News for the Week of 1.13 

Twitter Conversational Ads 

Twitter recently introduced conversational ads to make it easier for consumers to engage with and spread brand messages.  Giving advertisers an even more powerful way to spread their influence across social media, these ads engage users by using Promoted Tweets that include compelling messages encouraging followers to share and Retweet, like, and follow.  Conversational ads on Twitter also include call-to-action buttons with customizable hashtag buttons.  When a user taps a call-to-action button, a pre-populated brand message pops up along with creative and hashtag buttons which users can share.  Once a Tweet is shared, the brands automatically reciprocate by sending a thank-you Tweet for sharing.  Newly-composed Tweets will be seen by engaged consumer followers in their timelines, and they are accompanied by brand photos or video.  For brands, Twitter conversational ads are a powerful way to drive additional ROI at no additional cost.  Dealerships, take advantage of Twitter's newest functionality and be sure to engage with followers to create organic conversation about your brand, your vehicles, and the services you offer.  You’ll earn consumer trust and build recognition by engaging your followers and involving them with your brand.

YouTube HDR Video Support

High Dynamic Range (HDR) video, the latest in video technology, offers even more color and detail—and now, it is supported by YouTube.  With this update, YouTube joins Amazon and Netflix in offering a more vivid video experience, however, viewers will only truly notice the difference if they are using a screen that supports HDR.  Essentially, this upgrade allows video streamers to view content in much more detail than previously, capturing a wider range of contrast and brightness.  Dealerships, take heart; while HDR may be the buzzword of the moment, not everything is HDRcompatible yet, and if you remain focused on providing an engaging experience for your online followers, you’ll still pull your weight in the social world.  Video will reign this year, and consumers will continue to seek out content that is easily consumable and entertaining.  So focus on creating great video and keep your consumers updated with what’s going on at your dealership, and you’ll gain a broader audience in the process.

800 Million Facebook Messenger Users

Facebook Messenger continues to grow, and it recently surpassed the 800-million-user mark, a testament to the on-the-go nature of our culture, as well as our need for constant communication.  Throughout 2015, Facebook worked on Messenger enhancements, which included not only updates for individual users, but also updates for businesses that offer better ways to engage and interact with consumers.  It’s not brand-new, but with the success of Messenger, it’s worth repeating that Businesses on Messenger have the capability to chat with shoppers, give updates and order confirmations, send shipping confirmations and status updates, as well as simply stay in touch with shoppers.  For dealerships, Facebook offers several ways for you to interact with your audience; and in addition, you can engage your followers by providing quality content and participating in one-on-one conversations to build lasting relationships.  Your customers are on Facebook, so that means it’s a great place to get involved and make your presence known!

Snapchat Lens Store Closes

Snapchat recently closed its selfie lens store, choosing instead to focus on advertising, which includes sponsored lenses branded with movies and products.  Users will still be able to choose up to 10 free lenses per day, and any previously-purchased lenses will be retained.  However, the $1 lenses that were previously sold will no longer be offered.  According to Snapchat, “tens of thousands of lenses were being purchased every day.”  Brands, however, are charged anywhere from $450,000 to $750,000 per day to promote a sponsored lens, so the popular platform will still be earning money from its lenses.  Although trends on Snapchat may change, Dealerships should continue to keep their eyes on the growing popularity of this platform.  Consider campaigns that are quick and easy to digest; think about giving your followers sneak peeks of your inventory, quick glimpses of sales or events, or even offering coupons via Snaps.

Tip of the Week – Involve Online Consumers to Gain Insights and Grow Social Following

As you’re building your social media presence, it’s important to involve consumers in your posts in order to build trust, gain insights, and grow your online audience. There are lots of ways you can do this, but first and foremost, it’s essential to remember to remain open and encourage two-way communication so shoppers know they can turn to you when they have questions or need advice. While you’re busy putting great content onto your social platforms, it’s a good idea to break things up and give online consumers a few easy ways to interact with you. Check out the following ideas to get people involved with your dealership’s online presence:

Use CTAs. A call to action is a great way to incite followers to do something, especially if you’re asking them to do something that’s quick and relatively easy. Want them to try your new online scheduling service for oil changes? Let them know on your website, Facebook, Twitter or any platform; and give them a link that functions well and leads them directly to an easy-to-use site.

Ask questions. If you’re looking for interaction, throw a relevant question out to your followers and see how they respond. Not only can questions engage consumers, but the answers you receive can help you improve the service your dealership provides. Well-planned questions like “What’s the best amenity a dealership can offer while you wait?” can be helpful as you work to improve the customer experience.

Consider a Q&A. Determine a set time each week so that consumers will expect it; then open up your platform to shopper questions. Ensure a professional real-time response from your dealership as consumers present you with their most pressing automotive questions. Your online Q&A sessions will gain a following, and you’ll build your audience by presenting professional answers that position your dealership as a leader in the industry.

Showcase your followers. Once you build an online audience, showcase them on your page. For example, consider asking dealership customers to submit photos of themselves on their best adventures in their new vehicles and post them to your social media platforms–like Twitter and Facebook. Your customers want to know they’re appreciated, and you can easily interact with them and maintain great relationships by engaging them and highlighting their updates.

Create a survey.  Give your online followers a voice by creating an online survey.  Consider asking about vehicle preferences, customer service suggestions, and even fun things like color choices or vehicle add-on preferences.  By giving online consumers a way to express their preferences, you’re showing you truly care about what’s important to them.

As you work toward building your online presence, be sure to change up the content you post on your social platforms.  In addition, it’s essential to engage your followers and encourage them to interact with you whenever possible.  When you are able to get consumers talking with you, you’re building relationships—and that’s a step toward getting shoppers in the door at your dealership.