How the Auto Industry is Embracing Social Media

How the Auto Industry is Embracing Social Media You Tube Linked in flickr digg Scribd The state of the auto industry is constantly in flux -- as is each of the Big 5's reputations. Check out how the largest car companies in the country are reaching out to the public. These are America's marque brands and their top divisions that have a substantial social media presence All social media site statistics are current as of February 8, 2011. Increased Chapter 11 conversation Fun videos budget GM's social media team took a transparent approach on Twitter and Facebook when it came to discussing the company's bankruptcy, and the public appreciated their sincerity. Department 180 is a series of videos Each year GM enlarges its social media budget, a sign that the company created by GM that are fun and entertaining. Most of GM's videos get 1,500 views over several months, but Dept. 180's debut video got more than 11,000 views in its first week. understands the value of social media. The team tries to have a presence wherever communities gather in order to connect with people one-on-one. Linkedin followers: 30,253 Linked in www.youtube.com/user/gmblogs YouTube You Tube twitter.com/gmblogs Twitter followers: 19,828 Blog: following: 6,944 gmblogs.com Google Page Rank 6 Main Site: www.gm.com Google Page Rank 8 General Motors likes: 217,824 GM www.facebook.com/generalmotors total upload views: 2,620,450 YouTybe You Tube scribers: 5,0: www.youtube,com/chevrolet Twitter witter.com/chevrolet followers: 17,501 www.facebook.com/chevrolet Honoring MLK On January 17, Main Site: following: 14,213 Chevrolet launched www.chevrolet.com the MLK Reading project, a platform where Google Page Rank 7 Chevrolet Americans can honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his achievements. Visit www.chevymlk.com. likes: 377,405 YouTube You Tube Name: Buick Subscribers: 378 Joined: March 1, 2006 total upload views: followers: 6,614,538 www.youtube.com/buiet 3,674 following: 574 Twitter twitter.com/buick Facebook www.facebook Main Site: www.buick.com com/Buick Scavenger hunt The "Quest for the Keys" Google Page Rank 6 Buick Buick's "Quest for Keys" is underway in seven cities. Clues will be released on Facebook, Twitter and other sites. Those who find the 42 hidden keys will receive cash, and one lucky contestant's key will unlock a new Buick. likes: 78,176 Name: GMC Subscribers: 549 Joined: December 23, 2005 total upload views: 561,778 followers: 5,954 total upload views: following: www.youtube.com/gmc 303,814 3,834 You Tube Twitter witter.com/thisisgme www.facebook.com/gmc Main Site: www.gmc.com Google Page Rank 7 GMC GMC likes: 160,108 total upload views: 86,479 Name: GMC vehicles Subscribers: 127 Joined: April 23, 2008 followers: 29 Name: Cadillac Subscribers: 1,869 Joined: November 28, 2005 Linkedln followers: Linked in 5,833 YouTube www.youtube.com/cadillac following: 921 You Tube Twitter witter.com/cadillac www.facebook.com/cadillac Main Site: www.cadillac.com total upload views: 3,003,005 Google Page Rank 7 Cadillac likes: 307,162 Road trip Rally America Last summer, two Ford Fiestas equipped with online apps went on a road trip from Michigan to San Francisco. One car used the app "Auto"matic blog, which allowed it to blog and tweet. Ford Focus Rally America will have six teams of two compete in various interactive challenges as they drive cross-country in the new 2012 Ford Focus. Folks can participate online by helping the drivers figure out clues and puzzles. followers: Linkedin YouTube. Twitter 26,979 total upload views: 1,512,114 Linked in www.youtube.com/ford You Tube followers: 46,244 twitter.com/ford following: 34,821 Main Site: www.ford.com Google Page Rank 7 Ford Ford followers: 50,161 Blog: following: www.thefordstory.com www.facebook.com/ford 31,289 likes: 534,540 total upload views: FRcebook 4,745,504 Main Site: www.lincoln.com Google Page Rank 6 Name: Ford Motor Company Subscribers: 3,276 www.youtube.com/FordVideo Ford Joined: April 19, 2007 fans: 16 LINCOL N likes: AMERICAN LUXURY 20,195 total reads: 604,345 • Delicious www.facebook.com/lincoln uploads: 182 www.delicious.com/FoMoCo followers: 100,679 Scribd Scribd photo sets: 175 www.scribd.com/ FordMotorCompany Flickr flick www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany Embracing social In September 2010, Chrysler started showing off photos and other details about four 2011 models through its Facebook and Twitter accounts, which lead to a frenzy of activity on the web. total upload views: 3,989,866 Name: Chrysler www.youtube.com/user/chrysler followers: 6,064 witter.com/ChrysierAutos following: 5,982 Face ceboo Chrysler Tube Main Site: www.chrysler.com/en/ Google Page Rank 6 CHRY EL likes: following: 91,401 6,893 followers: 11,338 twitter.com/Chrysler followers: 11,917 photo sets: 9 Linkedn Linked in flick Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/chryslergroup YouTube Name: Dodge Subscribers: 2,890 Twitter twitter.com/dodge ww.youtube.com/dodge You Tube Facebook com/dodge www.facebook Main Site: www.dodge.com/en Google Page Rank 6 Dodge DODGE likes: 333,971 total upload views: YouTube 4,505,582 Name: Jeep Subscribers: 5,044 oined: January 19, 2006 You Tube www.youtube.com/jeep Twitter Facebook twitter.com/jeep Main Site: www.jeep.com Google Page Rank 7 www.facebook ok.com/jeep Jeep Jeep Blog: blog.jeep.com likes: 990,442 YouTube You Tube www.youtube.com/ra Twitter wwitter.com/ramtrucke Name: Ram Subscribers: Joined: Septeeag total upload views: Facebook items: 4,863,475 7,950 followers www.facebook. 3,325 flick Flick Main Site: following: www.ramtrucks.com/en 3,479 Google Page Rank 6 flickr.com/groups/jeepexperience Ram RAM likes: 42,608 total upload views: 352,226 photo sets: 19 flick Fickr www.flickr.com/photos/ramtrucke Becoming social Since last February, Toyota has become increasingly a part of social media. The Toyota USA president participated in a Digg Dialogg interview, the company set up various platforms to aggregate online mentions of Toyota and it also created a social media response team. total upload views: 7,541,200 www.youtube.com/user/ToyotaUSA followers: 34,251 following: twitter.com/TOYOTA 18,716 abook Blog: likes: 331,616 pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/our-point-of-view.aspx Joined: March 5, 2008 Subscribers: 5,725 followers: 11,430 Name: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. inkedin Linked in Name: LexusVehicles JoinScribers: 3,284 January 4, 2008 YouTube You Tuhe www.youtube.com/lexue Twitter twitter.com/lexuS Facebook followers: book.com/lexus 15,447 www.face Main Site: www.lexus.com following: 491 Google Page Rank 7 Lexus followers: 779 LEXUS total upload views: 4,192,000 likes: 324,440 Linked in Name: Scion Subscribers: 165 oined: January 16, 2006 YouTube Twitter twitter.com/scion www.youtube.com/scion You Tube followers: 6,449 www.facebook.com/scion Main Site: www.scion.com following: total upload views: 5,437 Google Page Rank 6 86,215 Scion SCION likes: 45,130 followers: 157 Linked in Linkedin Virtual gaming To promote the Honda CR-Z, a hybrid coupe, the company entered the Facebook game "Car Town" and started an ad campaign. In the game, players could purchase a Honda CR-Z for their own garages. total upload views 12,330,710 www.youtube.com/honda followers: 10,400 following: 372 twitter.com/HONDA Faceb aceboo Twitter. Main Site: automobiles.honda.com/ Google Page Rank 6 Honda likes: 872,670 followers: 1,240 YouTube www.youtube.com/acura Joined: October 5, 2005 Linkedin Flickr You Tube Twitter twitter.com/acura insider photo sets: 56 Linked in www.facebook.com/acur Flick Main Site: www.flickr.com/photos/hondanews www.acura.com Google Page Rank 6 Acura ACURA likes: 84,736 total upload views: 514,392 Social Super Bowl Advertising This year's Super Bowl advertising was dominated by car and car-related ads. Most companies took advantage of this opportunity by engaging the viewer via television and online. Here's a look at four of the most talked about Super Bowl campaigns and commercials: SUPER BOWL KLY .... ......... ....... . Ford Volkswagen originally leaked its Super Bowl commercial "The Force" on YouTube, which helped it go viral even before the big day. Ford promoted its Focus Rally America, the interactive road trip that encourages folks to help the drivers along their way. 50 During the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the video was a trending topic on Twitter and had 1.5 million views. As of February 11, the video has more than 26 million views. Before the commercial even aired, more than 10,000 people had signed up to support the teams. Currently, each of the six teams have several thousand followers. The winning team will be announced March 7. Audi was the first to include a hashtag in a Super Bowl commercial. Ten folks who tweeted with the hashtag would be chosen to compete for a grand prize. Mercedes-Benz Even before the Super Bowl, Mercedes-Benz announced a Twitter- fueled campaign: four two-person teams would drive to Dallas in MB vehicles propelled by tweets. It would pair up with MB's Super Bowl commercial, Welcome." Thousands of folks tweeted the #Progressls hashtag and have continued to do so in the days after the Super Bowl. According to Audi's Twitter account, the company plans to announce the winners a week or so "Team S" won the three-day journey after accumulating more than 43,000 tweets and winning other challenges. The winners each received a 2012 C-Class Coupe. after the Super Bowl. Lessons & Takeaways Success stories and failures Volkswagen's "The Force" video Chevy's road trip results Last year Chevrolet sent out eight teams of social media folks on a road trip/scavenger hunt competition. They had to complete challenges and interact on social sites. A huge win for Ford Ford gave 100 folks Ford Fiestas 18 months before they were released and asked that they share their experiences online. While most companies keep their Super Bowl ads a secret until game time, this video was intentionally released early to create pre-game buzz. It lead to millions of views, thousands of likes and the miniature Darth Vader, actor Max Page, even appeared on the Today Show. It resulted in: 11 million It resulted in: impressions 11,000 13,000 15,000 61.1 million impressions 1,216 8,764 new Facebook likes 13,400 video views video views photos tweets tweets GM's viral plan backfires In 2006, GM teamed up with "The Apprentice" to create a site that allowed Chevy Tahoe fans to make their own commercials online. However, the response was largely negative as SUV critics made films bashing the Tahoe and others made satirical ads. Honda's cyber critique In the summer of 2009, Honda created a Facebook fan page to help promote the new Crosstour. However, it turned sour when "fans" outside of the Toyota's Flickr flop In 2009, Toyota and its ad agency put together a Web site for the Toyota 4Runner. The problem was that the images had been stolen from Flickr and were used without the photographers' permission. Toyota soon removed the images and apologized. target demographic only had negative things to say. Honda didn't issue a response until September. Lessons other companies can learn Have a personality Create social profiles Create profiles on prominent social media sites. Sign up and create accounts on sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Learn how to use these effectively and reach out to your audience. Interact with your fans as if they were your friends, rather than using a corporate, traditional voice. Example: Scott Monty (Head of Social Media for Ford) has more followers than many other of the top 5's main Twitter accounts. Always respond In times of trouble, don't be silent. No matter if you're addressing bankruptcy or the public's dislike for your newest car model, always be a part of the conversation and address fans' questions and concerns. Embrace word-of-mouth Provide interaction Embrace the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Allow your customers and fans to sing your praises and spread the word, instead of your company doing it itself. Create opportunities for fans to interact and participate. Run competitions, hold events and find other ways to include your fans. They'll love being a part of the "team." Sources: wsj.com I gm.com | ford.com | mashable.com | socialcarnews.com remi8.blogspot.com | businessreviewusa.com | bnet.com | dispatch.com | webpronews.com | ft.com | stltoday.comI mybanktracker.com Information provided by: http://www.carinsurance.org CARINSURANCE.ORG Name: General Motore Subscribers: 1,218 Joined: Septembe www.youtube.com/gmcveb. Name: Ford Subscribers: 4,242 Joined: November 1, 200s twitter.com/ Subscribers: 1,364 Joined: September 8, 2006 YouTube. Twitter www.fac Joined: September 29, 2005 mber 21, Twitter YouTube Linkedin Naacribere ber 10. 2005 twitter.com om/alicia at_honda YouTube e: Acurazo