Google Earnings Confirm Automotive Advertising Budget Trends

Today Google reported blow-out earnings which surprised Wall Street.  After hours trading had the shares up 35+ dollars and close to $600 a share.

Just this past week, Google was at $500 a share so this stock has surged 100 points through the earnings week.

According to Google’s press release:

…the company reported earnings excluding items of $9.72 a share, up from from $7.64 per share a year ago. Net income rose to $2.73 billion from $2.17 billion.

Net revenue, which excludes fees that Google shares with partner websites, increased 37 percent to $7.51 billion from $5.48 billion last year.

Aggregate paid clicks, which come from ads on Google sites and its AdSense partners, rose 28 percent from a year earlier and the average cost-per-click increased 5 percent from a year earlier.

Automotive Advertising Trends on Google

In the past year, automotive advertising clients of PCG Digital Marketing have been moving more of their budgets to online spending with Google.  The biggest increases are in Google Adwords, Adwords Express, Mobile Adwords, and Retargeting.

Auto dealers are also increasing spending on Facebook but to a lesser degree when compared to Google investments.

Google’s  automotive advertising strategies are connecting dealers with in-market car buyers and increasing dealer sales and profits. The shift is confirmed by today’s earnings announcement from Google.

PCG Digital Marketing is assisting dealers review their advertising budgets and strategies and recommending changes to better connect with consumers during the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT), a phrase coined by Jim Leciniski at Google.

Readers can download a free copy of Jim Leciniski’s book at www.zeromomentoftruth.com

Shifting from Stimulus to ZMOT Investments

Car dealers still are overweighted in stimulus spending; radio, TV, and print.   On average, car dealers have 75-80% of their budget investment in traditional stimulus advertising.

When PCG Digital Marketing educates dealers on the changes brought on by the online marketplace the shift to increase digital spending is clear.  Investments in Google advertising are measurable and can be tested to improve conversion and ROI.  This is an opportunity not afforded by traditional stimulus investments.

Dealers looking for more information on the best mixture of traditional and online advertising investments are invited to join the Automotive Zero Moment of Truth study which begins October 25, 2011.  The study is open to Dealer Principals, General Managers, and Marketing Managers of automotive dealerships in the US and Canada.

More information on the AUtomotive ZMOT study can be found at: http://www.automotivezeromomentoftruth.com

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Brian Pasch, CEO
PCG Digital Marketing
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Brian Pasch

Tags: automotive advertising, google adwords, google automotive spending, google cost per click, google earnings