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November 27, 2006 CHICAGO — Nearly two-thirds of car dealers told Cars.com that they will increase their online advertising budgets in 2007, Cars.com announced. Cars.com pointed out that the results of the recent poll echo online advertising expenditures reported by eMarketer.com, which expects car dealers nationwide to spend $1.9 billion on Internet marketing in 2006 — more than twice what they spent in 2004. The Web site projects a 42 percent increase in 2007. "Dealers increasingly recognize the value of Internet advertising and the exceptional return on investment it offers, particularly when compared to radio, outdoor and direct-mail programs," said Mitch Golub, president of Cars.com. "Unlike these other media, effectively placed Internet advertising reaches more in-market car buyers and drives more high-quality traffic to dealer stores." The increase in online advertising reflects growing online use by auto shoppers, Golub said. He noted that consumers now spend as much as 30 percent of their media time online. "Dealers increasingly rely on the Internet for the innovative, cost-effective marketing tools that no other medium can deliver to merchandise their inventory and build brand awareness," Golub said. "As more car shoppers spend more time on the Web looking for automotive information, dealers should invest in well-integrated Internet campaigns to reach shoppers across the full spectrum of their online activities. "Effective programs include lead generation, display advertising, classified listings and search engine marketing to provide dealers with the greatest online reach and visibility," he added. Cars.com will discuss online display advertising during its next DealerADvantage LIVE training session at noon EST on Dec. 8. Dealers can register for the free, 45-minute training session or get more information at http://dealeradvantage.cars.com/. |
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