Driving Showroom Traffic with Multi-Channel Media | Case Study

At a Glance


Client	Automotive Dealership Group
Location	Germany
Channels	Google Search, Google Display, YouTube Ads
Budget	€15,000+
Timeline	Ongoing engagement since Jan 2023

The Challenge

A multi-location automotive dealership group selling both premium and used vehicles needed to modernize their marketing approach. Their reliance on traditional media was yielding diminishing returns, and they lacked visibility into which marketing efforts actually drove showroom traffic.

Offline-to-online attribution gap – Most purchases happen in the showroom, but campaigns measured only online form fills
Competitive search landscape – Brand terms were affordable, but high-intent generic terms (e.g., “Audi dealer near me”) were expensive
Inventory diversity – Promoting both new premium vehicles and used inventory required different messaging and audiences
Local focus requirements – All locations needed foot traffic, but budgets couldn’t support individual campaigns per location

Our Approach

Phase 1: Measurement Foundation (Week 1-3)

Before spending, we built the attribution infrastructure:

Implemented Google Ads store visit conversions using location extensions
Set up call tracking with dynamic number insertion
Created lead form tracking with vehicle interest segmentation
Established baseline metrics for showroom traffic through dealership check-in data

Phase 2: Search Campaign Architecture (Week 3-6)

We structured search to capture demand at every stage:

Brand Campaigns:

Protected brand terms with high impression share targets
Included competitor conquesting for related brand searches

High-Intent Generic:

Targeted “near me” and location-specific searches
Built campaigns around vehicle categories (premium, used, SUV, sedan)
Implemented RLSA to bid more aggressively on past website visitors

Inventory-Specific:

Dynamic search ads pulling from live inventory feed
Prioritized in-stock vehicles with landing pages showing real availability

Phase 3: Awareness & Consideration Layer (Week 6-10)

We added Display and YouTube to build top-of-funnel demand:

YouTube:

Created 15-second and 6-second bumper ads showcasing dealership experience
Targeted auto intenders, competitive makes/models, and local audiences
Implemented video action campaigns driving directly to inventory pages

Display:

Deployed responsive display ads across auto enthusiast content
Retargeted website visitors with specific vehicles they viewed
Built custom intent audiences around vehicle research queries

Phase 4: Continuous Optimization (Ongoing)

With full-funnel coverage, we optimized toward business outcomes:

Shifted budget toward campaigns with highest store visit correlation
Tested promotional messaging during seasonal sales events
Refined audience segments based on actual purchase data from CRM
Implemented automated bidding toward store visits plus online leads

Results

Over the first 12 months:

120+ online leads per month from form fills and call tracking
340+ tracked showroom visits attributed to digital campaigns
45% increase in brand search volume indicating improved awareness
Cost per showroom visit of €44 across the campaign portfolio

The dealership group now attributes 30% of their monthly sales to digitally-influenced customers.

Key Takeaways

Measure what matters – For automotive, showroom visits are the true conversion; online leads are just a proxy
Full funnel beats bottom-funnel only – YouTube and Display awareness campaigns lifted search performance by feeding the funnel
Inventory feeds unlock scale – Dynamic campaigns tied to real inventory reduce manual work and ensure relevance

Want to drive more qualified traffic to your showroom? Book a free audit and we’ll analyze your digital opportunity.