How a Dealership Doubled Test Drives Using Google Ads

We partnered with a local dealership to increase qualified traffic and generate more test drives from online searches. While they were receiving website visits, those visits were turning into showroom activity.

Within the first 30 days of launching a campaign, they significantly increased qualified traffic and doubled the number of scheduled test drives attributable to PPC.

The Challenge

They had strong inventory and competitive pricing, but were not consistently appearing in Google search results when local shoppers were actively looking.

Potential buyers searching were clicking on competing dealers first.

Our goal was to get them directly in front of high intent buyers searching for vehicles nearby and guide them toward scheduling a test drive.

Key campaign elements included

High intent keyword targeting focused on buyers
Location targeting restricted to shoppers within the dealership’s market area
Campaign segmentation by vehicle model and inventory type
Ad copy focused on availability, pricing, and test drive scheduling
Conversion tracking for calls, form submissions, and appointment requests

This structure allowed the campaign to focus on shoppers already researching vehicles and ready to visit a dealership.

Results After 30 Days

Test drive appointments doubled
62% increase in qualified search traffic
33% More calls and form submissions from local shoppers

The campaign captured high intent searches from buyers actively researching vehicles, leading to more qualified prospects entering the dealership.

Why the Campaign Worked

Automotive buyers often begin their purchase journey with a Google search. By placing the dealership directly in front of those searches, the campaign captured demand already present in the market.

Impact

For dealerships, increasing test drives is one of the most direct ways to increase vehicle sales. By targeting shoppers actively researching vehicles, the campaign generated more qualified showroom visits and improved the dealership’s ability to convert interest into sales.