrester Research found that 44% of online consumers feel having access to answers through a live person while deciding on a purchase is one of the most important features a website can offer, with 62% more likely to return and purchase again.

 Live Chat Lets You Interact With Multiple Customers

Live chat not only makes sales professionals more accessible, it reduces costs in phone customer service for the company. Employees can multi-task during online chats, interacting with more than one customer at a time, which in turn boosts productivity and reduces the need to hire more sales professionals. At the same time, the software increases sales. For instance, once a sales professional is able to understand a customer on a more personal level by chatting with them, they are better able to pose recommendations for purchases instantly.

Live Chat Gives You Instant Customer Access

Customers want immediate attention to walk them through a sale. By communicating with them in real-time during a purchase, employees gain instant access to customers’ pain points. Sales consultants can research and find out ways to improve a service or product simply by attentively listening and turning these pain points into profit.

Responsive Website Design Increases Online Traffic

Live chats are not the only tool dealer sites can utilize to create a more comfortable consumer experience. Consumers are not only going mobile, but want a more optimized experience when visiting a dealer site. This is where responsive website design comes into play. Whether a user is navigating the site on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, the dealer site should be friendly to each device without a lot of re-sizing, panning, or scrolling required. RWD sites are especially mobile-friendly since they cater to the smaller screen, which is beneficial to the automotive consumer, as the number of users who access the internet strictly by mobile has gone up to 60% just within the last year, and this figure is steadily rising.

In an eMarketer study, the number of smartphone users within the U.S. will increase to 192.4 million by 2016. Along with this growth will come customers’ demands for a seamless online experience across all devices. In another study conducted by Stream Companies, a responsive website design earned double the amount of pages per visit over an adaptive website design, 43% more time spent on the site, and 1/3 the bounce rate, or the percentage of visitors who leave the site after only viewing one page, as compared to averages of adaptive sites.

Given the increasing desire to access the web via smaller screens than the average computer monitor offers, it makes sense for dealerships to offer sites that provide a consistent customer experience across any device.

Keeping customers engaged online by maintaining simplicity and convenience is an effective way to increase sales and customer satisfaction at the same time. Live chat doubles as a tool to answer customer questions in real-time and to find new ways to improve a product or service as well. Responsive website design ensures smooth transition of dealer site use across a variety of devices. With an accessible online design and a convenient method of communication between a dealership and its customers, a dealership boosts traffic online and increases its bottom line as a result.

Image used in this post courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.

The automotive industry has seen an influx in sales stemming from online traffic over the last few years, and consumers are not letting this trend die down any time soon. Dealerships that take to heart customers’ demands in the online realm will boost their bottom line by integrating live chat software on their sites and utilizing responsive website design. 

Live Chat Is Convenient

With more and more customers conducting research online before even walking into a dealership, why not save time in the car-buying process by selling online through live chat? Real-time communication provides businesses a way to dispel doubts or misconceptions about a purchase and stay true to advertised deals and promotions. A customer with questions and concerns can have them answered right away with live chat, an effective tool when it comes to efficiently responding to customer inquiries.

Live Chat Makes Shoppers Comfortable

Another thing customers love about the live chat feature is anonymity. For example, car dealers who use Contact At Once! have found that chat allows a customer to remain anonymous at the outset of a car purchase, when he or she is skeptical over reaching out with personal contact information. Once the customer gets comfortable with the live chat, then the dealership can follow up with a phone call or email as needed during the car-buying process.

 Live Chat Increases Sales

Different methods of communication result in varying customer experiences, but live chat continues to be a popular choice among consumers in the automotive industry. Forrester Research found that 44% of online consumers feel having access to answers through a live person while deciding on a purchase is one of the most important features a website can offer, with 62% more likely to return and purchase again.

 Live Chat Lets You Interact With Multiple Customers

Live chat not only makes sales professionals more accessible, it reduces costs in phone customer service for the company. Employees can multi-task during online chats, interacting with more than one customer at a time, which in turn boosts productivity and reduces the need to hire more sales professionals. At the same time, the software increases sales. For instance, once a sales professional is able to understand a customer on a more personal level by chatting with them, they are better able to pose recommendations for purchases instantly.

Live Chat Gives You Instant Customer Access

Customers want immediate attention to walk them through a sale. By communicating with them in real-time during a purchase, employees gain instant access to customers’ pain points. Sales consultants can research and find out ways to improve a service or product simply by attentively listening and turning these pain points into profit.

Responsive Website Design Increases Online Traffic

Live chats are not the only tool dealer sites can utilize to create a more comfortable consumer experience. Consumers are not only going mobile, but want a more optimized experience when visiting a dealer site. This is where responsive website design comes into play. Whether a user is navigating the site on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, the dealer site should be friendly to each device without a lot of re-sizing, panning, or scrolling required. RWD sites are especially mobile-friendly since they cater to the smaller screen, which is beneficial to the automotive consumer, as the number of users who access the internet strictly by mobile has gone up to 60% just within the last year, and this figure is steadily rising.

In an eMarketer study, the number of smartphone users within the U.S. will increase to 192.4 million by 2016. Along with this growth will come customers’ demands for a seamless online experience across all devices. In another study conducted by Stream Companies, a responsive website design earned double the amount of pages per visit over an adaptive website design, 43% more time spent on the site, and 1/3 the bounce rate, or the percentage of visitors who leave the site after only viewing one page, as compared to averages of adaptive sites.

Given the increasing desire to access the web via smaller screens than the average computer monitor offers, it makes sense for dealerships to offer sites that provide a consistent customer experience across any device.

Keeping customers engaged online by maintaining simplicity and convenience is an effective way to increase sales and customer satisfaction at the same time. Live chat doubles as a tool to answer customer questions in real-time and to find new ways to improve a product or service as well. Responsive website design ensures smooth transition of dealer site use across a variety of devices. With an accessible online design and a convenient method of communication between a dealership and its customers, a dealership boosts traffic online and increases its bottom line as a result.

Image used in this post courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.