A picture is worth a thousand words — or more if it means the difference between selling inventory or having vehicles take up space on the lot. Although vehicles seem to be moving themselves lately thanks to the shortage, knowing how to sell cars on Instagram is important information for the staff at your dealership to understand.
Instagram is a social platform that relies on images or short videos to tell a story. Captions can be included with the post, but it’s the picture or video that captures the audience’s attention and gets them to stop scrolling.
Although stock photos can look nice, as can images using a filter, the best bet to move inventory is to use authentic pictures or videos of the vehicle on the lot without a lot of editing.
Remaining authentic to the brand and using custom images or videos can help to generate interaction from the audience and encourage them to visit the dealership.
Before getting started, the company needs to have an Instagram business account created. Once the page is established, it’s time to put the platform to work for the brand.
Be sure to add the dealership’s website to the account bio. This will allow consumers to find the digital showroom with ease.
Vertical Footage
To properly harness the power of Instagram Reels, the footage used by the dealership should be vertical, rather than horizontal.
This includes pictures of the car, truck, or SUV, walk around videos, and much more.
With recent algorithm changes, Instagram continues to emulate TikTok with vertically-shot footage that takes up the entire screen. By posting to Instagram Reels, the dealership will have an opportunity to reach a larger audience base.
And make sure to have proper lighting. Meaning, the sunlight is behind you and the camera. This will keep the subject out of the shadows. Angle the camera on the phone so that the light is shining on the vehicle and not the lens.
Details
Yes, pictures are worth a thousand words, but the text associated with the post are just as important.
The post caption should include details like make, model, year, and mileage of course. But it should be written in a captivating way using descriptive words. Simply stating the make and model of a vehicle that is for sale is likely not enough to capture someone’s attention.
Think about the targeted demographic.
If the vehicle is a sporty coupe, talk about the horsepower — can it go from zero to 60 in three seconds?
If it’s a minivan, how many passengers can it hold? What about car seats for little ones?
“It’s commonly said that if you’re talking to everyone, then you’re talking to no one. Instead, nail down who the audience is beyond the demographic and create tailored content,” said Elevation Ten Thousand Social Media Manager, Andrea Leo.
Although seemingly little, these details can actually be very important for a shopper. Personally speaking, if a dealership highlights a truck or SUV’s capacity for car seats, that will get my attention.
While adding details to the caption, be sure to include relevant hashtags as this can work as a keyword for the post. Users can also search by hashtag, so this creates the opportunity get the post in front of a wider audience.
It can also be beneficial to incorporate the name of the city into a hashtag as this can be a way to engage with the local community.
“Bring them into the conversation. This will allow you to build a community around the business that will bring customers back time and time again,” Leo continued.
Interaction
The goal is to move inventory and make room for new models, to do that it’s inevitable that you will have to have a conservation with those who show interest. In the digital landscape, this can start with a comment on an Instagram post.
Even if it’s a comment simply stating that they love the vehicle, rather than asking a specific question, it’s still important to respond. By doing so, it opens the door for further interaction.
It also gives the impression that the dealership is paying attention and willing to converse.
Promote Events
People love promotions — whether it’s a giveaway, sale, or special, it’s certainly worth discussing on platforms like Instagram.
Gas card giveaways, oil change discounts, and so much more can be used to encourage engagement on the brand’s Instagram account.
It could also be worth giving your Instagram followers a special promotion for them, after all, who doesn’t like to feel special? If you choose this route, be sure to include terms and conditions if it’s a giveaway or sales promotion. This way the audience knows it isn’t affiliated with the platform and that there are terms to be met.
Work with a Professional
Using social media to sell cars can be quite beneficial to any dealership, especially when it is handled with the care and attention the process deserves.
Properly executing this type of strategy takes dedication and technical know-how of social platforms — like hashtag research and the optimal time to post.
To ensure a strategy is well-thought out, tailored to the brand, and executed properly, it’s important to work with a team of professionals who have a deep understanding of the nuances of selling cars, products, or services on Instagram and other social media platforms.
