Thursday, March 21, 2019

It’s Time to Get Social



Social media has really taken over in recent years and we don’t see this trend dying out any time soon. So even if your current marketing strategies are working, it’s important to stay competitive and to reach your customers where they are - and they’re on social media. We’ve got the stats to prove it.
  • There are currently 3.4 billion active social media users1
  • There’s a new social media user approximately every 10 seconds1
  • The average daily time spent on social is 116 minutes a day2
  • 21% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that they can reach on social media3
So if you haven’t hopped on the social media bandwagon yet - or even if you have - let’s review why you should include social media as part of your business strategy.

Helps Build Brand Awareness -
Building awareness is key when it comes to promoting any brand or business. So it’s no surprise that according to a survey conducted by Small Biz Trends, 44% of local businesses said they depend on social media to generate brand awareness. And you know who is probably part of that 44%? Your competitor. So unless you want them being the only local dealership consumers are aware of then you might want to make sure you join them and start having a presence on social media yourself. Having a social presence allows you to stay visible and relevant to both returning and new customers. By posting consistently on social media, you have the power to be a recognizable voice in your industry and the local community - keeping consumers coming back for more.

Allows You to Engage With Your Customers in a New Way -
As we mentioned earlier, your customers are on social media. So if you’re not, you have the opportunity to reach a completely untapped market of people who could potentially be interested in either buying a motorcycle or looking for advice from a trusted source just like you. It’s also important to realize consumers love authentic engagement, and social media lets you interact and build relationships with potential customers in an organic way.

Helps Show Your Brand’s Personality and Expertise -You are an expert in your field, and you need to show that off - there’s no need to be modest. Social media gives you the opportunity to share your expertise and advice with your customers and position your dealership as, not only a place where someone can make a purchase, but a place where interested buyers can come to gain knowledge about the industry as a whole. It’s also important to realize that social media can be fun. By using various platforms, you have the opportunity to show off your dealership’s personality through the different posts and content you create. If you’re interested in creating videos that you can post on social media, click here for our tips on creating video content. Consumers love brands with personality - and it’s crucial to humanize your business so potential buyers feel comfortable and welcome right off the bat, even before visiting your dealership in person. It’s important to put the focus on the conversation you are having on social media rather than just the inventory you’re trying to sell. Don’t get us wrong - posting inventory can be great, but posting advice, tips, and tricks can also go a long way in building relationships with your potential buyers.

Can Help Drive Leads and Increase Traffic -If new information or content is just sitting on your website, it’s going to take a lot longer for consumers to find it. That’s where social media comes in handy. When you are consistently posting (and linking your site) on social media, you are giving consumers more of an opportunity to find this valuable content on your website, in turn, boosting your traffic. Don’t forget that social media is a tool - make sure you are using it to your advantage.

If you want to have a presence on social media, but just don’t have the time or resources to make it happen, Cycle Trader can help. Our GoSocial product can kickstart, or supplement, your existing social media efforts by managing your Facebook for you. GoSocial includes weekly posting and management for Facebook, a dedicated monthly advertising spend, and monthly in-depth reporting - saving you valuable time and costing a fraction of what it would take to hire a team. And if you don’t already have a page, we’ll even help you set one up. If you’re interested in learning more, contact your Cycle Trader representative today at 888.747.1192 - they’d love to walk you through it.

Oh, and if you’re craving more social media content, you’re in luck. We’ll cover specific social media channels and tips on how to use them in future posts - stay tuned. To hold you over until then, check out our tips on using Instagram for your business here.

1 https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/amazing-social-media-statistics-and-facts/
2 https://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/how-much-time-do-people-spend-social-media-infographic
3 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-statistics/
Trader Online Web Developer