Social media advertising is an essential part of any car dealership’s marketing strategy today. And with multiple platforms to choose from, it can be difficult to determine where to focus your efforts. This article examines the pros and cons of five of the most popular social media platforms – Facebook & Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Pinterest – to help car dealers make informed decisions about their social campaigns.

Evaluating Facebook & Instagram for Auto Dealerships

With over 250 million monthly active users in the US alone, Facebook and Instagram remain dominant forces in social media. The platforms offer car dealers wide reach, multiple ad placements, dynamic ads, and some of the lowest cost-per-lead metrics across channels…

However, recent data privacy changes have impacted attribution, and restrictions around housing/employment/credit ads limit audience targeting. Let’s dive into the Pros and Cons of Facebook & Instagram Advertising:

Pros of Facebook & Instagram Advertising

• Massive combined US audience
• Flexible ad formats & placements
• Low CPL and conversion costs
• Dynamic ads optimize performance

Cons of Facebook & Instagram Advertising

• Data privacy limits attribution
• Audience restrictions on certain ad types

Examining the Pros and Cons of Snapchat Advertising

Snapchat now boasts over 65 million daily active users aged 15-29 in the US. The platform makes it easy to create targeted, visual ads and flaunt your latest inventory! With that being said, Snapchat caters towards a younger demographic and is focused more on engagement than sales conversions. Here are the benefits and potential drawbacks of Snapchat for auto dealers:

Benefits of Snapchat for Auto Dealers

• Huge Millennial/Gen Z reach (the majority of in-market car shoppers are millennial and Gen Z!)
• Intuitive ad platform
• Creative ad formats stand out

Potential Drawbacks of Snapchat

• Limited age range
• Brand awareness-focused
• Can’t drive direct leads

The strategic experts at Dealers United know how to turn high Snapchat engagement into increased showroom traffic. Learn more about Dealers United’s custom social ad campaigns here.

Analyzing Pinterest as an Emerging Opportunity

Pinterest offers access to a lucrative audience; 52% of users earn $100k+ per year. Dynamic product ads allow dealers to turn browser inspiration into showroom visits. Although, the platform still trails competitors in reach and conversions.There are both advantages and challenges when it comes to advertising on Pinterest:

Pinterest Advertising Advantages

• 87% of Pinterest users use the platform for shopping research
• High-income user base
• Shopping ads drive site traffic

Pinterest Marketing Challenges

• Smaller audience size
• Lower performance/ROAS (Return On Advertising Spend)
• Limited ad formats

Evaluating the Rise of TikTok for Dealerships

As the #1 app by downloads worldwide, TikTok presents a huge growth opportunity for dealers. Short video ads help turn viral moments into visits and purchases thanks to the platforms’ highly engaged, sales-ready user base. The main drawback of TikTok lies in its lower efficacy for direct lead generation relative to other social channels. But nonetheless, TikTok advertising has its strengths and weaknesses:

TikTok’s Strengths for Auto Marketing

• Massive and growing audience
• Fun, engaging video ads
• Audience is ready to purchase

Potential Weaknesses of TikTok Advertising

• More brand-focused metrics
• Fewer clicks/leads
• Limited targeting options

Get Expert Social Media Strategies

Long story short, all major social platforms offer unique benefits, and with a combination of campaigns across each of the most powerful social platforms, dealerships will achieve the highest ROI across key sales funnel metrics like cost-per-click and conversion rates.

Our social media experts at Dealers United employ advanced optimization techniques tailored specifically to the auto industry.

Click here to learn more about our data-driven approach to building successful social ad campaigns.

With strategic targeting, creative testing, and bid adjustments in place, we leverage the sales readiness of platforms like TikTok to complement the proven lead and sale generating power of Meta’s properties. This balanced approach ensures dealers get the best outcome for their marketing budget month after month.