Are You HyperLocal? Unleash The True Power Of The Internet

The Internet has become a staple part of the automotive marketing diet. Dealers are investing tens of thousands of dollars each month on their Internet activities (i.e.: Web Site, Facebook, YouTube videos, Blogging, Tweeting, Live Chats, etc.). Many automotive experts now say that the average dealer is spending between 40 – 50 percent of their marketing budget directly on Internet activities – if not more. Are you?

While initial reports on ROI are positive and will only get better as dealers learn what works and what does not, it is still somewhat of a ‘shotgun’ approach to reach and connect with target consumers through the Internet. This is mainly due to the desire to reach everyone who is searching Google for research or pricing on a new car.

Before you buy all your competitors domain names, pay for every search engine key word and banner all the industry web sites, make sure you are super servicing your own backyard through the Internet.

Become HYPERLOCAL with your Internet activities

‘HyperLocal’ is the new buzzword in media and advertising. It is not exclusive to Internet Marketing, although most references pertain to that. You can and should apply it to your traditional advertising thinking as well. It is really ground zero for marketing activities and starts with the location of your dealership and signage on the lot. From there it spreads down the street and into your local neighborhoods.

HyperLocal Marketing focuses on the Internet users in your immediate area and invites them to do business with their neighborhood dealer. If you think you have this covered, then pull your internet sales report and run a quick zip code analysis. Cross reference that data with the streets in a one mile radius of your dealership. You might be surprised to learn that your Internet sales are coming from all over town, but not from your own neighborhood.

Address this opportunity with your IT department or advertising agency and start reaping the rewards of being HyperLocal immediately. For pennies on the dollar, they can geo-target your Internet exposure right down to the homes and businesses next door, down the street, and in your local neighborhoods. Once you have this 100% covered, then all the other coverage you receive on the Internet will be a bonus.

After 90 days, cross reference your sales reports against the streets in your immediate area and you will see the results for yourself. Dealers who have adopted this approach have been shocked with the sales they were missing from their own backyard. This minor adjustment in focus with your Internet strategy will deliver amazing and immediate results.

Now that you have applied HyperLocal Marketing to your Internet campaigns, do the same thing to your above-the-line advertising. It works across any medium you can zone.