How to Engage Parts Buyers Through Social Media

Creating social media content that requires your audience to participate is crucial to increasing engagement, especially for auto parts e-commerce. This improves your social channels’ performance and allows you to connect with your online community. 

Vehicle owners want to interact with automotive brands on social media for entertainment and educational purposes, not just sales. Auto part sellers benefit from higher social engagement because they can gain valuable consumer insights on the type of content they enjoy the most based on clicks, comments, shares, and messages. 

In return, you can build a stronger social media presence that increases brand awareness and traffic to your online store while influencing sales. Here’s how to get started.

>>> Want more ways to drive traffic from your social media to your parts web store? Click here to learn how paid advertising on social media can help drive parts sales.

Responding to Comments and Messages

Think of your social media channels as another way to offer quality customer service. Users will message you or comment on your posts with inquiries they have. They may need additional help understanding technical vehicle terminology used in your post, or they may ask you about a current order issue. 

Almost 47% of online consumers will view a brand more favorably if they respond to their questions or complaints on social media. Use this opportunity to provide customized solutions like part recommendations if they’re not car-savvy or the direct line to your customer service number for further conversation.

Creating Interactive Content

Creating engaging content doesn’t have to be complex. Here are some examples of interactive content auto part sellers can utilize, including options that are easy to implement:

Livestreams and Q&As

Livestreams have multiple features that can increase your audience engagement. Viewers can comment and ask questions in real time about topics you’re discussing in a live chat. You can schedule livestreams ahead of time and promote them on your channels leading up to the event. Some social platforms even have countdown timers to build excitement until you’re live.

Instagram Live has pre-selected emojis that people who may not want to comment, show support, and have fun can press. Other platforms, like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and X, also have livestreaming and analytics to see which part of your discussion had the highest engagement to reference for future use. 

We also suggest scheduling a Q&A session towards the end of your livestream to answer any follow-up questions your viewers have about what you discussed. 

Some livestream ideas auto parts retailers can utilize are:

Polls

Polls are a simple and effective way to promote audience engagement. All you have to do is create one question with a few multiple-choice answers. These answers can be as easy as a yes or no answer. 

However, we recommend making it tailored to your brand’s needs and what you want to learn from your customers, such as:

• What are your shopping preferences when buying vehicle parts online vs. in-store?

• Would you pay more for auto parts if they’re made of 100% recycled materials? 

• What would you like to see more of from auto part sellers?

The submitted information provides valuable consumer feedback that you can utilize for marketing and advertising when you know what your target audience needs and wants. 

Many social media platforms have this feature, including LinkedIn posts, Instagram Stories, embedded TikTok opinion polls, and X (Twitter) posts.

Trivia Questions

As a parts manager or auto parts dealer, you know your average customer isn’t a vehicle expert. It’s your job to help them. That’s why posting trivia questions on your social channels can be a great feature for them to learn more. However, the intent of doing this is to educate your audience—so don’t always ask easy questions. 

Do fun social media quizzes on the history of vehicle parts manufacturing or who the first auto brands were to make specific parts. Entry-level trivia questions can include what OEM stands for or how often you should replace your air filters. 

Challenging questions can include function-related components, like which type of plugs control your car’s ignition system and which type of rings keep your combustion chamber sealed. 

You can post trivia questions as individual Instagram Stories or use Facebook’s Quizzes for Pages feature as posts to start.

Contests and Giveaways

Consumers always want a shot at free or discounted products. Give them the opportunity through social media-exclusive contests and giveaways. You can increase engagement with entry rules like following your page, tagging a friend in the post, and sharing the post onto their channels for an additional submission. Run this for a limited time to motivate users to enter. 

Give valuable offers like a free set of car seat covers or a free bundled oil change with a minimum $25 purchase on your site. Contests that give back to your consumers show your brand cares and can increase new customer acquisition by up to 34%.

Leveraging User-Generated Content (UGC)

We previously shared the positive impact of UGC for auto part e-commerce and how it strengthens your social proof. Consumers trust UGC because it’s authentic content from your prior customers. However, you can also leverage UGC to engage with your online community.

Branded hashtag campaigns are an example of engaging UGC auto part retailers can utilize to encourage users to participate in their channels. You can create a unique hashtag for a chance to win free parts if they post it on their channels to promote the new inventory you received.  

Auto parts sellers can also generate UGC by incentivizing their audience to share reviews with discounts or customer loyalty program points. In exchange for posting a photo or video of your products with their vehicle, you’ll reward them for interacting with your company’s profile.

Enhance Your Social Media Impact

Elevate your social media engagement by selling auto parts online. RevolutionParts can help you transform your parts department and build a thriving online business. Connect with customers nationwide, boost your sales, and stay ahead of the competition. Start today!