With nearly 300 million cars on the road in the US, the automotive repair business is thriving—but with demand comes competition. If you want your shop to come out on top, you need a strong auto repair marketing strategy. These days that means embracing digital marketing and establishing your online presence. Here’s everything you need to know about creating a marketing plan for your business.

Build a Quality Website with Solid SEO

Upwards of 97% of Internet goers now search online for automotive repair services. A well-optimized site should be the first point on your marketing plan. For auto repair shop owners, it’s also particularly important to focus on local search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing.

Local SEO will make sure that when customers in your area search something like “automotive repair [location],” your site is at the top of their results. Start with on-page SEO by building a mobile-friendly site that offers a good user experience and fast load times. Don’t forget to make your phone number, email, and address prominent. You can also submit all the above to Google My Business, ensuring search engines feature your contact information in local results.

Take Advantage of Online Advertising

Once you have a website, you need to get it in front of your target customers. SEO will eventually achieve that, but it will take time. Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads are the best way to drive business to your automotive repair business fast.

With Google ads, your company will appear above the search results anytime someone Google’s your chosen keywords. Even better, because you don’t pay a dime unless someone clicks your ad, you’ll maximize your return on investment. On average, for every $1 spent on Google ads, you can expect to see $8 in revenue!

Consistently appearing at the top of search results—which is guaranteed with Google ads—also helps build your brand. For example, if customers see your business name every time they search for oil change prices, they’ll begin to think of you before making that search or other car-repair-related searches. Coupling Google ads with other PPC options, such as Facebook ads, can boost this effect. As far as marketing strategies go, building positive brand recognition takes the cake.

Offer Stellar Customer Service Online

Working on your customer service may not seem like it belongs on a page about marketing ideas, but word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool to bring in new customers. In the digital age, customer service goes beyond your auto shop. Get set-up on social media and embrace email marketing.

Both can be used to respond to and communicate with customers. For instance, you can use email to send service reminders or social media to hold a contest to win a free oil change. Get creative and think like a customer, and your auto repair business will be booming in no time.

Get Help with Your Auto Repair Shop Marketing Plan Today

At ClicksGeek, we can help you bring in new business with a stunning website and perfectly crafted Google ads. If you want to take your company to the next level, get in touch with our team today at 917-310-1597

Ed Stapleton Jr.