Why Your Dealership Should Be Investing in Digital Marketing for Fixed Ops - Adpearance

Why Your Dealership Should Be Investing in Digital Marketing for Fixed Ops

Digital marketing for fixed ops presents a huge revenue opportunity for auto dealerships. Here’s why your dealership should be investing in digital marketing for fixed ops.

Smart marketing can not only bring in quality sales leads, but can also keep your customers coming back to the dealership for their parts and service needs. Last year, parts and service generated $109.5 billion in revenue for new-vehicle dealerships. Thus, making a sale is just half the battle. By dedicating resources to marketing fixed ops, you can convert buyers into loyal, lifelong parts and service customers who will continue to generate revenue for your dealership long after the initial sale. We’ll walk you through the basics of why and how your dealership should be investing in digital marketing for fixed ops.

Why Invest in Fixed Ops Marketing

There is clear online demand for fixed ops services: 40% of automotive searches are for service, parts, repair, and maintenance. Unfortunately, too many dealerships aren’t focused on marketing this valuable part of their business and many lose out to the independent body shops and service centers who have digital strategies.

According to NADA’s 2014 State of Industry Report, a dealership experiences up to 8 times greater profit margin on parts and service compared to new car sales. And, while selling a vehicle is a one-time transaction, a car owner will have countless service and maintenance appointments over the life of that vehicle. Your parts and services department keeps customers returning to the dealership, increasing the long-term value of these customers while also nurturing future sales opportunities in the process. Sales pipelines grow with every new service customer.

By investing in digital marketing for fixed ops through digital advertising, SEO, and reputation management, you’ll attract those potential parts and service customers. Most importantly, you’ll be able to provide the information they need to become your lifelong customers.

Best Practices for Fixed Ops Digital Marketing

While conventional digital marketing strategies focus nearly all budgets on winning new and used vehicles sales, dealerships can see an increased marketing ROI by allocating dollars to fixed ops. To be successful, you need to get targeted with your digital advertising spending, provide detailed information on your website, and actively manage your online reputation. Doing these things will help move buyers down the sales funnel, growing a steady and profitable revenue stream for your dealership. Follow these best practices to take advantage of this significant opportunity in fixed ops.

Brand Your Fixed Ops Digital Advertising

It can be difficult to compete on generic fixed ops keywords such as “oil change” or “tire rotation” because independent service providers already rank highly for these by default. Instead of wasting digital advertising dollars on trying to rank for these broad keywords, dealers should be more intentional and selective with their campaigns.

Firstly, go after those shoppers searching for make-specific services. Remember, the more specific your ad copy, the better. Include the make and model, dealership contact info, and extensions for service specials and appointments. Instead of wasting ad dollars on search terms you can’t win, grab the audience that wants your dealership’s high level of service and make-model expertise. With this approach, you can increase ROI of your ad campaigns, because you’ll be attracting buyers seeking out your services.

Example Branded Fixed Ops Ad

Create SEO Optimized Service Content

Use smart SEO strategies like creating parts- and service- specific landing pages and optimizing your website for fixed ops keywords to bring customers to your dealership’s website. Once searchers have made it to your site, you will need to provide them with a clear path to schedule a service appointment. Make it easy for customers to schedule their own service appointments by providing an online scheduling form or tool. In addition, optimize your website’s navigation and fixed ops content, so customers can find up-to-date information like your service center’s hours of operation and current service specials with ease.

Actively Manage Your Dealership’s Reputation

Practice proper reputation management to clinch the business. Present up-to-date information about your dealership on review sites, and share testimonials and reviews on your website. Two-thirds of people seeking service will research more than one dealership, so it’s important that your info is correct and reviews are favorable. If your service department receives negative reviews, potential customers will shop around. Strengthen customer relationships by responding to all reviews, both good and bad wherever your service center’s information is listed.

Ready to Ramp Up Your Fixed Ops Digital Marketing?

Fixed ops marketing presents a valuable opportunity for dealerships, but you must be strategic in how you deliver ads and content to hook potential service customers. While it can be difficult to compete with independent fixed ops providers, at Adpearance our marketing nerds use innovative strategies to reach specific customers looking to visit a dealership for service.

Our teams analyze your dealership’s market footprint and define specific fixed ops digital marketing strategies to help you reach the right customers. Regular monitoring of your marketing allows us to make strategic recommendations to ensure your dealership is taking advantage of digital opportunities for fixed ops when appropriate.

Ready to bring in more parts and service customers? Contact us today for a strong fixed ops digital strategy that can help you boost your dealership’s marketing ROI.

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