Car buyers don’t take a straight line from ad to sale anymore. They hop between classified sites, Google searches, YouTube videos, and social feeds before they ever pick up the phone. The dealer who shows up consistently and replies first with something useful usually gets the deal.
If your advertising doesn’t reflect that zig-zag journey, you’ll end up spending more for weaker leads and losing the ones ready to buy. This guide strips out the noise and focuses on what actually moves the needle: where to spend, how to fix weak listings, and how to use finance to close without slashing price.
Your website is your first forecourt. It needs to load fast, look right on a phone, and show clear next steps. Each Vehicle Detail Page (VDP) should start with real facts: owners, service history, MOT, and mileage, followed by one finance example and a visible soft-search link.
Keep your Google Business Profile accurate and up to date. Include live opening hours, recent photos, and real customer reviews. Encourage buyers who’ve had a good experience to leave feedback, and make sure someone replies to every review.
Those local signals help you surface higher in Google Vehicle Ads, Maps, and “near me” searches, the digital equivalent of being on the best corner plot in town.
Multi-Marketplace Coverage (with Consistent Standards)
List your stock everywhere that gives a measurable return, and keep standards consistent across each platform.
Consistency helps shoppers compare, and helps AI-driven searches identify your listings correctly.
Google Vehicle Ads and Performance Max Campaigns
For “used [make model] near me” searches, Vehicle Ads stand out.
Let Performance Max learn, but feed it enough data to perform.
YouTube and Short Video
People watch car content daily… walk-arounds, finance explainers, and side-by-side comparisons. Film short, vertical clips (20–30 seconds). Lead with one hook, one clear benefit, and one monthly payment. Add your call link or soft-search button right in the first line of the caption.
Stay in Touch: Email and SMS Remarketing
The first response wins the first sale. Staying in touch wins the next one.
Use email or SMS for service reminders, renewal prompts, and soft-search finance invites. Keep messages short, clear, and useful. “Your finance ends soon” or “Your MOT is due next month” works better than any glossy campaign.
These low-cost touchpoints build familiarity and pull buyers back to your site long before they start comparing offers again.
Build Trust: Reviews, Referrals, and Local Presence
Your most believable adverts come from customers, not creatives.
Ask every happy buyer to leave a Google or Facebook review and reply to each one, even the awkward ones. This will show people that real humans are listening.
Create a referral reward that feels personal, like a service voucher or free MOT. And don’t underestimate local presence, sponsoring a community event or youth team keeps your name in circulation and builds goodwill that money can’t buy.
Don’t Ignore Traditional Reach
Local radio and community magazines still reach buyers who aren’t scrolling all day. A small, steady spend on these channels can complement your digital campaigns, just track them properly.
Focus on what buyers actually compare: honesty, cost, and convenience.
Lead with specifics. Instead of slogans, write:
“2019 petrol hatch, full history, two owners, timing belt at 95k, 50+ mpg, MOT to 09/26.”
People, and algorithms, reward real detail.
Price within popular search bands. £9,995 / £14,995 / £19,995 / £24,995 work better than odd prices that fall between filters.
Bundle visible value. Include 12-month MOT, basic warranty, and service in the asking price. Then offer upgrades in Good/Better/Best tiers.
Put finance front and centre. One clear HP or PCP example with total payable and a visible soft-search link builds trust and boosts conversions.
Run exact-match search ads for your top ten models (e.g., “used Kia Sportage Leeds”) plus a Dynamic Search Ad for coverage.
Feed-driven ads pull directly from your inventory. Use audience signals from recent site visitors or in-market car segments.
Target people who viewed your VDPs in the last 7 or 30 days. Refresh creative with new arrivals or updated pricing.
Spend heavier on stock that’s ready to go. Only throttle aged units once listings and photos are optimised, don’t starve campaigns for the wrong reasons.
Install dynamic number insertion so you can see exactly which ad drove each call. Route every call to a live person within five minutes or send a short SMS confirming availability if it’s after hours.
Calls still close faster, and customers who speak to someone directly are more likely to return for service or renew finance.
Look beyond clicks. Track:
Dealers who measure properly often move their budget from display to phone because they finally see which channels convert, not just which ones look busy.
Advertising wins attention; finance wins commitment. Marsh partners use our platform to simplify the money part:
By combining Google Vehicle Ads, clean listings, and quick responses. Show finance examples on every ad, reply within minutes, and keep your Google Business Profile updated.
A mix of Google Vehicle Ads, Auto Trader listings, short-form video, and remarketing delivers the best results. Add local SEO and consistent imagery across every marketplace.
Local SEO helps your stock appear in “near me” searches and Maps results. Optimised VDPs and accurate business listings put your dealership where buyers are already looking.
Keep videos short and focused: one benefit, one monthly price, one call to action. Post them on YouTube, TikTok, and Meta ads to drive phone and web enquiries.
Track leads by source, time to first response, call conversion rate, and cost per qualified lead. Use these insights to shift spend to the highest-performing channels.