Automotive marketing in 2024: the digital strategies that need to be put in place

Definition: Automotive marketing

Automotive marketing is the process of promoting your brand, products or services in the automotive sector. This can take the form of traditional marketing (television, newspapers, billboard advertising, etc.) or digital marketing (social networks, websites, emailing, etc.). The automotive industry is highly competitive, and brands need to establish a solid and creative marketing strategy to stand out from the competition.

The aim of automotive marketing is to meet a number of brand objectives (increasing brand awareness, competitive advantage, increasing sales, etc.). To achieve this, companies need to redouble their efforts and adapt to the digital environment that has become established.

Developments in automotive marketing in 2024

It's no longer a big surprise that digital is now everywhere, and it would be a fatal mistake to ignore it. That's why it's important to establish a real digital marketing strategy.

What's more, consumers have got into the habit of using the internet to make their purchases, and are less likely to go into a shop even to get pre-purchase information. As a result, the customer journey has totally changed, and it is important for car brands to be present in the digital world.

Finally, the younger generation can no longer really be reached via traditional channels. They don't really watch television or read newspapers any more. Their sources of information and the only point of contact with young targets are social networks and, more generally, the internet.

Automotive marketing can easily use and benefit from digital tools to meet global objectives. Here is a list of digital channels and strategies to be deployed for automotive marketing in 2024.

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The automotive marketing strategies to be implemented in 2024

Automotive marketing can use the same channels as other types of market. In fact, digital marketing allows all sectors to establish themselves.

There are many distribution channels that meet different marketing objectives. The aim is to make each channel as robust as possible in order to have a strong presence. A car brand will therefore need to establish a clear and coherent strategy across several channels - what we call an omnichannel strategy. What's more, with the data collected, it's very easy to create personalised advertising that corresponds to the different needs and desires of different targets. Targeted advertising is a major advantage of digital channels, because they are the only channels that can achieve this, unlike traditional channels.

In this section, we'll give you a list of possible strategies for different channels.

Social networks

A presence on social networks is very important for automotive marketing, as it is a channel that can be used to meet a number of objectives, such as increasing brand awareness. What's more, social networks are key points of contact for younger target groups, as the majority of them get their information from these platforms.

There are a number of actions that can be taken. The publication of advertising content (or not) can enable car brands to increase traffic to their website. The content can be as varied as the creation of videos, the publication of photos and also the creation of filters for social networks.

Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok filters are perfect for automotive marketing, as they create "buzz" about the car. immersive experiences and interactive with the user. A brand can therefore offer to show the new model of a car in 3D directly to the prospect, who can then analyse every detail of the car in no time at all.

All the content available on social networks can therefore drive traffic to your website and also generate leads quickly without having to encourage them to come into the shop.

Emailing in automotive marketing

Emailing is an excellent way of stimulating sales among prospects who are already very interested in buying your products.

It is very easy to create personalised messages (thanks to the data collected previously) containing promotional offers specific to the needs of the email recipient. What's more, the use ofA/B testing is also a lever that can be used to detect the best arguments and content that will trigger prospects to buy.

The website

The website is the mainstay of automotive marketing and should contain all the information about the brand and the products and services on sale. Anyone wanting to find out more will be redirected to the website, since the content can be much longer than on other channels.

The website must not be neglected and must answer all the questions a future buyer might have. That's why it's important to publish a range of high-quality content (articles, videos, infographics, product sheets, etc.).

Thanks to this comprehensive content, the brand can demonstrate its expertise and know-how in automotive matters. The website is therefore a way of giving credibility and confidence to people who are hesitating.

Finally, a website can also be a tool for increasing your visibility on the internet through SEO. In other words, as well as being a major automotive marketing resource, it can also be used to rank on search engines for specific keywords and generate leads.

Automotive marketing with influencers

Influencers and content creators can be used to promote the brand or its products to an audience (large or small). It is also possible to reach a new audience that has not been reached by other channels. It's important to choose influencers and content creators who are close to your values and whose audience is likely to be reached by the promotion of your products.

It has been proven that this strategy can lead to a large increase in sales if the content creators are well selected and if the promotion of your products is creative.

Mobile marketing

There is no longer any doubt that the majority of consumers use their phones more than their computers. The user experience on mobiles therefore needs to be perfectly constructed to avoid frustration.

Mobile marketing can involve websites and applications designed for a key action, event or other event. This allows you to provide quick access to precise information and stay close to your target audience, who use their smartphones on a daily basis. Adding an aspect of gamification is also important for making content more entertaining and enjoyable, so that it is appreciated by users. Mobile marketing may not necessarily work to generate leads, but it does help to build customer loyalty and loyalty and to rapidly increase brand awareness.

Automotive marketing can therefore use all the digital channels available to meet different objectives. Social networks, emailing and the website are very important pillars that every brand in the automotive sector must take into account if its strategies are to succeed.