Friday, May 18, 2018

The Move to Digital



It’s no secret the advertising space is ever-changing. Through all the change, one thing remains constant - the digital marketplace. But why exactly is digital marketing/advertising taking the world by storm? We’re here to shed some light.

Chances are if you look around a crowded room - anywhere these days - you’ll see the majority of people glued to their smartphones, tablets, or computers - and it’s easy to see why. The way we receive information has changed, therefore the way we put out information & promote ourselves needed to change as well. Print, radio, and other forms of traditional media had a large impact on consumers (and in certain cases still do) before the rise of the digital revolution, but the world is evolving and technology isn’t slowing down any time soon. In fact, according to the Technology Review, time spent online by the average American has grown from 9.4 hours to 23.6 hours every week since 2000. Of that, time spent on the internet at home has risen from 3.3 to 17.6 hours a week.

Those stats aren’t surprising to us because we have seen the value of digital marketing first-hand. Digital marketing is a great option for a variety of businesses because:
  • It can be more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods - Print, radio, direct mail, and billboards often come in at higher price points and digital marketing allows businesses to choose certain packages or advertising options that will give them the most bang for their buck. 
  • It helps reach a more targeted/segmented audience - Digital marketing also allows businesses to tailor campaigns to certain audiences and demographics for more effective marketing. 
  • It’s more easily tracked & monitored - Digital marketing can help companies see what’s working and what might need to be tweaked/updated to improve results. It also helps businesses see what methods are bringing in the most prospects and leads. 
  • It caters to the mobile consumer - In this day and age consumers are always on the move, so having a responsive digital marketing platform that caters to consumers on the go is crucial in today’s tech-centric world. 
  • It provides small businesses with a level playing field - In the past, larger, well-established companies took over the marketplace - plain and simple. Digital marketing now allows equal opportunity in the online marketplace by letting businesses remain competitive no matter their size. 
Digital marketing still has similar benefits to traditional marketing, but in a more in-depth and advanced way. For instance, at Cycle Trader, we have the ability to track your dealership’s performance to help you learn more about your business’ performance and also help you take a deeper dive into your customer’s behavior. With traditional methods of marketing, it’s a little harder to determine exactly who was influenced by your advertising and what impact it had on your business. Digital marketing is not always perfectly trackable, but there are countless benefits.

Companies across the globe are recognizing digital marketing as a necessity for a successful business - but don’t get us wrong, traditional methods of marketing & advertising can still offer successful options for many businesses depending on the type of audience you’re trying to reach, so it’s important to still cater to them, while focusing on the digital consumer as well. As always, your marketing mix should be diversified and varied - but digital should absolutely make up a decent portion of your overall strategy. People are consuming digital content faster than ever before and with the trends we’re seeing the way of the future is undoubtedly digital. And as a digital platform, we’re privileged to provide you with a wide array of modern and effective advertising/marketing solutions to reach those consumers.



Trader Online Web Developer

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The Top Searched Makes and Models From Q1 2018



Here at Cycle Trader, it’s our goal to keep you in the know about the latest consumer trends and insights. With the unique ability to track millions of consumers’ search habits on our site, we want to share valuable information that can impact your bottom line. And in Q1 of 2018, we’ve seen some interesting data. Let’s break down the top searched makes and models from the first quarter of the year.

Top 5 searched models of Q1 2018:
  • Cruiser 
  • Sport Bike 
  • Touring 
  • Dirt Bike 
  • Dual Sport 
Cruisers lead the charge, with nearly 13% of all Cycle Trader consumers searching for this particular type of bike. Cruisers held this top spot in Q1 2017 as well - so this consumer interest is clearly not just a fad! Sport bikes come in a close second accounting for 10.5% of all searches, followed by touring models at 7.6%.

Top 5 searched makes of Q1 2018:
  • Harley-Davidson 
  • Honda 
  • Yamaha 
  • Kawasaki 
  • Suzuki 
Harley-Davidson dominates the top spot when it comes to top searched makes of Q1 2018 with 20% of all Cycle Trader consumers searching for the manufacturer, dropping just 1% Y.O.Y. Honda comes in second place at 14%, and Yamaha takes third place with 10% of all searches. The numbers for the top five searched makes of this of Q1 2018 remain comparable Y.O.Y. And, even though Indian didn’t come in the top five searched makes - they placed 11th - we are interested to see where they fall in the future as they continue to rise in the industry.

It’s hard to believe Q1 has already come to a close. As manufacturers continue to focusing on growing new riders with new bikes, we are interested to see what Q2 will bring. Did you see similar trends at your dealership? Let us know in the comments below.
Trader Online Web Developer