Two Common Cases
Let’s delve into some practical examples to illustrate why clicks are not the be-all and end-all of automotive marketing. Consider a scenario where a dealership invests heavily in a Facebook ad campaign targeting a specific model of cars. The campaign generates a substantial number of clicks, indicating initial engagement. However, upon closer analysis, it becomes apparent that these clicks do not necessarily lead to a significant increase in car sales. Despite the high click-through rate, the conversion rate remains disappointingly low.
On the other hand, let’s explore a different situation. A dealership runs a campaign with the goal of raising awareness and connecting with its existing customer base. The campaign achieves a massive number of clicks, generating excitement and buzz around the brand. However, when analyzing the impact on actual sales, it becomes evident that many clicks came from individuals who were simply curious or merely browsing rather than serious car buyers. The campaign captured attention but failed to convert clicks into tangible sales.
What Is the Solution?
To overcome the click conundrum, dealerships need to adopt a more holistic approach to measurement and focus on tracking metrics that directly tie to sales. One effective method is utilizing Facebook’s offline conversions product, which enables dealerships to bridge the gap between their online campaigns and real-world transactions. By leveraging this tool, dealerships can determine the offline impact of their digital efforts and gain valuable insights into which customers, exposed to their Facebook or Instagram ads, ultimately made purchases in their physical business locations.
Let’s consider a practical implementation of this approach. A dealership sets up an offline event set within Facebook’s Business Manager and links it to the ad account running their campaigns. By enabling auto tracking, the dealership ensures that only tracked impressions and clicks will be considered for offline attribution. As customers make in-store purchases, the dealership manually uploads the sales data to the offline events tool or connects with one of Facebook’s partner integrations to automate the process. This allows the dealership to track and attribute sales to specific Facebook ad exposures.
By integrating offline conversion metrics into the reporting within Facebook’s ads manager, dealerships can gain a comprehensive understanding of their campaigns’ impact on sales. They can break down the attribution rate and identify how many customers from their sales list were exposed to their Facebook ads before making a purchase, regardless of whether they clicked on the ad or not. This provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of the campaigns in driving real-world sales.
While online metrics still hold importance for targeting and engagement purposes, it is essential for dealerships to prioritize the metrics that directly align with their ultimate goal: moving metal off the lot. By tracking offline conversions and utilizing the right measurement metrics and tools on Facebook, dealerships can make informed decisions, optimize their campaigns, and drive meaningful results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the click conundrum in automotive marketing emphasizes the need for dealerships to look beyond clicks as the sole indicator of success. While clicks can generate initial engagement and interest, they do not guarantee car sales. Dealerships must shift their focus towards measuring metrics that tie directly to their business objective: generating tangible sales. By leveraging tools such as Facebook’s offline conversions product and adopting a comprehensive approach to measurement, dealerships can gain a competitive edge in the dynamic and ever-evolving automotive industry.
P.S.: This article has also been published in the Digital Dealer Magazine and UCD Magazine.
Sean Toussi
If you have any questions or comments regarding this article, please email Sean@Glo3D.com
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