Jessica de Vries

DIGITAL marketing is a bit like tomorrow – you know it’s coming but you’re not sure what it will bring.

One company involved in applying digital tools to automotive retail, global marketing company Search Optics, believes it has a better chance than most of knowing what tomorrow will bring.

Search Optics’ new managing director for Australia and New Zealand, former Carsguide.com.au national sales director Jessica de Vries, said buyers are currently in transition from visiting dealerships for information to buying a car online.

“There is a big shift to mobile phones as a tool to find cars,” she told GoAutoNews Premium.

“Notably, there has been significant streamlining of the online sites so they have become more informative and easier to use compared to only about three years ago.

“In the near future I see a greater transition to online as a means for people to research and buy cars but for the future – say in 10 years. We will really see the evolution to car sharing and fluid car ownership and with it the evolution of dealerships.

“The days of visiting car dealerships to gain information about brands and prices before purchase has been replaced by digital channels.

“It seems that the industry’s online activities have not kept pace with consumers’ purchase paths, which is why many dealers turn to Search Optics.”

The company entered Australia from the US in 2015 and enjoyed steady growth in 2016. Ms de Vries said this year will see the business accelerate as it employs new methods and opens up its case book to prospective dealerships.

“Change is inevitable and the OEMs and dealers have embraced new technology with the OEMs especially having a heavy influence on the presentation and functions of these online sites,” she said.

“In some cases, the dealers will work with the OEMs but there is an increase in dealer groups going it alone with new sites. Most OEMs don’t dictate to the dealers but they are very supportive.”

Australia is close to completing a case study for future clients, but as an example, the company’s North American business lifted total leads in one Ford dealerships by 4.7 times within three months.

It reported that Campbell Ford in Ottawa, Canada, wanted to shift its advertising budget from traditional media to digital marketing. It partnered with Search Optics’ customised dealer digital direct (D3) websites and digital advertising solutions (DAS) marketing services.

The aim was to drive traffic to the dealer’s website and create sales opportunities and leads, using the D3 and DAS tools and including the targeting of social media. Search Optics, which now works with about 450 Ford dealers in North America, said the results were a 4.6 times increase in website visits, a 286 per cent increase in total website activities, and a 4.7 times rise in total leads.

“Australia has a strong automotive market, which, combined with consumers’ digital habits, presents challenges and opportunities for OEMs, dealer groups and local dealerships to improve their digital presence and capture sales,” Ms de Vries said.

“Using our local knowledge and international expertise, Search Optics has continued to grow its local client portfolio, delivering strong business results by providing our dealers with an intelligence platform that eliminates guesswork from their digital strategy.”

Roy Morgan Research, in its Automotive Currency Report, said that 2.37 million Australians are in the market to buy a new car within the next four years, with 43 per cent of these customers doing most of their research online.

By Neil Dowling