Social Media

Solutions
for the
Automotive
Industry
Social Media Solutions
Powered by: MARKIT Group
Presented by:
Nannette Staropoli
Chief Strategist, MARKITGROUP | Social Media Director WORLDDEALER
Presentation Overview
Next Steps

 WorldDealer / Social Media Division

 What is Social Media and WHY?

 Automotive Industry and Social Media

Presented by:
 Getting your social media program started
Nannette Staropoli
WorldDealer | Social Media  Social Media Program Types / Review
Director

 How your Sales Team can use Social Media

to increase sales

 Q and A / Next Steps

Dan Ferguson l Director
Business Development  Contact Information
 • Streamline ad agency and web services by managing and
executing dealership marketing efforts in one place.

• WorldDealer eliminates the leg work involved in developing

complete multi-media campaigns that result in a strong
offline and online presence.

•Product (Model Specific) Micro Sites

•Mobile Websites
•Credit Micro Sites
Highlight of Services: From website •SEO/SEM
design and content management…Search •New and Used Car Videos
Engine Optimization and Marketing, •Email Marketing
Video Search, Inventory ads and Video
•End Point Management / Managed Services
Text Links…to TV, Radio and Print
production, media buying and Social •Social Media Marketing
Media Marketing.

Total support to complete

the marketing puzzle!
 The Passion That Drives Us
World Dealer has been an absolute Innovative,
pleasure to work with! Excellent passionate and
planning and deployment, willingness to
outstanding training and support. I experiment for Average Rating
highly recommend this company! new concepts/
Internet Sales Manager better traction 5
VP Marketing Stars Average
World Dealer is easy to do
business with, anytime we These guys are good, I've learned
100% Recommended
need anything or have alot from them and respect their
changes to make they get experience and input. They are a
right on it, very fast, and in very good professional service
this business fast makes all group that also understands the
the difference in the world. automotive retail industry.
General Manager General Manager / CFO

Fantastic support and response time. Dan Would

recommend
was an excellent source of information
them to any
and in an hour felt comfortable enough
dealer, they
that I could build and respond. His insight
have been great
into our learning curve allowed us the
to work with!
opportunity to learn and send out our first
Bus Dev’t Mgr
bulk email within 20 minutes of our
training. Great Job thanks Dan. GSM

We invite and encourage our

customers to provide valued feedback
World Dealer / MARKIT Group Advantage

MARKIT Group
serves as WorldDealer’s
in-house social media division
that provides holistic
social media solutions

Customers value:
turnkey social media service provider
WorldDealer’s Social Media Division
Next Steps

 Dedicated exclusively to marketing strategies

using social media expertise and technology
platforms.
Social Media
Subject Matter Expertise
 A proven methodology and process to
 Culture syndicate content quickly and efficiently
 Communities
 Resources
 Tools  Syndication Center with a dedicated team
specifically for each partner and client

 Customer first approach and custom-

tailored solutions to address customer’s
needs and goals.

 More than 20 years experience sales and

strategic marketing solutions
What is social media?

Fusion of sociology and technology,

driven by user-generated content.

Umbrella term that defines the

various activities (conversations)
that integrate technology,
social interaction
and the sharing
of words, images, video and audio

World’s largest direct outlet

for conversation and
social interaction.
Simply said …

Social Media is
people having
conversations
on-line.
Social Media
Conversations are powered
by various forms of social media
 Blogs
 Microblogs
 Online Chat
 RSS
 Social Networks
 Message Boards
 Wikis
 Podcasts
 Video Sharing Sites
 Photo Sharing Sites
 Communities
 Forums
The Social Media Explosion | How big is it?

And another 126 million

use BLOGGING sites
 WordPress 54.8 million
 Blogger 23.5 million
 Wikipedia 14.1 million
 Typepad 34.8 million
The Social Media Explosion

Facebook Growth Facts

 More than 1 billion photos uploaded to the site monthly

 Average user has 120 friends on the site

 More than 30 million users update their statuses daily

 More than 8 million users become fans of Pages each day

 More than 1 billion pieces of content (web links, news

stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) shared each week

 More than 2.5 million events created each month

The Social Media Explosion

Twitter
 Fastest growing online community site
with a 1,382% increase in visits Feb 09 versus Feb 08

 Visits from 475,000 unique visitors February 2008

to 7 million in February 2009
-- a 1,382 percent uplift

 45-54 year olds are the top demographic

The Social Media Explosion

Social Media Growth Facts

 More than 10 million videos uploaded each month

 More than 1 billion pieces of content (web links,

news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.)
shared each week

 3,600,000,000 photos have been received on Flickr

since June 2009. That’s 1 photo per every two
citizens of this planet

 More than 2.5 million events created each month

What ‘s being done (and who is doing it) ?
All major car companies are deeply engaged in social media programs.

Ford Motor Co. has moved $1.5

billion of its $3 billion budget to
digital and online media spending.
Social Media program was completed
with just 100 advocates nationwide

- 4.3 million YouTube views

- 500,000+ Flickr photos
- 3 million+ Twitter impressions

-- 50,000 interested potential customers,

97% of which don’t currently own a Ford
What ‘s being done (and who is doing it) ?

Honda’s Facebook
page, which
features a social
experiment
application, tries to
demonstrate the
universal appeal of
the automotive
brand by getting
people who know
someone with a
Honda to connect
to others.
What ‘s being done (and who is doing it) ?

The VW vanity URL

directs you to the
Meet the
Volkswagens
application, which
digs through your
profile data,
including date of
birth, gender and
education, to match
you with a pair of
Volkswagens that
are right for you.
Local Dealership | Social Media participation

 Blog Sites
 Facebook
 Twitter
 MySpace
 Local Directories / Forums
 Video uploading
 Micro websites
 Personal Brand Management
 Social media promotions
Local Dealership | Social Media participation

 Rating Sites
 Review Sites
 Custom Community
Social Network Site
 User Generated
programs
 Brand Ambassador
campaigns
Local Dealership | Social Media participation

Automotive Avenues
created a custom
social media
community

Weaved SM branding
throughout current
marketing materials,
marketing plan and
within social media sites
Social Media | How will it help me?

 Build brand awareness

 Relationship building
 Increase loyalty
 Improve overall customer retention
 Activity metrics (website activity, followers)
 Survey metrics
 HR – recruiting; retaining
 Increase customer base
 Generate leads
 Drive sales
 Educate customers / prospects
 Improve internal communication
 Improve operations / customer service
 Search Engine optimization benefits
 PROACTIVE conversation management
Social Media | How will it help me?
Develop and protect your online reputation

Numerous web resources

are dedicated to
rating auto dealers.

People are talking about

you and your brand. Join
the on online
conversation.
What it takes to make social media work

• Time Commitment –social media programs

require consistent interaction
• Long-term participation and sharing
• A strategic roadmap that Integrates into
your current marketing plan (create
footprint, focus on networks; contact groups)
• Executive support
• Realistic expectations
• Technology expertise for the unique nuances,
policies, procedures and interface of
Social Media platforms and tools
Social applications work • Intimate knowledge of security and privacy
“better than advertising • Strong outsource partner
at helping people in the
consideration phase.”
The Social Media Process

Getting your social media

program started
Review | Social Media Program Types

Basic Forms of Social Media

 Social Networks
- Facebook
-MySpace
-Linkedin
 Blogs
 Microblog
- Twitter
 Picture Sites
-Flickr
 Video Site
- YouTube
 Podcasts
 Forums
 Content Communities
 Personal Brand Management
Social Media can help your sales staff
People start the buying process by talking about their want or
need with friends and at times with complete strangers at a gas
station, water cooler chat or Social Networks.

Facebook is a powerful
database that could
make the difference of
3-5 cars per month or
25-35 cars per month
depending on how you
work it and the amount
of dedication.
On Site Social Media Seminars
Social Media Seminar Topics:
•How to maximize social media within
your organization
•Social media integration throughout
the organization
•Social media strategies
8.3.09v3
Half or full day seminar series dedicated to a
variety of social media topics and tailored to
your companies strategic goals.
Sample topics for an on site Social media session:
Arm your employees and executives with the
necessary tools and knowledge to use social
media in the following ways:
• Personal Brand Management
• Mobile tools
• Rules and regulations
• Privacy
• Best practices
•Enhance customer relations
World Dealer / Solutions

Sample
Program
Social Media Launch Program

90 Day Launch & Monthly Content Syndication

Social Media 90 day launch
Profile set up / modification /inter-site integrations:
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Flickr
Blog site
Up to 20+ sites and related directories

Network Expansion
- Initial network launch
- Ongoing network expansion

Content Syndication Program

- Initial content aggregation
- Content development
Monthly Syndication

Ongoing content syndication

You (or your marketing agency; and/or
combination) provide content;
our syndication team will distribute to
your social media landscape

Includes content aggregation and

creation program
- Aggregation from manufacturer
created
- content; generic auto industry; niche
content information
Social Media Solutions Process
Dedicated Social Media Expert (SME)

Advantages:
• SME has complete knowledge of
dealers social media program
• Single point of contact
• Customer service commitment
Every dealer/client is • Utilizes technology tools and
given a personal social methodology to ensure brand
media expert who acts as enforcement and/or editorial
the single point of guidelines
contact.
Next Steps

Questions?
Next Steps
Related Links
Contact Information

10.5.09
Related links
• Facebook Crosses 250 Million User Mark, Adds 100 Million New Users in 6
Months, Inside Facebook, 07.15.09
• Facebook Marketing Breakfast Series
• Can Marketers Keep Up With Facebook?, Advertising Age, 06.29.09
• Facebook.com/Chevrolet
• Facebook.com/Dodge
• Facebook.com/Ford
• Facebook.com/Honda
• Facebook.com/Hyundai
• Facebook.com/Jeep
• Facebook.com/Pontiac
• Facebook.com/VW
• Selling Cars with Social Media Part 2
• John Walsh Child Safety Event Promoted by Twitter for Metro Ford
• Metro Ford Featured in CBS News Segment for Social Media Marketing for Car
Dealers
• Ford’s Approach to Social Media
• Harr Auto Group Holds Twitter Contest for “#1 Red Sox Fan”
• Metro Ford of Schenectady, Potratz Unveil New Automotive Website

• Image credits:
Facebook user growth image appears courtesy of Inside Facebook; Honda vanity
URL page image courtesy of Facebook.com.

Mktgv9.24.09
 Related Links | UGC Communities
Dealership examples of created online UGC communities based on Web 2.0 site platforms.

1. Ford-Community.com
2. SandersonCommunity.com
3. San-Tan-Ford.com
4. TysingerCommunity.ning.com
5. Beck Toyota Scion Community at BeckToyota.ning.com
6. The Upstate Honda Enthusiast Community - Breakaway Honda; Greenville, SC
7. The Boston Cadillac Community created by ADM Professional Chris Fousek
8. My Jeep Community at MyJeepCommunity.com from Westbury Jeep in Westbury, NY
9. The Boston Honda Community at HondaGallery.ning.com created for Honda Gallery of North Reading, MA.
10. The Acton Toyota Community is a great example of getting dealership employees to participate.
11. ADM's very own Amy Rothenberger has created an exceptionally well designed Mazda Community site.
12. A new Online Automotive Community at www.FordCommunity.com is from Rich Ford of Albuquerque.
13. Check out www.MyDubSpace.com created by ADM's own Ken Nix!
14. Check out the 7 Store Kenny Ross Auto Group Community at www.KennyRossCommunity.com which is set
15. up with all the optional Ning Premium Services including ownership of the Advertising space and revenue
stream.
16. Gallery Honda in North Reading, MA: www.Boston-Honda.com
17. Gallery BMW stores of Norwood and Norwell, MA: www.Boston-BMW.com
18. Gallery Volkswagen of Norwood, MA: www.Boston-Volkswagen.com
19. Gallery Mazda of Norwood, MA; www.Boston-Mazda.com
20. The Automotive Avenues Credit Union affiliated dealership in Denver, CO; www.Automotive-Avenues.com

Mktgv4 9.5.09
Contact information
Dan Ferguson
Director of Business Development
WorldDealer
866.485.8800
www.worlddealer.net
t 866-485-8800
c 412-716-5878

Nannette Staropoli
MARKIT Group / WorldDealer
Office: 412.567.3838
Mobile: 412.498.1314
nannette@markit-group.com

Skype: nanstarr1

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9.25.09v2