Dealers who are thinking about cost-effective marketing solutions should take a page out of autoTRADER.ca’s book.
The classified site says its native ad campaign on Yahoo has been so successful that performance across these ads has outpaced the industry benchmark for native ads by 244 per cent. For example, it’s top performing ad delivered more than 369,850 impressions, 8,760 clicks and an average click-through rate (CTR) of 2.37 per cent.
As part of its marketing efforts, autoTRADER.ca has been able to leverage the content from its News & Features section through native ads on Yahoo’s website, with the goal of driving traffic back to autoTRADER.ca.
Editorial content within the News & Features section, created largely in house and by some freelance writers, ranges from car reviews to more entertainment-based features such as NHL Stars’ Cars and 20 Cars That Changed the Rules. These stories then blend in seamlessly with Yahoo content to attract readers and bring them to autoTRADER.ca.
“The entertainment articles have relevance for those outside the buying funnel which keeps us top of mind between car purchases, and the advice articles and car reviews attract those who are in the buying funnel via inbound or content marketing,” says Ian MacDonald, Director of Consumer Marketing at autoTRADER.ca.
And driving more traffic to autoTRADER.ca means more leads for its dealer partners, says MacDonald.
After pursuing this content marketing strategy, MacDonald says he would recommend it to others if their goal is to build brand awareness, provided they have a solid media strategy in place. Relevant content can also attract in-market buyers in an “unconventional and less interruptive way,” and so it has value for brands of all sizes and aspirations, he adds.
Claude Galipeau, Country Manager for Yahoo Canada, says its native ad campaigns are available for local businesses who are looking to increase their ROI, along with offerings such as search, display, and video advertising. There’s the option to target Yahoo native ads by city and by interest, such as auto intent purchasers or luxury to economy vehicles.
Regardless of scope, Galipeau believes content is king.
“What’s important is to build engaging content that grabs readers’ attention.”
