The automotive industry is one of the most competitive and dynamic industries on the global market.
Car showrooms, sales dealerships of different car brands, car services and spare parts shops need a strong online presence to be easily accessible to potential customers. Through well thought-out online marketing campaigns, they can increase the visibility of their brands and their offerings, attract visitors to their websites and ultimately generate leads and sales.
Automotive marketing agencies have a wide range of tools and strategies at their disposal to effectively promote these businesses online. From paid campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads to SEO optimisation for increased organic traffic, each method has its role in achieving tangible results.
In this digital age, ignoring online promotion can be fatal for any business in the automotive industry. Customers primarily look for information on the internet when they want to buy a new car, find a reliable service or order spare parts. It is therefore essential that these businesses are easy to find online and provide an excellent user experience from the first digital interactions.
Given the importance of online promotion for businesses in the automotive industry, let’s discover together how you can promote effectively to generate more engagement and conversions. The first crucial step in automotive marketing is promotion through Google Ads campaigns.
Google Ads campaigns for the automotive industry
Pmax (Performance Max) campaigns
Pmax campaigns are a relatively new innovation in the Google Ads portfolio, allowing you to maximise performance through an approach based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. These campaigns are ideal for businesses in the automotive industry because they combine all forms of ads (search, display, video, etc.) in a single campaign. For example, you can use Pmax campaigns to promote both your showroom and special offers on different channels to reach a wider and more diverse audience. By automatically optimising your budget and bids in real time, these campaigns ensure that your ads appear in front of the most appropriate people at key moments of the buying decision.
Search campaigns
Search campaigns are the foundation of Google advertising. They allow you to position yourself in front of potential customers exactly when they are looking for specific products or services. For example, you can use search campaigns to attract customers searching for “reliable car repair” or “car service in [city name]”. These campaigns are based on strategically chosen keywords, and the ads are displayed on the search engine results page (SERP), providing immediate and relevant visibility. A concrete example would be to use keywords such as “new cars [brand] in [city name]”, attracting customers interested in a particular brand.
Display re-marketing campaigns
Display re-marketing campaigns are essential to attract visitors to your website who have not completed a desired action, such as filling in a contact form or purchasing a product. These campaigns display visual ads on various sites in the Google display network, reminding potential customers of products or services they have previously visited. For example, you can use re-marketing to display ads with special offers for a specific car model to visitors who have spent time on that model’s page but have not yet made a purchase. These ads can include attractive images of the cars, special finance offers or test-drive invitations, keeping the customer interested and encouraging them to return to the site to complete their purchase.
Examples of use and benefits
Each type of Google Ads campaign comes with its own advantages and usage scenarios. Pmax campaigns are great for maximizing overall performance through automation and continuous optimization. They allow you to focus on the overall strategy, leaving the details of implementation and optimization to Google’s algorithms. Search campaigns, on the other hand, are ideal for capturing direct purchase intent, providing immediate visibility to users actively searching for automotive products and services. Display re-marketing campaigns, on the other hand, are crucial for re-engaging and converting visitors who have already shown interest in the products or services offered but have not yet completed an action.
Integrating campaigns for maximum efficiency
To get the best results, it is recommended to integrate the different types of Google Ads campaigns into a single strategy. For example, a Pmax campaign can be supported by search campaigns to capture new buying intent and re-marketing campaigns to maintain interest and encourage conversions. This holistic approach ensures that your automotive business has a robust and consistent online presence, maximising the chances of attracting and converting potential customers effectively.
If you would like to benefit from the expertise in creating and managing Google Ads campaigns for your automotive business, we recommend that you engage a Google ads agency. Our specialists will analyse your specific needs and build the perfect strategy to increase your sales and profitability through Google Ads.
Not only paid campaigns through Google Ads can help automotive businesses increase visibility and attract customers. Organic SEO campaigns are just as essential for getting consistent, quality traffic over the long term.
SEO optimization for organic promotion
For businesses in the automotive industry, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential to gain online visibility and attract quality organic traffic. SEO optimization consists of several strategies and tactics that help your website rank higher in search engine results, which leads to an increase in the number of visitors and therefore potential customers. Next, we will explore various aspects of SEO optimization for promoting your website and increasing your online visibility.
Importance of SEO for online visibility
In a competitive industry like the automotive industry, being visible in search results is crucial. Potential customers search the internet for information about cars, car services, and spare parts. A well-optimised SEO website will appear in the top results of relevant searches, attracting more visitors and generating more leads. Implementing quality SEO services can differentiate you from the competition and ensure a steady stream of organic traffic.
On-page optimization
On-page optimization involves all measures taken directly on your website to improve search engine rankings. This includes the use of relevant keywords, creating quality content and the right page structure.
Examples of on-page optimisation for car dealers and car manufacturers:
Use of keywords: Include keywords such as “car dealer”, “car manufacturer”, “car parts” and “car service” in titles, meta descriptions and page content. For example, a product page for a car model might have the headline “Buy Model X from Auto Dealer Y – Best Deals”.
Create quality content: Write blog articles about car maintenance, road tests or new model reviews. For example, an article titled “How to choose the best spare parts for your car” can include relevant keywords and valuable information for readers.
Optimise images: Use descriptive names for image files and other text to help search engines understand visual content. For example, an image of an engine may have other text “engine spare part car”.
Off-page optimisation and link building
Off-page optimisation involves activities carried out outside the site to improve the site’s rankings, especially through link building.
Examples of off-page optimisation for car dealers and car manufacturers:
Obtaining links from influential automotive websites: Collaborate with automotive blogs, online magazines and forums to publish articles that include links to your website. For example, a review of a new car model on a respected automotive blog, with a link to the product page on your site, can attract traffic and improve the authority of your site.
Partner with automotive influencers: Collaborate with automotive influencers to create sponsored content or reviews that include links to your website. For example, a video review of a new vehicle by an automotive influencer may include a link to the car dealer’s website.
Attending car events and exhibitions: Publish press releases and articles about attending car events, including links to your website. For example, a press release about attending an international car show can attract attention and quality links.
Local SEO and its importance to the automotive industry
Local SEO is particularly important for automotive businesses serving a specific geographical area. Customers frequently search for local automotive services using search terms such as “car service [city name]” or “car dealer [city name]”. Local SEO optimization helps your business appear in local search results and Google My Business, which can attract more local customers.
Examples of local SEO optimization for car dealerships and car services:
Google My Business: Make sure your Google My Business page is complete and up-to-date. Include detailed information about your location, hours of operation, services offered and customer reviews. For example, a car dealership in Bucharest should have a Google My Business listing complete with exact address, phone number and pictures of the showroom.
Local reviews: Encourage customers to leave positive reviews on platforms such as Google, Yelp or Facebook. Good reviews not only improve local rankings, but also help increase the confidence of potential customers. For example, a car service can send an email to customers after work is completed, asking them to leave a review.
Local keywords: Integrate local keywords into the content of the website, such as “car dealer in Cluj”, “reliable car service in Timisoara” or “car spare parts in Brasov”. For example, a dedicated page could have the title “Best car spare parts in Cluj – Available now at Service Auto Cluj”.
Technical optimisation of the website
Technical optimisation of the website is crucial to ensure an excellent user experience and to improve search engine rankings.
Examples of technical optimisation for automotive websites:
Page load speed: Optimizing images, using browser cache and reducing the number of plugins can significantly improve loading speed. For example, a car dealership website should compress high-resolution images of vehicles to reduce load times.
URL structure: descriptive and intuitive URLs help both users and search engines to understand page content. An SEO agency may recommend that a URL such as www.dealerauto.ro/masini-noi/bmw-serie-3 is more intuitive and relevant than www.dealerauto.ro/pagina123.
Correct HTML tags: Correct use of title tags, meta descriptions, header tags (H1, H2, etc.) and other image text is essential for SEO optimisation. For example, a page about a new car model should have an H1 title such as “BMW 3 Series – Performance and Elegance” and the images should have other descriptive text.
Responsive design: In a world where the majority of users access the internet from mobile devices, it is crucial that the website is optimised for all types of screens. A responsive design that automatically adapts to the size of the screen provides a seamless browsing experience. For example, a car service website should be easy to navigate and use from both desktop and mobile devices.
SEO optimization is essential for businesses in the automotive industry that want to improve their online visibility and attract more customers. Whether it’s on-page, off-page, local SEO or technical optimization, every aspect contributes to increasing organic traffic and long-term business success. Working with an SEO agency specialising in car marketing can help you implement best practices and achieve outstanding results.
If you’re interested in learning more about how SEO services can transform your automotive business, don’t hesitate to contact our SEO agency, re7consulting. Our team of automotive marketing experts is here to help you achieve your goals and grow your business.
At a glance
For car dealerships, car manufacturers, parts businesses and auto service businesses, combining these two automotive marketing strategies is essential. Automotive marketing services, which include both Google Ads campaigns and SEO optimization, can maximize your impact, generating a steady stream of customers and strengthening your brand. By working with an agency that specialises in car promotion, automotive businesses can reach new heights of success and benefit from the expertise needed to effectively navigate today’s competitive digital landscape.
Do you have other questions about promoting a business in the automotive industry? We invite you to discuss!
