§ The Data · What Every GM Needs to Know
Real data. Verified sources.
No hype.
The figures below are pulled from primary research by Cox Automotive, Google, NADA, and the leading automotive-marketing data firms. We cite every one. If the data shifts, this page will too.
The Headline Number
$543,539
spent by the average U.S. dealership on advertising, every single year — yet most still post zero consistent social video content.
Six figures of mailers, radio, paid search, and TPL leads — while the channel that actually reaches the buyer (vertical short-form video on the buyer’s phone) is left to interns, junior salespeople, or no one at all.
Source · NADA 2024 Annual Dealership Financial Data
nada.org/nada/nada-data§ The Five Numbers
What every General Manager already knows in their gut.
95%
of vehicle buyers research online
Average buyer logs 14 hours of online research before stepping on a dealership lot. They have already decided before they ever call you.
75%
of auto shoppers say online video influenced their purchase
More than 60% visited a dealership immediately after watching a video. Video is now the single most decisive medium in the buyer journey.
65%
growth in test-drive video watch time on YouTube
Two-year growth window, U.S. market. Demand is massive. Most dealerships are completely invisible to it.
37%
of TikTok users are actively car shopping right now
Your next buyer is scrolling TikTok this afternoon. The question is whether your salespeople are on the screen.
73%
of dealership ad budgets go to digital
Yet vertical short-form video remains the most under-used channel inside that digital spend. The first-mover advantage in your market is real and still available.
The Math
One closed deal across the roster typically covers your entire monthly cost.
Everything else goes to your bottom line.
This statement reflects typical dealership economics and is not a guarantee of specific results. Each store’s actual return depends on inventory, pricing, market, and the disciplined execution of the program.
240+
Finished posts shipped every month — sixty fully edited videos per three-salesperson roster, distributed across the salespeople’s accounts and the dealership’s own TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube handles (when access is granted).
3
Platforms covered — TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts — each finished to platform-native spec.
1
Closed deal across the roster typically covers an entire month of service. Everything else goes to your bottom line.
The Question
Are you in…
or are you watching from the sideline?
Twenty minutes. We will look at your store, your market, and the gap between your ad spend and your social footprint — and tell you on the call whether IMC is the right fit.