[Case Study] TikTok, Snapchat and Pinterest Ads Show Great Return For Auto Group

The Challenge

It’s safe to say that change is something people do not accept change right away. You’ve heard, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right?

For most situations, social media marketing for automotive groups only involves Facebook, Instagram and (maybe) Linkedin. Facebook is the most popular platform, with an active monthly user count of 2.96 billion, so it makes sense to put marketing emphasis on the most active platform.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t test other platforms — even ones that some people think negatively about.

Social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat have the stereotype of only being effective for the younger generation, and Pinterest users are believed to be mainly female and don’t show interest in things such as the automotive industry.

However, as we all know, stereotypes aren’t necessarily accurate.

TikTok and Snapchat users have shown great stats for advertising.

The Solution

We wanted to show that these “newer” platforms could have success in the automotive industry — especially if a dealership is already using the core, foundational platforms effectively.

Norcross Mazda and Volvo Cars Memphis have seen success advertising on Facebook and Instagram (as well as Google and Bing), and we saw an opportunity for them to reach customers on some of these “newer” platforms.

When to Start Running TikTok and Snapchat Ads

We tested three different social media platforms for a three-month period in order to get a good amount of data. For Norcross Mazda, we ran campaigns on TikTok and Snapchat. For the Volvo store, we tested Pinterest ads.

We tracked leads and sales in LeadsRX, a tool that uses multi-touch attribution to show which efforts lead to sales. With LeadsRX, we compared return on ad spend (ROAS) both quarter over quarter and also year over year.

The Results

Google Analytics data showed valuable information about engagement — an average of one page per session and a 30-second time on site per user — but the most valuable data came from our multi-touch attribution tool, LeadsRX.

LeadsRX showed that, even with the low advertising spend we were using, the engagement for these social media platforms was high. For the Mazda dealership, Snapchat’s ROAS was the highest for the quarter of all the social media platforms, even surpassing the juggernaut Facebook!

TikTok also showed some promising results, with three conversions attributed to it.

For the Volvo store, Pinterest traffic saw the average user spending more than 30 seconds on site and visiting more than one and a half pages. Facebook’s average stats are roughly the same for engagement stats.

Because these platforms are newer, we don’t have data (yet) to prove or disprove the value of using TikTok, Snapchat or Pinterest, but these results are encouraging.

This is why we offer LeadsRX to our clients. While Google Analytics is important, LeadsRX helps connect the dots. It provides data that we might not have found or known otherwise without a ton of manual work, helping prove the worth of each advertising platform more easily.

Technology Stack

Get Results with Social Media Ads and 9 Clouds

Not seeing the ROAS you’ve been wanting for your digital marketing? We consider these tests in Memphis a success, and we want your business to share similar results.

While Snapchat or Pinterest might not make sense for your dealership, we’ll take a look at your marketing efforts and make recommendations based on what will get you the most return for your dollars spent — as well as share opportunities and ideas for your digital marketing strategy.

We have the experience to help you achieve your dealership’s goals — whether you’re a new car dealership or one who’s been around for years.

Get Your Digital Assessment »