CarsGuide Autotrader Media Solutions Traction Oct - Dec 2020

Overview & insight into the car industry October to December 2020

The ‘Don’t Look Back’ Issue

The Bounce Back Issue

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Contents Letter from the Managing Director

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From the Editor

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The digital frontier for automotive buying

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Behind the scenes

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Nedahl in a ute?

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Journalist snapshot: James Cleary

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The making of Ford Tradie Workshop

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It’s time for change - Autotrader Group

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Effectiveness of the CarsGuide Review TVC

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Carl Davies on new car buyers and indecision

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The quarter in podcasts

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Dealerships. My, how things have changed.

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The Virtual Ride Along

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Droning on

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The CarsGuide 2021 Upfronts

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How to convert and retain consumers in an age of choice

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3D Vision

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The next frontier in auto - ADA20 Panel Discussion

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The Ford Tradie Workshop

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Research: Connect with the new digital car buyer

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3d scan - Mercedes-Benz EQC

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Mitsubishi Roadtrip

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Media salesperson spotlight: Will Ryan

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Q&A – with Tim Flattery, Head of CarsGuide Labs

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REACH case study

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YouTube snapshot

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Most searched: Makes and models

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Most searched: Bodystyle

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CarsGuide Reviews data

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CarsGuide News data

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Major launches data

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From the top

Welcome to 2021 - a new year with plenty of new opportunities. I do hope you found time over the summer break to rest, relax, and reflect on what was quite an extraordinary 12 months.

Our business, CarsGuide Autotrader Media Solutions, is set for quite an exciting year.

Most exciting is the long-awaited launch of our joint proposition with Gumtree Cars.

To that end, it gives me great pleasure to announce the Autotrader Group.

For too long, dealers have been crying out for a marketing platform that delivers them the enquiries they need at a fair price.

For too long, dealers have been crying out for a marketing platform that delivers them the enquiries they need at a fair price. We are thrilled that together with Gumtree Cars we can now fulfil that demand. Our combined audience will reach 3.3 million1 car buyers.

We believe together, we’ll prove to be a major disruption to the market and will help put profitability back into the car dealership industry. No doubt it will be a major shift in the automotive marketing landscape.

Stay tuned for more on the Autotrader Group!

CarsGuide Editorial continues to go from strength-to-strength and has held its place as the leading automotive editorial platform in Australia.* Among other things, this reflects the excellent insights we have into car buyers’ wants and needs throughout their journey to ownership.

CarsGuide Labs, our in-house innovations agency, is no longer an experimental part of our organisation but instead a full servicing agency delivering innovative solutions to our clients week in and out. Throughout this edition you will see many of the case studies executed throughout 2020. As they say, the proof is in the pudding! I know CarsGuide Labs already has a busy pipeline of projects planned for 2021.

The combination of industry-leading editorial and the innovative capabilities of CarsGuide Labs should put CarsGuide right at the top of all automotive marketers’ platform must-haves. We are primed to support innovative dealers and marketers in 2021.

I look forward to working with you all.

All the best, Shaun Cornelius, Managing Director, CarsGuide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd. 1. Nielsen Digital Content Planning, November 2020, P2+, Digital (C/M), text, Gumtree Cars, Autotrader, CarsGuide, total de-duplicated unique audience *Nielsen Digital Ratings (Monthly) Tagged, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec 2020, txt, P18+, PC, Smartphones & Tablets

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From the Editor

I’ve never been more proud to reach the end of a year.

Aside from the great success of expanding my fleet of children to three back in July, 2020 continued to challenge us all right to the very end.

We have been extremely fortunate though, we have the most dedicated editorial team in the business soldiering through travel bans, remote working conditions and general hardship to not only maintain site traffic, but to deliver record results.

Despite the disruption caused by COVID-19 we’ve managed to grow our editorial audience by 45 per cent year-on-year cumulatively, with a 65 per cent result in December motivating us all to keep charging toward 2021.

Australians may not be buying many cars at the moment, but there’s clear enthusiasm among our audience of new car intenders for that light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel.

We’re maintaining our position as the leading outlet for automotive editorial in Australia too, reaching more Australians than any other automotive editorial site for the past six months, according to Nielsen editorial Unique Audience.* Our continued focus on news has been the biggest driver for success in 2020, with news traffic alone growing 300 per cent year-on-year thanks to our dedicated news hounds led

by News Editor Tung Nguyen and Deputy News Editor Justin Hilliard.

It’s not that we’ve been publishing more news stories, but we’re now delivering a better product through our laser focus on the type of stories that in-market buyers want to read.

Another key driver has been the addition of Byron Mathioudakis to our contributor team, with his renowned all-round talent, adaptability and contribution to our culture proving invaluable this year. We’re looking to expand our news team further in 2021, so let us know if you know of anyone who might be interested.

We may have slowed down our video production earlier in the year, but we’re back in full swing now, and have promoted Matt Campbell to lead our video product and help us leverage YouTube better than ever in 2021.

Matt has therefore handed the reins over to the very capable hands of Tom White to lead UrbanGuide into 2021, and Tom will also expand his responsibility when we launch EVGuide in the near future. EVGuide will focus on the expanding world of hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles and their suitability for Australia.

This will bring CarsGuide’s guide count to five, joining FamilyGuide, AdventureGuide, TradieGuide, and UrbanGuide to create specific products to suit each consumer segment.

There’s no way we could have achieved such success in 2020 without the ongoing support of our OEM partners, who have pushed through the same logistical challenges with innovative ways to share information and launch new products. Thank you for working with us closer than ever to get the job done.

Malcolm Flynn, Editor, CarsGuide.

*Nielsen Digital Content Ratings (Monthly) Tagged, July 2020, August 2020 and September 2020 text, P18+, PC, Smartphones & Tablet

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CarsGuide’s Head of Marketing Dan Pugh

The new digital frontier for automotive buying and why diversification is key While e-commerce was already a part of the ‘new normal’ for many industries across Australia, automotive manufacturers and retail businesses have increasingly needed to calculate how to effectively implement digital sales strategies. What channels are the right fit as we enter ‘online’, the new frontier for automotive buying.

Recent research by Autotrader and Gumtree Cars unveiled at the AADA: 2020 Moving Forward Conference shows the growing importance of online tools as an opportunity to quickly and easily engage with the consumers of today.

While customers transitioning to an online environment is nothing new, the increased adoption rate and demand for dealerships to meet them online has caused the industry to take note.

Research is increasingly important as well. Third-party classified sites remain the most popular and helpful resource for auto intenders across all segments, being the first step a buyer takes (69%) when searching for their next vehicle, up 5% compared to last year.*

COVID-19 has accelerated consumer buying behaviour across all vehicle categories with almost two-thirds (62%) of car buyers now starting their search online and visiting classified platforms more than ever before.

As the most consistently trusted resource for vehicle shoppers, online classifieds are of particular interest to both ‘new and used’ and ‘used only’ vehicle shoppers in helping to narrow down options and choosing which dealership to purchase from.

It’s fascinating to see both recent vehicle purchasers and auto intenders admit that a digital presence for a dealership is now much more than a tick-box exercise - it’s an essential step in the purchasing journey.

I’ve been encouraged to see our strong network of dealers emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic better than ever proving this pandemic was the catalyst in an evolution and transformation of our industry’s digital offering.

Tellingly, two-thirds of new and used buyers and considerers now feel that transparent details including locations, hours, branding and photos are a vital element in choosing where to buy from. In my mind this is a big deal, given that 80% of this group* will ultimately purchase their next vehicle at the first dealer they visit, assuming they have the right make and model.

For more information on Autotrader and Gumtree Cars’ Connect with the New Digital Car Buyer research or to download the full report, visit: www.autotrader.com.au/autoresearch Dan Pugh, Marketing Director.

*Connect with the New DigitalCar Buyer, BrandSpark, October 2020

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D-Max vs BT-50 vs Ford Ranger click here to view

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October to2020 December 2020 Jan - Sept

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We pack a lot into a day when we shoot a car review video and even more when it’s a comparison test.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun while we’re doing it!

From towing a tiny house with a big ute to shooting a seven-seat four-wheel drive for the family, our team uses a variety of locations to capture the vehicles we’re reviewing in a natural, realistic setting.

Filming a small car comparison? Shoot with the city in the background. Heading off-road in a Prado?

Well, go where the locals go, and do what they do with their 4x4s. Shooting a family SUV with a partelectric powertrain? Head to the suburbs known for being more progressive and power-conscious.

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For our video reviews we put in plenty of hours choosing and travelling to our preferred shoot locations. You’d be surprised how hard it is to find a dead-end street with a pretty background that is legal to park three cars in. And that’s why, most of the time, we’ll explore outside of the Sydney metropolitan area for our videos and comparisons.

The added benefit of heading out of town is that we, as reviewers, get a mix of different driving scenarios. Highways, back roads, twisty bits and bumpy tracks - it all adds to the story we can tell you in the written piece and in the video. Plus, it means we get to see some realistic fuel consumption figures. As you probably know, if we only drove in the city, the official consumption numbers would seem even more outlandish.

Oddly though, it’s amazing how often we end up shooting clips in front of open water or green bushy backdrops: these typically offer good lighting and positioning options, and that’s why you might notice we head back to the same place more than once. A good location is hard to find, after all.

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Nedahl in a ute?

Families living with utes is not a new idea. Their increasing levels of safety, refinement and general design appeal have helped land them on the shopping lists of more and more families over the past decade or so.

Our family reviewer Nedahl Stelio is a late adopter to the world of utes, with her family simply having no need for such load-carrying, off-road ability, or general ruggedness.

We finally managed to bridge the gap in November, with Nedahl putting her family of four through its paces in the new Mazda BT-50.

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These modern dual cabs have the most diverse range of capabilities of anything on the new car market.

Nedahl’s coverage within FamilyGuide aligns with our Guide strategy of delivering specific user segment coverage for all appropriate use cases, and complements our extensive testing of the new model across TradieGuide and AdventureGuide.

You’ll be seeing plenty more utes in FamilyGuide in the near future.

Click here for the review.

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Journalist snapshot

James Cleary - Deputy Editor, CarsGuide ‘Interviewing industry legend Gordon Murray in the paddock at the 1989 Australian Formula One Grand Prix was amazing, ‘

As a small boy James often sat in the lounge with three shoes in front of him, a ruler between the cushions, and a circular drinks tray in his hands. He would then play ‘drivings’, happily heading to destinations unknown for hours on end. He’s since owned many cars, raced a few, and driven (literally) thousands of them at all points of the globe.

He’s steered around and across Australia multiple times, spent time as an advanced driving instructor, and had the opportunity to experience rare and valuable classics here and overseas.

His time in motoring journalism has included stints at national and international titles including Motor, Wheels and TopGear, and when asked to nominate a career highlight, James says interviewing industry legend Gordon Murray in the paddock at the 1989 Australian Formula One Grand Prix was amazing, especially as Murray waived away a hovering Ayrton Senna to complete the conversation.

As Deputy Editor, James manages everything from sub-editing to back-end content, while creating written and video product reviews, as well as the weekly ‘Tools in the Shed’ podcast.

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The Making of Ford Tradie Workshop

In October 2020 CarsGuide Labs undertook a collaborative project with Ford’s media agency, GTB, to develop a virtual world never before seen. The task was to create a bespoke ‘Tradie World’ showcasing the Ford Transit and Ford Ranger with a whole array of talent.

In a highly complex execution, GTB brought the idea to the table and CarsGuide Labs brought the art direction, script writing, and full production services.

Click to page 33 to see the finished product.

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It’s Time for a Change – The Introduction of Autotrader Group Today is a great day for our team, as we enter a new era, where our combination of well established, understood and respected brands are all aligned under one roof. And that is exactly what makes this moment so significant and exciting for us, as we are proud to reveal our newly-formed Autotrader Group.

Further to this, research from Nielsen Digital Content Planning data has revealed that the Autotrader Group reached a combined 3.3 million unique Australians1 (deduped) across the Gumtree Cars, CarsGuide and Autotrader platforms during the month of November, providing unparalleled insights into the highest engaged buyer.

Autotrader Group delivers a unique and powerful ecosystem that leverages CarsGuide’s editorial leadership, Gumtree’s large and vibrant shopping audience with Autotrader’s sophisticated automotive buying tools for a combined proposition that creates both efficiency for dealers and transparency for customers.

The data also reveals that during the same month over half2 of the of the combined Gumtree cars, CarsGuide and Autotrader unique monthly audience didn’t visit Carsales (1.8 million unique audience members), providing advertisers with a compelling proposition to reach Australian car buyers.

What does this mean for you?

We’ve listened to your feedback and crafted our offering to suit the needs of a changing market.

For our trusted dealer partners, this means an increase in quality leads coming through the site, no more paying per lead and more importantly no more question marks around how much you’ll be charged every month. We are excited to share with you more details on this shortly.

For customers, they will have access to the same industry leading editorial content that they know and trust and have flexibility to connect with dealers however they prefer; SMS, phone, online or walking through the door.

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This combined offering is packed full of smart features and even smarter selling tools all designed to make your lives easier. Our offering has been designed to be efficient, simple and smart, making it easier than ever to interact and build relationships with your customers.

There’s no doubt that the future is bright, and we look forward to welcoming you to our new ‘win-win’ platform.

To learn more about the new and exciting way to trade, visit: www.autotradergroup.com.au

Richard Dicello

Dealer Sales Director, Autotrader Group

Nielsen Digital Content Planning, November 2020, P2+, Digital (C/M), text, Gumtree Cars, Autotrader, CarsGuide, total de-duplicated unique audience Nielsen Digital Content Planning, November 2020, P2+, Digital (C/M), text, CR- Gumtree Cars CAMS automotive websites vs Carsales.com.au, exclusive reach

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Evaluating the effectiveness of the CarsGuide Review TVC CarsGuide and the Seven Network have created a new advertising opportunity – the CarsGuide Review TVC. This Review TVC format is a 30-second version of the longer CarsGuide video reviews (which are typically six to 10 minutes in length) designed to work with other brand advertising via amplification across the Seven TV Network and Seven/ CarsGuide digital video platforms.

impact of the Review TVCs across a range of key brand and advertising metrics, and compared the results to Brand TVCs for the same models for three different car manufacturers.

CarsGuide and Seven approached an independent research company, the Marketing Scientist Group, to measure the effectiveness of these Review TVCs. They created a largescale forced-content exposure study to understand the

The following are some key findings from the report. Please contact your CarsGuide representative to find out more about the study.

This study was conducted in October 2020. It included a sample of 1,321 respondents, with data collected using a thirdparty research panel, and results analyzed independently by the Marketing Scientist Group.

SOURCE : CarsGuide Review TVC Effectiveness Study, October 2020. Total study sample : n = 1,321. Produced for CarsGuide and the Seven Network by the Marketing Scientist Group.

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CarsGuide National Sales Director Carl Davies on the new car buyers riding a wave of indecision in 2021

In 2020, Australians changed the way they spent their disposable income, shifting from overseas travel to exploring the far-reaching corners of the country. This caused a surge in new vehicle sales in the final months of 2020, as the nation came out of COVID-19 lockdowns.

Interestingly, one in five buyers changed their mind about which car to buy in the final two weeks prior to purchase. In fact, 12% switched brands entirely, largely as a result of the influence of automotive third-party sites on the car buying process.

CarsGuide’s recently launched Digital Influence Study showed that even amidst the ongoing pandemic, consumers were widening their net of vehicle consideration with more than 65% of buyers unaware or unsure of which brand to buy and now evaluating more than double the number of brands during the first eight to 10 weeks of the research phase.

For the team here at CarsGuide the findings further validate our theory that the consideration set builds in size throughout the car buying process, which provides an opportunity both at the start and then again later in the search for car brands to drop in on the purchase path and win over consumers with the right marketing mix. Fundamental to this is the consumption of authoritative, automotive third-party content and reviews as intenders reach the critical decision point.

To my mind, this presents a unique opportunity for automotive movers and shakers to review their marketing plans in order to make an impact. As internet research, automotive manufacturer websites, and car review platforms are amongst the most influential tools for consumers considering various brands, marketers need a multi-channel presence in order to engage and influence potential customers.

This means that for many automotive brands the chance still exists to convert a warm prospect to their brand and for those who are currently being considered, the race is on to keep that prospect loyal and engaged.

To view the full report contact your CarsGuide representative.

What makes CarsGuide’s Digital Influence report vital to the current market is insight into how important certain research activities are to car buyers, as 52% of buyers are conducting research for one to three months prior to purchase. Online content in the form of reviews, internet research and car websites are perceived to be more important than recommendations from friends and family, especially for those responders who are intending to buy within the next twelve months.

SOURCE : Digital influence on the car buying journey, respondents via Dynata. Leading market research panel. Fieldwork: 28/8 to 10/9, 2020

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The quarter in podcasts Our weekly ‘Tools in the Shed’ podcast generally takes its lead from the CarsGuide news stories that have created the most buzz in the week prior.

Then it’s a case of just seeing where the conversation goes. Lots of variety and a few laughs in a chat that most often runs for 40-50 minutes.

Top six 2021 SUVs we can’t wait for.

Episode 153.

Affordable used alternatives for the new cars you want. Episode 154.

Why Great Wall’s Cannon will be a game changer. Episode 155.

Is Mitsubishi doomed?

Episode 156.

Mustang or Stinger? Great alternatives to the best sellers. Episode 157.

Hyundai taking aim at LandCruiser?

Episode 158.

Sonata N Line coming for Stinger?

Episode 159.

Niche Busters! New cars making their mark.

Podcast. Episode 160.

How the Kia ute and Hyundai pick-up will take on the GR HiLux. Episode 161.

Why the V6 LandCruiser 300 could be better than you think. Episode 162.

Are Australians falling out of love with the Mazda 3? Episode 163.

Will there ever be a police car better than a Falcon or Commodore? Episode 164.

Rust in Pieces - the models we’ve lost in 2020. Episode 165.

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Dealerships. My, how things have changed.

Car dealerships used to be a place that consumers loved to hate.

It once seemed that just about everyone we spoke to in our research had a bad tale about a dealer: how they were mistreated, or nearly cheated, or ignored. Dealership baiting was part of the national sport, along with bank hating.

But my, how things have changed.

Each year, for the last five years, we have been tracking consumer attitudes to dealerships on behalf of CAMS. Our clear finding is that consumers are largely positive about dealerships – rather than being negative as per the old stereotype.

The overall attitude question we ask is simple: ‘How do you feel generally about visiting car dealerships?’. The 2020 data (collected in Feb. 2020) in the chart opposite shows that 48% of consumer’s responses were either

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positive or very positive. Note that only 18% say they feel negative or very negative.

In round figures, that’s nearly 50% positive, versus less than 20% negative – which is surely a pretty good result.

From the last two research waves above (Waves 6 and 7) the trend appears to be towards more consumers feeling positive about dealers. The same question was asked again in a national survey by CAMS in Sept 2020, right in the middle of C-19. The figures were even more favourable, with 53% of recent buyers, and 64% of car purchase intenders, indicating positive or very positive perceptions.

Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, because over recent years dealerships have been undergoing a quiet revolution in facilities, customer service

standards, and processes. Gone are the days of powdered coffee and sales staff ignoring the woman in a couple visiting the dealership. However, we are surprised at this data. Our experience researching a range of industries shows us that consumer perceptions often lag reality by a few years. Consumers hold on to their existing perceptions until they experience the new, improved product or service. In the case of the automotive industry, it looks like perceptions have caught up – even though people buy a new car only once every five or six years.

Two other questions shed light on consumer attitudes to dealerships.

Consumers recognise that the customer experience is getting better, with 42% saying it’s improving, versus 11% saying it’s getting worse. This is supported by qualitative research when we interview Traction

people who have recently purchased or are visiting a dealership looking to buy. The stories are mostly very positive, with consumers pleasantly surprised about their interaction at the dealership.

However, when asked about selling style, the picture changes: Becoming more friendly and helpful (35%) is only a little higher than more pushy and hard sell (28%). This indicates some understanding of the reality of the Australian car market – the most competitive in the world in terms of number of brands on offer for the population.

Therefore, consumers recognise dealerships are improving, and, at

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the same time, they understand that dealerships are under great pressure to sell. It suggests that mostly they are okay with a selling style that balances pressure and helpfulness. Maybe this is because they know the great deals and extras that they might get because of the strong market competition!

In summary, what does this data tell us?

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Contrary to our expectation, a positive attitude towards visiting dealerships far outweighs those with negative feelings.

2. This trend towards the positive appears to be continuing – as consumers experience dealerships and align their perceptions with the new reality.

3. They recognise that their customer experience has been improving and simultaneously understand that sales pressure might be applied to get them over the line.

Things really have changed in terms of consumer attitudes to dealerships.

We believe that the automotive trade should give itself some credit for shifting perceptions. If consumers start with a positive expectation, any sales interaction should be that bit smoother.

Jerry Berowne is Principal of FF2, a strategic market research agency

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Australian attitudes to EVs 2020

56%

of surveyed consumers would now consider purchasing an electric vehicle as their next car.

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66%

of consumers want government subsidies to reduce the cost of installing home charging equipment.

October to December 2020

Source: state of Electric Vehicles Report August 2020 electricvehiclecouncil.com.au

68%

of consumers want government subsidies to reduce the cost of buying an EV.

82%

of consumers identify public fast charging as ‘important’.

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360° video view

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The Virtual Ride Along Introducing one of the newest products from CarsGuide Labs: Viewers enjoy a deeply engaging experience by controlling their virtual surroundings while simultaneously learning all about their vehicle of choice.

To view visit: carsguide.com.au/nissan/juke

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Droning on Drone footage allows a very different perspective to the usual shoot-from-the-ground style of standard car reviews. As you might imagine, giving viewers a different viewpoint might also prompt a new appreciation of the subject.

We use drone footage rather sparingly in our video review content. That’s not necessarily because it’s hard to capture good drone video shots, it’s more that overusing that style of footage can actually be a little draining to watch, or appear too much like an advertisement, but fundamentally takes the focus away from the car being featured. The next car ad you see, be sure to check if you can pick which shots were done by drone - you may be surprised how common it is.

Aside from being aware of the battery limitations (about 15-30 minutes for smaller, less expensive models is pretty much standard), drone operators - be they pros or amateurs - have to make sure they are legally complying with the regulations set out by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Search ‘know your drone’ and you’ll see there are plenty of rules around where you can and can’t’ fly your drone, be it professionally or for fun.

Those types of ‘from above’ shots used to be the realm of helicopters, with brave camera operators shooting out an open door from tens or hundreds of metres up in the air.

Today, a good quality drone with a 1080P high-definition camera can be had for just a few hundred dollars, which is probably less than a chopper would cost for 15 minutes of shoot time.

Our videography team is extremely experienced in capturing sky-high footage; some members have shot big wave surfing events and even helped save lives in support of surf life savers. Both far more dynamic situations than shooting a static vehicle in the bush! We’ve shot drone videos and photos in a number of amazing places around Australia - from the NSW South Coast to the wilds of Coober Pedy in South Australia.

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The CarsGuide 2021 Upfronts

In October, CarsGuide presented our 2021 Upfronts virtually for the very first time. The presentation included guest speaker and researcher Lydia Pattison, as well as Glen Knowles (Head of CarsGuide), Carl Davies (Media Sales Director) and Shaun Cornelius (Managing Director).

Content included the latest CarsGuide research about the changing shape of the buyer journey, a ‘behind the scenes’ of the CarsGuide editorial brains trust, a showcase of new CarsGuide Labs case studies, and, lastly, our new audiences including Seven West Media and Gumtree Cars.

To watch the entire Upfronts click here.

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article from

magazine

Marketing’s publishers, Niche Media, can provide an entire end-to-end custom publishing solution, including: print, production, distribution, design, editorial and advertising sales.

How to convert and retain consumers in an age of choice With consumers revelling in the privilege of choice, the role of marketing has never been more crucial in the process of retaining those who are brand loyal while simultaneously attracting new customers.

Tim Flattery considers the car industry and what factors cause consumers to shift or stay.

Consumers are ultimately swayed by two things: the features of a product, which speak to the rational side of the brain, and the brand itself, a more emotional connection led from the subconscious, popularly referred to as the ‘heart’. It is here where the brand voice and the voice of an independent third party can combine to influence decision making, disrupt bias and change a purchase decision.

In CarsGuide’s 2020 ‘Digital Influence Study’, the research highlighted that consumers face such a predicament when it comes to the battle of the head and the heart, that 65 percent of new car buyers admit to not knowing which brand they prefer at the start of their research and a third of buyers change their mind entirely when it comes to buying a new car.

And why is this important? It highlights that, in the age of hyper choice, the traditional sales funnel no longer exists. Instead, a wave model is a more accurate representation of the workings of the brain when it comes to understanding the complexities of decision making. When someone is considering the purchase of a new vehicle they will more than double the number of brands they are considering during the research and investigation stage. For instance, of the recent car buyers surveyed the average number of brands considered jumped from 2.4 to 5.6.

While the research explores the automotive industry, it undoubtedly shines a bigger spotlight on how marketers need to change their strategies in order to be present at the multiple phases of a customer journey.

Marketers need to support consumers as they ride the wave of brand indecision.

An age of mistrust One of the chief findings from the aforementioned study is that in an age of Google and general mistrust, consumers look to the internet for reassurance about their purchasing choice. A fundamental resource to this online reassurance is review websites with 54 percent of respondents citing car reviews and comparison websites as having the single largest impact on their purchasing choice.

It makes sense. Every purchase journey begins with unanswered questions. As the number one automotive editorial site in Australia, a finding independently certified

by Nielsen, we witness first-hand the demand from buyers for simple Q&As across our web traffic every day. And to attain these traffic figures, we invest heavily in research and analysis of the online consumer journey to Traction understand the key factors to success.

A strength of operating a car review website is the ability to provide answers to broad queries such as ‘best seven-seater?’ or ‘best vehicle for towing?’ If a brand wants to make it to the final purchase, it is vital that it is included in this initial ‘unanswered questions’ research stage.

When a trigger event occurs, we know that purchase intenders enter a research stage.

Our own findings show that for new car buyers the average number of brand’s that are considered jumps from two to almost six meaning that all of the important brand building work done in the 5-7 years between car purchases is at risk of being wasted unless the correct channel strategy is employed.

Key takeaways So, what type of digital content should marketers invest in? Well, this should be decided on a case-by-case basis and to make broad sweeping statements here does the methodology an injustice. What we would say is that it is important to make sure on review websites that you have a combination that includes sponsored content and independent editorial, this will help you to both tell a story while offering independent verification in the form of an unpaid media review. Our other recommendations would include: 1.

Follow the science and not the bias.

Make sure you’ve got the right data to make the right decision. With all car review websites, they’ll have information on what people are searching online for and insight into how you differentiate yourself from your competitors. Make sure they are utilising this insight when designing your campaign.

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Timeline is important as well. You wouldn’t sign off a TV campaign overnight. You need to spend time investing in a strategy that will deliver your objectives. Time and time again we get requests for a quick turnaround on a proposal but literally what we can now deliver is almost endless. Spend some time with review websites and push them to deliver experiences that speak directly to your audience to ensure they remain engaged (or become distracted) and focus on your brand alone.

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Once the review website has analysed the data, merge it – both the review websites qualitative and quantitative research and the manufacture’s buyer numbers should be combined to ensure you’re delivering the right channel strategy.

Thinking outside the box But how do you convert customers when the path to purchase suddenly becomes a freeway?

Consumers are buying 52 weeks of the year and so it’s important to have an ‘always on’ digital strategy. Unlike television, which has a high purchase cost and limited availability, digital channels enable marketers to be omnipresent and developments in online engagement technology now mean audiences can experience a brand emotionally and rationally before physically touching it.

For instance, in 2020 we launched a new product called ‘CarsGuide 3D’. A new virtual experience technology designed to transition customers from the editorial environment straight into the dealership from the comfort of home. The 3D virtual technology recreates the interior of a dealership and allows customers to visit ‘hotspots’ which include information on features and benefits for products. Visitors could also find dealers’ pages and book a test drive. The strength of this activation is the ability to integrate marketing and point of sale material with the third-party voice of the journalist, who could provide detailed answers to any unresolved queries creating greater confidence in the product in the eyes of the consumer.

Another product created was a ‘Virtual Ride Along’ product where prospective customers can go for a virtual spin in a car on their shortlist. Nissan Juke is the first brand to deploy this tech. The experience resembles a test drive which has been conducted remotely, enabling the customer to experience all of the features of the new Juke – including the sound of the engine at speed. We also this with a pop-up virtual walk-around, allowing people to explore the product features of the Juke with the backdrop of Sydney Harbour and Barangaroo in the background. Effectively combining rational product exploration in a more emotive setting. Online advertising has definitely come a long way forward since the simple banner.

As consumers struggle to reconcile the demands of the head and the heart, the industry needs to adopt a tactical always on approach to make sure they’re attracting those considering a purchase and retain those who are already brand loyal. Achieving this in an increasingly rich digital space is making marketing more complex, not easier. There are more options, particularly in terms of digital engagement that can be explored and so we need to change our thinking and be vigilant to ensure continued loyalty as consumers make the most of the privilege of choice. Fundamentally, we need to be concerned with two key factors: How to convey features in a concise and trusted format and of course how to build awareness and emotion around brand in an unprecedented age of choice.

Tim Flattery is the head of CarsGuide Labs.

Research mentioned: [1] Digital Insight Study, CarsGuide, 2020.

[1] Nielsen Digital Content Ratings (Monthly), July, August, October to December 2020

September, October 2020 text, P18+, PC, Smartphones & Tablets

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3D Vision In 2020 CarsGuide Labs launched its newest product: CarsGuide 3D. Designed to transition consumers from the editorial environment straight into the dealership or ownership environment, all from the comfort of their home. The CarsGuide 3D feature ‘hot spot’ links that can click through to feature and benefit information, ‘find a dealer’ pages or for booking a test drive.

Click here to view.

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THE ALTERNATIVE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

Now with millions* of potential buyers and a low monthly subscription fee.

Be one of the first dealers to experience a new way to trade.

Register at autotradergroup.com.au

*Nielsen Digital Content Planning, November 2020, P2+, Digital (C/M), text, Gumtree Cars, Autotrader, CarsGuide, total de-duplicated unique audience

The Next Frontier in Auto AADA20 Panel Discussion

Shaun Cornelius, CarsGuide Media Solutions.

Craig O’Donnell, Volkswagen Group,

Jamie Moyle, Car Giant WA.

Dorian Lapthorne, Deloitte.

In November 2020, CarsGuide Autotrader Media Solutions Managing Director Shaun Cornelius led a panel discussion about the role of digital influence and ‘the next frontier in auto’ at the AADA20 Convention and Expo Virtual Event. The following Q&A with Craig O’Donnell (head of digital platforms and experience at Volkswagen Group, Australia), Dorian Lapthorne (a director within Deloitte’s motor industry services), and Jamie Moyle (digital manager of Car Giant, WA), has been edited for brevity.

Shaun: A recent study by Autotrader and Gumtree Cars commission found that 62% of respondents started their vehicle search online. The previous year that figure was 57%.

19% of respondents said they would consider starting research by visiting a dealer. The previous year, that was 30%. So online is undeniably becoming more important in our industry. How does that square with your experience at VW, Craig?

Craig: I have been in the digital space for the better part of 12 years. Before that, I was in motor shows, the other big touchpoint previously. For me, customers are just trying to find information, and find ways to do that at their own pace. So, previously, it might have been motor shows, now it’s online. And, probably in the last five years, customers have been digital-first in the majority.

This year especially a lot of those things have been accelerated.

A lot of the digital buying, not just in auto but also outside of the industry, has just become just the normal way we shop. The risk of ordering online, the perceived risk of purchasing things online, researching, and finding information - that aspect has become normal now and that has also flowed into the auto game. For us, it’s about the risk of doing things faster and failing faster. We had to adapt faster, we had to change. And that meant that we’ve probably adapted and met the market where we could have met them three to four years ago, but we sort of had this change reluctancy.

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Shaun: Deloitte has a significant digital practise as well – Dorian, how do you see auto buyers’ relationship with the digital world?

Dorian: Digital is becoming a part of all of our lives, and buyers don't distinguish between the automotive industry and buying music or buying dinner. They are looking for that that convenience they're experiencing across other touchpoints in other parts of their lives. And we don't always deliver that in the automotive world, but we're starting to get there, and we’re starting to react to that. They also, particularly in automotive, look for transparency. And we often hear people talk about that almost like they are getting ready for a battle. Like they have armed themselves with information, to protect themselves against those salespeople who are perhaps not having their best interests at heart. We know that salespeople do, but customers have that perception. I think in the online world they feel that they can get that transparency that helps them.

While that's been a long-term trend, I think in the last six months under COVID, we have seen it really accelerate. Deloitte has been tracking consumer behaviour around the world generally and the automotive sector in particular. One of the telling things to me is that six months ago, only about 10% of people were considering buying their next car online. In the last six months, that's doubled.

When you consider how much of a financial commitment that is, that's a massive shift in a short period of time. That's a real warning sign for the industry. We need to be looking at that. I think people got a taste of this now, and this change is coming.

We need to decide whether we're taking advantage of that change or we are going to get caught out by it.

Shaun: Jamie, from a dealership perspective, what changes are you seeing in buyer behaviour?

Jamie: Ease and convenience are definitely big factors that are driving that digital-first buyer behaviour. Flexibility to progress at a pace that feels comfortable is also key to the customer. It allows them to feel more in control and more informed and it also gives them the opportunity to disengage from a process that's perhaps not helpful in assisting them in their endeavour.

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Shaun: How can dealers make sure they have the right presence online and offline to service this change in buyer behaviour?

Jamie: For us, inventory is king. We primarily employ multichannel inventory strategies to reach our intended car barns.

We’re listing with most of the major portals and having our own dealer website presence, engaging in all best digital practices around social, SEO, SEM. However, when we bring this to the dealership, it's really important to the customer to have a more on-the-channel experience when they arrive at the dealership. It’s important for our salespeople to understand that that customer’s engaging with other touchpoints of the dealership - they may have submitted a finance inquiry, may have submitted a service inquiry to get their vehicle serviced prior to trading it, or they might be looking to get it valued. Having that information allows us to assist the customer and help them with their journey from online into that dealership.

Shaun: Deloitte does a lot of work with data – Dorian, what are you seeing in terms of market feedback?

Dorian: The whole benefit is that the data that you get behind the scenes. And yes there are privacy considerations that need to be looked at, but the more that you can share information up and down the whole value chain, the more that you can take information from different parts of the purchase funnel and combine it with dealers’ databases and OEMs’ databases and understand how people actually acting in the marketplace, the better chance you have of almost moving ahead of them in the purchase price process and giving them things that they're interested in, instead of making them work through a series of steps that they don't really want to go through. So, to me, particularly in my little space, that ‘back of house’ if you might look at that way, data integration is vital to make the whole thing really sing.

Shaun: Jamie, you have quite a sophisticated/strategic approach to how you list stock online, can you tell us about that?

Jamie: I think it's very important to be transparent with your customers. We tried a number of strategies over the years and found that ensuring your inventory is up-to-date online and you're only selling vehicles are available for sale is important. It's very important to sell at value in your inventory adverts, have great comments, and have great images. It’s also important that your ads and your presence help the customer move forward with their process. We tried a number of strategy ideas but the basic seems to be what yields the best results at a dealership level and assists the customer the most.

Shaun: Craig, how do you ensure that VW is part of buyers’ considerations when they do their research?

Craig: For many years now, we’ve had an ‘always-on’ perspective, rather than a campaign perspective, especially in the digital landscape. It’s about being there when the customers are there, and not when we want to be there. I think the interesting thing this year for us is being involved in events like Click Frenzy. We went live in 11 days. One of the people in my team came to me and said there’s a thing called Click Frenzy, you want to be part of that? I said sure! That, for us, blew up our website. That just brought numbers we had never seen, engaging with people in ways we’ve never engaged before. Last night we were all part of Click Frenzy event again. We saw the second-highest number of people come to our website at any point in time. We saw $100,000 AUD of service campaigns sold.

We’re planning digital strategies that are proven, and we’re also just experimenting with things that we never thought we’d do before. I can honestly say, being on a WhatsApp with directors in the business and just texting numbers and performance in sales - that’s a first for me in the auto game. That’s probably Traction

more of a retail game, where we retail over the weekend, and on Sundays see the numbers coming from the dealer. This is usually like reports throwing up numbers in real-time and text floating around. I think it’s really exciting – it brings the OEMs and brings the dealer together on the frontline, which is really good.

Shaun: I’m keen to hear from our panel what they think will be different in 5 years? What digital trends will be taking off?

Jamie: Digital moves at such a rapid pace, it's impossible to keep up with every change. So, in the future for dealerships, they really need to consider their business model and how to adapt that business model to these changes rather than to respond to every change. And also, and probably more importantly is to adjust the roles in the dealerships to be able to assist the customers more efficiently, so they can leverage the opportunity digital presents to the dealerships.

Shaun: Craig, what do you think are some of the key changes we can look forward to?

Craig: If I am thinking about the five-year term, I think the online ordering process will look very different. I think OEMs and dealers will mature and be more efficient with their processes. Ultimately, the reason why dealers and OEMs want to be in that online space is to drive efficiencies and know how to work there. I think the digital offering right now is getting expensive; if you buy all those bits to put it all together, you need to bring down some costs in the organization to complement those things. We need to get different people into the business and bring our competencies up. I think dealer websites and OEM websites are really good now at the lower end of the funnel. We can get leads, test drives, online bookings. But there’s still a lot more people up the funnel that we are still engaging in the same way. We haven’t really adapted the upper funnel topic. So, how we engage people to get their attention, get their engagement, and make that experience special is a big one!

Dealers have a competitive edge in this space. They have the people! You’ve got the people that know the product and it’s about how you arm those people to be higher up the funnel and deliver more personal, softer experiences to people—rather than just the hard-transactional processes. The last thing is the privacy. It’s going to look very different in three to five years.

A lot of that change that’s coming needs to be around data and online experience, change how everybody tracks, follows, finds, and engages with people. The entire industry will have to adapt to that.

Shaun: Dorian, what do you see the industry doing to futureproof business?

Dorian: The five-year timeframe is already on us. If I look a little bit further out, I think the industry's going to face all sorts of challenges—autonomous vehicles, subscription models, ridesharing is all happening. I think having a digital platform that puts your brand or your dealership in the middle of that and allows you to play to all of that helps future proof you. If you try and bet on one of those things, the chances are you'll lose.

Shaun: Finally, what’s holding the industry back? Why isn’t everybody doing more, and what more could we do?

Dorian: What's holding people back is comfort. We've been doing things for a while in the industry. It hasn’t necessarily worked all the time but we’re familiar with it and comfortable with it. I think COVID has shown us that you can do things differently. You can stand up your online sales in 11 days. That’s possible! But it needs to be done collaboratively. This is not something dealers will do in isolation, OEMs will do in isolation, or external providers will do. The more people work together, the better this will roll out. It needs to start now. I think we've learned that we need to start now.

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CarsGuide Labs most ambitious project to date: The Ford Tradie Workshop A deeply engaging virtual world, combining 3D technology and video. The experience showcases vehicles’ features and benefits whilst simultaneously driving call to actions.

Experience it at carsguide.com.au/tradies

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To download the full report click here.

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‘I wanted a spectacular location to showcase the groundbreaking all electric Mercedes-Benz EQC in 3D. The International Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay set the scene for the most stunning 3D photography we’ve done so far.’

To view click here.

Tim Flattery, Head of CarsGuide Labs 39

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Mercedes-Benz EQC

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Mitsubishi Roadtrip

Click here to view CarsGuide Labs has partnered with Mitsubishi and media agency Wavemaker to launch Virtual Road Trips encouraging Australians to travel this summer and support small regional Aussie businesses. The project expands the capability of CarsGuide Labs’ 3D visualisation product creating two road trips to highlight the attributes of both the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross.

The project was brought about following analysis from CarsGuide Labs which showed that search volumes for ‘road trips’ was at an all-time high. After analysing Google search trends, CarsGuide Labs discovered that on average road trip searches had increased by 104 per cent year-on-year and key searches like ‘The Ultimate Australian Road Trip’ saw an increase of 529 per cent in June 2020.1 CarsGuide Labs writers took a Mitsubishi vehicle on the road visiting small regional businesses and highlighting areas of interest

throughout NSW. Each story included 3D visualisations of the vehicles at landmarks visited so that audiences can immerse themselves in each location. To achieve this each road trip was supported by video content, a road trip map graphic and articles to create an immersive lifestyle experience.

A component of the project was to also shine a light on Australian small regional businesses. After a year that included bushfires, flooding and COVID-19, the majority of businesses in regional Australia have been affected with demand for goods, services and cash flow significantly reduced.2 With this in mind, each road trip included a spotlight on regional businesses which included Lake Conjola Cabins, Region X Kayak Hire, Silkman Wines and Hunter Valley Bicycle Rentals.

Speaking about the initiative, Shaun Westcott, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Australia, said: ‘As a business, Mitsubishi is constantly looking for new ways to engage our audience. It

is important to us that we are able to break through the noise in the market and we spend a lot of time analysing trends to ensure we have activity which will prove genuinely valuable to our audience. As a company, we also wanted to continue to support small businesses by creating a campaign which provided travel inspiration while promoting the quality and desirability of regional Australia.’

Wavemaker CEO Peter Vogel says: ‘Mitsubishi is consistently leaning into technology to deliver an ever-more engaging customer experience, and support Australians. Responding to the growth in searches for Road Trips in Australia, Mitsubishi, in partnership with CarsGuide Labs has put the spotlight on local businesses and encouraged Australians to get out and explore our own backyard. The 3D visualisations enable people to immerse themselves in the locations while also gaining a virtual experience of the Mitsubishi vehicles.’

1 CarsGuide Search Traffic, https://www.carsguide.com.au/, June 2020 2 Department of Education, Skills and Employment, https://www.dese.gov.au/newsroom/articles/impact-covid-19-australian-businesses-part-two, 14 May 2020

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Media salesperson spotlight: Will Ryan

Coming from a family of engineers and gear heads, I’ve always had a passion for the world of automotive. When offered the opportunity to begin my media career with CarsGuide in 2016, I was extremely excited to pack my temperamental ‘06 Corolla Hatch and brave the ‘point-to-point’ camera system prevalent on the NSW side of the Hume for the drive up from Victoria.

Fortunately it was a nervous drive well spent as the last four and a half years have brought with them endless opportunities to lead the Australian automotive market with exciting new products, media strategies, and a constant desire to drive best-in-market performance for our partners.

No year was more symbolic of this than 2020, which saw us innovate through the development of virtual dealerships and generally strive toward a world with a ‘digital first’ mentality.

On a personal note the year ended on a high, thanks to being voted the CAMS Employee of the Year - which I see as a direct reflection of the innovation and foresight shown by my incredible clients.

Looking forward, the convergence of the Gumtree Marketplace and our ever-developing CarsGuide Labs offering certainly has me excited by what’s to come in 2021 and beyond, as ambitious new initiatives grow into meaningful offerings for our partners. Stay tuned!

Outside of work you can usually catch me saving hats, shoes and the odd piece of furniture from the jaws of my five-month old German Shepherd, or (on the off day Vic weather permits) enjoying the beach!

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ADVENTURE GUIDE PLAYLIST Wild is the Wind - David Bowie Lost and Found - Radio Dept Chase the Sun - Planet Funk Mountain Sound - Of Monsters and Men River Rain - Dream of Dreams

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Q&A – with Tim Flattery, Head of CarsGuide Labs Carousel is featured on CarsGuide Advice articles as well as our popular Guide index pages, with locations being expanded in 2021.

We also launched a brand content newsroom service where we staff up with writers to create enough brand content for six or 12 months. Clients currently use this service to deliver a mix of articles, photography and video segments, designed to increase a brand’s share of voice as part of a Guide sponsorship. We also have clients who use this service to create journalistic content for their own website and social channels – outside of CarsGuide.

Q: How would you describe CarsGuide Labs in a sentence?

CarsGuide Labs is a digital innovation agency – a partner for marketers to create a deeper connection with the Australian car-buying audience via immersive new technology and brand stories.

Q: When was it launched and what was the first new tech product?

We launched in 2019 with an Australian first: CarsGuide 3D. This virtual showroom experience features key moments in a dealership visit, supplemented with imagery, text and videos, as well as hot spots to drive call-to-action. 3D may also be embedded within a module designed to drive leads, with three call-to-action buttons in the frame and can be simply added to a client’s own website.

It allows buyers to take a deep dive into the broader ownership experience – which creates a chance to become emotionally charged with the car before they visit the dealership.

Q: It must have been great to partner with clients so willing to innovate. How has the technology evolved since it launched?

A great example of how far we’ve come and where we’re going with this technology is the Ford Tradie Workshop. It’s a bespoke virtual reality space developed in conjunction with Ford’s creative agency, which provides an immersive brand experience, complete with embedded videos explaining the features and benefits of the vehicles.

The 3D experiences can now also be embedded in our display+ ad units, which allows them to be promoted across the website and on off-network partners like Gumtree and Seven West Media.

Q: Marketers are investing more of their budgets into brand and native content to seduce buyers before giving the them the hard sell. What kind of work is CarsGuide Labs doing in this area for brands?

We recently launched new native advertorial real estate on the site to help clients become better and more regular storytellers – with our writers creating high quality articles and video content on behalf of brands. The Advertorial 45

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Q: Is there one place on CarsGuide where clients can bring these brand story and immersive experience products together?

Our brand panorama microsite is designed for exactly that purpose. It offers cutting edge integrated technology, including a virtual car dealership, independent highlights from expert journalists, finance, pricing and a closer look at the features and benefits of the range - all maximised for that crucial ‘book a test drive’ call to action. We were very fortunate to partner with Mitsubishi and their media agency Wavemaker to launch the first one.

Q: Are you also helping marketers distribute content in a more creative way?

We are. The expansion of our content distribution product, CarsGuide Reach, now includes an off-network advertising suite of products to leverage our powerful independent reviews and brand content on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Channel Seven.

Q: What was the newest tech to launch last year?

I was looking for a way to give audiences the chance to feel what’s it’s like riding next to one of our presenters as they take the car for a spin. Our new virtual ride-along experience delivers on that and takes viewers far beyond the standard test drive. It’s a full-immersive experience, featuring full camera control, video call outs, and a presenter, explaining features and benefits.

Q: What’s the one thing you’d like potential new clients to learn from this interview?

That CarsGuide Labs isn’t just obsessed with shiny new tech.

We are obsessed with making the process of deciding on the right car more advanced, more frictionless and more intuitive for Aussie car buyers. It’s customer-centricity in action and we do it via world-class digital innovation that delivers brands a genuine connection with their customers and, in return, a truly competitive edge.

Q: Sounds pretty good to me. Do you have a slogan?

CarsGuide Labs: Driving innovation through the car buying experience.

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The one-stop shop for auto-intenders INDEPENDENT EDITORIAL Reviews Tow tests Advice articles Comparison tests Battlecards Trip and Trail

PANORAMAS 3D Video magazine Editorial Bespoke

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Besp oke

ntent o c ed d n Bra

DEALERSHIP AMPLIFICATION On-car decals ‘The Word’ book of reviews

Guide

OFF NETWORK AMPLIFICATION Facebook REACH Instagram REACH Youtube REACH DisplayPlus

spo n s ors h i ps

3D SCANS Showrooms Individual cars Ownership

torial i d E ent d n pe e Ind

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GUIDE SPONSORSHIPS Tradie Guide Family Guide Adventure Guide Urban Guide Luxury Guide

3D s can s

Off n lificatio Amp ork tw Ne

BRANDED CONTENT Movers and Shakers Range walk-through Tradie Life Road Trips Product Demo's Interviews: Designers & Engineers Virtual Ride Alongs

Dealers h i p A mp l i f ica t i on

MINI BRAND GUIDES & MINI BRAND MAGAZINES Without video With video BESPOKE Branded banners Full custom brand publishing Other

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FOUR WAYS TO AMPLIFY OUR CONTENT ON AND OFF-NETWORK.

https:/ youtu.be/-8RFe2OCJJo htp:/carsguide.c ltra.com/previ w/48a389a7#overides.deviceInfo.deviceType=Phone REACH FACEBOOK

Trusted CarsGuide reviews packaged into an immersive brand experience and targeted at first party auto-intenders on Facebook.

Off-network auto-intender targeting Off-network auto-intender engagement Drive brand consideration Immersive/Interactive 2 weeks to market

REACH DISPLAY PLUS

DisplayPlus uses interactive ad units to package our trusted reviews into immersive display that targets first party auto-intenders on and off network.

Off-network auto-intender targeting Off-network auto-intender engagement Drive brand consideration Immersive/Interactive 2 weeks to market

https:/ youtu.be/skP9E0PVdjg https:/ youtu.be/zwJ0FWt7YUU REACH CAROUSEL

Convert any advice article or review into an immersive brand experience native to Instagram, targeted at first party auto-intenders.

Off-network auto-intender targeting Off-network auto-intender engagement Drive brand consideration Immersive/Interactive 1 week to market

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REACH VIDEO

Give first party auto-intenders the messages you want them to know from trusted CarsGuide reviews, in a 15” pre-roll format on SWM BVOD or YouTube.

Off-network auto-intender targeting Drive brand consideration 2 weeks to market

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REACH case study Kia Sorento Days live:

Impressions:

REACH

Sessions:

Clicked through to the review:

Average dwell time in review:

72

3.965

338,623

1.31%

197,951

4mins 7secs

Average content engagement:

79.35%

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YouTube snapshot October to December 2020. Top performing videos and statistics.

Toyota Yaris Cross 2021 Review

3:22

280,648

15.9k

Average view duration

Total views

Total watch time

Toyota Fortuner 2021 Review

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click to view

click to view

3:57

274,144

17.7k

Average view duration

Total views

Total watch time

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Honda CR-V 2021 Review: VTi L7

click to view

1:26

283,821

6.5k

Average view duration

Total views

Total watch time

Subscriptions

+17K – Total subs now 171K Views

6M Viewable hours

343K

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Most searched makes & models - used.

Most searched makes & models - editorial.

1. Holden Commodore

1. Toyota LandCruiser Prado

1. Toyota HiLux

2. Isuzu D-Max

1. Toyota LandCruiser

3. Kia Sorento

1. Toyota Corolla

4. Toyota HiLux

1. Ford Falcon

5. Toyota Fortuner

1. Ford Ranger

6. Toyota LandCruiser

1. Toyota LandCruiser Prado

7. Suzuki Swift

1. Mazda 3

8. Toyota Yaris Cross

1. Toyota RAV4

9. Mitsubishi Outlander

1. Hyundai i30

10. Ford Escape

Most searched makes - used.

Most searched makes - editorial.

1. Toyota

1. Toyota

2. Ford

2. Ford

3. Holden

3. Mazda

4. Mazda

4. Kia

5. Mitsubishi

5. Nissan

6. Nissan

6. Mercedes-Benz

7. Hyundai

7. Mitsubishi

8. Volkswagen

8. Volkswagen

9. Subaru

9. Hyundai

10. Mercedes-Benz

10. Holden

Source: Google Analytics - carsguide.com.au and Autotrader.com.au

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Ranking by bodystyle CarsGuide and Autotrader classifieds Top 10 most searched car types for sale.

Top 10 Sedans

Top 10 Hatches

1. Holden Commodore

1. Toyota Corolla

2. Ford Falcon

2. Mazda 3

3. Toyota Corolla

3. Hyundai i30

4. Mazda 3

4. Volkswagen Golf

5. Toyota Camry

5. Kia Cerato

6. Mitsubishi Lancer

6. Honda Civic

7. Honda Civic

7. Toyota Yaris

8. Kia Cerato

8. Ford Focus

9. Holden Cruze

9. Mazda 2

10. Mazda 6

10. Subaru Impreza

Top 10 SUVs

Top 10 Utes

1. Toyota LandCruiser Prado

1. Toyota Hilux

2. Toyota RAV4

2. Ford Falcon

3. Toyota LandCruiser

3. Holden Commodore

4. Nissan X-Trail

4. Ford Ranger

5. Mazda CX-5

5. Toyota LandCruiser

6. Honda CR-V

6. Mitsubishi Triton

7. Mitsubishi Outlander

7. Isuzu D-Max

8. Toyota Kluger

8. Mazda BT-50

9. Holden Captiva

9. Nissan Navara

10. Hyundai Santa Fe

10. Holden Colorado

SOURCE: Google Analytics - carsguide.com.au and Autotrader.com.au

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CarsGuide reviews The car reviews that attracted the most views.

Source: Google Analytics - carsguide.com.au

1 Toyota Prado 2021 review: Kakadu

2

3

Toyota Fortuner 2021 review

MG3 2020 review

4

5

MG ZS 2020 review

Kia Sorento 2021 review: Sport+ diesel

6. Toyota Yaris Cross 2021 review: GX 2WD petrol

14. Suzuki Swift 2021 review: GLX Turbo

7. LDV T60 2020 review: Luxe off-road

15. Toyota Yaris Cross 2021 review

8. Land Rover Discovery Sport 2020 review: S D150

16. Ford Escape 2021 review

9. Toyota Prado 2020 review: GXL

17. Suzuki Vitara 2021 review: Turbo long-term

10. Isuzu D-Max 2021 review: X-Terrain

18. Toyota Prado 2021 review: GXL off-road test

11. Kia Sorento 2021 review

19. Ford Everest 2020 review: Sport 4x4

12. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2021 review: Cruiser

20. Mitsubishi Outlander 2020 review

13. Kia Seltos 2020 review: S

adventureguide

tradieguide

familyguide

expertguide

urbanguide

Source: Google Analytics - carsguide.com.au

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CarsGuide news SOURCE: Google Analytics - carsguide.com.au

The car news articles that attracted the most views.

1 Hyundai’s LandCruiser 300 Series rival to be the ultimate disrupter: Toyota’s off-road legacy “not a problem” for rugged ladder-frame SUV 2

3

4

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GR LandCruiser 300, GR HiLux and GR Fortuner: How Toyota’s gamechanging V6 diesel will change the shape of performance in Australia

Will Hyundai’s first dualcab ute be an instant hit?

Lessons the brand can learn from the Sonata, Excel and Genesis GV80

6. The end of the diesel engine? Why oil-burners are on the way out in passenger cars but not in utes - yet 7. 2022 Subaru WRX STI officially confirmed! New icon ‘to push the performance and technological boundaries’ but how far?

8. Would you buy a Toyota GR Fortuner? LandCruiser 300’s 3.3-litre diesel V6 would create a sublime super SUV 9. Will the 2022 Kia Sportage look this radical? New Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 rival rendered with polarising styling 10. Dream Factory: How Kia and Hyundai’s new ute can take down the booming diesel V6 of the Toyota GR HiLux 11. 2022 Suzuki Vitara to lead renewed SUV charge and step up against Kia Seltos, Mitsubishi ASX, Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-30 12. Could Hyundai topple the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series? Off-road war would be a battle of the booming V6 diesels 13. Where to now for Mitsubishi? Why favourites like the Triton ute and ASX small SUV may not survive as we know them

Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series launch date, pricing and V6 diesel engine revealed - reports

Toyota dealers told to prepare for the LandCruiser 300 Series!

Here’s when you will finally see the updated icon - and how long you have left to secure a diesel V8 LC200 14. What Bathurst looks like after Holden: Will Kia Stinger, Toyota Supra and Nissan 400Z join Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro?

15. Walkinshaw 550 pricing and specs confirmed: Holden Colorado finally becomes a Ford Ranger-crushing super ute!

16. How Volkswagen and Hyundai are stepping up to build police cars after the demise of the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon 17. Toyota ready to attack in 2021: LandCruiser 300 Series, Corolla Cross and 86 launch dates leaked - report 18. 2023 Toyota Prado detailed! New Mitsubishi Pajero rival to follow LandCruiser 300 Series lead and go hybrid: report 19. 2021 Toyota HiLux Invincible: Why Australia doesn’t get famous pick-up name to rival Ford Ranger Raptor and Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior 20. 2021 Mitsubishi Pajero pricing and specs detailed: Exceed flagship returns to see off Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol rival Source: Google Analytics - carsguide.com.au

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Major launches Popularity of launches this quarter.

Top 10 views 1. Subaru Forester 2021 review 2. Toyota Yaris Cross 2021 review 3. Ford Escape 2021 review 4. VW Amarok 2021 review: XXL GVM test 5. LDV Deliver 9 2021 review: GVM test 6. Suzuki Swift 2021 review 7. Toyota HiLux 2021 review: Rugged X off-road test 8. Toyota GR Yaris 2021 review 9. Hyundai i30 2021 review: sedan 10. Skoda Kamiq 2021 review

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