Strengthen Your Dealership’s Online Presence

87% of shoppers start their buying journey with an online search to identify their tire service options and research which shop best meets their needs. The tire and wheel industry is no exception – consumers are more likely to select a dealership that has a strong digital presence. Why? Because they can determine even before they visit the store if that dealership offers the brands, services, financing and customer care that they are looking for.

So, how can you strengthen your digital presence and get found by shoppers who have tire and maintenance needs? TCS offers the topmost crucial strategies to bring your dealership to the forefront of the internet.

Digitalize Your Brand Presence

Your brand presence pertains to how aware prospects are of your business and how well they understand what you offer. Traditional (offline) brand presence includes your store, billboard signs, newspaper ads and TV commercials. With consumers spending more time on the internet, a digital brand presence can reach prospects wherever they are – at home, in transit, at the office or at another tire shop.

There are three main areas to digitalize your brand presence:

Website

Your website is the digital equivalent of your dealership. It is the first true impression of your brand that prospects will form, so it needs to accurately reflect your dealership’s character. The base requirements for a successful website include mobile-optimization, on-brand web design, clean navigation, fresh copy rich with high-performing keywords, prominent calls to action, up-to-date store information and current inventory listings.

Digital Marketing

Take your brand presence to your shoppers by advertising outside of your website. Digital marketing gets your website in front of online shoppers by increasing your website rank in local search, using paid ads to appear at the top of search results and in social media feeds and advertising to prospects who have visited your website previously or who have looked at similar inventory on other sites.

Social Media

For prospects who are looking for a new tire shop, social media functions a lot like a search engine, only much more interactive. Prospects use platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to discover local businesses and decide if those businesses are a good fit for their needs. Dealerships can enhance their online visibility by regularly posting valuable, informative content, encouraging leads on other platforms to follow them on social media and responding quickly to leads who reach out via a social post or direct messaging.

Digital Is the Future of the Tire & Wheel Industry

Getting your dealership online is not a trend – it’s a long-term solution to securing your dealership’s foothold in the future of tire retail. To ensure your store continues to thrive in the digital age, go beyond the minimum requirements to be online and lean into your digital presence, treating your website and marketing platforms with as much care as you show your physical store. You’ll see the difference that occurs when you invest in your online presence. And by difference, we mean more sales leads!

For more insights and resources on growing a strong digital presence, connect with TCS today.