As auto buyers continue adopting an online-first approach to researching and comparing vehicles, they're also opening up to online purchases.
87% of potential vehicle buyers use online tools for research – EY Mobility Consumer Index
Google recognises these upcoming changes and facilitates online auto purchases with Vehicle ads, one of the most recent additions to its campaign types.
What are Google Vehicle ads?
Vehicle ads let you promote your online and local inventory to in-market buyers on Google.
The ads show key information such as the vehicle image, make, model, price, business name, offers and more. You can use them for both new and used cars.
Dealerships of Ford, Dodge, Mercedes-Benz
Vehicle ads appear in a carousel format, making it easier for users to see multiple listings relevant to their search.
Typically, they're focused on reaching leads at the consideration and decision stages of their buyer journey. Google uses AI to reach the right audience at the right time and capture high-intent leads looking to make a purchase soon.
Why use Google Vehicle ads
Vehicle ads complement Google's other campaigns like Search ads. Advertisers who used Vehicle ads in conjunction with Search campaigns saw a 25% average increase in conversions (during beta testing).
Since you can create Vehicle ads using Performance Max, you will also see positive implications there.
You get greater visibility across Google's network–including YouTube, Gmail, Display, Discover feed and more. With better reach, you also have access to more placements and higher chances of conversion.
Automated targeting lets you show the most relevant vehicle listings for each search query.
It also makes Vehicle ads efficient.
Vehicle ad clicks drove 84% lower CPCs on the top 10 model queries in Aug 2024 – Google Gearshift 2024 | UK
Plus, you get access to insights on audience signals, product listing groups, new customer acquisition and product diagnosis through Vehicle ads.
How do Google Vehicle ads work
Here's a quick rundown of how Vehicle ads work on Google:
- To run Vehicle ads, you need to use the Performance Max campaign.
- Upload your vehicle or inventory data to Google's Merchant Center with relevant information on the make, model, price, manufacturing year, mileage (if a used vehicle), colour and other details.
- Based on your data, Google tests different variations and combinations for each Vehicle ad to create and run high-performing ads across its formats and network.
- Google uses the information you provide to match in-market buyers with the vehicles most relevant to their search.
- Once the user clicks on your ad, you can direct them to the specific vehicle page on your website or landing page.
- Your landing page shows the vehicle's details for the location nearest to the user. Google uses the store code from your data feed to identify the most relevant location.
- To move forward with the purchase, buyers can take actions on your landing page–contact a dealer, book a test drive, share contact details, get a callback and more.
How to create Vehicle ads on Google
To run Vehicle ads, you must meet the platform's requirements and have the right data.
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you understand better:
- Anforderungen
Start by verifying and claiming your business or dealership's website online.
Next, set up a Google Merchant Center (if you don't have one yet).
Link your Google Ads account and Business profile to the Merchant Center.
Send a request to Google to enable the Vehicle ads program. Once your request is approved, go to the Google Merchant Center dashboard and click Growth → Manage Programs → Get started.
Add your business details and finish the setup.
- Implementation setup
Add your stores with physical addresses and store codes for each.
Once this is done, upload your vehicle data to Google Merchant Center.
Do note that you can run vehicle ads on Google only for the following:
- Non-commercial/passenger vehicles (like cars and pickup trucks).
- Vehicle offers. Ads for spare parts, accessories or similar aren't allowed.
Ensure your website meets Google's requirements before moving to the next step. For the implementation setup, refer to more information here.
- Create a campaign
On your Google Ads dashboard, click on
Campaigns and +New Campaign.
Set the campaign objective. You can choose from Performance Max objectives of Sales, Leads, Website traffic or Create a campaign without a goal's guidance.
Next, choose the conversion goal. It could be Purchases, Contacts, Qualified leads, Shop visits, and Submit lead forms. You can remove a goal that's not relevant to your campaign.
Under Campaign type, select Performance Max.
- Choose vehicle feed
In the Use a feed section, you can select the most relevant vehicle feed for your campaign.
- Set bid and budget
Under Bidding, select Maximise conversions value or Maximise conversions based on your campaign objective.
Google recommends using Omnichannel bidding, wherein you can include shop conversions to optimise online and offline actions.
In the Budget section, enter your daily or custom budget.
- Build the campaign
Enter the Locations you want to target. Vehicle ads can automatically target locations around your specified store code(s).
You can also refine location targeting by adding a location and choosing to Target or Exclude it.
Set the Languages based on your campaign audience and region.
Click on Final URL expansion. Google uses AI to select the best landing page to drive the best ad performance. You can also exclude specific URLs from here.
- Create asset group
Assets in a group share a common theme or target audience. You could create multiple asset groups for each Vehicle ad campaign.
Add the image assets. You can scan your website, upload your files or choose from the library.
Enter your headlines and descriptions.
Hot tip: Add as many image assets and sizes, headlines and descriptions as possible until the ad strength rating is 'Excellent'.
Replace the assets highlighted as 'Low'.
After you've uploaded the assets, Google automatically arranges them into relevant ad formats and suitable creatives for each user.
Learn more about building an asset group here.
Add Audience signals to help Google optimise your Vehicle ads.
Under Listing groups, choose the vehicle(s) you want to target in the Vehicle ads campaign. Review and, if you're satisfied with the ad, hit Publish.
Best practices for Google Vehicle ads
Google's AI drives Vehicle ads on the platform after you've uploaded your vehicle data feed. However, there are a few best practices you can take care of for maximum success:
- Optimise vehicle data feed
The more detailed and accurate your vehicle data feed, the better your chances of capturing high-intent leads.
For that reason, your feed must include critical data like the make, model, trim and year to match with the right buyer searches. An example is the 2024 Hyundai Elantra SE, which is in the order <year><make><model><trim>.
You could also highlight specific offers or financing deals in your ad. These help influence the purchase decision and differentiate your ads from others.
Lastly, keep your vehicle data feed fresh. Google recommends that you submit your feed at least once a day. The rate at which you update the feed depends on how fast your inventory changes.
Remember to regularly remove 'sold' or ‘out of stock' vehicles.
- Use high-quality visuals
Vehicle ads with images work better, giving buyers a better view of the vehicle. As such, high-quality images reel in more buyers and make you stand out from other ads in the carousel lineup.
Other than exterior shots, you can also use images of the interior and features.
Display the vehicle from multiple angles for a more detailed view.
You could show the vehicle in all its available colours. Some buyers prefer specific colours, which can influence them to check out your vehicles over others.
- Find the right partner to run Vehicle ads
To make the most of your Vehicle ads, work with an expert. This campaign type can be more complex if you've never run Vehicle ads.
Updating the vehicle data feed at least once daily may also be overwhelming.
Experts in automotive marketing and lead generation, like Driftrock, will understand your objectives and optimise your ads so you achieve the best results.
How Driftrock helps you drive more sales from Google Vehicle ads
- Generating more leads
Our integrations are customised and tested for automotive marketing, generating more leads and reducing your CPL by up to 50%.
Our central model tree and location lookup further help streamline the integration process.
You can also enable auto-responders and email notifications within Driftrock to avoid missing out on high-intent leads.
- Increased lead quality
Connect, validate, qualify and deduplicate leads into your CRM using Driftrock.
You can further increase lead quality with our automated lead quality controls that transform, map and enrich your leads.
Set custom qualification rules for lead acceptance and segmentation within Driftrock. For example, you can differentiate between leads looking to purchase in the next 3 months (high intent) and those in 6 months (low intent, need more nurturing).
- Selling inventory faster
To sell inventory faster, you must regularly optimise the vehicle data feed. Driftrock does this for you, keeping your vehicle models, specs, sales rooms and local dealerships up-to-date.
Also, Google's dealership locator feature dynamically pulls dealerships from your location or affiliate location assets. You can automate this process using a postcode field or Driftrock's Store Locator/Dealer Selection feature.
This helps buyers find the nearest, most relevant dealerships to facilitate a quicker sale.
- Simplified Conversion API (CAPI) setup
Building your CAPI is time-consuming, challenging to scale and expensive to maintain. Instead, Driftrock simplifies CAPI setup for Website, Lead and CRM.
You can also enable measurement and conversion leads optimisation within our platform.
- Smart bidding and conversion tracking
Driftrock offers click, lead conversion and CRM conversion management for smart bidding and measurement.
Additionally, you can use keyword and ad level website lead tracking to optimise vehicle purchase campaigns.
Our advanced downstream tracking helps you understand your ROAS and allocate optimised budgets for Vehicle ads.
- Lebenszyklus-Marketing
Using Driftrock, you can sync CRM and lead segments with Google Customer Match. Leverage your first-party data with this feature to nurture leads to conversion across multiple touchpoints.
You can also standardise lead data and integrate it with multiple lead sources within our platform.
Driftrock's reporting feature lets you dive into insights such as which audiences, ads, and forms drive the best quality leads. Use these insights to optimise ongoing and future campaigns.
Here's how to get started with Driftrock for Google Vehicle ads
- Login to Driftrock.
- Click on Setup New Capture on your dashboard.
- Or, head to the Lead Capture Library. From the list of lead sources in our library, select the most relevant lead source for your Google Vehicle ads campaign.
- Folgen Sie dem Setup-Widget für die nächsten Schritte zur Synchronisierung der Lead-Erfassung.
- Vergewissern Sie sich, dass Sie alle wichtigen Lead-Details angeben, die Sie an Ihr CRM-System senden möchten.
- Hit Finish, and you're all set to sync leads from Google Vehicle ads with Driftrock!
You can also generate leads from Google through other campaign types. Find out more about:
Driftrock is an automotive marketing platform that has fueled over £360 million in Vehicle Sales across 15 markets in the last year. We've worked with over 60% of the auto brands in the market, driving over 400,000 leads for them.
Our clients have also experienced an average increase of 15% in automotive market share for New Car Sales.
