Automotive Internet Media

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Drive Sustained Growth with YouTube Shorts for Your Dealership

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Drive Sustained Growth with YouTube Shorts for Your Dealership

Video content is more powerful than ever, and YouTube Shorts have become one of the most effective tools for dealerships to boost channel growth, engagement, and visibility. With over 120 million daily active users, Shorts offer a high-impact way to share your message with minimal effort.

Published: May 30, 2025

Automotive Internet Media | Digital Marketing Agency

YouTube Shorts

Why Should Your Dealership Post YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts are short-form videos (60 seconds or less) that allow you to capture attention quickly, drive viewers to your long-form content, and build a loyal subscriber base. Dealerships using Shorts regularly see:

  • Channel growth
  • Increase in engagement rates
  • Stronger brand awareness

Shorts also open the door for cross-promotion, giving you the ability to create teasers or highlight reels that drive traffic to your full-length videos, such as vehicle walkarounds, service how-to’s, or dealership events.

YouTube Shorts vs. Other Platforms

You might wonder—why choose YouTube Shorts over TikTok or Instagram Reels?

TikTok thrives on trends and viral challenges, driven by an interest-based algorithm that pushes content to broad audiences. Instagram Reels, on the other hand, often echo TikTok trends and lean heavily into influencer-style content, focusing more on quick entertainment than informative or product-focused messaging.

YouTube stands out by offering long-term value and a trusted platform for consistent growth. Shorts not only boost visibility but also drive viewers to your full-length videos. Plus, with the power of Google’s targeting, your content can reach the right audience more effectively.

Wider Reach, More Views

One major edge YouTube Shorts offers is a higher reach. Unlike TikTok, which shows content to only a fraction of your followers, YouTube pushes Shorts to ALL of your subscribers, increasing visibility with every upload.

According to Search Engine Land, “YouTube Shorts now reach 2 billion monthly users and generate approximately 70 billion daily views.” For auto dealers, that’s a massive audience ready to discover your inventory, service specials, or community events you participate in or host.

What Kind of Shorts Drive Website Traffic for Car Dealerships?

YouTube Shorts can be a powerful tool for dealerships, not just for brand awareness or engagement, but for driving actual traffic to your website and inventory pages. The most effective Shorts tend to focus on freshly arrived vehicles, quick highlights of key features, tech or safety demos, service tips, or brief recaps of dealership events. The key is pairing each Short with a clear, compelling call to action, such as “View this vehicle now on our website” or “Schedule your test drive today.” By consistently posting these bite-sized videos and linking viewers directly to relevant inventory or service pages, dealerships can generate real interest and funnel potential buyers straight to their digital showroom.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re interested in adding YouTube Shorts to your dealership’s video marketing strategy, Automotive Internet Media can help. Whether you need full-service support, video content creation, or on-site production anywhere in the Chicagoland area, we’ve got you covered. Our team in Hinsdale, IL is ready to help your dealership unlock its full video potential and attract more viewers today. Contact us now to learn more about how we can take your content strategy to the next level or visit our website to learn more about the video services we offer.

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CarClicks Inventory Marketing Q1 2025 Results

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CarClicks Inventory Marketing Q1 2025 Results

In today’s competitive auto market, it’s not enough to rely solely on traditional digital marketing tactics. You need a targeted, data-driven approach to reach the right shoppers at the right time, and that’s exactly what CarClicks delivers.

Published: May 22, 2025

Automotive Internet Media | Digital Marketing Agency

Q1 2025 CarClicks Results

Q1 2025 CarClicks Results

CarClicks is our flagship inventory marketing product designed to help auto dealers reach serious, low-funnel car buyers. Using exclusive auto shopper data, CarClicks identifies highly engaged, in-market shoppers based on their shopping behavior and intent. Our technology platforms deliver personalized digital ads, placing your inventory directly in front of the right buyers, at the right time.

No matter who manages your advertising budget, it’s critical to consistently engage new potential customers. CarClicks Inventory Marketing allows you to allocate a specific portion of your budget to drive maximum inventory exposure, generate more VDPs, and reach the most auto shoppers in a highly cost-effective way.

Q1 2025 Performance Highlights


We’re proud to share that in the first quarter of 2025, CarClicks delivered 9,143,613 Vehicle Detail Page (VDP) views for our dealer partners. Even better, we maintained strong cost efficiency, with the average cost per VDP around $0.75. Our campaigns reached shoppers across thousands of high-traffic domains, maximizing visibility and engagement. These results speak for themselves—CarClicks remains a powerful tool for dealers looking to boost exposure and drive more qualified traffic to their inventory.

Let’s Connect

Ready to Take Your Inventory Marketing Further? Discover how CarClicks can help you maximize your ad budget, increase inventory visibility, and connect with more serious car buyers. Visit us online to learn more or contact us to get started today.

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Elevate Your Dealership Video Production with Automotive Internet Media

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Elevate Your Dealership Video Production with Automotive Internet Media

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, video is no longer optional—it’s essential. Automotive Internet Media helps Chicagoland dealerships stand out with high-impact video production that captures attention, builds trust, and drives results. Whether you’re showcasing a new model, promoting a sales event, or introducing your team, our tailored video services are designed to elevate your brand and connect with car shoppers in a powerful, visual way.

Published: May 22, 2025

Automotive Internet Media | Digital Marketing Agency

Automotive Video Production

In the competitive world of automotive sales, standing out online is more important than ever. Video content has become one of the most effective ways to engage potential buyers, showcase your inventory, and build trust with your local community. At Automotive Internet Media, we specialize in professional video production services tailored specifically for car dealerships throughout the Chicagoland area.

Why Video Production Matters for Car Dealerships

Video marketing is one of the most powerful ways to capture attention. Today’s shoppers want to see vehicles up close, learn about dealership events, and build a connection with the people behind the brand. By using short, high-quality videos, your dealership can:

  • Showcase vehicle features in an engaging, visual way
  • Highlight special promotions and monthly offers
  • Share dealership news and upcoming events
  • Introduce your sales team and build customer trust
  • Provide dynamic footage from special events or community activities

These videos not only enhance your website and social channels but also boost your online visibility and lead generation efforts.

Professional Video Production in Chicago, IL

Our Video Production Services — Tailored for Your Dealership

At Automotive Internet Media, our experienced production team offers a full range of video services designed to meet your dealership’s unique needs:

  • Vehicle Feature Highlights: Quick, engaging clips that spotlight the latest models and their top features.
  • Dealership News & Events: Capture and share the excitement of sales events, new inventory arrivals, and community involvement.
  • Team Highlight Videos: Help customers put faces to names with personalized introductions to your staff.
  • Special Event Footage: From charity drives to grand openings, we cover your special moments with professional quality.
  • Monthly Offer Commercials: Promote your latest specials with custom commercials designed to convert viewers into customers.

We take pride in creating videos that are visually compelling, to the point, and optimized for digital platforms.

Serving the Chicagoland Area

We’re proud to be based in Hinsdale, Illinois, and serve car dealerships throughout the Chicagoland region. Whether you’re in Chicago proper or the surrounding suburbs, our team is ready to come to your location and produce custom videos that elevate your marketing strategy.

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The State of Streaming TV in 2025

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The State of Streaming TV in 2025

In 2025, streaming television has firmly established itself as the dominant form of TV viewing, surpassing traditional pay-TV in global revenue. Here’s what you need to know about where streaming TV is at and headed next.

Published: May 13, 2025

Automotive Internet Media | Digital Marketing Agency

CTV vs OTT

What’s the Difference Between Linear TV and CTV/OTT?

Linear TV, also known as traditional television, is the kind of TV that’s delivered through cable or satellite services. Viewers watch scheduled programming on specific channels, with ads inserted at predetermined times. While it still reaches a broad audience, Linear TV’s ability to target specific viewers is limited, and there’s little opportunity for advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns in real time.

Connected TV (CTV) refers to internet-connected television screens—like smart TVs and devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. It delivers video ads through streaming platforms like Hulu and YouTube TV, reaching viewers on their big screens at home. CTV combines the impact of traditional TV with the precision, engagement, and real-time tracking of digital advertising—making it a smart choice for today’s marketers.

Over-the-top (OTT) refers to any video content streamed over the internet, whether on mobile, desktop, or TV devices. OTT advertising reaches viewers who consume content outside of traditional cable, and while it includes CTV, it also expands your reach to phones, tablets, and laptops. The key benefit? OTT gives you the power to target audiences with the precision of digital marketing—across all screens.

Why Should You Consider CTV/OTT Advertising?

CTV/OTT advertising offers the best of both worlds: the advanced targeting of digital ads and the immersive viewing experience of traditional TV. CTV focuses on delivering ads to viewers on internet-connected TV screens like smart TVs, Roku, or Fire TV, while OTT extends your reach across additional devices like smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Together, they allow advertisers to engage audiences wherever they’re streaming content.

Here are three key benefits of CTV/OTT advertising:

Data-Driven Targeting Capabilities
With CTV/OTT, you can unlock powerful targeting options using 1st-party data, 3rd-party segments, and lookalike audiences. This ensures your ads are tailored to specific user behaviors, demographics, and locations—reducing wasted spend and helping your dealership reach the right shoppers at the right time.

Higher Engagement
CTV/OTT ads often appear in high-resolution formats and are frequently unskippable, leading to more completed views. Some formats are even interactive, inviting users to engage directly. According to StackAdapt, “In the first half of 2022, CTV ads achieved a global viewability rate of 93.2%,” showing how effectively these formats capture audience attention.

Real-Time Insights
Unlike traditional TV, CTV/OTT campaigns provide real-time data. Advertisers can monitor impressions, conversions, cost-per-conversion, and video completion rates instantly. This allows for quick optimizations and better campaign performance from start to finish.

The Future of TV Is Shifting

As more viewers continue to cut the cord and move away from traditional Linear TV, the growth of CTV is undeniable. According to Statista, “Streaming services reached a record 40.3% share of TV usage in the U.S., far surpassing cable and broadcast at 27.2% and 20.5%, respectively.” This data shows that the shift to CTV is not just a passing trend—it’s a long-term transformation that continues to grow.

Infographic: Streaming Hits 40% of U.S. TV Usage for the First Time | Statista You will find more infographics at Statista

Reach the Right Audience with CTV and OTT

CTV and OTT give automotive dealers the ability to reach in-market shoppers with video—just like traditional TV—but with far more control over who sees the ad and how often. With the power of digital targeting, your dealership can reach car buyers not only in their living rooms but also across all devices—phones, tablets, laptops, and more.

At Automotive Internet Media, we offer comprehensive CTV/OTT advertising services designed to help dealerships like yours reach the right audience and drive more conversions—powered by our own demand-side platform. Whether you’re new to streaming video ads or looking to optimize your current strategy, our team is here to help you get the most out of this powerful channel. [Click here to learn more], or contact us today to get started!

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Google Ad CPC Inflation in 2025

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Google Ad CPC Inflation in 2025

Google ad CPCs are rising in 2025. Get the details on how much ad costs have increased and see how it could be impacting your ad strategy.

Published: April 23, 2025

Automotive Internet Media | Digital Marketing Agency

Google ads cpc

Digital marketing costs can fluctuate, especially as the global economy changes. One trend advertisers are seeing this year is Google ad CPC inflation. Understanding this trend is crucial for automotive dealers. As costs change, one must evaluate the impact on expected outcomes and performance benchmarks. This article will delve into why Google Ad CPC inflation is happening, Google ads pricing trends, and strategies to manage advertising costs.

Understanding Google Ad CPC Inflation

A Google Ad CPC, or Cost-Per-Click, is the amount advertisers pay when users click their ads. In 2025, advertisers have seen increases in this across industries, including automotive. This inflation means higher costs to reach potential customers, thus a lower amount of results for the same budget. However, have performance targets decreased to account for this? Probably not. So dealers must spend more to maintain outcomes or adjust their advertising strategy.

The Current State of Google Ad CPC Inflation

Search Engine Land reviewed both Alphabet’s prior year data as well as their own client account data. They found that the average annual CPC increase from Google’s reports from 2019-2024 was 2.33%. However, when they assessed their own data, across industries, compared to this year they found an average CPC increase of 11.75%.

Automotive Internet Media has also seen rising Google CPC costs for search campaigns in 2025.

Factors Driving Google Ad CPC Inflation

Several factors contribute to Google Ad CPC inflation. Increased competition for keywords and search volume is a major driver. Economic factors, such as general inflation, impact advertising budgets. Finally, changes in Google’s own algorithms and ad formats can affect bidding, further altering ad pricing. These dynamics influence how costs fluctuate, making it vital for automotive dealers to stay updated and agile in their strategies.

Impact on Automotive Dealers

Automotive dealers are already feeling the pressure of looming tariffs and rising advertising costs are just a further challenge for dealerships in 2025. If a dealer heavily relies on Google to drive advertising traffic then Google CPC inflation is definitely affecting results.

How should a dealer navigate these challenges?

One way is to diversify their advertising strategy. Advertising on additional channels can help with efficiency. Specifically adding in a product like CarClicks that sends quality in-market shoppers to dealer inventory at a lower cost than most Google clicks is a successful approach. CarClicks is a great addition to a dealer’s marketing strategy, especially in times they need to further maximize ROI.

Conclusion: Staying Competitive in the Digital Economy

Understanding Google ad CPC inflation is crucial for dealerships to maximize their digital marketing budgets. By adopting strategic approaches, dealers can optimize costs effectively as the market changes and drive better results – even as costs increase.

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Automotive Internet Media Partners with the 2025 Chicago Auto Show

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Automotive Internet Media Partners with the 2025 Chicago Auto Show

by automotiveinternetmedia | February 7, 2025 | Digital Marketing, Chicago Auto Show

Automotive Internet Media and Chocago Auto Show Partnership

Automotive Internet Media (AIM) is pleased to continue our valued partnership with the renowned Chicago Auto Show, taking place from February 8-17, 2025. As one of the premier automotive events in the United States, the Chicago Auto Show provides an exceptional platform for showcasing the latest vehicles, innovations, and industry trends. We are proud to support their digital initiatives for the 2025 show and help power their local vehicle shopping portal, DriveChicago.com.

Driving Results with Digital Marketing

AIM plays a key role in amplifying the Chicago Auto Show’s reach by supporting its digital marketing initiatives and ensuring the event’s presence extends far beyond the convention center. By leveraging our industry expertise and digital platforms, AIM ensures that the Chicago Auto Show’s messaging reaches its target audience, driving excitement and attendance.

CarClicks and DriveChicago.com

In addition to our continued partnership with the Chicago Auto Show, AIM is proud to support the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) in powering DriveChicago.com. CATA, the organization responsible for producing the Chicago Auto Show, also oversees DriveChicago.com, a key digital platform designed to connect car shoppers with local inventory and dealerships across Chicagoland. AIM plays a key role behind the scenes, contributing to the development of the website. AIM’s CarClicks inventory marketing product also helps DriveChicago.com reach in-market auto shoppers with strategically placed and personalized digital ads.  

Automotive Partnership Supporting Chicagoland

Automotive Internet Media is honored to be associated with the Chicago Auto Show, DriveChicago.com and the automotive industry in Chicago. We greatly value our local partnerships and are happy to support the impactful initiatives the CATA provides to both automotive dealers and the broader community.

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How to Navigate Inventory Issues Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The impact that coronavirus is having on businesses unfortunately comes as no surprise. Auto dealers are seeing the negative impact of this pandemic even though they are considered essential businesses. The current environment is especially affecting independent dealers.

One issue that has arisen is a lack of vehicle inventory. Since many OEMs converted their manufacturing plants to produce ventilators, they are now trying to make up for lost time and dealers are asking how can I sell cars I don’t have? 

USA Today is reporting what many dealers are feeling, popular pickup trucks are getting hard to find. Big truck brands like Ford, Chevy, GMC and Ram dealers are the most seriously impacted. And with these models being typically higher priced inventory, it is hurting dealers’ bottom lines even more.

So how can your dealership navigate through inventory issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Try Out New Strategies

One way your dealership can get past inventory issues is to strategically promote the inventory you do have. Focus on cars that have been on your lot for a long time. AIM’s CarClicks Inventory Marketing can connect auto shoppers to your oldest inventory to help increase turn.

Another strategy is to pivot and get creative with your marketing of the models that you do have. Since pickup trucks are scarce right now, shift your advertising efforts to vehicles that are not. Try out eye-catching yet cost effective marketing. Promote smaller sized models to millennials using video promoted on connected devices.

Having trouble driving sales to your dealership because of the pandemic? Today more than ever, it is especially important to have a strong online presence. When shoppers don’t want to come to the dealership themselves, you have to be able to get your vehicles in front of their eyes. 

Expanding your online retailing can help you win more customers, making it easier for auto shoppers to browse your inventory online. Setting up video appointments and dropping off the vehicle to their driveway are all steps in the right direction for conquering the negative impact of COVID-19 on your dealership’s business. 

Ready to combat COVID-19 related inventory issues? Talk to us at (312) 473-0024 today.

 

4 Ways to Effectively Utilize Paid Social Media Ads to Promote Black Friday Events

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If you have an exciting sale going on for Black Friday an effective way to help spread the word to in-market auto shoppers is through paid social media advertising. Keep reading to learn keys to setting up successful paid social campaigns for events.

1. Identify Your Target Audience(s)

Social Media has become a powerful way to reach consumers because of its abundance of targeting options. Most platforms have the ability to segment by geo, gender, age, interests and more. Many (such as Facebook) will let you upload your own custom audience lists to reach specific platform users. Identifying a key target audience and potentially even a couple sub-audiences will help you use these targeting options efficiently.

2. Make Sure Your Creative is Formatted Properly

You may have a professionally designed poster or newspaper spread for your event that look spectacular. However, on the web that same pieces will appear completely different. It is important to have alternate sizes made for social media in the correct pixel sizes. Also it is ideal to have 20% or less text to be optimized for Facebook. Properly sizing images by placement will prevent logos and text from being cut off and present your event in a professional manner, which will ultimately increase your level of engagement.

3. Consider the Customer Journey

What path will consumers take before they show up at your dealership’s sales event? They may be exposed to some of your other marketing efforts such as print or TV. At what stage of their decision making will they be touched by your social ad? Considering external factors while you are setting up social ad campaigns can help you be strategic. 

4. Don’t Set It and Forget It

Once you have your ad campaigns set up it is important to keep monitoring them. If you leave them running without checking you may miss post comments asking you a question about the sale or the opportunity to reallocate funds from one campaign to a better performing one. Conducting extra optimization and management post-launch will make the campaigns as successful as possible, thus bringing in as many leads and as much foot traffic to you as possible. 

 

A solid paid social media strategy can bring your Black Friday event marketing to the next level. Need social media help? Learn more about our automotive social media services.