Independent study reveals US Auto industry social media uptake
US web and social media company GOSO has released an independent study which indicates dealerships in the United States have aggressively pursued social media strategies. The report claims that 25.5% of all dealerships have a Facebook page and 10.9% have a Twitter account. This does not include the large amount of dealers that have created user accounts for their dealerships. This report was based on NADA’s report in late 2009 which indicated that there were 20,010 automotive dealerships that sold new and used vehicles.
In the report, GOSO contacted several companies that had made claims that social media played a large role in their overall growth and sales strategy for 2009. Aaron Magness, Director of Brand Marketing and Business of Zappos.com, which was just sold to Amazon for $1.1. billion, said, “We believe that every industry, be it retail, real estate, automotive, etc., has the ability to focus on forming personal connections with the end user. This helps build trust, loyalty and respect with the customer.”
The top brand on Facebook was Chrysler followed by Buick, Chevrolet, Mazda and then Jeep. The top brand on Twitter was Toyota, followed by Chevrolet, Honda, Nissan and then Ford. The total dealerships on Facebook amounted to 5155, whereas the total dealerships on Twitter amounted to 2195. On the web, the most popular searched brand is BMW, followed by Ford, Honda, Lincoln and Mini Cooper.
To date, most dealers have been skeptical and don’t see the value in social media but when they discover that Dell accredited $6.5 million in 2009 earnings to Twitter and Gary Vanynerchuck of WineLibrary.com used social media to build his business to $60 million on his own terms in just a few years they may just change their minds!