Activate Your Online Engagement Through Social Media

Written by Dealer Spike

The buying process continues to shift to the internet, and with this change comes an increased expectation from trailer customers to have access to digital customer service. While in the past customer service has been more concerned with traditional communication channels such as phone, email and in-person visits, dealerships now need to have strategies in place that allow them to connect with potential customers across a variety of online channels, too.

We have found that social media provides an excellent solution to satisfying expectations for online customer service. The younger generations especially prioritize social media over other channels—including a business’ website—when it comes to performing research and making buying decisions. This is because up-and-coming consumers are accustomed to communicating through virtual platforms and prefer digital communication over the more traditional phone calls and in-person visits. As more millennials and Gen Z-ers enter the consumer landscape, we continue to see a year-over-year social media increase. Facebook Messenger alone is expected to have about 2.4 billion users during 2021!

So, what can you do to transform your social media profiles into powerful customer service channels?

Maintain Multiple Channels

While some social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter are certainly more popular than others, every online shopper has their own platform preferences. By creating business profiles on a variety of social platforms, you can connect with a wider audience range. Consumers are more likely to engage with a business when they can do so through their channel of choice. If you are still in the early stages of taking your dealership to social media, we recommend that you focus on the biggest platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) and expand your presence to other channels over time.

Drive Brand Value Through Your Social Posts

It’s not unusual for businesses to post “for the sake of posting” on social media platforms. We respect the desire to keep your channels active, and we encourage you to post with a specific intention in mind as much as possible. By providing regular social content that’s informative, conversational and engaging, you are driving the value of your dealership. Potential prospects will gain a better sense of what makes your business so great and will recognize your social profiles as valuable sources for research and assistance.

Dive into Direct Messaging

The ability to communicate with a business in real time—virtually—is a large part of what makes social media so attractive to consumers. If someone has a pressing question or concern, they are more likely to privately message your dealership than comment on one of your posts. For this reason, we highly encourage you to monitor your direct messaging apps regularly to stay on top of these incoming inquiries.

Of course, no communication channel is “one size fits all,” and we encourage you to continue to offer more traditional contact methods such as email, phone and text so that you can connect with consumers across generations and preferences. Social media serves to further the reach and availability of your dealership so that you can stay in front of online shoppers.

About Dealer Spike

As an industry leader in digital marketing strategy, Dealer Spike provides custom responsive websites and a suite of additional marketing services to accelerate online leads for your dealership. To learn more, please visit www.dealerspike.com.