Electric vehicles have become a contentious topic in the automotive community as automakers, dealers and consumers share differing perspectives on the short and long term future of transportation. In an unexpected development, Texas has quickly become a hub not only for thousands of EV drivers but also for manufacturers such as Tesla, which operates a massive factory near the state’s capital. Although most buyers in the region are in no hurry to abandon their gas-powered cars, understanding why some Texans are making the switch to electric may help dealers learn how to drive demand in their own states.

John Luciano is the owner and president of Street Volkswagen in Amarillo, Texas. Throughout his retail automotive career, Luciano headed the Volkswagen National Dealer Association and became intimately familiar with the local car market and the pain points buyers in his community face at the dealership. On this episode of Inside Automotive, CBT News anchor Shyann Malone joins Luciano to gain more insight into how the electric vehicle segment is performing in his state.

Key takeaways

1. While electric vehicles are undeniably becoming more popular in Texas, opinions remain divided. Many drivers are truly enjoying their new EVs, while others remain determined to never switch from petrol.

2. Electric vehicles are often more affordable than buyers think. Luciano has successfully driven sales by promoting leases and offering to install chargers in customer homes.

3. Education is key to selling electric vehicles, not only in Texas but across the country. Dealers and their staff must be well acquainted with the models they sell to help buyers find the right model for their needs.

4. Affordability is a key issue to wider electric vehicle adoption. Luciano believes that automakers are currently trying to replicate the success Tesla has found in the luxury market when they should be focused on making their models cost-efficient for consumers.

5. While limited ranges are an obstacle to boosting electric vehicle demand, Luciano notes that many of his customers avoid “range anxiety” by reserving their gas-powered models for long-distance driving and relying on EVs for work commutes and other short trips.

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

The post How Texas dealers are driving electric vehicle demand — John Luciano | Street Volkswagen appeared first on CBT News.

In this article, we will de­lve into the effectiveness of online vehicle me­rchandising and provide practical tips to help you achieve success in this crucial area.

Understanding Online Vehicle Merchandising

Successfully se­lling vehicles online goes beyond simply listing them. It involves creating an interactive, transparent, and captivating experience for potential customers. This is crucial because studies show that 74% of buyers compare cars online before setting foot in a deale­rship. Some key factors to consider include:

• Transparency: Providing clear pricing, financing, and damage details builds trust.
• Trust Building: Showcasing testimonials, awards, and warranties enhances credibility.
• Engagement: Utilizing interactive media like 3D shots and panoramic views simulates an in-person experience.

Best Practices for Vehicle Listing Optimization

In a world where 41% of buyers visit just one deale­rship before deciding, it is crucial to optimize­ vehicle listings. The ke­y is to create listings that connect with buye­rs who are considering deale­rships within a 100-mile radius. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Real Photos: Use actual vehicle photos, not stock images, to represent authenticity.

2. Compelling Descriptions: Highlight important features and benefits to entice buyers.

3. Video Integration: Full-motion videos engage shoppers, providing a virtual test drive.

4. Special Offers: Regularly update specials and calls to action to maintain relevance.

Read more about listing optimization.

Leveraging Digital Marketing Strategies

Digital marketing goes beyond simply running online ads. It involves establishing a cohesive and consistent online presence that aligns with and reinforces the brand and value­s of your dealership. Here­ are some esse­ntial strategies to consider:

• SEO: Improve search engine rankings to increase visibility.
• Social Media Marketing: Engage with potential buyers, building community and loyalty.
• Email Marketing: Create targeted campaigns to nurture leads and drive interest.

Creating Engaging Content for Vehicle Merchandising

Content is king, and it holds a significant role­ in captivating the audience and transforming casual browse­rs into potential customers. The ke­y lies in crafting compelling narratives that re­sonate with the reade­rs.

• Blog Posts: Share insights, tips, and industry trends to educate and inform.
• Videos: Showcase vehicles in action, highlighting features and performance.
• Customer Testimonials: Real customer experiences build trust and humanize your brand.

Utilizing Inventory Management Systems

In the age­ of big data, inventory management syste­ms have become more than just organizational tools – they are now strategic asse­ts. These systems stre­amline merchandising efforts, track inve­ntory accurately, and provide valuable ve­hicle information, ultimately maximizing potential re­turn on investment.

Enhancing the User Experience on the Dealership’s Website

Creating a use­r-friendly website goes beyond just aesthetics. It involves crafting a seamless online journey that mirrors the experience of being in a physical store.

• Mobile Optimization: Ensure a consistent experience across all devices.
• Live Chat Support: Provide real-time assistance, mirroring in-store customer service.
• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive navigation enhances user satisfaction and conversion.

Personalization and Customer Engagement

Personalization goes beyond simply using a customer’s name in an e­mail. It involves creating customized experiences that de­eply connect with each individual.

• Personalized Emails: Content that reflects individual preferences and behaviors.
• Targeted Advertisements: Reach the right audience with relevant offers.
• Proactive Communication: Engage customers throughout the buying process, building relationships.

Monitoring and Analyzing Performance

Effective­ monitoring and analysis of performance goes beyond mere numbers. It involves gaining valuable insights that fuel ongoing improvement. By utilizing tools and metrics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and refining strategies based on data-driven insights, dealerships can drive meaningful progress.

Conclusion

Enhancing your dealership’s online vehicle merchandising strategy is a multifaceted approach that requires understanding shifting consumer behavior, implementing winning strategies, leveraging expert photography insights, and utilizing time-saving software tools. By embracing these tips and strategies, you can stand out from the competition and drive sales in today’s digital landscape.

The post 7 tips for enhancing your dealership’s online vehicle merchandising strategy appeared first on CBT News.

Exceptional leaders recognize that their roles extend far beyond overseeing daily operations and concentrating on KPIs and other metrics. By providing individualized guidance, managers and executives can support and inspire their teams for personal and professional growth. There’s another benefit to a culture of mentorship: a sharper competitive edge for your dealership. 

Here’s how to put this concept into practice.

Fostering open communication

One role that every mentor should embrace is that of a trusted advisor. An open-door policy and regular one-on-one meetings create opportunities to learn about each employee’s hopes, challenges, and ideas. This practice encourages an frank dialogue and mutual understanding between leaders and team members.  

Effective mentors don’t just rely on annual reviews to provide feedback. They consider themselves coaches who provide ongoing guidance that offers constructive suggestions for improvement and recognizes achievements. Real-time observations give team members the insights to continuously refine skills and maximize strengths. 

Providing personalized guidance

While a manager sets broad goals for their department, a mentor takes a personalized approach by tailoring opportunities to each employee. They get to know each employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and passions, and guide them to projects where they can succeed. That one employee’s enthusiasm for social media could translate into working on a digital marketing initiative. Or that technician who’s embracing the transition to EVs with gusto could lead the way for others in the service department. 

Providing this individualized attention not only creates a pathway for advancement, but also variety, ensuring a career that’s engaging, interesting, and skill enhancing. The process should also include regular discussions to map out personalized development plans. These get-togethers can focus on training opportunities, skill-building projects, and next-level roles.

Leading by Example

We’ve all had a boss that issues behind-the-desk commands, but chances are they didn’t make a great mentor. The best mentors lead by example. You’ve heard it a thousand times, actions speak louder than words. This means demonstrating the values and behavior you wish to install in others. Don’t hesitate to share your own career journey and challenges. Be sure to include the lessons learned during these conversations. Team members will feel more comfortable about stretching and growing if they know you’ve been through the same thing. 

Successful mentors also demonstrate work-life balance, creating reasonable workplace expectations while supporting a life outside of work. Why does this matter? Because there’s a direct connection between high levels of workplace stress and the desire to find a new job, says the American Psychological Association. In a 2021 study, the organization found that stressed-out team members are three times more likely to look for different employment. 

Above all else, a mentor must walk the talk when it comes to ethics and integrity. By holding themself accountable to the highest standards, they set the bar for conduct expectations for everyone else.

Fostering a sense of belonging

Making each employee feel valued is another essential role of a mentor. Look beyond roles and responsibilities, by taking a genuine interest in each staff member’s outside passions. This includes recognizing life events from birthdays to personal milestones. It’s a no-brainier way of enhancing morale. And so is organizing social events for the team. 

Establishing a supportive workplace community helps provide emotional fuel for those days when the going gets tough. At the same time, employees feel that their contributions matter, which inspires them to continue with their best efforts. 

Cultivating continuous learning

A superior mentor instills an appetite for continuous learning in their team. Importantly, this goes beyond mandated service or sales training. Look for conferences and workshops opportunities that expand professional development. And education doesn’t have to be a one-way street. Empower employees to share their knowledge by leading department seminars, cross-training team members, or mentoring interns. 

Further, a mentor serves as a role model for lifelong curiosity. No matter how much experience you have, there’s always something new to learn. Such activities remind the team to expand capabilities and sharpen their skills. 

The post The mentorship mindset: how effective leaders nurture the growth of their teams appeared first on CBT News.

Dealers are seeing more inventory- meaning their lots are filling back up. In fact, the Matt Bowers Auto Group, based near New Orleans, Louisiana, has had several stores lead their markets in a new volume in May. On today’s Inside Automotive, we’re joined by Matt Bowers, Owner of Matt Bowers Auto Group, to discuss the new volume and other business happening for the group.

Bowers began selling cars, all while in law school. But, due to the opportunity he saw within the industry, he knew the industry was a better fit. Bowers states, “I worked, saw opportunities, and continued to progress.” The way Bowers sees it, if you perform at a high level, and you don’t remove yourself from conversations that don’t bring influence, and if you have the talent and mobility, then the right people will find you. The industry is mixed with trial and error, but if you can spot the opportunity and get into the right conversations, you’re headed in the right direction. 

Customer Experience

Growing up in the industry, Bowers was made to believe, “The facility should be used as the utility of the operating business.” But as the world continues to evolve, so has branding. In addition, “The revenue over the last few years has substantially grown. Therefore, dealers must have the best avenues to reach their customers,” asserts Bowers. In addition, the whole operation’s standards have risen. Therefore, he claims, “It would be best to make yourself and your dealership accessible through various channels to meet customers where they are.” 

Operations 

As it exists today, inventory is different. It’s different by OEM, market, and by model. Bowers notes, “Some models are readily available and some that customers prefer.” However, “It differs by brand.” The other part of inventory deals with pricing. Inventory fluctuates due to customers being unable to afford their car payments, and dealers can’t afford to keep the vehicles on the lots. But, if dealers represent a brand in a large metro market, they will support sending cars to customers where they live. Ultimately, Bowers asserts, “I am in a position where the OEMs are supplying me with a 60-day supply, but I’m also not seeing where I have too many cars.” For example, Bowers recently built a stand alone Jeep facility in Baton Rouge. It’s a part of an incredible investment in part of it’s reliability for the well-known brand. 

Electric vehicles

Bowers has met with several dealers; some want to promote EVs, while others are hesitant. This holds true from Southeast Louisiana to Metro Nashville and even the Florida Gulf. There isn’t enough demand. Bowers gives the following example: “I think we will be in demand one day, but as of right now, I was driving past a woman and her child on the interstate in Baton Rouge, but I couldn’t run and get them a gas canister to fill their tank; instead, the family had to wait for a tow truck just to get a charge.

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

The post Enhancing your dealers’ brands to reach your customers where they are — Matt Bowers | Matt Bowers Auto Group appeared first on CBT News.

Fake identification, fake income. And it costs dealers and lenders alike.

This year’s Point Predictive Survey of auto lenders revealed that not only are 70% of respondents expecting a recession later this year but that fake IDs and falsified income are their biggest worries. 

It’s such a big problem that about 10% of lenders said they have stopped working with up to 50 or more dealers due to fraudulent loans being submitted.

Both can be costly both for your store and for your customer. F&I is often at the center of both types of fraud and it’s important to understand how to safeguard your process internally so you can both spot fake ID scams and proactively learn to spot fraudulent income information. 

How to spot fake ID scams

Here are some red flags to watch for that may mean your customer is not who they say they are:

• Never a down payment – Often the thieves will put together a 100% finance deal. After all, they have no intention of paying it back anyway so why bother putting any real money down?
• Saturday purchases only – Running this kind of scam means coming in when things are so busy that you hope no one notices anything is wrong with the ID. These fraudsters understand how the dealership environment works and they know that busy days are ones where a store is more likely to push the deal through faster to be able to deliver as many cars as possible. Spot deals almost always happen on Saturday and those are the ones most at risk.
• Delivery in unusual places – If your customer asks for the delivery to take place at a nondescript office complex at 8pm on a Tuesday, this could be a problem. Or if they want to meet in front of the local Walmart, be wary.

Scammers will try to take delivery somewhere other than the dealership lot. It may seem strange but, in many cases, this is what tipped off local authorities.   

• Take ALL F&I products offered – Make sense when you think about it. If the scammer knows they have no intention to pay for this car, why not say yes to ALL the F&I products? They don’t care but ultimately, they want to get out of the F&I office as fast as they can. 

What ‘fake income’ looks like…

This could be easier to spot when presented with income documentation either as a stip for approval or if your F&I staff is looking at information written on a credit application. 

• Perfectly rounded numbers – Sure, some may round up a little when talking about their income but it’s rare that it’s $70,000.00 on an actual W2 or pay stub. It’s too easy to present it that way. 
• Documents that look unprofessional – If the presented W2 or paystub LOOKS sketchy, it probably is. Misspellings, employer ID numbers that look too long or too short, and no tax info (if a paystub) are red flags. 
• O’s and 0’s used incorrectly – Amateur criminals easily get tripped up on this and it should be easy for your staff to spot as well.  
• Non-US Based Company – How convenient that the company is based overseas. Fraudsters will assume that no one will verify with a company in another country but unless it’s a well-known entity and the applicant gives you the information about how to find them, think twice.  
• Paystubs and/or Credit App Info Inconsistent – Dates all over the place, income variance from one job to the next being TOO great ($15 per hour one job and then the current job paying $125k…sure.) 

Being ready to identify fraud from the beginning helps maintain a solid relationship with your lenders and keeps your dealership out of the minds of criminals who look for dealerships that aren’t as proactive in catching these types of scams.

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

The post Tips to help spot identity and income verification fraud appeared first on CBT News.

Causes of disconnection

While service managers and technicians are on the same team, they really live in two different worlds. This divide comes from distinct job responsibilities. Plus, the gap grows wider when other circumstances are at play.

Insufficient training

Many challenges in the workplace can be traced to a lack of training (both in quantity and quality). If a staff person responds to a situation with an “I didn’t know that” comment, you can rightly point to deficient training as the reason. Of course, staff education extends beyond technical instruction. Managers and technicians should fully understand the procedures and systems related to their specific jobs. 

Misplaced talent

Promoting from within is a great way to motivate employees. But let’s be honest in saying that not every top-flight technician is well-suited to joining the ranks of management. Yet, it happens all the time. In these cases, resentment builds from both sides. 

A new manager gets overwhelmed by different priorities, and technicians get frustrated by someone who forgets what it’s like to be in the trenches. At the same time, that newly minted service department manager may not be as familiar with the role as they should be (another instance of a lack of training).

Unclear goals and expectations

It’s easy to fall into the trap of just getting the work done and not looking at the bigger picture. Perhaps plans and objectives were discussed at one time, but those discussions are no longer a regular occurrence. It’s hard to follow a path when there’s no roadmap to follow. To create a framework for goal setting, try devising S.M.A.R.T. goals using the template below:

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

Creating a unified service department

Getting service managers and technicians on the same page isn’t rocket science. Using tried-and-true techniques, you can establish or re-launch the necessary connections.

Foster communication

Just like training is vital, so is communication. According to a study by Dynamic Signal, ineffective company communication causes workplace anxiety for 80% of U.S. employees. It’s impossible for someone to keep up with expectations if they’ve never been told about the requirements. An expanded dialogue will keep everyone in the loop and foster inclusion instead of isolation. Approaches can include starting or expanding stand-up meetings, printed memos, or a regular email newsletter. 

Take advantage of technology

Chances are your dealership already has the technology infrastructure that can help improve communication among service department staff but isn’t being fully utilized. Take a look at what’s available and incorporate these systems into an expanded communications plan. 

Work towards shared goals

Service department staff will perform as a team when working towards common goals. This reinforces the “we” mindset rather than a “you versus me” approach. For instance, customer satisfaction and retention rates are benchmarks that both managers and technicians can relate to. 

Provide feedback opportunities

Look for ways to incorporate feedback into management and technician interactions. This could be done informally, such as during a meeting or under an open-door policy. Or through a more structured process like 360-degree reviews where technicians can assess their managers. 

Importantly, demonstrate that you’re acting on the feedback that’s received. This doesn’t have to happen every time, but nothing is worse than an ignored suggestion box. 

Reinvigorate culture

Fostering teamwork through team activities and events can create stronger bonds between service managers and technicians and open a dialogue. Something as fundamental as sharing a meal can go a long way to building connections and culture.

The post Is there a disconnect between your service managers and technicians? Here’s how to fix it appeared first on CBT News.

Could you be sabotaging your own success? On today’s episode of CBT Now, we’re exploring the “Upper Limit Problem,” a common problem many of us experience in business with allowing ourselves to enjoy our wins without boundaries. Joining us is Gay Hendricks, the founder of the Hendricks Institute, to discuss his new book, “The Big Leap,” which explores this problem and how to overcome it.

Hendricks asserts that the Upper Limit Problem is the human tendency to bump up against limits in an attempt to grow. In other words, the subconscious self-sabotage that happens when we taste something great. Be it a promotion, financial windfall, a great relationship, or any other means of success. Furthermore, Hendricks notes his work at the institution is geared toward helping people spot when they’re “Upper-Limiting” and how to navigate through it.

Key Takeaways: 

1. Take a moment to evaluate if you attribute to the Upper Limit issue by learning how to spot it: Eliminate worrisome, unproductive thoughts that you can’t change. 

2. You get power back when you shift your focus to valuable thoughts instead.

3. Release your need to be right. It will direct conversations away from solutions and add to your upper-limit problem. 

4. Fear is characterized as a trigger from childhood trauma that will hold you back and ensure artificial shyness.  

5. Life is about constantly being open and receptive to receiving positive energy. It keeps your attention on everything inside, where everything starts; the shine you already have.

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

The post How to identify and fix the ‘Upper Limit Problem’ – Gay Hendricks | Hendricks Institute appeared first on CBT News.

What are the long-term costs of electric vehicles (compared to gas-powered cars)?

Electric Costs vs. Gas

Both gas and electric cars require some math to understand what you are really paying. To be fair, your gas-powered vehicle will feel easier in part because gas stations list the price of gas, and your miles per gallon are easy to track.

The cost to charge your vehicle at home will be mostly dependent upon the price you pay per kilowatt hour. While the amount could literally be listed clearly on your power bill, you can also do a little math and divide the number of kilowatt hours used in a month by the total cost of your electric bill, minus natural gas!

A couple of key things to know here: the average cost per kilowatt per hour in the United States is $0.16. The average electric car uses about three to four kilowatts per mile.

With the average American driver going around 13,000 miles per year, you can expect to spend $60 per month on electrical to power your vehicle.

You should also note that the price to charge on a private, paid network is higher than charging at your own place, and a bit more money to charge faster, often in until 45 minutes. 

Just like gasoline, the amount you’ll pay depends on location. While we like to remain objective when discussing vehicles, it’s clear that based on current gasoline and electric prices, an electric car should carry a lower month-to-month recharging and refueling cost. 

Repairs and Maintenance

While more modern vehicles often required fewer service appointments over the last couple of decades with the formulation of synthetic oil, some drivers feel like they get nickel and dimed by small things over the course of their vehicle’s lifetime with the replacement of spark plugs and anything else that might cause performance issues or an engine light.

Electric vehicles require less maintenance, but, and this is a bit of a big but, the repairs can be more expensive by $100 or more. A key difference here is that the electric vehicle, which doesn’t see the service department as often, is more likely to need a bigger repair, though less frequently.

The battery is one of the biggest questions from both dealers and drivers. Is the battery going to need to be replaced? Will it offer miles over the years? While that article asks questions about the pricing for preowned EVs, it reflects the less-than-predictable nature of the long-term use of batteries.

To be completely fair, gas engines tend to cost more as they age, so this isn’t exactly a new problem!

So what should I do as a car dealer selling electric vehicles?

Educate your customers to the best of your knowledge. Ask the customer questions about their vehicle use and listen for areas where the customer might be concerned about long-term costs.

Help them learn what to look for in terms of when to bring their electric vehicle in for service. While it won’t need many if any fluid checks, you’ll want to keep an eye on the chassis, battery, power steering, electric motors, brakes, and some other items. Filters and suspension are important too!

You can also talk about gas and electric costs in a similar manner to speaking of gas mileage: The range or miles per gallon ratings aren’t guaranteed and are based on normal, calm driving.

Conclusion

Electric and gas-powered vehicles have different costs and ways of measuring costs. Long term, electric vehicles will likely need less frequent but potentially large repairs than gas-powered vehicles. On the plus side, an electric car driver will likely see the service department less, while paying less for electric charging depending on the price of electricity in their area.

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

The post Evaluating the long-term costs of electric vehicles: pros and cons appeared first on CBT News.

Customer service speed can make or break a dealership’s brand loyalty and long-term growth. On this episode of Inside Automotive, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Jay Baer, speaker, business growth and customer experience research and New York Times Best Selling Author, to explore service efficiency and whether companies can ever be too fast when helping customers in-store or online.

Baer’s findings on customer service speed have been compiled into a small but handy book called “The Time to Win: How to Exceed Your Customers’ Need for Speed,” currently available on Amazon. While researching the book, Baer discovered that buyers have drastically changed in terms of what they prioritize in their shopping experience. Consumers now care much more about their time and how it is spent than ever before. In fact, when it comes to shopping for products and services, two-thirds of all customers surveyed by Baer said speed was just as important as price. “So if you’re thinking about where to rank speed on your list of business priorities,” Baer remarks, “it needs to be towards the top because it’s already towards the top of the priorities of your customers.”

This newfound emphasis on speed has naturally led to changes in consumer preference and what buyers expect from dealership customer service departments. Whereas before, shoppers would spend more time researching deals and products, 50% today will purchase from whoever contacts them first or returns their call regardless of price. The reason behind this statistic, explains Baer, is the relationship between speed and perceived respect. “Today, we are in an environment where we interpret speed as caring,” he notes. “When a business is faster and more responsive, we take that to mean that they care about us, our money and our wellbeing more, and we vote accordingly with our money.”

Speaking broadly, the more time a dealership frees up for a client, the more likely they are to receive that client’s business. The opposite is also true: the more time companies spend taking care of their consumers, the less business they are likely to earn. But while car dealers should take this notion to heart and begin searching for ways to boost customer service efficiency, Baer warns that there are exceptions to this rule. Indeed, there are circumstances where businesses can be too fast when responding to a client. For example, many chatbots are programmed to wait several seconds before responding to customers, even though most platforms are capable of generating instantaneous responses. This is because web users will become suspicious if a chatbot responds too quickly and feel that their questions are not being taken seriously. In other words, when customer service speed is increased for the sake of the brand rather than the buyer experience, clients are likely to notice and feel resentment.

However, even though car dealers should carefully consider its customer service touch points and how speed can affect the consumer experience, most will see more loyalty from buyers if they show respect for their time. As technology continues to alter the relationship between buyer and dealership, Baer notes that responsiveness and efficiency will remain crucial for business success in the future.

"I think we're just going to have to...get off this thought that it's just going to be all EV, all the time, all over the U.S. I just don't see it going that way." — John Luciano

The post The role of speed in customer service and car buyer loyalty — Jay Baer appeared first on CBT News.

A Lightning-Fast Synopsis

Nearly everyone uses the Internet to find basic info about products and services these days. The search engine marketing programs available on both Google and Bing simply offer an auction system that allows businesses, including dealerships, the ability to “buy” a higher spot on the search results page by bidding against other businesses, including dealers.

The Competitors: Google vs. Bing

The two primary search engines in the U.S. market are Google and Bing. There is almost no doubt you’ve heard and used Google. Bing also the ability to buy ads and is an “up and comer” when it comes to ads though the platform has existed for more than a decade.

Let’s see how they compare. Our comparison is meant to be an objective, honest look:

Google vs Bing

We are going to break down a comparison between Google and Bing in a few ways. Bearing in mind that the basic system involves paying for individual clicks within a larger overall monthly budget, in most cases, for dealerships.

Traffic Volume

If you didn’t know much about Bing’s search engine before today, or even this year or last, you are not alone! Bing doesn’t get nearly the volume of searches that Google enjoys. Google gets most of the search traffic in multiple countries, including the United States. Honestly, most car dealerships won’t be able to drive enough traffic with just Bing ads.

Cost per click

The cost per visitor to your site is a rather important part of what makes search engine marketing go – simply stated, good quality with good keywords can have a lower cost oer click for good traffic. Google’s cost per click tends to be higher than Bing because Google is more competitive with a lot more dealers and businesses trying to pay for representation and clicks.

Types of Ads

While we will dive into more detail in later articles, Bing and Google have different types of ads – though really, they do tend to copy each other a little bit. Google offers a Vehicle Listing Ads system that takes a product feed, in addition to offering display networks and “Performance Max” ads. Bing has similar offerings in many ways, with “Performance Max” coming soon.

Shifts in Traffic

Later last year and earlier this year, a small amount of Google’s fairly large market share was eroded when Bing launched an artificial intelligence and AI-enabled search. Google has been working hard on a similar program called Bard. Expect both Google and Bing to make continuous improvements to artificial intelligence, including within their advertisements, in order to attract advertisers

AI has the potential to help people shop for cars – and we’ll see which one is better in the long run!

Demographics

Google and Bing don’t tend to offer the same audience. Why? Because Bing is integrated into some devices and the software in some machines, including Microsoft’s browsers and the search within their operating systems.

The average Bing user is a little older – and potentially has a bit more education and disposable income. This is not to say that Bing is used by old people – but with a more limited user base and people who are more “mature,” your dealership might benefit from providing search results to those with the higher potential for getting the credit to buy a vehicle.

Conclusion

Google and Bing have unique strengths. Our unbiased comparison is intended to help you decide how to use each one. In our honest opinion, you should probably put your dealership ads on at least a little bit of both.

The post Bing ads vs Google ads: choosing the right platform for your dealership appeared first on CBT News.