How to Run Google Ads for Car Dealerships for Best Results

Disclaimer — This is not a get rich quick or clickbait scenario. This is one example of how well advertising on Google can go for auto dealerships. No guarantees are given in this article. However, we have used the following methods with multiple dealership locations across several states with very positive results.

Example Auto Dealership Results

During a 30-day timeframe, this example auto dealership spent about $8K in Google Ads. Their campaigns received a total of 296 recorded calls — an average of $27 cost per call across all four of their locations. The dealership estimates that Google Ads brought in roughly $64K in profit during that same 30-day period.

Here’s a screenshot of the Google Ads account totals for that period:

Use Call Tracking Software

There are metrics beyond phone calls that we use for conversions, but call tracking is one of the most powerful. This dealership uses call recording software with unique, trackable numbers for each location. Using that software, we were able to show that over 66% of all phone calls the dealership received during this period were directly attributed to Google Ads.

Here’s a screenshot showing 30 days of calls and their attributed source:

Best Google Ad Campaign Types for Dealerships

We’ve seen the most success with the following campaign types for auto dealers:

1. 1
   Performance Max with Vehicle Listing Ads — think shopping ads for auto dealers. Creates more ad real estate across Google and increases click-through potential.
2. 2
   Call Now Search Ads
3. 3
   Keyword Search Ads
4. 4
   Dynamic Search Ads (DSA)
5. 5
   Retargeting Ads

Out-Bid the Competition

Depending on your budget and geo-targeting radius, you can compete with — and beat — even the biggest players in the market. Here’s a screenshot showing this dealership with a higher impression share than CarFax and CarGurus:

Best Custom Conversion Methods for Dealerships

Beyond calls, this dealership has seen success tracking several custom conversions. Phone call leads have the highest conversion rates by far — Google offers both 60-second “Calls from Ads” and “Click to Call” options, each assignable different values. Other conversion types worth tracking:

• SMS / Text message leads
• Scheduled test drive forms
• Trade-in value estimation forms
• General website contact forms

There’s some setup involved to do this right, but Google Ads has performed exceptionally well in our experience for auto dealerships. If you’re a dealer interested in running or improving your Google Ads, schedule a free call and let’s talk through what a campaign would look like for your location.