Social media and review sites are once again the most helpful for car buyers and service customers in selecting a dealership in the U.S., said Digital Air Strike.
That’s according to the company’s 2015 Automotive Social Media Trends Study, which examines consumer behaviours on social media, review sites and mobile devices related to car shopping and vehicle service.
“This year’s study reveals that consumers are more engaged than ever before in terms of using social media and review sites as the primary tools to select a dealership,” said Alexi Venneri, co-founder and CEO of Digital Air Strike, in a written release.
Among the top findings, half of respondents — up from 45 per cent over 2014 — ranked review sites such as Cars.com and Edmunds.com as the most influential dealership selection tool.
And almost all of the car buyers and service customers think the dealership needs to have at least a four star rating or higher to be considered good.
Only 16 per cent ranked a dealership’s website as the most influential, down from 19 per cent in 2014.
What’s more, shoppers and customers are drawn to vehicle incentives or coupons on social media. About 45 per cent of buyers and 30 per cent of service customers would use the “check in” function on Facebook to take advantage of the promotions at the dealership.
Facebook ads are also continuing to gain use and awareness, said Digital Air Strike.
The study includes findings from 2,000 car buyers and the same number of service customers across the U.S. who have either purchased or serviced a vehicle within the past six months.
