How Digital is Shaping Auto Marketing

Predictions from eMarketeer says the auto industry will increase its digital marketing budget by 18% in 2014 vs last year. Marketeers in the industry have come to realize that even though consumers do not by cars online, that has been a big transformation in their purchase path, and that path now begins online. 

Consumers are conducting extensive online research and utilizing price evaluation platforms, before they make a purchase choice and go to brick-and-mortar stores. Because there is a long buying cycle associated with purchasing big ticket items, auto brands must work to remain top of mind for consumers along every step of the purchase path.

That change of behavior in consumers and the consequent increase in digital marketing spending by auto makers must also come with several challenges of multi-channel attribution. As a CMO it also becomes increasingly challenging to approve bigger online budgets when you can't really prove the campaigns success on brick-and-mortar sales. 

Sources: http://marketingland.com/digital-shaping-auto-marketing-102234