Consumers’ affinity for technology is growing and is having an increasing impact on the decision-making process when buying a car: those planning to buy a car gather information in advance on YouTube, in Internet forums, and on Facebook. This is the result of a representative survey conducted by the consulting firm Facts Office**. Google+ is also used as an information channel for the final purchase decision. So social media influences car purchases primarily in the decision-making phase.

Purchasing Cars

A good quarter of those surveyed for the “Social Media Atlas 2014/15” look for information on YouTube or Facebook before buying a car. Forums, blogs, and even Google+ are involved when making specific purchase decisions. Reason: Blogs and Google+ readers rely heavily on the information they find about buying a car. 77% trust Google+ content, 80% trust blogs, and 82% trust forums. 9% of social media users have already decided to buy a car through these virtual “bulletin boards”. YouTube and Facebook each have 5 percent.

When simply looking for information about cars, social media users visit Google+ and blogs much less often, 16% each. However, these Web 2.0 services play as important a role as YouTube and Facebook in making purchase decisions.

Social Media

Social media is currently having a significant impact on businesses like car purchases, with more than 90% of consumers gathering information online before making a purchase or buying from a global perspective. increase. More and more consumers even want to buy a new car online. More than 30% of respondents to the Capgemini * survey say they buy a car online. On the other hand, fewer and fewer consumers visit car dealerships before making a purchase.

With the social web victory, brand and product discussions are no longer private, but public on blogs, Facebook, or forums. Consumer brand awareness is more influenced by external touchpoints than ever before. The automotive industry is also exposed to this change. The forum culture, which is particularly prominent in Germany, is very unique and emotional, especially on all topics related to automobiles. So it’s not surprising that this car also plays an important role in the most famous social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and blogs. 71% ** of respondents are more likely to buy a car if they receive positive reviews on social media.

Social Media and Cars

Magazines, newspapers, and online news have so far had a slightly greater impact on car purchases (Honda crv 2020) than social media. However, the numbers show: “Social media is already playing a major role here,” he says. Roland Heintze, a social media expert at Fact Office, said: However, you must use the appropriate channel. Many companies ignore seemingly unobtrusive but particularly influential forums and significantly overestimate Twitter.

The rating also plays a big role. Negative comments in particular can have a noticeable impact on a company and should be taken seriously. We recommend encouraging customers to give reviews because satisfied customers rarely bother to give a review.