Digital Dealer - February 2020 - 29

to get more views to your
VDPs, and to generate leads.
A good beginning Facebook
ads budget for a dealership
is $500-$1,000 per month.
Facebook ads are wonderful and complex. They are
very difficult to successfully
manage without the necessary skills and knowledge.
You may decide to pay a
vendor to manage Facebook
ads for you, and there will
be an additional fee involved
(usually about $1,000+ per
month).

F
Utilize a Content
Calendar

I know it sounds crazy, but
a content calendar will be
your best friend.
The content creation process can be overwhelming,
especially when you're new.
It can seem like everything is
all over the place. A content
calendar keeps everything in
one place with an outline to
publish your posts.
Even I once thought content calendars were merely
a suggestion but now, I've
proven to myself (and my
clients) that they are invaluable. The world is a crazy
place and it's nice to have a
touchstone where all your
ideas live.

G
Plan Your
Content Mix

Just as serious SEOs have
had to become serious
content marketers, so it goes
for social media marketers.
There's been a shift from the

February 2020

mindset of getting as much as
we can into the feed daily to
investing more in high-quality, highly useful content
that viewers want to see and
engage with.
Different customers enjoy
different types of content. It's
crucial to plan out the types
of content you're going to
produce.
Here's a good content mix
if you're new to social media,
although it can vary depending on your store:
 50% Images
 30% Video
 10% Links
 10% Text
Planning your content mix
allows you to map out all the
players needed to produce it
and the tools and equipment
you'll need. As time goes on,
you'll discover what your
audience is engaging with the
most and adapt your mix to
their liking.
Pro Tip: Show a side of
your business that's consistent
with your "personality":
 Content that unmasks a
more intimate or fun-loving
side of your business.
 Tell a story: the genesis
of your dealership is a great
place to start.
 It's perfectly ok to showcase your vehicles, and parts
and service, but do it in a
way that engages rather than
annoys.

H
Schedule Engagement
into Your Day
I was recently speaking with a
great Facebook ads manager
about the sometimes-ignored
subject of engagement. Social

media is social. People are
connecting, and that means
you need to engage too!
Social ads are great, but they
are only part of your social
media strategy.
Community Management
is vital. Some customers prefer to communicate via social
channels, and it's your job to
be there with customer support. Take at least 15 minutes
in the morning and evening
to listen, respond, and serve
as their guide.
As your profiles grow, so
will the comments. You'll
want to engage people as
often as possible to build
rapport. If you're the boss,
designate at least one person
to listen, respond, ask questions, field leads and engage
with your audience.

I
Plan How You'll
Promote Your
Content

Once your fan base begins to
grow and you've done a good
job of engaging them, your
next step is to plan how you'll
convert them into customers.
Due to the massive growth
of Facebook ads, managing
them correctly is becoming
more difficult for beginners.
Depending on your budget,
please consider outsourcing
Facebook ads management.
But this doesn't let you off
the hook of planning your
promotions. Recall the work
you did so far, especially with
knowing your customers.
Now, design a promotion that
will attract their attention.
 What's the offer?
 Why should the customer

care?

 What do you want them to

do?

 How long will it run?
 How much will you budget?
 What does success look

like?

J
Measure and Analyze

You'll need to determine
the KPIs (key performance
indicators) that matter most to
your social media success. u'll
convert them into customers.
Here are eight top Facebook
KPIs to measure and analyze:
1. Audience growth
2. Audience profile
3. Audience engagement
4. Content reach
5. Engagement by content
type
6. Leads
7. Response rate and quality
8. Negative feedback

K
Give Yourself a Break

I hear from a lot of overwhelmed dealers and their
staff whose source of frustration is social media.
Frustration can come from
being stuck in outdated, longheld beliefs. Take a look at
what you're holding onto, and
identify what you're willing to
let go of. It only takes a small
step to welcome a whole new
world.
Remember, everyone starts
somewhere. Don't underestimate yourself. Social media
is a valuable tool to engage
customers.
You're only new once - and
from there it's a fantastic and
fun journey.

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