As one of the largest social media websites in the world, Twitter provides a unique marketing opportunity for auto dealers and dealer groups. By taking advantage of this media and linking it with offline and other online marketing efforts, you can enhance the effectiveness of all your marketing and branding campaigns. But, the question remains: how do you turn Twitter from a fun social media site into a money-making tool in your marketing arsenal?

Here are some ways you can help ensure that Twitter benefits your bottom line and isn’t just wasting your time:

– Reference offline marketing – Running a television commercial? Upload it to YouTube and link to it from Twitter so your followers can watch it again anytime they want. This technique works especially well if you have a blooper video or an uncut version, since that motivates followers to click by giving them something new to see. Do the same thing for print ads; tweet a link to an uploaded image of a print ad, or alert followers to an upcoming coupon in next week’s newspaper. In this way, you can increase awareness of your offline promotions and in turn increase the return on them.

– Include real-time updates – If you’ve been promoting a sales event or another happening at your dealership, tweet real-time updates before, during, and after the event. Including pictures is also exceptionally helpful because it gives followers an idea of what to expect when they come visit your lot. For example, if you’re hosting a tent event, post a photo of some of the vehicles you’re offering and invite followers to come check it out. Ask followers to re-tweet your posts as well so that your message is more widely distributed.

– Offer exclusive discounts – Keep your Twitter followers motivated to come visit you by offering online-only discounts. For example, if you want to boost customers coming for oil changes and other maintenance, then you may want to post something along the lines of, “Reference this tweet and get $5 off an oil change!” You may be reducing the profit slightly on individual oil changes, but you’ll make up for it by bringing in customers who wouldn’t have otherwise visited.

– Post related information – People have followed you on Twitter because they have some interest in what you have to offer. Keep them intrigued by posting links to articles and other online information that they might benefit from. For example, if there is an article in an online publication about vehicle maintenance for a make or model you offer, consider tweeting it so your followers can read it. It may just remind them that they’re behind schedule on their preventative maintenance, bringing them into your shop to catch up.

If you’d like to learn more ways to promote your dealership or dealer group using Twitter, contact an experienced auto marketing agency today. They can help you enhance all your online efforts and make the most of all these avenues.

Author Bio: Kara Alcamo, online content editor for Action Integrated Marketing.

Category: Business
Keywords: auto marketing, auto marketing twitter, social media marketing, online auto marketing