The recently launched Cars Social product has become a more valuable option for dealerships at a time when Facebook is cracking down on how businesses can target Facebook users with advertising. That’s the key take-away from Brian Pasch’s latest video bulletin, which appeared on CBT News on May 23.

In the segment, Pasch discussed Facebook’s recently announced decision to shut down its Partner Categories program as Facebook takes steps to tighten the reins on its user data. Pasch noted that the end of Partner Categories means that brands that advertise on Facebook — including dealerships — will no longer be able to use data from third-party data providers such as Acxiom and BlueKai to serve up targeted ads to Facebook users. In other words, advertisers won’t be able to append third-party data to Facebook user profiles to allow targeting.

As Pasch explained, the end of the program leaves auto dealers with three options:

  • Make better use of their first-party data to create custom audiences on Facebook.
  • Work with an advertising partner to create custom audiences.
  • Leverage Cars Social, which allows dealers to access and serve ads to shoppers based on vast amounts of data Cars.com possesses about our own visitors’ habits.

We recently reported on GrowWithCars that Cars Social enables automotive dealers to reach a new and unique audience of in-market Cars.com shoppers on Facebook and Instagram. In initial beta testing, Cars.com learned Cars Social drives an 80 percent unique audience when compared to social campaigns modeled from a dealership’s first-party website audience.

By using Cars.com’s first-party audience data, the product targets consumers on social media who previously researched inventory or expressed interest in similar vehicles in the market. A social ad with inventory imagery from local retailers is served to targeted consumers, redirecting shoppers to its corresponding Vehicle Details Page on Cars.com.

Pasch explained that Cars.com’s detailed first-party data gives Cars Social an advantage. “ [Cars.com is] allowing dealers in their market to target people who either looked at their cars, or looked at cars similar to their cars, or the cars that they sell,” he said

He added that especially in the era of tighter privacy practices at Facebook, Cars Social “is a major opportunity for dealers who want to reach active in-market Cars.com shoppers on Facebook,” which he characterized as “the purest audience of people who are actively shopping for a car.”

Cars Social allows dealers to expand into new channels, target valuable shoppers and create effective campaigns. Cars Social is a turnkey solution. We have a team of social media experts that set up the data feeds and optimize campaigns. Cars.com handles everything from start to finish.

For more insight on Cars Social, talk with your Cars.com representative and explore this section of our website.