It may seem like a good idea to always be the one writing about your dealership, but in reality consumer-generated content is as important, if not more so, than your own writing. This means it's crucial to take control of your message.

1. Consumers trust ratings more than they trust you. It’s true; studies have shown that consumers trust reviews 3 times more than any brand messaging.
2. Most car buyers read ratings before buying. Bazaarvoice has found that 68% of car buyers will read ratings and reviews before making any purchase decision.
3. Car buying is a high consideration purchase. In fact, it’s one of the highest consideration purchases consumers make. They will do more research on cars than just about any other purchase, so you want to make sure you have lots of good information for them.
4. Car buyers seek out information in LOTS of places. On average, shoppers will check out 24 sources before they purchase, half of which are digital. Basically this means the amount of information they receive or seek out via word-of-mouth, commercial, or traditional advertising is comparable to the number of online and mobile sources they’re consulting to inform their purchase decisions. Digital sources including your website, competitor websites, and third-party review sources are going to be the top sources they consult.
5. Reviews are easily accessible. 53% of car buyers are looking at reviews on mobile devices, and over 30% are actually reading them while they’re in your dealership.

With all this information, it’s easy to see why consumer generated content is so valuable. Consumers are constantly seeking out information they can trust, and with cell phones always in their hands, it’s easy for them to get that information. This means you need to take the reigns on your consumer generated content and reviews, to ensure that customers are seeing your dealership for what it really is.