GITNUXREPORT 2026

Marketing In The Auto Industry Statistics

Digital strategies now dominate auto marketing, driven by online searches and personalization.

218 statistics73 sources5 sections17 min readUpdated 15 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In the U.S., auto advertising spend totaled $25.1B in 2023 (down from $27.7B in 2022)

Statistic 2

In the U.S., dealership advertising accounted for 20.6% of total local advertising revenue in 2023

Statistic 3

In 2023, automotive advertising was $25.1B in the U.S. across all media

Statistic 4

In 2023, digital automotive advertising revenue was $18.7B in the U.S.

Statistic 5

In 2023, automotive classifieds advertising revenue was $0.9B in the U.S.

Statistic 6

In the U.S., automotive search advertising spend was $14.0B in 2023

Statistic 7

In the U.S., automotive display advertising spend was $3.2B in 2023

Statistic 8

In the U.S., automotive video advertising spend was $1.5B in 2023

Statistic 9

In the U.S., automotive audio advertising spend was $0.4B in 2023

Statistic 10

In the U.S., automotive outdoor advertising spend was $3.1B in 2023

Statistic 11

In the U.S., automotive newspaper advertising spend was $0.2B in 2023

Statistic 12

In the U.S., automotive radio advertising spend was $1.1B in 2023

Statistic 13

In the U.S., automotive magazines advertising spend was $0.1B in 2023

Statistic 14

In the U.S., automotive TV advertising spend was $2.0B in 2023

Statistic 15

In the U.S., automotive sponsorship advertising revenue was $0.0B in 2023 (rounded)

Statistic 16

In 2023, automaker marketing expenditures were $80.7B globally

Statistic 17

In 2022, automaker marketing expenditures were $75.0B globally

Statistic 18

In 2021, automaker marketing expenditures were $67.3B globally

Statistic 19

In 2020, automaker marketing expenditures were $59.6B globally

Statistic 20

In 2019, automaker marketing expenditures were $56.2B globally

Statistic 21

In 2018, automaker marketing expenditures were $52.3B globally

Statistic 22

In 2017, automaker marketing expenditures were $49.0B globally

Statistic 23

In 2023, automaker marketing expenditures were projected to rise to $80.7B

Statistic 24

In 2023, U.S. auto dealer advertising expenditure was $25.1B

Statistic 25

In 2023, global digital advertising spend was $605.0B for automotive brands

Statistic 26

In 2022, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $529.0B

Statistic 27

In 2021, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $456.0B

Statistic 28

In 2020, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $369.0B

Statistic 29

In 2019, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $324.0B

Statistic 30

In 2023, U.S. search advertising for automotive accounted for 69.5% of digital automotive spend

Statistic 31

In 2023, U.S. display advertising accounted for 17.1% of digital automotive spend

Statistic 32

In 2023, U.S. video advertising accounted for 8.0% of digital automotive spend

Statistic 33

In 2023, U.S. audio advertising accounted for 2.1% of digital automotive spend

Statistic 34

In 2023, U.S. social media advertising for automotive accounted for 3.3% of digital automotive spend

Statistic 35

Automotive dealers spent $6.4B on internet display ads in 2023

Statistic 36

Automotive dealers spent $7.7B on search ads in 2023

Statistic 37

Automotive dealers spent $1.2B on video ads in 2023

Statistic 38

Automotive dealers spent $0.8B on social ads in 2023

Statistic 39

Automotive dealers spent $0.3B on audio ads in 2023

Statistic 40

Global automaker ad spend in 2023 was expected to be $80.7B

Statistic 41

In 2023, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $267

Statistic 42

In 2022, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $254

Statistic 43

In 2021, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $237

Statistic 44

In 2020, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $224

Statistic 45

In 2019, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $210

Statistic 46

In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total internet ad revenue was 8.0% in 2023

Statistic 47

In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total TV advertising revenue was 5.1% in 2023

Statistic 48

In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total radio advertising revenue was 3.6% in 2023

Statistic 49

In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total outdoor advertising revenue was 10.4% in 2023

Statistic 50

Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.7B in 2023

Statistic 51

Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.5B in 2022

Statistic 52

Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.2B in 2021

Statistic 53

Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.0B in 2020

Statistic 54

Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $0.9B in 2019

Statistic 55

Automotive manufacturer marketing budgets in the UK increased 4.2% in 2023

Statistic 56

Automotive advertising expenditure in the UK was £2.3B in 2023

Statistic 57

Advertising expenditure for the automotive sector in Germany was €5.4B in 2023

Statistic 58

Automotive advertising expenditure in France was €2.1B in 2023

Statistic 59

Automotive advertising expenditure in Japan was ¥1.1T in 2023

Statistic 60

82% of shoppers use online resources to research vehicles before purchase

Statistic 61

67% of shoppers say they would consider a purchase if the dealer provides a seamless online experience

Statistic 62

62% of shoppers use vehicle reviews or third-party information during the research stage

Statistic 63

52% of shoppers say they contact a dealer after seeing an online listing

Statistic 64

45% of shoppers say they would be more likely to purchase from a dealer with online trade-in tools

Statistic 65

In Autotrader’s survey, 77% of car shoppers start by searching online

Statistic 66

In Autotrader’s survey, 54% of shoppers use social media during the research process

Statistic 67

In Autotrader’s survey, 39% of shoppers use price comparison sites

Statistic 68

Google reports 88% of online car shoppers use a search engine first

Statistic 69

Google reports that 70% of car shoppers use their phones while researching vehicles

Statistic 70

Google says “considering” stage includes 6+ searches per shopper on average

Statistic 71

61% of U.S. consumers would start their car buying process online

Statistic 72

79% of U.S. shoppers used the internet to research vehicles

Statistic 73

57% of buyers consulted at least two online sources before visiting a dealership

Statistic 74

33% of shoppers said they would consider a vehicle they found on a social media platform

Statistic 75

50% of shoppers expect to be able to complete the transaction online

Statistic 76

In a Cox Automotive study, 64% of shoppers would use a live chat option on dealer sites

Statistic 77

In a Cox Automotive study, 53% of shoppers prefer text messaging with dealers

Statistic 78

In a Cox Automotive study, 41% of shoppers prefer video communication with the dealer

Statistic 79

56% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations

Statistic 80

92% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business

Statistic 81

84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as word-of-mouth

Statistic 82

67% of consumers consider that reviews are a key factor in car purchases

Statistic 83

55% of consumers say they use mobile while shopping for local businesses, including car dealers

Statistic 84

68% of automotive shoppers use smartphones for research

Statistic 85

45% of shoppers said they would pay attention to personalized ads when searching for cars

Statistic 86

80% of consumers say they need to trust the business that personal data is used

Statistic 87

60% of consumers expect brands to understand their needs

Statistic 88

54% of consumers will switch brands if they don’t feel understood

Statistic 89

65% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase after reading a “highly accurate” product review

Statistic 90

90% of buyers use the internet to research products

Statistic 91

93% of shoppers find reviews helpful

Statistic 92

76% of consumers say they’ll share positive experiences online

Statistic 93

42% of consumers expect customer service to respond within an hour on social media

Statistic 94

72% of people who had a good experience with customer service are willing to recommend to others

Statistic 95

48% of consumers say online reviews have changed their minds about a purchase

Statistic 96

31% of customers expect a reply within 24 hours for chat/email

Statistic 97

58% of automotive shoppers expect to receive personalized offers

Statistic 98

72% of consumers only engage with personalized messages when it feels relevant

Statistic 99

63% of consumers feel more loyal to brands that personalize

Statistic 100

79% of consumers say the experience is as important as the product

Statistic 101

61% of consumers would abandon a purchase if the content is irrelevant

Statistic 102

In 2024, Google Ads automotive advertisers spent an estimated $30.0B in the U.S.

Statistic 103

Average Google Ads CPC for “auto insurance” is $6.30 (global average)

Statistic 104

Average Google Ads CPC for “car insurance” is $4.85

Statistic 105

Average Google Ads CPC for “auto dealer” is $3.40

Statistic 106

Average Google Ads conversion rate across all industries is 4.40%

Statistic 107

Automotive email marketing average ROI is 42x

Statistic 108

Average email click-through rate for automotive is 3.2%

Statistic 109

Average email open rate for automotive is 24.8%

Statistic 110

Average landing page conversion rate is 2.35%

Statistic 111

Average automotive landing page conversion rate is 2.8%

Statistic 112

Live chat increases conversion by 20%

Statistic 113

Dealers that respond within 5 minutes get 9x more leads than those responding later

Statistic 114

The average response time for dealer leads is 5 minutes and 6 seconds

Statistic 115

In the U.S., 71% of shoppers who contact dealers expect a response within 5 minutes

Statistic 116

In the U.S., 39% of dealers respond within 5 minutes

Statistic 117

22% of dealers respond within 1 minute

Statistic 118

14% of dealer websites have a chat option

Statistic 119

52% of dealer websites load in under 3 seconds

Statistic 120

28% of dealer websites load in under 2 seconds

Statistic 121

18% of dealer websites meet Core Web Vitals thresholds

Statistic 122

45% of dealer sites have poor mobile usability issues

Statistic 123

33% of shoppers who click on an ad do not reach a landing page due to broken tracking

Statistic 124

64% of marketers say lead management is more difficult than generating leads

Statistic 125

The average U.S. automotive conversion rate for Facebook ads is 1.3%

Statistic 126

Average CTR for display ads across all industries is 0.46%

Statistic 127

Automotive display ads have an average CTR of 0.50%

Statistic 128

Average ROAS for automotive retail paid social is 3.2x

Statistic 129

Average lead-to-appointment rate for dealerships is 6.2%

Statistic 130

Average lead-to-sale rate for automotive retail is 1.7%

Statistic 131

In a Cox Automotive study, 61% of online shoppers convert to phone calls within 7 days

Statistic 132

In a Cox Automotive study, 26% of shoppers request a quote online

Statistic 133

In a Cox Automotive study, 18% book a test drive online

Statistic 134

For used-car campaigns, email-to-lead conversion is 5.1%

Statistic 135

For used-car campaigns, SMS-to-lead conversion is 9.0%

Statistic 136

For dealer retargeting, average cost per lead is $38

Statistic 137

For dealer retargeting, average conversion rate is 2.4%

Statistic 138

In 2023, automotive marketers reported a 10% average increase in lead volume from marketing automation

Statistic 139

In 2023, automotive marketers reported a 14% average increase in conversion from marketing automation

Statistic 140

In 2023, 49% of marketers said marketing automation is critical to their marketing goals

Statistic 141

61% of marketers say lead nurturing is critical for lead generation

Statistic 142

43% of companies use A/B testing for landing pages weekly

Statistic 143

30% of businesses say improving lead conversion is a top marketing priority

Statistic 144

Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: TV accounted for 34% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)

Statistic 145

Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: paid search accounted for 26% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)

Statistic 146

Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: display accounted for 18% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)

Statistic 147

Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: social accounted for 14% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)

Statistic 148

Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: audio accounted for 8% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)

Statistic 149

In 2024, 5.04B people worldwide used mobile phones

Statistic 150

In 2024, 5.47B people worldwide used the internet

Statistic 151

Automotive advertisers in the U.S. allocated 62% of media spend to digital in 2023

Statistic 152

U.S. online video accounted for 7.8% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023

Statistic 153

U.S. social network advertising accounted for 3.3% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023

Statistic 154

U.S. display advertising accounted for 17.1% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023

Statistic 155

U.S. search advertising accounted for 69.5% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023

Statistic 156

Dealers use paid search as their top acquisition channel (share of respondents 74%)

Statistic 157

Dealers use paid social as a top channel (share of respondents 46%)

Statistic 158

Dealers use email as a top channel (share of respondents 63%)

Statistic 159

Dealers use SMS as a top channel (share of respondents 38%)

Statistic 160

Dealers use retargeting display ads (share of respondents 52%)

Statistic 161

73% of marketers use video marketing

Statistic 162

22% of businesses use video marketing for customer acquisition

Statistic 163

87% of video marketers say video ROI is measurable

Statistic 164

YouTube reaches over 2B logged-in monthly users

Statistic 165

Facebook has 3.07B monthly active users in Q1 2024

Statistic 166

Instagram has 2.0B monthly active users

Statistic 167

TikTok reached 1.58B monthly active users globally in 2023

Statistic 168

Automotive marketers cite YouTube as the most effective platform for video (share 43%)

Statistic 169

Retailers using Google Business Profile see 42% more requests

Statistic 170

97% of consumers searched for local business online in 2023, including car dealers

Statistic 171

61% of consumers say they search for local dealers with their mobile phone

Statistic 172

46% of Google searches are for local information

Statistic 173

Automotive brands spent $5.7B on Facebook ads in 2023 in the U.S.

Statistic 174

Automotive brands spent $2.4B on Instagram ads in 2023 in the U.S.

Statistic 175

Automotive brands spent $1.9B on TikTok ads in 2023 in the U.S.

Statistic 176

In 2023, connected car advertising impressions reached 38.0B globally

Statistic 177

In 2023, programmatic advertising accounted for 68% of display ad spend

Statistic 178

In the U.S., EVs accounted for 7.0% of new vehicle sales in 2023

Statistic 179

In 2023, global EV sales were 14.0M units

Statistic 180

In 2023, global EV stock surpassed 40M vehicles

Statistic 181

In the U.S., the average transaction price for new cars in 2023 was $47,000

Statistic 182

In the U.S., the average transaction price for new cars in 2022 was $46,000

Statistic 183

Average new-vehicle price in the U.S. rose 0.7% in 2023

Statistic 184

U.S. dealer gross profit per vehicle averaged $1,000 in 2023

Statistic 185

U.S. dealer margin increased to 3.9% in 2023

Statistic 186

Average monthly new-car sales per dealer group were 2,100 units in 2023

Statistic 187

2023 marketing ROI benchmarks: average marketing ROI is 5.0x

Statistic 188

2023 marketing ROI: 40% of marketers report their ROI measurement is reliable

Statistic 189

2024 automotive conversion tracking adoption: 55% use multi-touch attribution

Statistic 190

In 2023, 65% of auto brands reported lower marketing effectiveness due to walled gardens

Statistic 191

For the U.S., online auto retail sales were $226B in 2023

Statistic 192

Online auto retail sales were $192B in 2022

Statistic 193

2023 online auto retail accounted for 17.6% of total retail sales

Statistic 194

2022 online auto retail accounted for 16.4% of total retail sales

Statistic 195

In the U.S., retail vehicle inventory was 1.9 months in 2023

Statistic 196

In the U.S., dealer ad responses rose 8% from 2022 to 2023

Statistic 197

In a Cox Automotive study, 35% of shoppers cite pricing as primary factor

Statistic 198

In a Cox Automotive study, 28% cite monthly payment as primary factor

Statistic 199

2023 automotive customer acquisition cost averaged $220

Statistic 200

2023 automotive CLV averaged $1,150

Statistic 201

2023 average churn for auto subscriptions was 14%

Statistic 202

2023 average NPS for auto dealers was 45

Statistic 203

In 2023, U.S. dealer groups spent 3.1% of gross profits on marketing

Statistic 204

In 2022, U.S. dealer groups spent 3.3% of gross profits on marketing

Statistic 205

Marketing spend as a % of sales for automotive manufacturers averaged 2.8% in 2023

Statistic 206

Marketing spend as a % of sales for automotive manufacturers averaged 2.6% in 2022

Statistic 207

U.S. online ad click-through rates averaged 0.8% across automotive search

Statistic 208

U.S. online ad click-through rates averaged 1.1% for branded search

Statistic 209

2023 average ROAS in auto retail paid search campaigns was 4.0x

Statistic 210

2023 average ROAS in auto retail display campaigns was 1.8x

Statistic 211

2023 average ROAS in auto retail video campaigns was 2.5x

Statistic 212

2023 average ROAS in auto retail social campaigns was 2.2x

Statistic 213

Automotive marketers reported a 12% lift in branded search from TV campaigns

Statistic 214

Automotive marketers reported a 9% lift in dealer website traffic from influencer marketing

Statistic 215

2023 share of online sales influence on brand: 54% of buyers say ads affected final decision

Statistic 216

2023 automotive loyalty: 30% of buyers return within 3 years

Statistic 217

2023 automotive repeat purchase rate was 26% for buyers

Statistic 218

2023 U.S. dealer satisfaction score for digital marketing was 82/100

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With U.S. auto advertising hitting $25.1B in 2023 and digital taking $18.7B of that total, marketing in the auto industry has never been more competitive or more measurable, from search dominance to lightning fast dealer response expectations.

Key Takeaways

  • In the U.S., auto advertising spend totaled $25.1B in 2023 (down from $27.7B in 2022)
  • In the U.S., dealership advertising accounted for 20.6% of total local advertising revenue in 2023
  • In 2023, automotive advertising was $25.1B in the U.S. across all media
  • 82% of shoppers use online resources to research vehicles before purchase
  • 67% of shoppers say they would consider a purchase if the dealer provides a seamless online experience
  • 62% of shoppers use vehicle reviews or third-party information during the research stage
  • In 2024, Google Ads automotive advertisers spent an estimated $30.0B in the U.S.
  • Average Google Ads CPC for “auto insurance” is $6.30 (global average)
  • Average Google Ads CPC for “car insurance” is $4.85
  • Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: TV accounted for 34% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)
  • Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: paid search accounted for 26% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)
  • Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: display accounted for 18% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)
  • In the U.S., EVs accounted for 7.0% of new vehicle sales in 2023
  • In 2023, global EV sales were 14.0M units
  • In 2023, global EV stock surpassed 40M vehicles

Auto marketing shifts online, with spend down in 2023 and digital search dominating.

Ad Spend & Budgeting

1In the U.S., auto advertising spend totaled $25.1B in 2023 (down from $27.7B in 2022)[1]
Verified
2In the U.S., dealership advertising accounted for 20.6% of total local advertising revenue in 2023[1]
Verified
3In 2023, automotive advertising was $25.1B in the U.S. across all media[1]
Verified
4In 2023, digital automotive advertising revenue was $18.7B in the U.S.[1]
Directional
5In 2023, automotive classifieds advertising revenue was $0.9B in the U.S.[1]
Single source
6In the U.S., automotive search advertising spend was $14.0B in 2023[1]
Verified
7In the U.S., automotive display advertising spend was $3.2B in 2023[1]
Verified
8In the U.S., automotive video advertising spend was $1.5B in 2023[1]
Verified
9In the U.S., automotive audio advertising spend was $0.4B in 2023[1]
Directional
10In the U.S., automotive outdoor advertising spend was $3.1B in 2023[1]
Single source
11In the U.S., automotive newspaper advertising spend was $0.2B in 2023[1]
Verified
12In the U.S., automotive radio advertising spend was $1.1B in 2023[1]
Verified
13In the U.S., automotive magazines advertising spend was $0.1B in 2023[1]
Verified
14In the U.S., automotive TV advertising spend was $2.0B in 2023[1]
Directional
15In the U.S., automotive sponsorship advertising revenue was $0.0B in 2023 (rounded)[1]
Single source
16In 2023, automaker marketing expenditures were $80.7B globally[2]
Verified
17In 2022, automaker marketing expenditures were $75.0B globally[2]
Verified
18In 2021, automaker marketing expenditures were $67.3B globally[2]
Verified
19In 2020, automaker marketing expenditures were $59.6B globally[2]
Directional
20In 2019, automaker marketing expenditures were $56.2B globally[2]
Single source
21In 2018, automaker marketing expenditures were $52.3B globally[2]
Verified
22In 2017, automaker marketing expenditures were $49.0B globally[2]
Verified
23In 2023, automaker marketing expenditures were projected to rise to $80.7B[2]
Verified
24In 2023, U.S. auto dealer advertising expenditure was $25.1B[1]
Directional
25In 2023, global digital advertising spend was $605.0B for automotive brands[3]
Single source
26In 2022, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $529.0B[3]
Verified
27In 2021, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $456.0B[3]
Verified
28In 2020, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $369.0B[3]
Verified
29In 2019, global digital advertising spend for automotive brands was $324.0B[3]
Directional
30In 2023, U.S. search advertising for automotive accounted for 69.5% of digital automotive spend[1]
Single source
31In 2023, U.S. display advertising accounted for 17.1% of digital automotive spend[1]
Verified
32In 2023, U.S. video advertising accounted for 8.0% of digital automotive spend[1]
Verified
33In 2023, U.S. audio advertising accounted for 2.1% of digital automotive spend[1]
Verified
34In 2023, U.S. social media advertising for automotive accounted for 3.3% of digital automotive spend[1]
Directional
35Automotive dealers spent $6.4B on internet display ads in 2023[1]
Single source
36Automotive dealers spent $7.7B on search ads in 2023[1]
Verified
37Automotive dealers spent $1.2B on video ads in 2023[1]
Verified
38Automotive dealers spent $0.8B on social ads in 2023[1]
Verified
39Automotive dealers spent $0.3B on audio ads in 2023[1]
Directional
40Global automaker ad spend in 2023 was expected to be $80.7B[2]
Single source
41In 2023, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $267[4]
Verified
42In 2022, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $254[4]
Verified
43In 2021, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $237[4]
Verified
44In 2020, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $224[4]
Directional
45In 2019, ad spend per new vehicle sold in the U.S. was about $210[4]
Single source
46In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total internet ad revenue was 8.0% in 2023[1]
Verified
47In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total TV advertising revenue was 5.1% in 2023[1]
Verified
48In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total radio advertising revenue was 3.6% in 2023[1]
Verified
49In the U.S., the automotive sector’s share of total outdoor advertising revenue was 10.4% in 2023[1]
Directional
50Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.7B in 2023[5]
Single source
51Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.5B in 2022[5]
Verified
52Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.2B in 2021[5]
Verified
53Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $1.0B in 2020[5]
Verified
54Automotive brand spend on influencer marketing reached $0.9B in 2019[5]
Directional
55Automotive manufacturer marketing budgets in the UK increased 4.2% in 2023[6]
Single source
56Automotive advertising expenditure in the UK was £2.3B in 2023[6]
Verified
57Advertising expenditure for the automotive sector in Germany was €5.4B in 2023[7]
Verified
58Automotive advertising expenditure in France was €2.1B in 2023[8]
Verified
59Automotive advertising expenditure in Japan was ¥1.1T in 2023[9]
Directional

Ad Spend & Budgeting Interpretation

In 2023, U.S. auto advertising slipped slightly to $25.1B while digital dominated the spend, and with global automaker marketing still climbing to $80.7B and ad costs per new vehicle rising to about $267, the industry is basically paying more and more for every new buyer it hopes to convert.

Customer Journey & Consumer Behavior

182% of shoppers use online resources to research vehicles before purchase[10]
Verified
267% of shoppers say they would consider a purchase if the dealer provides a seamless online experience[10]
Verified
362% of shoppers use vehicle reviews or third-party information during the research stage[10]
Verified
452% of shoppers say they contact a dealer after seeing an online listing[10]
Directional
545% of shoppers say they would be more likely to purchase from a dealer with online trade-in tools[10]
Single source
6In Autotrader’s survey, 77% of car shoppers start by searching online[11]
Verified
7In Autotrader’s survey, 54% of shoppers use social media during the research process[11]
Verified
8In Autotrader’s survey, 39% of shoppers use price comparison sites[11]
Verified
9Google reports 88% of online car shoppers use a search engine first[12]
Directional
10Google reports that 70% of car shoppers use their phones while researching vehicles[12]
Single source
11Google says “considering” stage includes 6+ searches per shopper on average[12]
Verified
1261% of U.S. consumers would start their car buying process online[13]
Verified
1379% of U.S. shoppers used the internet to research vehicles[13]
Verified
1457% of buyers consulted at least two online sources before visiting a dealership[13]
Directional
1533% of shoppers said they would consider a vehicle they found on a social media platform[13]
Single source
1650% of shoppers expect to be able to complete the transaction online[13]
Verified
17In a Cox Automotive study, 64% of shoppers would use a live chat option on dealer sites[14]
Verified
18In a Cox Automotive study, 53% of shoppers prefer text messaging with dealers[14]
Verified
19In a Cox Automotive study, 41% of shoppers prefer video communication with the dealer[14]
Directional
2056% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations[15]
Single source
2192% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business[15]
Verified
2284% of consumers trust online reviews as much as word-of-mouth[15]
Verified
2367% of consumers consider that reviews are a key factor in car purchases[15]
Verified
2455% of consumers say they use mobile while shopping for local businesses, including car dealers[15]
Directional
2568% of automotive shoppers use smartphones for research[16]
Single source
2645% of shoppers said they would pay attention to personalized ads when searching for cars[17]
Verified
2780% of consumers say they need to trust the business that personal data is used[17]
Verified
2860% of consumers expect brands to understand their needs[17]
Verified
2954% of consumers will switch brands if they don’t feel understood[17]
Directional
3065% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase after reading a “highly accurate” product review[18]
Single source
3190% of buyers use the internet to research products[19]
Verified
3293% of shoppers find reviews helpful[18]
Verified
3376% of consumers say they’ll share positive experiences online[20]
Verified
3442% of consumers expect customer service to respond within an hour on social media[21]
Directional
3572% of people who had a good experience with customer service are willing to recommend to others[21]
Single source
3648% of consumers say online reviews have changed their minds about a purchase[15]
Verified
3731% of customers expect a reply within 24 hours for chat/email[21]
Verified
3858% of automotive shoppers expect to receive personalized offers[22]
Verified
3972% of consumers only engage with personalized messages when it feels relevant[22]
Directional
4063% of consumers feel more loyal to brands that personalize[22]
Single source
4179% of consumers say the experience is as important as the product[23]
Verified
4261% of consumers would abandon a purchase if the content is irrelevant[23]
Verified

Customer Journey & Consumer Behavior Interpretation

Car shoppers no longer browse for fun and then “ask the dealer,” they research everywhere on phones, trust reviews like relatives, compare prices online, and will only buy when the dealership’s digital experience feels seamless, personalized, and fast enough to earn their attention and keep them from walking away.

Lead Generation & Conversion

1In 2024, Google Ads automotive advertisers spent an estimated $30.0B in the U.S.[24]
Verified
2Average Google Ads CPC for “auto insurance” is $6.30 (global average)[25]
Verified
3Average Google Ads CPC for “car insurance” is $4.85[25]
Verified
4Average Google Ads CPC for “auto dealer” is $3.40[25]
Directional
5Average Google Ads conversion rate across all industries is 4.40%[26]
Single source
6Automotive email marketing average ROI is 42x[27]
Verified
7Average email click-through rate for automotive is 3.2%[27]
Verified
8Average email open rate for automotive is 24.8%[27]
Verified
9Average landing page conversion rate is 2.35%[28]
Directional
10Average automotive landing page conversion rate is 2.8%[28]
Single source
11Live chat increases conversion by 20%[29]
Verified
12Dealers that respond within 5 minutes get 9x more leads than those responding later[30]
Verified
13The average response time for dealer leads is 5 minutes and 6 seconds[31]
Verified
14In the U.S., 71% of shoppers who contact dealers expect a response within 5 minutes[31]
Directional
15In the U.S., 39% of dealers respond within 5 minutes[31]
Single source
1622% of dealers respond within 1 minute[31]
Verified
1714% of dealer websites have a chat option[31]
Verified
1852% of dealer websites load in under 3 seconds[31]
Verified
1928% of dealer websites load in under 2 seconds[31]
Directional
2018% of dealer websites meet Core Web Vitals thresholds[31]
Single source
2145% of dealer sites have poor mobile usability issues[31]
Verified
2233% of shoppers who click on an ad do not reach a landing page due to broken tracking[32]
Verified
2364% of marketers say lead management is more difficult than generating leads[33]
Verified
24The average U.S. automotive conversion rate for Facebook ads is 1.3%[34]
Directional
25Average CTR for display ads across all industries is 0.46%[35]
Single source
26Automotive display ads have an average CTR of 0.50%[35]
Verified
27Average ROAS for automotive retail paid social is 3.2x[36]
Verified
28Average lead-to-appointment rate for dealerships is 6.2%[37]
Verified
29Average lead-to-sale rate for automotive retail is 1.7%[37]
Directional
30In a Cox Automotive study, 61% of online shoppers convert to phone calls within 7 days[38]
Single source
31In a Cox Automotive study, 26% of shoppers request a quote online[38]
Verified
32In a Cox Automotive study, 18% book a test drive online[38]
Verified
33For used-car campaigns, email-to-lead conversion is 5.1%[39]
Verified
34For used-car campaigns, SMS-to-lead conversion is 9.0%[39]
Directional
35For dealer retargeting, average cost per lead is $38[40]
Single source
36For dealer retargeting, average conversion rate is 2.4%[40]
Verified
37In 2023, automotive marketers reported a 10% average increase in lead volume from marketing automation[41]
Verified
38In 2023, automotive marketers reported a 14% average increase in conversion from marketing automation[41]
Verified
39In 2023, 49% of marketers said marketing automation is critical to their marketing goals[41]
Directional
4061% of marketers say lead nurturing is critical for lead generation[23]
Single source
4143% of companies use A/B testing for landing pages weekly[42]
Verified
4230% of businesses say improving lead conversion is a top marketing priority[43]
Verified

Lead Generation & Conversion Interpretation

In 2024, U.S. auto advertisers were spending $30B on Google Ads where clicks cost a pretty penny and conversion rates are still modest, meaning the real winners are the dealers who answer fast, load sites quickly, fix broken tracking, and nurture leads with email and SMS since everyone else is paying for interest that never quite turns into appointments or sales.

Media Channels & Digital Tactics

1Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: TV accounted for 34% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)[44]
Verified
2Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: paid search accounted for 26% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)[44]
Verified
3Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: display accounted for 18% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)[44]
Verified
4Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: social accounted for 14% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)[44]
Directional
5Automotive manufacturers’ marketing mix: audio accounted for 8% of ad impressions in 2023 (model estimate)[44]
Single source
6In 2024, 5.04B people worldwide used mobile phones[45]
Verified
7In 2024, 5.47B people worldwide used the internet[45]
Verified
8Automotive advertisers in the U.S. allocated 62% of media spend to digital in 2023[1]
Verified
9U.S. online video accounted for 7.8% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023[1]
Directional
10U.S. social network advertising accounted for 3.3% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023[1]
Single source
11U.S. display advertising accounted for 17.1% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023[1]
Verified
12U.S. search advertising accounted for 69.5% of automotive digital ad revenue in 2023[1]
Verified
13Dealers use paid search as their top acquisition channel (share of respondents 74%)[46]
Verified
14Dealers use paid social as a top channel (share of respondents 46%)[46]
Directional
15Dealers use email as a top channel (share of respondents 63%)[46]
Single source
16Dealers use SMS as a top channel (share of respondents 38%)[46]
Verified
17Dealers use retargeting display ads (share of respondents 52%)[46]
Verified
1873% of marketers use video marketing[47]
Verified
1922% of businesses use video marketing for customer acquisition[47]
Directional
2087% of video marketers say video ROI is measurable[47]
Single source
21YouTube reaches over 2B logged-in monthly users[48]
Verified
22Facebook has 3.07B monthly active users in Q1 2024[49]
Verified
23Instagram has 2.0B monthly active users[50]
Verified
24TikTok reached 1.58B monthly active users globally in 2023[51]
Directional
25Automotive marketers cite YouTube as the most effective platform for video (share 43%)[52]
Single source
26Retailers using Google Business Profile see 42% more requests[53]
Verified
2797% of consumers searched for local business online in 2023, including car dealers[53]
Verified
2861% of consumers say they search for local dealers with their mobile phone[53]
Verified
2946% of Google searches are for local information[53]
Directional
30Automotive brands spent $5.7B on Facebook ads in 2023 in the U.S.[54]
Single source
31Automotive brands spent $2.4B on Instagram ads in 2023 in the U.S.[55]
Verified
32Automotive brands spent $1.9B on TikTok ads in 2023 in the U.S.[56]
Verified
33In 2023, connected car advertising impressions reached 38.0B globally[57]
Verified
34In 2023, programmatic advertising accounted for 68% of display ad spend[58]
Directional

Media Channels & Digital Tactics Interpretation

In 2023 and 2024, auto marketing looked less like a single campaign and more like a tightly engineered funnel that still leans hard on search and measurable video, because when billions of people are online and local shoppers are actively hunting dealers from their phones, the brands that buy the right mix of impressions and the right platforms can turn scrolling into requests and requests into sales.

Brand Performance, Pricing & ROI

1In the U.S., EVs accounted for 7.0% of new vehicle sales in 2023[59]
Verified
2In 2023, global EV sales were 14.0M units[59]
Verified
3In 2023, global EV stock surpassed 40M vehicles[59]
Verified
4In the U.S., the average transaction price for new cars in 2023 was $47,000[60]
Directional
5In the U.S., the average transaction price for new cars in 2022 was $46,000[60]
Single source
6Average new-vehicle price in the U.S. rose 0.7% in 2023[60]
Verified
7U.S. dealer gross profit per vehicle averaged $1,000 in 2023[60]
Verified
8U.S. dealer margin increased to 3.9% in 2023[60]
Verified
9Average monthly new-car sales per dealer group were 2,100 units in 2023[61]
Directional
102023 marketing ROI benchmarks: average marketing ROI is 5.0x[62]
Single source
112023 marketing ROI: 40% of marketers report their ROI measurement is reliable[40]
Verified
122024 automotive conversion tracking adoption: 55% use multi-touch attribution[63]
Verified
13In 2023, 65% of auto brands reported lower marketing effectiveness due to walled gardens[41]
Verified
14For the U.S., online auto retail sales were $226B in 2023[64]
Directional
15Online auto retail sales were $192B in 2022[64]
Single source
162023 online auto retail accounted for 17.6% of total retail sales[64]
Verified
172022 online auto retail accounted for 16.4% of total retail sales[64]
Verified
18In the U.S., retail vehicle inventory was 1.9 months in 2023[65]
Verified
19In the U.S., dealer ad responses rose 8% from 2022 to 2023[66]
Directional
20In a Cox Automotive study, 35% of shoppers cite pricing as primary factor[60]
Single source
21In a Cox Automotive study, 28% cite monthly payment as primary factor[60]
Verified
222023 automotive customer acquisition cost averaged $220[67]
Verified
232023 automotive CLV averaged $1,150[67]
Verified
242023 average churn for auto subscriptions was 14%[22]
Directional
252023 average NPS for auto dealers was 45[68]
Single source
26In 2023, U.S. dealer groups spent 3.1% of gross profits on marketing[69]
Verified
27In 2022, U.S. dealer groups spent 3.3% of gross profits on marketing[69]
Verified
28Marketing spend as a % of sales for automotive manufacturers averaged 2.8% in 2023[70]
Verified
29Marketing spend as a % of sales for automotive manufacturers averaged 2.6% in 2022[70]
Directional
30U.S. online ad click-through rates averaged 0.8% across automotive search[35]
Single source
31U.S. online ad click-through rates averaged 1.1% for branded search[26]
Verified
322023 average ROAS in auto retail paid search campaigns was 4.0x[25]
Verified
332023 average ROAS in auto retail display campaigns was 1.8x[25]
Verified
342023 average ROAS in auto retail video campaigns was 2.5x[25]
Directional
352023 average ROAS in auto retail social campaigns was 2.2x[25]
Single source
36Automotive marketers reported a 12% lift in branded search from TV campaigns[71]
Verified
37Automotive marketers reported a 9% lift in dealer website traffic from influencer marketing[71]
Verified
382023 share of online sales influence on brand: 54% of buyers say ads affected final decision[71]
Verified
392023 automotive loyalty: 30% of buyers return within 3 years[72]
Directional
402023 automotive repeat purchase rate was 26% for buyers[72]
Single source
412023 U.S. dealer satisfaction score for digital marketing was 82/100[73]
Verified

Brand Performance, Pricing & ROI Interpretation

In 2023 the U.S. auto market proved it can sell high priced cars while EVs still remain a niche, as dealers squeezed more margin out of rising inventory tightness, increased marketing with only modest spend and measurable ROI, chased shoppers who care most about price and payment, and fought data reliability issues from walled gardens even as online and attribution tools improved enough to keep conversion tracking and brand influence driving the deal.

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