2018-汽车搜索行业报告（英文版）-15mb

UK Automotive Search Industry Report Summary

Core Content Overview

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the UK automotive search market in 2017, highlighting the impact of market disruption, the role of online search in the purchase journey, and the competitive landscape among manufacturers, dealerships, and marketplace platforms.

Main Challenges

• Consumer Confidence: Declining consumer confidence has led to a reduction in new car sales, with a 5.6% drop in new registrations in 2017.
• Economic Uncertainty: Brexit-related uncertainty has further dampened consumer confidence.
• Diesel Sales Decline: Diesel car sales saw a significant drop, with a 31% decline in December 2017 and a 17% decline for the year.
• Market Disruption: The rise of online comparison platforms such as Carwow and CarGurus has created a highly competitive environment, challenging traditional players.

Key Takeaways from the Report

Market Leaders and Competitive Landscape

• Paid Search: Auto Trader leads with 8.74% of click share, followed by Carwow (3.80%) and Gumtree (3.35%).
• Organic Search: Auto Trader and Gumtree dominate, with 16.48% and 13.84% of click share respectively.
• Disruptors: Carwow and Gumtree have shown strong growth in mobile search, capturing significant market share.

Manufacturer Performance

• Top Manufacturers: Volkswagen, Ford, and Audi are the top performing manufacturers in paid search, each with a click share between 2-3%.
• Ad Copy Trends: Ads with strong call-to-action (CTA) phrases such as "book a test drive" or "today" receive the highest impression share.
• Mobile Focus: Ford and Volkswagen are leading in mobile search, with Ford slightly edging out Volkswagen for the top spot.

Dealership Performance

• Top Dealerships: Availablecar.com leads with 11.10% of click share, followed closely by Arnold Clark and Evans Halshaw.
• Local Focus: Many dealerships run highly optimized and localized campaigns to capture the market.

Analysis and Insights

• Early Conversions: The purchase journey for new cars is becoming more research-driven, with consumers moving from general brand searches to specific model and price-related queries within a week.
• Competitive Infringement: There is a growing concern over brand and trademark infringement in the search space.
• Future Trends: The rise of "click-to-buy" functionality is expected to further change the automotive search landscape, with a greater emphasis on direct conversions.

Market Disruption

• Case Study: Carwow: Carwow has emerged as a key disruptor in the automotive search space, focusing on comparative search terms and capturing up to 14% of clicks.
• Impact on Traditional Players: As the market becomes more competitive, traditional players must adapt to maintain visibility and market share.

Pure Brand Search

• Branded Search Dominance: Auto Trader leads in pure brand search, capturing 9.22% of overall clicks.
• Brand Infringement: There is a need for manufacturers to monitor and manage brand and trademark infringements from competitors.

Comparative Search

• Definition: Comparative search involves queries that compare different car models or brands.
• Search Term Distribution: Carwow and other comparison platforms are heavily investing in these terms to attract early-stage consumers.

Ad Copy Insights

• Strong CTAs: Ad copy that includes strong CTAs such as "book a test drive" or "today" is more effective in capturing clicks.
• Ad Performance: The effectiveness of ad copy is influenced by its ability to guide users through the purchase journey and encourage immediate action.

Future of Automotive Search

• Click-to-Buy Rise: The trend towards click-to-buy is expected to increase, allowing consumers to make purchases directly from search results.
• Market Adjustments: The market is expected to continue declining in 2018 before stabilizing in 2019.
• Mobile Optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices, there is a growing need for platforms to optimize their mobile strategies to remain competitive.

Summary of Key Stats

This report underscores the evolving dynamics of the UK automotive search market, emphasizing the need for strategic adaptation and investment in both paid and organic search to maintain relevance and competitiveness.