Why Social Media Is Now Non-Negotiable for Automotive Brands in 2026

Written By Laura Hinton

If you sell cars, you’re no longer just competing on stock and price. You’re competing on attention. In 2025, that attention is being won – or lost – on social media.

This isn’t about chasing trends for the sake of it. It’s about recognising that for most buyers, the car-buying journey now starts, develops, and is often decided online, long before they ever walk into a dealership.

1. The car-buying journey has moved online

Multiple recent studies tell the same story:

  • 95% of vehicle buyers use digital channels as a source of information. (invoca.com)

  • Twice as many buyers now start their research online versus at a dealership. (invoca.com)

  • One 2025 analysis found that 95% of car shoppers rely on online resources before visiting a dealer, and 64% conduct social media research as part of that process. (Demand Local, Inc.)

  • Another 2025 study from Snap and Havas showed 91% of consumers use digital sources during their vehicle shopping journey. (havasmedianetwork.com)

So by the time someone lands in your showroom or fills out an enquiry form, their perception of your brand has already been formed – largely by what they’ve seen (or not seen) across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat.

In other words: social isn’t a bolt-on. It’s now a core part of the sales funnel.

2. Social media isn’t just “influence” - it’s a decision-making channel

We’re well past the days where social media “raised awareness” and nothing more.

  • UK research in 2024 found that two fifths (around 40%) of car buyers are receptive to relevant social media advertising influencing their purchase. (AM Online)

  • A 2025 report noted that over 40% of automotive shoppers used social media platforms as part of their research process in 2024, with YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook leading the pack. (porchgroupmedia.com)

  • Earlier research into the connected auto buyer found that 78% of shoppers find social media useful when deciding which vehicle to purchase, and almost half have shared vehicle-related content with their network. (Facebook)

Snap & Havas’ 2025 study goes further:

  • 60% of car buyers use social media at some stage in their buying journey, rising to 74% among Gen Z. (havasmedianetwork.com)

So social media isn’t just where people are “killing time”. It’s where they’re:

  • Building their shortlist

  • Comparing real-world experiences

  • Asking questions

  • And deciding who they trust enough to contact.

If you’re absent – or present but inconsistent – you’re silently handing those moments to your competitors.

3. The UK social landscape: your buyers are already here

From a UK perspective, the numbers are hard to ignore:

  • As of early 2025, the UK has 54.8 million social media users – around 79% of the total population. (Talkwalker)

  • TikTok alone has around 24.8 million active users in the UK, up from 16 million the year before – a 55% year-on-year increase. (Sprout Social)

  • UK TikTok users spend an average of around 49 hours per month on the platform, far above the global average. (Sprout Social)

  • Instagram remains a powerhouse, with 33.4 million UK users in early 2025 (around 48% of the population) and strong advertising reach. (Sprout Social)

On top of that, the UK social commerce market – people actually buying via social – is forecast to more than double to £16 billion by 2028. (Talkwalker)

Even if a car purchase still ends offline, the expectation of frictionless, shoppable, social experiences is bleeding into automotive.

4. TikTok, Instagram & co: where car brands are winning

The last 12–18 months have produced a stream of case studies that show just how powerful social media can be for automotive brands.

TikTok as a performance channel – not just “brand fluff”

TikTok has evolved from “dance trends” to a highly optimised ad and performance ecosystem, with a product set built specifically for automotive. (TikTok For Business)

Recent examples:

  • Toyota – cutting cost per acquisition with TikTok Automotive Ads
    A 2025 case study shows Toyota achieved a 38% reduction in CPA versus their standard lead-gen approach, with the Corolla model seeing a 65% decrease in CPA and other models achieving 31–50% savings. (TikTok For Business)

  • Geely Italia – launch via TikTok
    For its Italian launch, Geely ran a strategic TikTok campaign that reached 1.8 million people, drove a 0.88% click-through rate and generated 1,400+ conversions. (TikTok For Business)

  • BYD Mexico – “always-on” TikTok strategy
    BYD partnered with TikTok in 2024 on an always-on approach, generating over 1 billion impressions, 23,000+ leads, and significant awareness gains. (TikTok For Business)

  • Carglass – expanding to TikTok
    Carglass introduced TikTok in 2024 to reach a younger audience while maintaining a sustainable CPA and positive ROI, building on their existing Meta and Snapchat activity. (nativeadvertisinginstitute.com)

These aren’t vanity metrics. They’re leads, conversions and cost efficiencies on platforms that a lot of dealerships still think of as “experimental”.

The creator effect: Hyundai & Keith Lee

Hyundai’s collaboration with TikTok creator Keith Lee is a good example of how influencer partnerships can translate into automotive results. Hyundai used TikTok’s creator-led programme to have Lee – already known for filming his reviews in his Hyundai – tell genuine stories about ownership as part of their #ItsYourJourney campaign. (TikTok For Business)

The strength here isn’t just reach; it’s trust and authenticity in front of an audience that already sees the car as part of the story.

5. What this means for dealerships and automotive retailers

Taken together, the data paints a very simple picture:

  • Your buyers research online first

  • A large and growing portion use social media specifically during that research

  • They are receptive to well-targeted, relevant automotive content and ads

  • Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat are now proven acquisition channels for automotive, not experiments

So the key question for a dealership in 2025 isn’t “Should we be on social?”

It’s: “Are we showing up in the right way at the right moments?”

That means:

  • Consistent, high-quality video and photography that presents stock as aspirational, not just transactional

  • Content tailored for different stages of the journey – from shortlist-building reels to walkthroughs, test-drive POVs, and buyer FAQs

  • Fast, clear response to comments, DMs and form fills

  • Performance-driven campaigns that don’t just generate views, but enquiries and bookings

6. Five questions every automotive brand should be asking

If you’re a retailer, OEM or broker, here are the diagnostic questions we’d start with:

  1. Can a potential buyer get a real feel for your brand from your social feeds alone?
    (If someone finds you via Instagram or TikTok, would they understand what you stand for – or just see scattered stock posts?)

  2. Does your content move beyond “specs and price”?
    The brands winning on social are selling the experience, trust and lifestyle, not just metal.

  3. Are you active where your next generation of buyers actually are?
    With TikTok usage in the UK up 55% year-on-year and 24.8 million users, especially under 35s, ignoring it means ignoring tomorrow’s customers. (Sprout Social)

  4. Can you connect your social activity to real business metrics?
    Case studies from Toyota, BYD, Geely and others show that with the right creative and tracking, you can directly tie social campaigns to leads, CPA and sales. (TikTok For Business)

  5. Is your content built for how people actually consume media now?
    Vertical, short-form, mobile-first, with clear hooks and pacing – not repurposed TV creative.

If the answer to any of these is “not yet”, there’s opportunity on the table.

7. Where Acme & Bloom fits

At Acme & Bloom, we specialise in high-end automotive content and social strategy.

That means:

  • Cinematic video and photography that makes your stock feel premium, not generic

  • Social-first campaigns built for platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube

  • Content packages designed around dealer realities – stock changes, time pressure, need-to-move units

  • A focus on results: reach, engagement, traffic and, ultimately, enquiries and sales

We work with dealerships and automotive brands who understand that social media is no longer optional – it’s a core part of their sales engine.

Laura Hinton