Garage Support 3 ROI

Social Networks

Thinking of starting a social media page for your garage? Want to tidy up your current profile? We’ve got a few tips for you to consider before you dive into the digital world.

Different social platforms and their best uses

Instagram For those who like to share more video and image content, that will engage their audience, or sell a certain product. If your garage likes to

Facebook Has the highest number of UK users and one of the most widely used platforms. Facebook is great for users to create business pages where

make cleaning videos or even before and after pictures of car restorations, Instagrammight be a good place for your garage to start. Just keep in mind that Instagram is generally targeted at a younger audience, so if you are targeting customers between 17 and 34, this could be for you.

customers can leave reviews, view a business’ opening hours, or get in contact. Facebook is also a great place to get recommendations, make sure you are a member of local groups where you can recommend your business to customers looking for things such as repairs or MOTs.

Twitter If you’re new to the social media world, we wouldn’t recommend starting on Twitter, but it can be a great place for your business to share

YouTube A video sharing network, where you can upload videos that engage with your desired audience. Many YouTube users

short updates. Twitter is a micro-blogging platform where users can share short ‘tweets’ of information. It’s best used for live news, trending topics and interacting with brands. It’s also a very common platform for customers to complain, tweeting their bad experiences with brands.

are now ‘vlogging’ (video blogging), their days which usually have some entertaining content throughout. For a garage, popular videos could include car cleaning demonstrational video, product review, or a process for repairing a certain part of a vehicle.

LinkedIn A professional social network that can be used to build brand awareness and reach out to industry professionals, also a great platform for recruitment.

Training Top Tip If you still feel in the dark about social media, we have some e-learning training courses that can help on our Auto Education Ireland .

And when you’ve chosen the right platform for you… ■ Try and focus on one or two social channels , to avoid getting bogged down. By focusing on just a couple you can really perfect your posts and ensure you’re responding quickly to any messages or interactions on your pages, and in turn keep customer satisfaction levels high. ■ Consider where your target audience will be spending the most time , for example if you are keen to target a younger audience through engaging pictures or videos, then Instagram would be the best to focus your own content. ■ What platforms do your competitors have? Do a competitor analysis and have a look at what your local garages are using, make that your starting point. ■ Use correct image sizes for each channel. Check the recommended image sizes for each platform and size your images appropriately. Make sure your images are as clear as possible, without stretching or pixelating. This will help your brand look more professional and may help improve engagement of your content. ■ Clear and concise with call to action. The shorter and snappier your content, the better. On social media, you have no longer than 8 seconds of someone’s attention when they are scrolling through their newsfeed, so make it short and to the point. Always leave a call to action on your posts, so people can book in, view your website or buy a product you might have mentioned in your post. ■ Post at the best times. Look into the best times to post on each platform. Timing matters, and by posting at the suggested times, you have more chance of your content being seen, increasing your engagement rates and in turn increasing work for your garage!

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