• Car Dealer Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • UCA 2020
  • UCA 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • UCA 2020
  • UCA 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
No Result
View All Result

Marketing Masters: Auto Trader offers tools and services to analyse adverts

Alex Robbins by Alex Robbins
September 25, 2013
0
Home Features

170412autotWHETHER you’re a one-man band or part of a massive franchise, it’s almost certain that Auto Trader will be a big part of your life. But as it turns out, there’s an awful lot more to the UK’s best-known automotive classifieds site than meets the eye.

These days, Auto Trader provides not only advertising space for dealerships to sell their wares, but also a range of tools and services that help them to analyse and understand how their adverts are working for them.

‘It’s a “look at me” sort of thing,’ says commercial director Marc Thornborough. ‘Dealers are looking to stand out, and to do that they’ve got to shoutreally loud. And then from there it’s about getting people to spend as long as possible looking at their websites, and then clicking on an email link or phoning a phone number to ask for more information.’

To make sure that happens, Thornborough and his colleagues spend hours sifting through reams of data to work out what buyers are doing when they look at dealers’ adverts, and why they’re doing it.

‘We try and follow the paths buyers are taking to work out what’s best practice. We can also work out from keywords what people are interested in. Obviously, then, you’ve got pictures, and of course pricing too – the basics, in other words. And part of what we do is to talk to our dealers as often as we can, to remind them about those basics.’

To that end, one of Auto Trader’s newest initiatives is a series of master classes; free sessions for dealers in which Auto Trader staff share with dealers the insights they’ve gained from their research, in order to help them maximise the effect of their adverts.

We’ve sometimes struggled to get dealers engaged because many are owner-operators, and they can’t afford to spend time away from their core business,’ says Thornborough. ‘Customers tell us that they can’t come down to us because there’s an auction on – but we’re trying something a little different this year: Holding seminars at auctions. We’re saying “It’s OK, we’ll come to you!” If that works well, we’re going to continue that throughout next year.’

The group also offers its own tools to help dealers make the most of their online presence. ‘Razsor – our in-house digital marketing service – is a big one. Mobile as well. Half of smartphone users have searched when they’re already on a dealer’s forecourt – a lot of salespeople don’t realise that!

‘We’ve also got the Dealer Community, a tool and a forum that dealers can and should use to share stories, straight from the horse’s mouth. They can also tell us what they think about Auto Trader and what they want us to develop for them. Many of our upcoming products have come from dealers’ suggestions.’

So just what is in the pipeline? ‘Well, we’re redesigning the full page ad, and that’s currently in test. That’s coming out shortly, and it’ll be clearer and easier for the consumer to navigate around it. We’re also testing 20-image ads; we’ve found that people will spend longer in front of a car if there’s more to look at.’

Auto Trader’s still looking after its core business, then – but the company’s well aware of its prime position in the market, and continues to develop not only a remarkably useful suite of tools for dealers to use in conjunction with their adverts, but also a series of services that look to advise and guide dealers into making the best possible choices for their classified advertising.

 

Related Posts

Government plans to break Ecotricity charging monopoly at motorway services, finds Electrifying.com
News

Government plans to break Ecotricity charging monopoly at motorway services, finds Electrifying.com

March 8, 2021
LSH Auto rapid tests staff
News

LSH Auto rolls out rapid Covid testing for dealership employees

March 8, 2021
Peter Vardy Group Us4Women Uganda pic
News

Peter Vardy Group offers mentoring support for women in some of Uganda’s poorest areas

March 8, 2021
Motorline Volkswagen Horsham Sep 2020
News

Motorline is named Volkswagen’s top UK retailer group for 2020

March 8, 2021
Lindop Bros owner warns of showroom closure and job losses after bid for expansion is put on hold
News

Lindop Bros owner warns of showroom closure and job losses after bid for expansion is put on hold

March 8, 2021
Robert Forrester, left, and Kevyn Robinson with his award, Mar 2021
News

Kickboxing Kevyn is honoured for 40 years’ service with Bristol Street Motors

March 8, 2021

Want the latest news?

Sign up to Car Dealer's daily news email updates

Subscribe
How many car dealerships does each manufacturer have in the UK? Car Dealerships Locations List 2021 revealed
News

How many car dealerships does each manufacturer have in the UK? Car Dealerships Locations List 2021 revealed

February 24, 2021
Used Car Awards with Mike Brewer and James Baggott graphi
News

Who won what at the Used Car Awards 2020? Mike Brewer reveals our winning car dealers

February 11, 2021
Car Dealer issue 156 front cover and Used Car Awards
Online Magazine

Out now: Car Dealer issue 156 features our Used Car Awards, H.R. Owen CEO Ken Choo and lots more

February 23, 2021
Used Car Awards 2021 logo
Used Car Awards

Used Car Awards 2021 will be back in all their glory on November 29 hosted by Mike Brewer

March 8, 2021
Trophy Cars forecourt
News

Investigation: Meet the hyper-specialist car dealers making their money from weird and wonderful motors

February 11, 2021
Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice
News

Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice

January 15, 2021
Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK
Car Dealer Top 100

Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK

February 10, 2021
Bitcoin ATM terminal
News

Will car dealers in the UK accept Bitcoin for payment? Dealers speak out after Tesla plans to accept cryptocurrency 

February 18, 2021
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • UCA 2020
  • UCA 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
Call us: 020 8125 3880

© 2020 Blackball Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Car Dealer Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards 2020
  • Used Car Awards 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100

© 2020 Blackball Media

Log In
Register
Register
Server 1