Automotive – In no other branch do users participate with such passion and frequency
Only a few branches are subject to a major change just like the automotive industry. In light of climate change, the consumers’ awareness of resource-efficient drive technology is growing. Although the high-end and business class is still popular and enjoys a high number of consumers, the number of sold fuel-efficient cars steadily increases and the first engines with regenerative technology are already being produced in series.
The Germans love their cars. That is why it is also a major topic in social media. In Germany, almost 5000 bloggers are concerned with this subject and the forum motor-talk.de is actually considered to be the second largest German forum. True supporters of various brands do not only discuss the latest models online but also exchange their extensive experiences and test drive reports, draw conclusions and make recommendations to other users.
It is especially relevant for companies of a brand, which already receives such attention in social media, to enter the users’ genuine dialogue and thereby publicize their brand. ethority has already assisted various companies during their first steps in social media, as the following case illustrates:
Case
Initial Situation:
The project was authorized by a manufacturer of automotive parts. He hoped to gain profound background information from ethority about how and on which social media platforms the consumers discuss his products or the products of his competitors.
Objective:
In order to provide the client with the desired information, the buzz (major topics, relevant channels, brand image) concerning individual products was to be evaluated as well as compared to the three major competitors. Which topics are currently popular? Which social media channels do the consumers use most frequently? How about the image of the brand in question? For the purpose of using the gathered information immediately in practice, ethority’s researchers had to identify five opinion leaders and Brand Evangelists for a follow-up WoM campaign.
Realisation:
In the context of the comprehensive analysis and with the aid of the monitoring system gridmaster®, more than 5000 customer feedbacks, which covered a wide range of topics, were evaluated in the relevant forums and blogs and analysed by the ethority research team.
Results:
On completion of the evaluation, ethority presented the client with valuable insights into target groups, brand perception and buzz in social media. Additionally, we were able to indicate recommendations of action for social media marketing measures, illustrate strengths and weaknesses of certain product series and define the manufacturer’s position in relation to the competitors.
