Covid puts focus on digital promotion
New research has underlined how important an online presence is for generating new business in the automotive industry.
A study carried out by Yell has identified a change in attitude to digital promotion since the pandemic, with social media coming out on top in terms of driving enquiries and sales.
The survey found that 88% of businesses said it was the most important form of digital promotion. Meanwhile, nearly half (40%) said they considered their website unimportant before Covid but now prioritised it, with 26% even saying their businesses would not survive without a website.
This is backed up by the fact that 74% of consumers say they are likely or very likely to go online before making an automotive purchase or booking a service.
However, despite a new focus on their digital presence, the research also revealed that on average automotive websites were last updated 18 months ago. This is because of a lack of expertise (24%), fear of updating it incorrectly (18%), and a lack of money (18%).
Claire Miles, chief executive officer of Yell, said: “It’s been an incredibly tough time for automotive businesses across the country. The pandemic has forced them to adapt quickly and has led to a widespread adoption of digital services at speed. Whilst these digital services have been crucial for businesses to survive the past 16 months, our insights show that this trend towards digital is set to continue long past the pandemic. Therefore, it is crucial for SMEs to be getting their digital strategy right and an effective website will always be at the heart of that.”
