Instagram for Dealers: 7 Tips for Using Social at its Best

Instagram has now become an indispensable tool for dealerships wishing to increase their visibility and attract new customers. With over a billion monthly active users, this social network offers a unique opportunity to connect with a wide audience, showing not only the vehicles for sale, but also the personality and values behind the brand.

In this article, let’s take a look at 7 practical tips to make the best use of Instagram for dealerships to help car showrooms fully exploit the potential of this platform to improve their marketing strategies and increase sales.

Before we start, however, we would like to point out that you can also advertise the sale of vehicles from other European countries via social media. In this situation, however, we strongly recommend that you add the certificate of conformity among the documents provided at the time of purchase.

This certificate will in fact be requested by the DVLA in order to carry out the new registration, which will allow you to circulate in the UK indefinitely. One of the easiest ways to obtain this document is through the service offered by our EUROCOC portal, with which you can make the request directly online and receive the certificate at your dealership within a few working days.

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The 7 Tips for Using Instagram for Dealers

Instagram, like Pinterest, offers dealers the opportunity to showcase cars in a visually appealing way, connect directly with their customers and promote special offers to a wide audience.

Thanks to its visual and interactive nature, the platform allows dealers to create a closer bond with their customers, build trust by posting reviews and testimonials, and use targeted advertising campaigns to reach potential buyers.

So let’s take a look at some tips on how best to use Instagram for dealers.

1 – Optimise your profile

Your dealership’s Instagram profile is often the first point of contact between your brand and potential customers. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that it is optimised to best represent your business.

Start by verifying that all company information is correct and complete. The brand name should be clear and easily recognisable, also be sure to include the address of your dealership to make it easy for customers to visit, include the phone number for any enquiries or appointments, and the website URL to give direct access to more information about your vehicles and services.

In addition, it is essential to choose a recognisable profile picture. This image must immediately communicate who you are. Most dealerships use the company logo, which is easily recognisable and reinforces brand identity. Alternatively, you could opt for a photo of your car showroom window or a representative image of one of your most popular vehicles.

Another important step is to convert your account into a ‘company profile’. A business profile on Instagram offers additional features compared to a personal account, such as access to Instagram Insights, which provides analytical data on your followers and the performance of your posts.

To convert your account, go to your Instagram settings, select ‘Account’ and then ‘Switch to a professional account’. Then follow the instructions to complete the set-up.

2 – Schedule Content

Freely posting photos of vehicles from your iPhone is not a good strategy for managing Instagram optimally. Sure, you’ll get a few likes and followers, but how sustainable is that for a business that relies on steady sales? It is, therefore, crucial to plan each post as part of a broader social media content strategy.

Consider including publications that show photos and videos that go beyond the simple presentation of vehicles. For example, you could share car maintenance and service tips, the latest additions to your inventory, new promotions, staff biographies, how-to content, and troubleshooting tips for a vehicle.

These types of content not only diversify your feed, but also offer added value to your followers, demonstrating that your dealership is a useful and knowledgeable resource in the automotive industry.

Without a content strategy for Instagram, you risk publishing random posts, hoping they will be successful. This approach not only lacks consistency, but also makes it difficult to understand what works and what doesn’t. 

With a well-defined strategy, on the other hand, you will have a clear plan and specific goals. You will also be able to rely on data from previous posts to make informed decisions. For example, you can analyse which types of posts receive the most likes, comments or shares and then create more content of that type.

3 – Show your customers

Buying a car is usually a big investment and a proud moment for many people. You can, therefore, celebrate this important moment for your customers by sharing a photo of them on Instagram.

By offering the opportunity to be featured in a celebratory post, you show appreciation for your customers’ choice and strengthen the bond with your dealership. This simple gesture can, therefore, build a relationship of trust and gratitude.

Before publishing the content, however, it is crucial to obtain the customer’s consent, showing respect for their privacy. With their permission, you can share the image accompanied by a small message of thanks and congratulations.

4 – Monitor Results

With an Instagram Business account, you have access to a lot of data about your profile engagement and your audience. This information is crucial to give direction to your publishing strategy and ensure you make data-driven choices.

You can use Instagram Analytics to understand which types of content work best. It analyses how many likes, comments and saves your photos and videos receive to find out what attracts your audience. In addition, you can find out where this engagement comes from and what actions users take after seeing your posts.

Using the analysis tool you can also obtain additional details about your audience such as geographic location, age, gender and main hours of activity. This data helps you tailor your content and advertising campaigns to respond directly to the needs and preferences of your specific customer base.

Finally, Instagram Analytics allows you to track activity on your profile, such as the number of visits, button clicks and impressions. By monitoring these activities, you will better understand how users interact with your account and which elements attract their attention the most.

5 – Use Hashtags

Hashtags on Instagram can help you reach new users interested in your content, but they should be used correctly to avoid looking like spam:

• Don’t overdo it: Use about nine hashtags per post, although Instagram allows up to 30. Choose the ones that are most relevant and perform well for your industry.
• Check the meaning: Always check the context of the hashtags you intend to use to avoid potential misunderstandings or embarrassing situations.
• Be specific: Tailor your hashtags to the content of your post. For example, if you post a photo of a new car, use relevant hashtags such as #NewCars, #ModelName and #CarDealer so that you reach the right audience.

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6 – Use Customer Content

According to research by Brightlocal, 91% of users read online reviews of a local business. Therefore, encourage your customers to share their experiences on Instagram, as authentic testimonials and real pictures have a strong impact on potential customers.

By sharing pictures and videos of customers (with their permission), you will gain the trust of potential buyers and have new content to use for your social media strategy.

When users see other real people sharing positive experiences, they are more likely to trust your dealership. This creates an emotional connection and shows that your car dealership values and celebrates its customers.

You can also ask customers to tag you in their posts or use a specific hashtag and then take care to thank them publicly for sharing their experiences. This way, you will make them feel appreciated and encourage others to do the same.

7 – Go Live

Broadcasting live on Instagram is an opportunity for customers to interact with your brand in real time and showcase new vehicles, events and promotions.

Before going live, be sure to prepare a plan and choose a quiet place, such as an office or a tidy area of your showroom. Make sure the room is well lit and keep a list of topics handy to keep the focus of the live show.

During the event, interact with the audience by answering questions and comments. This involvement allows you to strengthen the bond with your customers and demonstrate transparency.

In conclusion, Instagram is a powerful tool for dealers who want to increase their visibility and attract new buyers. This platform allows you to create a closer connection with your audience and improve your automotive marketing strategies.

Implementing these seven tips will allow you to exploit the full potential of social media, building a strong and trusted brand and increasing your dealership’s sales.

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