Creating a social media presence for your auto shop isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity

In the world of auto shops, having a good reputation is key to building up a solid customer base. A decade or two ago, that meant relying on things like word-of-mouth and traditional out-of-home (OOH) advertising to reach new people. Nowadays, however, there’s social media, which can help you grow your shop’s reputation in a much more streamlined and cost-effective way.

In 2020, creating a social media presence for your auto shop isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. If you want your business to stand out from the crowd, the best thing you can do is create a social media strategy.

To help you get started off on the right track, we’ve compiled some of the most important tips and tricks for using social media the right way. Keep reading to discover how to build a killer social media presence for your auto shop. 

Utilize business accounts on Facebook and Instagram

It’s important to create a social media presence on the platforms that your customers are already active on. We recommend starting with Facebook and Instagram.

Instead of creating a regular personal account, we recommend switching to a business account. Unlike personal accounts, business accounts on Facebook and Instagram will give you access to important metrics and data. Utilizing business accounts allows you to also add your business hours and contact info to your profile page. 

Note: In order to create a business account on Instagram, you must already have a business page on Facebook. (The two accounts tie together because Facebook owns Instagram).

Brand your content

Now that you have your accounts set up, what kind of things should you be posting and what should they look like?

Start by posting content that shows off your business and what makes it unique. For an auto shop, that could look like posting pictures of your employees in action, or sharing photos of some of the vehicles you work on (with your customer’s permission, of course!).

No matter what you decide to post, make sure to brand your content so it appears consistent. Branding your content simply means that each piece you hit “post” on has a consistent look and feel to the rest of your content.

Similarly to how you should use branded email addresses for your auto shop, your social media should also be “branded.” Over time, this will help your page become more recognizable to your followers. Think about the colors, logos, and overall brand feel. This is social media 101.

Promote special offers and discounts

A great way to boost engagement is to promote any specials or discounts you might be offering directly on your social media pages. Running a promotion on oil changes? Let your followers know by posting a quick graphic with all the details.

 Run a newsletter or a blog? As a part of your promotional posts, encourage people to subscribe so they can stay on top of other promotions you might be running! This is a great way to increase traffic to your company website. 

Create contests or giveaways

Another great way to boost engagement on your social media accounts is to host a contest or giveaway a few times a year. To enter, you can ask your followers to give your post a like and tag a friend in the comment section. Not only will the extra likes help increase engagement, but asking people to tag others will help get new eyes onto your brand.

Giveaways are some of the best ways to get people involved with your brand!

Keep a consistent schedule

One of the reasons many businesses don’t see the results they’re looking for from social media is because they don’t stick to a consistent posting schedule, and end up falling off the wagon. Certain platforms like Instagram reward consistent posting, so make sure to create a content schedule that you can actually stick to. Don’t overcommit at first. Start small and build upon that over time.

And after a while, your followers will get used to your regular posting schedule, so it’s a good idea not to stray too far from it once it’s been set.

Pro tip: Creating a content calendar will help you maintain consistency and stay on track. It’s good to try to have posts prepared at least 2 weeks in advance. 

Encourage customers to use the “check-in” feature on Facebook

If you’re on Facebook, you’ve likely seen examples of people “checking-in” to their favorite restaurants, hotels, or other businesses on your newsfeed. This isn’t just a fun way to let your friends know what you’re up to - it can actually be a powerful tool for your business!

When people visit your auto-shop, encourage them to “check-in” on Facebook. When they do this, everyone in their network will be able to see that they checked into your shop, which can help attract new people to come check out your social media page, and hopefully pay your shop a visit as well. 

Thanks for reading!

Shopmonkey is the smart and simple way to run your auto shop. From appointments, to inspections, to estimates, to workflow, to payment and more — we’ve got your auto shop covered.

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