- Jul 31, 2019
- 26
- 10
- Awards
- 2
- First Name
- Christopher
Those of us that have been in the automotive industry for a decade or more have watched as social media has become a major role in how cars are bought, sold, and advertised. The major downfall? Dealership employees not adhering to a social media policy or not having a social media policy whatsoever.
So let's dive into some of the biggest things happening right now on social media that dealerships really need to start taking more seriously.
First things first, set a strict dealership/company social media policy for each employee to sign and agree to. This will state that employees may not act as/represent the dealership as a whole online. This will save you in many cases - cancel culture, anyone?
Secondly, decide whether you want your employees to set up and have their own fan pages - sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. It can be a great way for them to individually get some leads, but it also is an open doorway to the issue mentioned above. Think, and move forward with caution.
Finally, If you decide to allow employees to have individual fan pages, make sure they understand the gravity of a compliance violation. Whether it's fines, warnings, or cease and desist letters for improper advertising - they need to be aware. This is something I wholeheartedly suggest including in your dealership's social media policy that the employee must read and sign.
By all means, I am 100% for people using social media to sell cars, get leads, and become automotive industry "rockstars", but there needs to be some sort of order, understanding, and guidance. Let me know what your dealership does and how you've seen success in social media advertising. I'd love to hear from you!
So let's dive into some of the biggest things happening right now on social media that dealerships really need to start taking more seriously.
- Employees creating their own fan pages and acting as a representative for the dealership's name, brand, and online persona.
- Dealerships having no social media policy for employees to adhere to.
- Dealerships allowing employees with little to no experience in marketing or advertising rules to create Facebook ads that do not follow strict compliance rules set by the OEM.
First things first, set a strict dealership/company social media policy for each employee to sign and agree to. This will state that employees may not act as/represent the dealership as a whole online. This will save you in many cases - cancel culture, anyone?
Secondly, decide whether you want your employees to set up and have their own fan pages - sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. It can be a great way for them to individually get some leads, but it also is an open doorway to the issue mentioned above. Think, and move forward with caution.
Finally, If you decide to allow employees to have individual fan pages, make sure they understand the gravity of a compliance violation. Whether it's fines, warnings, or cease and desist letters for improper advertising - they need to be aware. This is something I wholeheartedly suggest including in your dealership's social media policy that the employee must read and sign.
By all means, I am 100% for people using social media to sell cars, get leads, and become automotive industry "rockstars", but there needs to be some sort of order, understanding, and guidance. Let me know what your dealership does and how you've seen success in social media advertising. I'd love to hear from you!
