Top 9 Automotive Advertising Ideas To Drive Dealership Foot Traffic & Sales

Are you the first name customers think of when they need a new car or automotive service? All dealerships want to be top of mind, and the most effective way to achieve this is through consistent, targeted advertising. 

The automotive industry is competitive, and many traditional dealership marketing tactics often fall short of making your business a potential customer’s first choice. To truly connect with buyers, your advertising campaigns must adapt and stand out by combining digital, physical, and community-based strategies into one cohesive approach.

To help you build this multi-channel strategy, here are nine advertising channels and creative ideas designed to drive results for your local automotive business in today’s crowded marketplace. 

1. Google Search Ads for local visibility

Even in the age of AI, people are still going to “Google” when they’re looking for a product or service or have a question. A paid Google Search Ads campaign can help you attract more attention to your content, leading prospects to your website.

Automotive Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns on Google engage people when they’re actively searching for terms that indicate they’re considering a purchase. For example, they may be searching for phrases like  “car dealership near me” or “used Honda Civic Columbus.” Use purchase-intent-based keyword phrases like these to ensure your ad appears in search results for these queries. Additionally, if your brand is already well-known in the community, you can also use branded keywords that include your dealership name or highlight unique products or services you offer. 

Luckily, automotive dealership advertisers like you can fine-tune the criteria used to decide when and to whom your ad is displayed, ensuring you reach the warmest, most qualified leads possible. For example, you can use geo-targeting ad extensions to show your ad to people searching within your immediate area. For search terms like “Audi dealer near me,” being the closest option significantly increases your chances of landing the customer.

2. Social media content and ads

Social media has evolved over the years, but it remains a top digital channel for driving brand awareness and engagement. According to Sprout Social, there are over 5.42 billion social media users worldwide. Advertisers are expected to spend $276.7 billion in 2025 on social media advertising to reach this engaged audience. 

To get the best results, your automotive business’s social media strategy should include organic profile content and paid ads:

• Social media ads generate awareness, even among users are not actively searching for a dealership. Social algorithms are able to piece together a user’s online activity to show them content they’re likely to engage with, such as your ad. You can use ads to promote organic profile content that performs well (to give it a further boost) or to push lead-generating offer such as limited-time promotions or free services. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer powerful advertising tools that let you target very specific audiences for paid posts. 
• With organic social, you build trust and nurture the relationship so that when buyers are ready to make a purchase, your dealership is already top of mind. Automotive businesses see the greatest success when they post visual content (images, reels, stories). Use “organic” posts to share deals and promotions, new inventory, or behind-the-scenes content. 

When planning Facebook ads for car dealerships, try Meta’s dynamic inventory ads. These ads are displayed to users who have already interacted with your brand’s website, app, or other online platforms. This is a warmer lead that is likely to convert compared to someone net-new who meets your demographic specifications, but isn’t interested in buying a car right now.  You can also try Instagram car promotions using the same Meta platform.

3. High-impact Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is a powerful marketing tool that many businesses utilize to enhance brand awareness offline. OOH ads include static billboards, signage, and ads placed in public spaces, such as busy shopping centers, pharmacies, health clubs, and other high-traffic areas in your community. These placements are ideal for brand-building and brand recall, rather than short-term seasonal car promotions. 

For example, placing your ad on a Terraboost sanitizing kiosk at a busy shopping mall or a leading grocery store entrance gives your dealership high-frequency visibility. Your messaging can promote trade-in specials, financing offers, customer appreciation deals, or showcase the latest models. Connect your offline and online advertising by adding a QR code and website URL to drive customers directly to your website, booking platform, or lead generation page.

Terraboost strengthens your community presence and drives sales with strategically placed sanitizing kiosks targeted within a 3–5-mile radius of your dealership. Our advanced location-based targeting pinpoints the most relevant high-traffic locations, connecting you with local car and truck owners or buyers actively looking to buy, repair, or maintain their vehicles.

The results speak for themselves: sanitizing kiosk advertising has been shown to increase brand recall by 63% and boost purchase intent by 36%, making it a powerful channel for driving measurable growth for your dealership.

Learn more about how automotive dealerships are benefiting from Terraboost Wellness Kiosks advertising.

4. YouTube & short-form video advertising

Video remains an effective digital marketing tactic. In fact, 89% of companies use video as a marketing tool, and 93% of marketers report a positive ROI from their video content. 

For dealerships, video is an excellent way to showcase new inventory, film and share customer testimonials, or give virtual tours of your showroom and service areas so customers know what to expect when they arrive. These videos can be posted on your social media profiles (like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram) or used as paid social media or pre-roll YouTube ads.

A great benefit of video ads is that they can be easily updated. You can film a generic “b-roll” promo reel of your vehicles and facilities, then add a customized call-to-action screen at the end.  This allows you to quickly refresh your message with your current promo, without having to reshoot the entire video.

5. Referral programs that incentivize word of mouth

Many dealerships have already seen the benefits of word-of-mouth referrals for their businesses. When you create a stress-free, memorable experience for a customer, they naturally tell their friends and family about it, often sending new buyers your way when they need a new car or automotive servicing.

To boost word-of-mouth referrals, car dealerships can incentivize referrals by offering service discounts, gift cards, or exclusive perks when someone refers a new customer, turning satisfied customers into brand advocates.

Have you calculated how much it costs your dealership to acquire one new customer? A well-promoted referral program can help reduce your customer acquisition costs. Be sure to promote your incentive programs on social media, billboards, and even on ads on Terraboost’s sanitizing kiosks throughout your community. 

6. Loyalty & service incentives for existing customers

A significant portion of automotive advertising is focused on acquiring new customers. But your long-term business success also heavily relies on keeping your past customers engaged, as these customers are typically cheaper to re-acquire because they already know and trust your dealership. Develop a targeted marketing strategy to re-engage past car buyers so you stay top of mind when they’re ready to buy again, from offering exclusive upgrades, birthday service discounts, trade-in bonuses or dealership incentives.

Delivering these promotions through an email marketing program allows you to add customer preferences and information dynamically. You could include:

• The make and model of their car within the first paragraph (“We hope you’re enjoying your RAV4…”), 
• The sales rep’s name in the signature line
• Reference to how long it’s been since their vehicle purchase (Since you bought your Audi 2 years ago, they’ve come out with some exciting new features we think you’ll like.”)

These details create an authentic, personal touch, increasing the likelihood that the customer will take notice and take action.

7. Event sponsorships & local partnerships

Being an active and respected member of the community goes a long way in building awareness and trust in your automotive branding. Consider sponsoring local community events, schools, or sports teams to establish your reputation and become a valued member of the community you serve. 

Some ideas for event partnerships or sponsorships may include:

• Sponsoring a Little League team for the season
• Becoming a title sponsor for dinner at a local charity event
• Volunteering for your local food bank regularly
• Donating pizzas for a local elementary school sports day or school dance.
• Setting up an engaging booth at a local festival. 

These exposure events may not directly result in new car sales immediately, but they help increase your brand’s visibility in the community. By consistently showing up in the community, your dealership stays top-of-mind so when someone needs a new car, they think of you first.

8. Sponsored local content & blog features

Content marketing is another effective way to connect with prospective buyers, keep existing customers engaged, and establish brand awareness. Consider publishing a blog on your dealership website with helpful vehicle ownership tips. Focus on blog posts that are educational and value-driven to build trust, rather than blatantly “selling” too hard, which can turn people off. 

You could also partner with local bloggers, influencers, or news outlets to publish content like:

• “Top 4 SUVs for Winter in [CITY]”
• “7 Monthly car maintenance tasks you should never skip”
• “Exciting new technology in this year’s new line of trucks”
• Team Member Spotlight: “Meet our newest team member [Sales Rep] at [Dealership name]”

9. Limited-time and seasonal promotions

The automotive industry is full of seasonal promotions or time-limited offers from car manufacturers. Use these promotions and tie them to local and seasonal events to create urgency and drive action. Here are a few ideas:

• Before the first big snowfall of the season: “Save 10%  on Winter Tire Swaps this week.”
• Back-to-School time: “Check out our back-to-school used car event.”
• Around the first sunny heatwave of the year: “Get 1 year of free oil changes with all in-stock convertibles this month.”

Plan your promotional calendar in advance, focusing on time-sensitive offers to encourage quick action. Promote seasonal campaigns across all your advertising channels—email, social, in-store, and out-of-home media—to reach your audience and ensure they don’t get missed.

The power of online and offline advertising for dealerships

Online advertising for dealerships is no longer enough. Success requires more than a one-channel strategy. You need to be top of mind both online or offline, whenever people are considering buying a new car or need products or services. That’s why an advertising approach that combines digital channels (like social media and your website) and offline channels (like event sponsorship, billboards, and kiosk ads) can be a powerful combination to attract new customers and nurture past ones.

Local dealerships like Audi Dallas, Pohanka Acura, and Kia of Round Rock have benefited from advertising on Terraboost kiosks. These campaigns have increased visibility, engaged local buyers, and drove increased traffic to their dealerships, all at a low CPM.

Terraboost: Impactful automotive marketing solutions

Terraboost can put your brand on wellness kiosks in the most heavily trafficked areas of your community, such as shopping centers, health clubs, and grocery stores. We have exclusive partnerships with top retailers in your community, including Albertsons, Kroger, Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, and more.

Our goal is simple: to increase your dealership’s visibility and deliver measurable results.

Want to see how our kiosk advertising can boost your dealership sales this quarter? Request a demo or contact us to explore a pilot campaign to see how Terraboost can help you attract more of your ideal customers and drive sales.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the automotive industry slowing down?

The automotive industry generates over $500 billion in annual sales and employs over 1.7 million people nationwide. To stay competitive and capture the growing audience of car buyers, dealerships need a cohesive, integrated marketing and advertising campaign that keeps them top of mind for consumers.  

How can dealerships increase car sales?

Dealerships can drive sales by using an integrated marketing campaign that includes digital channels and Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, such as static billboards, signage, and ads placed in public spaces to increase your visibility to potential customers. Ensure your advertising is placed in high-traffic areas, such as busy shopping centers, pharmacies, health clubs, and other prominent locations within your community.