How to Shop for Cars using Social Media Research

There are a lot of places to find used cars online, but there’s an important one you may not have thought to use—social networks. They’re being used more and more every day, and have become an excellent place to find new and used cars online. Here’s a list of a few popular social networks, and how you can use them to find your next car.

Facebook

Begin your social media research with Facebook, currently the most widely used social network with over 750 million members.

• Browse manufacturers’ profile pages for information on the makes and models in which you’re interested.
• Gauge a car brand’s Facebook popularity by looking at the number of ‘Likes’ a page has received.
•  The Facebook page Wall can give you an idea what people are saying about the brand, or a specific car model.
• Some car listing aggregation sites, like UsedCars.com, have car review tools built into their Facebook page. These tools allow you to browse real car reviews before making a decision.

Twitter

Get involved in the car conversations that are happening across the Web, and contribute to them in real time. Twitter is a great social media research tool since it allows you to see what’s being said about new and used cars online.

• Use Twitter’s search function to find out what people are saying about a particular kind of car. Experiment with different combinations of search terms, such as the make, model and year of the car you want, and read about people’s experiences.
• Twitter hashtags are a great way to join in the conversation. Hashtags are created when the ‘#’ character is placed in front of a word or phrase within a tweet, making that phrase searchable. An example might be #fordfocus. Typing that, or any other car model, into the Twitter search bar, will allow you to see what people are saying about that car.
• Many companies employ social media professionals to manage their Twitter accounts. If you have a question about a vehicle that you can’t find the answer to, reach out to the company’s Twitter account. You’ll likely find the information you’re looking for, or at least be pointed in the right direction.

YouTube

While YouTube began as a collection of short, homemade videos, many companies have begun to see its value as a marketing vehicle. YouTube can also be an excellent social media research tool, since some companies post helpful videos in addition to traditional commercials on their YouTube channel. You’re likely to find product demonstrations, customer testimonials and other footage that wouldn’t fit in a traditional television commercial.

Once you’ve found your ideal vehicle through social media research, continue your online search to find affordable auto insurance. Whether you need partial or full coverage auto insurance, you’ll find a plan to fit your needs—just make sure your car is covered before you drive it home.

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