Sally EubanksTaking Facebook Advertising to the Next Level for Automotive Dealerships Part One: The Basics
Updated: Jul 26
In a previous article, we discussed advertising your business on Facebook with little to no budget. Facebook is one of the most effective social media platforms, with over 221.6 million members in the United States alone, and it provides both organic and paid promotion opportunities for your brand.
Advertisers may use Facebook advertising to accomplish a variety of marketing objectives, such as boosting brand recognition and improving website conversions. As said, there are both free and paid advertising options. However, your best alternative is to choose the paid way since this will enable your advertisements to obtain greater traction. You may acquire even more traction by enabling 7Social's specialists to perform all the work for you.
While this article is geared mainly toward automotive dealerships, all businesses can take what is written and apply it to their own inventories and business models. Social media, after all, is for everyone!
Our Packages
At 7Social, we have five packages specifically focused on Facebook Advertising!
Facebook Page Creation, Setup, and Management
Starting out at $995 per month, our experts will assist with the development, configuration, and administration of your Facebook page. If you already have a Facebook page, we will assess it and make any required adjustments to improve its performance. Our staff will publish on your behalf to expand your audience, but a budget for advertising is still recommended. It’s perfect for starting your road to brand recognition.
This package includes the following items.
5 Weekly Posts That Are on Topic To Drive Engagement.
Basic Chatbot Creation / Deployment
Facebook Pixel Installation
Page Creation / Audit
Level One
The Level One package generates about 80 to 150 new leads. This package starts at $2500 per month and contains everything included in the "Page Creation, Setup, and Management.
It also includes the following items.
Ad Optimization & Management
Combination of Leads, Messenger & Newsfeed Ad Types
Custom Ad Copy & Creative for All Facebook & Ig Ad Sizes
Custom Audience Creation
Level Two
This bundle begins at $5,000 per month and includes everything available in the Level One package.
It also includes the following items.
Ad Optimization & Management
Combination of Leads, Messenger & Newsfeed Ad Types
Custom Ad Copy & Creative for all Facebook & IG Ad sizes
Custom Audience Creation
Services from PC, S&M Package
Site & CRM Retargeting Ads from Pixel
The Level Two package generates 150-300 new leads per month.
Level Three
This package costs $7,500 a month and produces 250 to 500 new leads per month.
In addition to the contents in the Level Two package, the Level Three package contains the following items.
Ad Optimization & Management
Combination of Leads, Messenger & Newsfeed Ad Types
Custom Ad Copy & Creative for All Facebook & Ig Ad Sizes
Custom Audience Creation
Lead Follow-Up & Re-Engagement
Services From Pc, S&M Package
Site & CRM Retargeting Ads from Pixel
Level Four
This monthly bundle costs $10,000 and generates 350 to 700 new leads.
In addition to the items in the Level Three package, the following are included.
Ad Optimization & Management
Combination of Leads, Messenger & Newsfeed Ad Types
Custom Ad Copy & Creative for All Facebook & IG Ad Sizes
Custom Audience Creation
Services From PC, S&M Package
Site & CRM Retargeting Ads from Pixel
Benefits of Facebook Advertising
Did you know that 72% of individuals feel confident in their ability to comprehend all of the options and features offered on a vehicle without visiting a dealership or speaking with a salesperson? You're well on your way to selling without committing the time and effort of selling in a shop if you have a catalog-based solution to facilitate discovery.
Because they dynamically expose the most enticing models to the relevant audience, Automotive Inventory Ads are the ideal answer for you, the dealer, aiming to deliver frictionless solutions for your consumers.
Automotive offer advertisements are dynamic ads that show consumers who are looking for a car messages with unique and relevant offers.
Suppose you're an automotive advertiser who's already utilizing dynamic advertisements. In that case, we propose switching to Facebook to have access to a model designed specifically for the automobile industry. You submit a collection of vehicle offers with any relevant facts about offers connected to your car models and other criteria, such as special financing or cash back, with automotive offer advertising.
Facebook detects potential purchasers based on their purposes, such as website visits or Facebook activity. They then combine the correct model with the right offer to produce a captivating ad that motivates the potential consumer to act. Automotive offer advertising enables you to present automobile purchasers with relevant and timely discounts to help you seal the transaction. Listed below are some of the most significant benefits of utilizing Facebook ads for your car business.
Deals That are Tailored to Each and Every Potential Buyer
Facebook uses consumer intent to detect potential buyers and generate a tailored ad that features the most appropriate car and offer for that buyer. The interests that in-market consumers display on your website and on Facebook might be indicators of customer intent.
Online Car Buying Experience
Online, serve the proper offer to the right user, regardless of the gadget they're using. Consumer behavior on desktop, mobile, and tablet will be taken into account in your adverts.
Scalable Dynamic Ads
Your offer advertising will develop combinations that get the highest results when your inventory levels or applicable incentives vary.
Compliance Simplified
With a 1-click disclaimer or text overlay, you may reveal critical legal information when marketing financial services for your dealership.
The Facebook Ad Experience
Types of Ads
Your marketing goal determines the ad forms you can utilize. Your goal may have an impact on where your adverts appear (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network).
Image Ads
With the use of a single photograph and an optional footer, image advertisements allow you to showcase your automotive inventory and service. From Advertisements Manager, you may create image ads or promote a post that contains an image from a Facebook Page. Images of your product or brand are recommended.
You can use Image Ads to accomplish the following.
Deliver an uncomplicated message. Make a statement that encourages people to act, such as purchasing a product or visiting your website to learn more about your services.
Image advertisements may be seen in many places on Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger. They can have different aspect ratios based on the location and whether or not the image has a footer.Increase interest in your brand or services. Use a striking photo to demonstrate your brand's individuality and encourage people to like and follow your Facebook page
Raise awareness of your products. To persuade people to learn more about a product, use an appealing image of it.
Best Practices For Image Ads
You may use any of the supported image formats to create picture advertising. We recommend using a JPG or PNG file for the best results.
BMP | IFF | JPEG | TIFF |
DIB | JFIF | PNG | WBMP |
HEIC | JP2 | PSD | WEB |
HEIF | JPE | TIF | XBM |
Here are the best practices for Image Ads.
Avoid placing excessive text on the image itself. Although there is no limit to the quantity of text that can be included in an advertisement's image, we've found that images with less than 20 percent text perform better.
Focus on your message. Cropping closely around the key area of the image will keep your audience's attention. The carousel format is recommended for displaying numerous pictures in the same ad.
Preview your ads. Use Ads Manager Preview to see your ads on computers and phones as they would be seen by your target audience. You may get a preview of your ad during the creating process.
Show off your product, service, or brand. People swiftly navigate through Facebook and Instagram. To effectively express your message, show what you're offering, your brand, or your emblem.
Testing your advertisement is the best technique to determine what your audience responds to best. As you determine the most effective creative strategy for your advertisements, consider the following best practices.
Use high-resolution images
Use the recommended aspect ratio for each placement. Different aspect ratios are required for different arrangements on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network. For example, for Facebook Feed, you might want to use a 1:1 ratio, while for Instagram Stories, you might want to use a 9:16 ratio. You may utilize the asset modification option in Ads Manager to use the same picture in numerous places and ratios.
Video Ads
In feed, adding movement to your adverts might help them stand out. You may create video advertisements in the ads manager or promote a post from your Facebook page that contains a video.
You may utilize video advertising to do the following things.
Capture attention quickly. To fascinate and interest your audience, create videos that are 15 seconds or shorter.
Deliver a single message.
Make a clear, basic message that encourages individuals to take action, such as purchasing a product or visiting your website.
Multiple objectives can be used to create video advertising. Video advertisements are available in a range of aspect ratios across Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger, depending on the placement. Varying places allow for different video durations, while shorter films on mobile devices are typically more interesting. You may upload your own movie or use our video creation tools to create a video from photographs when creating video advertising.
Show off your product, service, or brand in new ways. Use video to demonstrate unique features or to explain your company's narrative.
You may utilize the asset modification option in Ads Manager to use the same video in numerous places and ratios.
Best Practices for Video Ads
Best practices for making mobile video advertising for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network are listed below.
The following video formats can be used for video advertisements. We recommend GIF, MOV, or MP4 for the best results.
3G2 | DIVX | MKV | MPEG4 | QT |
3GP | DV | MOD | MPG | TOD |
3GPP | F4V | MOV | MTS | TS |
ASF | FLV | MP4 | NSV | VOB |
AVI | GIF | MPE | OGM | WMV |
DAT | M2TS | MPEG | OGV | QT |
Here are the best practices for Video Ads.
Before you begin, keep in mind that your video ad might have numerous aims. The Video Views aim is recommended for reaching those who are most likely to watch your video. Use a recognized file format and double-check that your video matches the minimal requirements for successful ad delivery.
Capture attention quickly: Make the most appealing section of your video the very first thing you see. We recommend that you keep your films brief in general; however, some places allow for lengthier recordings. Videos can be up to 120 seconds long on Instagram Feed and Audience Network and up to 240 minutes long on Facebook Feed, Marketplace, and Messenger Home.
Design for sound off: In many instances, such as in public places, people prefer to watch videos with the sound turned off. When feasible, combine text and visuals with captions
Feature your product or brand message early: Just as you want to grab people's attention right away, make your brand identity stand out straight away so they can see and remember it. If you're going to repurpose an existing video, make sure your product or brand is shown inside the first 15 seconds.
Keep your videos short: Make your video 15 seconds or less long to encourage them to watch all the way through. Instagram Stories and Facebook in-stream placements are also available for video advertisements that are 15 seconds or less. Trim existing footage that wasn't created with mobile in mind if you wish to use it.
Use vertical or square video: Because most users hold their phones vertically, opt for a vertical or square aspect ratio to maximize screen real estate. 4:5 vertical video advertising is effective on Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network. For each ad placement, you may also crop your video.
Carousel Ads
Carousel advertising can contain up to ten pictures or videos, each with its own link, deadline, description, and call to action. People swipe their mobile devices or click the arrows on their computer screen to browse around a carousel.
These are great for vehicle detail pages and promoting specific sales or events.
Carousel Ads can help you achieve the following goals.
Carousel advertising may be created using Ads Manager or your Facebook Page. Carousel advertising may be seen in a variety of places on Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger. You may analyze your performance with carousel ad stats after your ad has begun to run.
Create a larger canvas. To create an immersive ad experience, combine all of your cards into one enormous image.
Explain a process. Demonstrate how your company operates in a step-by-step manner.
Feature multiple products that link to different landing pages. Increase your clickthrough rate by giving clients additional alternatives.
Highlight multiple features of a single product. To further educate buyers, provide multiple views or aspects of the product.
Sell the benefits. Use graphics and/or videos to demonstrate the benefits to potential consumers if your company is in the service sector.
Tell a story. To demonstrate an engaging tale, use photographs and/or videos in succession.
Best Practices For Carousel Ads
Here are some of the best practices for Carousel Ads.
Pair with the perfect landing page. Take consumers who click on a carousel card to specific product pages if you're a huge company with a lot of inventory. Suppose you have a modest inventory, direct consumers who click on a carousel card to a website that lists all of your items in that category.
Provide a variety of links. Provide a link to the product highlighted in each carousel card if you wish to promote several items or services. For example, in a carousel card with a blouse, provide a link to your blouses, and in a carousel card with shoes, include a link to your shoes. You may utilize your carousel ad to advertise external websites, Facebook Pages, Facebook events, and Facebook offers.
Reach out to your customers. Use product pictures to target those who have visited your website's product pages. When marketing to potential customers, use lifestyle pictures.
Show the best-performing cards first. The carousel format allows you to test numerous pieces of creativity at once and rank them according to how well they work. Then you may replace or delete any carousel cards that aren't operating well. You'll want to opt-out of this feature when creating your ad if you're using the carousel format to convey a sequential tale or as a canvas for one lengthy picture.
Tell your story with all the available carousel components. Images and/or videos are eye-catching but don't overlook catchy headlines, descriptions, and call-to-action buttons that provide context, depth, and encouragement. Each carousel ad can have up to ten cards.
Use a large product set. If you choose to use a product set from your catalog for your carousel ad, we recommend that you select a fairly broad set. To display in your ad, items must be in stock, not rejected, and not variants of the same product. If the number of available items in the set ever falls to less than 2, your carousel ad turns into a single image ad or stops running.
Use images and/or videos that are cohesive and engaging. Take photos and/or videos from the same session or that have a similar mood. When using videos in your carousel ad, we recommend that each video has a square (1:1) aspect ratio.