When it comes to marketing your used car dealership, there are a few practices that are non-negotiable. Facebook Ads, Craigslist, an SEO-ready website—these are the essentials, the things every dealership simply must do.

Once you get a handle on those tasks, there are a few additional strategies you might consider, all of which can augment the basics. One such strategy is starting your own dealership blog—the benefits of which can be considerable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why you might conside r launching a blog for your used car dealership.

It Helps Establish Trust

First and foremost, a blog can cast you as a knowledgeable and credible authority—someone who knows a lot about vehicle purchasing, financing, and maintenance, and is eager to help customers who have any related questions.

This makes it a lot easier for customers to trust you—because they see that you know what you’re talking about and are a good resource for guidance and information.

It Builds Customer Loyalty

A regularly updated blog also gives your buyers a reason to keep coming back to your website, even once their purchase is complete.

For example, if you regularly offer tips for vehicle care, they may follow along with your blog and remember your dealership the next time they are in the market for a vehicle.

It Provides Social Media Fodder

A Facebook Ads campaign is highly recommended for effectively marketing your dealership—but you can augment it with organic reach, regularly posting valuable content for your followers and fans.

And one way to develop that content? Blog often—and remember to share your posts through all your dealership’s social media channels.

It Offers SEO Value

Another reason to consider a dealership blog is that it can enhance your SEO efforts. For one thing, blogging is a good way to routinely update your website content—something Google tends to value.

Plus, each blog you post is its own listing for the search engine results page, meaning you can more ably fill the Web with positive, branded content.

Blogging can be especially helpful for localized SEO endeavors, too—potentially giving you a competitive edge over other dealerships in your area.

The Right Way to Blog

Of course, there are right ways and wrong ways to pursue a dealership blog—and if you really want to reap any of these benefits, it’s important that you focus on quality writing and value-adding content. Having a consistent blogging schedule is also important.