On this week’s Social Shakedown, we’re going to be hearing from Laura and Dana who just got back from a Facebook event in Austin, Texas!

Laura and Dana, both part of the paid search team at PCG Companies, were invited to the Blueprint Live Automotive Conference. They not only came back with awesome pictures and stories, but with tons of knowledge on how to utilize live video for your dealership.

While at Facebook, they had the opportunity to sign the Facebook wall, network with some great friends in the auto industry, and put together a mini presentation for the group. Here are their main takeaways from Facebook.

Dana

I gained so much from my trip to Facebook and the Blueprint Live seminar, with the most important takeaway being how important mobile is. Due to the following industry trends, Facebook is  a mobile-first company.

Shift to Mobile: More than half of Facebook users are on mobile−65% of its 1.6 billion users to be exact. Mobile Facebook ads are very important and will account for a majority of your audience engagement.

Live Interactions: Years ago, people shared moments through text messages filled with images and video. Today, people want connection in real time−from posting photos of the event you’re at, to broadcasting live with Facebook Live.

Everything Competes: You want your ads and each user’s experience to feel natural. Create ads that your audience can relate to, such as a family getting into the car for a road trip, a parent driving their child to school, or a couple on their way to a hike in their vehicle. If the ad is designed for your audience, you will be able to capture their attention by relating to their lives.

Laura

One major thing I took away from this seminar was how important it is to have your ad blend into the feed, yet still stand out from the rest. When trying to accomplish this, here are some factors to consider.

Aspire to Inspire: Adjust your content to fit the platform it’s on. Facebook is a very personal platform where people are used to seeing photos of family and friends, or even browsing through news stories and cool videos. Instagram, on the other hand, is a very visual platform where a majority of users are following people and products they don’t have any relationship with. This is a place where people go to be inspired and find new trends.

Tell A Story: Keeping that in mind, the ad you create for Facebook may not be as thumb-stopping in an Instagram feed. So create the story you want to tell first, and then tailor your graphics (and copy) to the placement. Always be sure that the two still compliment each other, even if they look different. OPI nail polish’s social media approach is a great example of how to plan for a platform and make the most of your ad.

Think Mobile: Mobile is so important to your digital advertising strategy. Think of your own shopping patterns and where you spend most of your browsing time. I’m sure the answer is mobile.

Facebook Live is becoming the latest norm for activity on the platform. We’ve gone from statuses to pictures to videos all with the Facebook audience wanting more. Now with Facebook Live, you can showcase what you’re doing in real time, making it exclusive and exciting to your audience.

Has your dealership starting using Facebook Live? According to Facebook, it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so start getting comfortable with it today! Give it a try, and let us know your results.

Make sure to check for The Social Shakedown every Friday to see what I think is worth shaking about. Until next time, keep Austin weird.

About the Author

Denise Casagrande, Vice President of Marketing at PCG, is passionate about humanizing brands across social channels. She feels the connection businesses can make with their clients can be ever-lasting based off of the messages they're displaying through content. Creator of the Automotive Social Media Sales Funnel.