Why Your Dealership Needs To Be On Instagram

Instagram is a popular social media platform for business because it's highly visual. People remember 80% of what they see, 20% of what they read, and 10% of what they hear.* If your content is visually appealing it is likely that your viewers will remember it.

Instagram differs from other social media platforms because of the time users spend on it daily. Instagram is an app that users are constantly checking. Unlike Facebook, there is only one general aspect to Instagram, and that's images - so it's easy to find yourself scrolling through the feed of photos multiple times a day. There are over 400 million daily active users on Instagram.* More than 60% of Instagram users are logging in daily, spending an average of 30 minutes per day on the app.*

Instagram is a useful platform for engaging with consumers because it creates a way to develop relationships with potential customers. Instagram users generally exhibit casual behavior on the app. Viewers aren't using it to check your inventory, they are using Instagram to see images that relate to your industry, as well as the culture of your business. 53% of Instagram users follow their favorite brands*- it gives them a sense of familiarity before they visit your business. Company culture posts are engaging because it shows consumers a behind the scenes look at your dealership. Show pictures of your employees, events, or even just the simple day-to-day stuff. When you have a strong presence on social media, it makes it easier for consumers to connect with you on a more personal level.

When you are promoting your brand on Instagram, not only are you connecting with your customers on a more personal level, but you can also direct traffic to your website. Instagram's engagement with brands is 10 times higher than Facebook, 54 times higher than Pinterest and 84 times higher than Twitter. The brain processes images 60,000 times faster than it does text.* Consumers are more likely to engage with your content because it is entertaining, and not solely promotional. However, you are given the opportunity to promote your dealership within your posts - the consumers that follow you on Instagram will have easy access to your website, leading to an increase in traffic.

Best practices on Instagram are essential to becoming successful using the platform:

• Businesses that post consistently increase their engagement overall - top brands post an average of 4.9 times per week.*
• Posts that include a hashtag perform better than average. It's also beneficial to use a consistent hashtag so users can easily find your posts and look at older posts as well. Keeping the hashtag unique is what will drive viewers to your page; for example, using your business name makes it personalized.
• Instagrams with a location tag have 79% higher engagement than posts without. Tag the city your dealership is located in, and those in the area may be inclined to visit!*

Your dealership can benefit from a strong presence on Instagram with these tips and best practices. It will not only drive engagement to your website, but it could also help you gain more customers.

*marketingprofs.com