Most dealership social media is forgettable
Scroll through most car dealerships' social media and you'll see the same thing: stock photos with prices, the occasional 'new arrival' post, and a generic 'come on down' message. It's not memorable, it's not shareable, and it's not driving enquiries.
The dealerships that win on social media do something different. They show the personality of the business. They tell stories about the cars. They create content that people actually want to see — and then they back it with targeted ads that put that content in front of the right buyers.
Facebook and Instagram are where it's at
For UK car dealerships, Facebook and Instagram are the two platforms that consistently deliver. Facebook has the demographics that buy cars — 35–65 year olds with disposable income. Instagram is where younger buyers research, and it's the best platform for visual car content.
TikTok has its place for reach and brand awareness, but for driving actual enquiries, Facebook and Instagram are the workhorses. X (Twitter) and LinkedIn are largely irrelevant for most dealerships.
Content that actually works
Walkaround videos: A 30-second phone video walking around a car, inside and out, performs better than any polished stock photo. It's authentic, it shows the actual car, and it gives the buyer confidence that the car is real and in good condition.
Before and after: Show a car being prepped — the valet, the minor repairs, the transformation. It demonstrates quality and care, and it's content that people enjoy watching.
Customer delivery moments: A photo of a happy customer picking up their new car is the best social proof you can post. Always ask permission, always tag, always celebrate the moment.
Behind the scenes: The forecourt, the team, the day-to-day. People buy from people. Show them who you are.
Paid ads that convert
Organic social media is slow. Paid ads are fast — but only if they're done right. The mistake most dealerships make is running generic 'we sell cars' ads to a broad audience. That burns budget and generates nothing.
The approach that works: target people in your area who have shown interest in specific makes and models, show them a video walkaround of a car that matches, and drive them to a landing page with that specific car and an enquiry form. Specificity is everything. A generic ad to a broad audience gets ignored. A specific car to a specific buyer gets a click.
Measure what matters
Likes and followers are vanity metrics. The only numbers that matter are: enquiries generated, cost per enquiry, and cars sold. If your social media isn't generating enquiries, it doesn't matter how many likes it's getting.
We report on cost per acquisition — what it actually costs to get a real enquiry from social media. For most dealerships, a well-run Facebook ad campaign can generate enquiries at £5–£15 each. That's dramatically cheaper than AutoTrader or traditional advertising, and the leads are often warmer because they've seen your content and chosen to engage.