SOCIAL MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS

C O N N E CT I N G W I T H Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y D U R I N G C O V I D - 1 0

STAYING CONNECTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

DURING COVID-19

Amidst COVID-19, time spent on social media has soared as people seek out ways to stay connected from the safety of their home. Emotions are high and sentiment and tone are being received more delicately than ever. That is why, we recommend that dealerships stay connected where people spend time online like Facebook and Instagram. Dealers should evaluate both organic and paid social strategies, closely assessing and monitoring the messaging shared within a dealer’s community. This may be a time of uncertainty, but it’s also a time for dealers to build trusting relationships that will help their business get through this global crisis and ensure shoppers remember their dealer when life returns to normal.

• Facebook has reported record usage of their apps, with messaging

increasing more than 50% in March 2020.

• According to a recent study, 22% of respondents said they want

brands to share information on how they are supporting their staff

and customers during this

time.

• Facebook has revealed a weakening in their advertising business

and, when combined with record setting levels of user activity, ad

impressions are seeing a significant decrease in cost.

• CDK Digital Marketing saw a 22% average decrease in Cost per

Impression (CPM) for advertisers on Facebook during March 2020.

• CDK reports that dealers advertising on Facebook in March 2020

reaped the benefits of increased levels of shopper engagement with

an average 17% decrease in Cost per Click, 14% decrease in Cost per

VDP (non-unique) and 11% decrease in Cost per Lead (unique).

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

SINCRO DIGITAL IS HERE TO HELP.PRINCIPLES OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS

• Communicate how dealer business is adjusting to COVID-19

• Be transparent about health and safety issues

• Build trust and deepen community relations

When building a strategy to communicate on social media during COVID-19, keep these key items in mind:

• In a time of uncertainty, people are seeking reassurance of a dealer's commitment to them so make peace of mind a focus of the dealer's strategy.

• Monitoring and responding on social is more important than ever, so dealers need to make sure that they are set up to review customer feedback closely and respond quickly.

• Emotions are high, so dealers need to be ready to shift their content strategy accordingly and review all customer-facing messaging for relevancy and sensitivity.

• Lower cost ad impressions created by fewer advertisers and record setting app usage present a unique opportunity to maximize advertising dollars and earn new brand loyalists.

Every dealership is impacted differently by COVID-19 and will recover at their own speed, so it’s important to note that there is no one size fits all approach for communication on social media. Therefore, we’ve put together a list of ideas for dealers and their team to consider including in a COVID-19 social communication plan.

For dealers located in a community that is impacted by COVID-19, it’s critical that the dealer have a plan to put customers at ease in the places where they are spending their time online. According to new data from Kantar, Facebook usage grew by 37% in March 2020 making it more important than ever to communicate with users onsocial media.

BUILD A SOCIAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGYTHAT REASSURES CUSTOMERS OF THE DEALERS COMMITMENT TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

ORGANIC SOCIAL STRATEGYPOST A PERSONAL WEBSITE MESSAGE AND SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIAL CHANNELS.

The manner in which dealers engage with their community during impactful events can impact the dealer’s reputation and influence future purchasing decisions. Dealer Principals and General Managers are brand ambassadors and can earn trust by engaging on social media when there’s no reward to be gained.

Dealers should craft a personal message on a dedicated COVID-19 landing page of the dealer website that shows that the dealer cares for the community and are adjusting dealer business to support customers during this unprecedented time. Dealers should share this page in the places that their customers will go first to connect with the dealer, like social media so that it’s easy for people to understand how the dealership is impacted by COVID-19.

ORGANIC SOCIAL STRATEGYTHE FACEBOOK BANNER IS A DEALER'S SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWROOM.

Many customers will refer to the dealership’s Facebook page for details on

business operations. It is critical that a dealer regularly update Sales and

Service operations changes, as these are subject to change as state policy

regarding COVID-19 changes. In order to keep customers informed, we

recommend that dealers update their Facebook banner with content like:

• A focus on vehicle Service.

• If the Sales Department is open, but under limited operations, post

updated hours and online procedures.

• Summarize key announcements to customers in a bullet list.

• Add details to the “Description” area of the post, because it also shows

up as a post.

• Repost this on the dealership’s Google My Business profile as well.

ORGANIC SOCIAL STRATEGYKEEP CUSTOMER HEALTH AND SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT.

If the dealership’s Sales Department is open, address how sales staff are

employing safety measures.

• Highlight alternative sales experiences, such as conducting walkarounds and sales

processes via video conferencing tools.

• Detail test drive options for social distancing.

• Share how facilities are being cleaned and disinfected.

• Be specific about the areas (desks, door handles, restrooms, waiting areas) where the

dealership is taking additional precautions.

• Let shoppers know how vehicles are being cleaned and disinfected.

• Include measures taken after each test drive and whether plastic covers are being used

inside vehicles.

• Be transparent about the direction dealer leadership has provided employees on staying

home if they have symptoms.

• Review how business has changed or stopped food and beverages services, such as vending

machines, coffee, and snacks.

If the dealer’s Service Department is open, communicate how the

dealership is keeping customers safe.

• No-contact drop-off/pick-up options, such as with a night key drop.

• Details on how vehicles are cleaned and disinfected. Are valets and technicians instructed

to use a new pair of gloves with each contact? Are interior surfaces wiped down with

disinfectant?

• Dealer offers to pick up and deliver vehicles for service.

ORGANIC SOCIAL STRATEGYGET CREATIVE WITH SAFETY TIPS THAT PROMOTE GENERAL WELL-BEING.

Think outside the box and share relevant automotive safety information that will help people stay safe beyond their interactions with the dealership.

This positions a business as a trusted resource and

deepens relationships within the community of

shoppers that may choose to turn to the dealer at a

later date for sales or service.

Examples:

ORGANIC SOCIAL STRATEGYPOSITION A DEALERSHIP AS A TRUSTED PARTNER AND RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Use social channels to highlight how the dealership

is involved in their community to combat COVID-19,

support first responders, doctors and nurses, and

efforts around safety and cleanliness.

• Include locations where dealer customers can find no-contact pickup

and deliveries from local restaurants.

• Supply locations of food banks and food drop off locations.

• Provide information for the donation of any Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE) people might have, to support doctors and nurses

and other essential workers. Many volunteers have started ‘Mask

Brigades’ to make it easy for the community to donate.

• Highlight any special pricing the dealer offers to essential workers.

• Share the positive things the OEM is doing.

• Increase engagement by showcasing anything virtual: museum tours,

online book clubs, yoga and cooking classes, online concerts.

• Make it clear how customers can reach the dealership: hours of

business, phone numbers, etc.

PAID SOCIAL STRATEGYSHIFT THE FOCUS OF DIGITAL ADVERTISING.

Depending on how a dealership is impacted by COVID-19, consider shifting the digital advertising strategy to focus less on sales campaigns and more on the vital communication of how the dealership is adjusting to support customers during this challenging time.

• Deploy ads that make it simple for customers to understand how the dealership is now operating.

• Visually communicate the actions the business has taken to best serve customers during this difficult time in a carousel style ad.

• Drive traffic to a dedicated COVID-19 response landing page that allows customers to learn more about these changes and easily get in touch with dealer sales or service teams.

• Deploy messaging that promotes business hours, in-home services and weave in an incentive that will encourage appointments.

• The dealer’s Service Department is vital to the community and essential workers who need to commute, so use service focused ads to remind people why it’s important that the service department is open and how the service model has changed.

• Make gift cards available to support the dealership and invite customers to support the dealership with the purchase of a gift card in your advertising.

PAID SOCIAL STRATEGYWEAVE WELLNESS MESSAGING INTO THE DEALERSHIPS ADVERTISING STRATEGY TO BUILD TRUST.

• Consider “well-being” advertisements that promote how the dealership is maintaining

general health and safety standards across the entire business to build the confidence

of customers.

• Deploy service campaigns with language and imagery that creates peace of mind and

encourages appointments. Include details like use of gloves or surface coverings, social

distancing rules within your dealership and door-to-door delivery options.

• The competition may go silent on social media, but shoppers remain and are seeking

safe ways to shop. If the Sales Department is open, promote inventory with Automotive

Inventory Ads and include copy that clearly communicates how the dealer can provide

a “contactless” sales experience.

• According to a research report from Global Web Index, 44% of millennials and 35% of

Gen X’ers are consuming more online video during COVID-19. Invest in video advertising

that showcases a personal brand message that let’s everyone know how you are

providing a safe customer experience during COVID.

PAID SOCIAL STRATEGYADJUST PAID AUDIENCE STRATEGY TO CREATE NEW BRAND LOYALISTS AND RE-ENGAGE EXISTING ONES.

Engagement on social media is up and people are looking to connect online and learn how they can best protect themselves and support their community during COVID-19. With Cost per Impression at a low, now is the perfect time to broaden a dealer's reach on social with timely, relevant messaging. Evaluate who the dealer is reaching on social today and what type of audience the dealer would like to start reaching.

• Increase reach with acquisition campaigns by expanding the mile radius that your ads are being delivered around your dealership. Facebook will allow a dealer to expand up to 50 miles, but dealers may also add nearby cities outside of that rad iusthat include customers willing to do business. Keep in mind any restrictions a dealer may currently have in place for locatio n-based, in-home services.

• Upload CMS or DMS based audiences that could be valuable to communicate with during COVID-19 and deliver targeted ad messaging. For example, deliver ads to customers due for service and remind them how the service model has changed or any incentives you may be running to encourage appointments.

• Leverage lookalike audiences on Facebook to reach users who are likely to convert into brand loyalists. Upload customer lists and let Facebook identify who locally may be best suited to engage with the dealership based on their geographic location andinterests. Introduce them to the dealer's brand with targeted advertising that shares the brand story and how the dealership is supporting their community during COVID-19.

Additional Social Media Tools for Ongoing Community Engagement During COVID-19

FACEBOOK PINNED POST

Ensure visitors to the dealerships Facebook Page can find

important information about the business quickly by pinning a

post that stays at the top of the timelines.

FACEBOOK MESSENGER

According to a Facebook study,58% of people feel more

confident messaging a business than filling out a form on a

website. Monitoring and responding to customers on

Messenger can build relationships and trust.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE

Reach even more shoppers by extending to Facebook

Marketplace where dealers can showcase the Used inventory

available on lot.

FACEBOOK LIVE

Interact in real-time with this free video tool which allows dealers to give their community a behind-

the-scenes look into the dealership. Consider sharing

things like a dealership tour while meeting the staff, updates on

specials or vehicle walkarounds.

FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM STORIESAccording to Facebook, 62% of people said they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories. This free tool allows dealers to easily share pictures and videos

that best represent their brand. Record quick videos of fresh on the lot vehicles and let shoppers know the best way to reach

your sales team during COVID-19.

FACEBOOK SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM

Facebook is committing to giving away $40 million to support 10,000 small businesses in 34 locations in the US. Learn

whether your dealership qualifies.

Need more support?We're here for you.