The evolution of the automotive digital marketing landscape continues for 2025, adding more ways for dealerships to connect and market to their target audience.
It’s always important for marketers to understand evolving trends and evaluate their effectiveness. Some of the top trends in automotive digital marketing might not last more than one or two years, while others will bring long-term approaches to marketing. Regardless of the trend, the goal is always the same; effectively marketing to customers to build trust, present useful products, and drive sales.
Here are just a few of the top trends in automotive digital marketing for 2025.
Voice Search Optimization for Local SEO
The popularity of voice-activated devices that provide search results has grown to incredible proportions. It’s important for marketers to understand voice searches that will be sent through devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Optimizing this type of search for local dealerships makes a huge difference in the search results. Users typically ask for nearby services or specific vehicle models, and ensuring voice search optimization helps drive this traffic to dealerships through location-based content.
AI-Powered Chatbots Evolve
AI is getting better each month, and one of the top trends in automotive digital marketing is the use of chatbots for real-time customer interactions. This enhances the customer experience and allows the sales team at a dealership to focus on customers who are physically present at the store. Chatbots can analyze customer questions and offer personalized recommendations, which guide users toward purchase decisions. Because AI-powered chatbots can operate 24/7, customers can shop and ask questions whenever they need to. This allows a dealership a much better chance of receiving a lead to follow and turn into a sale.
Connected TV (CTV) Adds Drive Engagement
Traditional television programming is becoming a thing of the past, and more viewers than ever are utilizing streaming services instead of cable television programming. CTV ads are more effective than traditional advertising. These ads offer interactive features, including clickable ads that link to virtual showrooms or dealership booking tools. Imagine booking your dealership appointment while watching your favorite show. The dealership is coming right into your living room, allowing you the ability to connect with the right location more easily.
Reliance on Data-Driven Insights has Increase
Stricter data privacy regulations and the phasing out of third-party cookies mean marketers must find other ways to collect data. This is one of the top trends in automotive digital marketing, and it means automotive websites must ask for permission to collect data and ask customers to fill out contact forms. These contact forms help to build marketing lists that can be utilized for direct marketing and targeted programs, which is a weakness of using third-party cookies.
Sustainability at the Forefront
Despite governmental flip-flopping regarding regulations and electric vehicles, the automotive world continues to focus on sustainability and environmentally friendly vehicles, including electric vehicles. These vehicles are influencing not only product lines but also marketing strategies. Marketers must create campaigns with the sustainability efforts of automakers in mind and show the long-term cost benefits of EV ownership. This can be a tough sell, with most EVs costing more at the dealership than traditional models, but the value built into focusing on eco-conscious consumers and their desire to protect the environment can pay off with excellent marketing efforts.
Email Marketing Is Still a Top Priority
One of the oldest tools in the marketing toolbox continues to be one of the top trends for automotive digital marketing. With more personalized data collected through contact forms, it can be much easier for marketers to create targeted campaigns that can be sent to various customers. Email marketing continues to be one of the best ways to engage with potential customers. Its easy to send, free to deliver, and allows the customer to view when they want to check their emails.
Immersive Content Through Video Marketing
Video marketing is all about telling a story in video form. This is one of the most effective ways to engage with an audience and continues to amplify its importance with more users than ever before, making use of videos for most queries. Immersive video content, such as 360-degree virtual tours of vehicles, test drives, and behind-the-scenes content, makes for engaging videos that customers might enjoy. These videos can be utilized on various social media platforms, ensuring a dealership’s account stays active and offers regular content to the audience on each platform.
These are some of the top trends in automotive digital marketing for 2025. Is your dealership aware of and engaging with each of these trends?
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