How to Measure the Return on Investment of Your Digital Marketing in Dealerships (with Real Data)
3 Apr 2025
Why should you measure the ROI of your digital marketing?
Imagine that every month you allocate €2,000 to different marketing actions: ads on Google, posts on social media, campaigns on platforms like coches.net or AutoScout… But you’re not quite sure which channel generates more actual sales.
It’s like throwing bills into the air and hoping some land in a customer's pocket.
Measuring return on investment (ROI) is not optional; it separates a modern, profitable dealership from one that acts on inertia. It allows you to know which channels work, which don’t, and how to better allocate your budget.
What exactly is ROI in digital marketing?
ROI is a simple formula with huge impact:
ROI = (Profit obtained - Investment) / Investment
For example: If you invested €1,000 in a campaign and generated €5,000 in actual profits, your ROI is 400%.
But… what if another channel only gave you 2 sales for the same amount? Which is more worthwhile?
The key is in tracking each lead to its source and linking it to a real sale. And that can only be done if you have a system (CRM, DMS, or software like Dealcar) that centralizes the data.
The most common… and most profitable traffic sources?
Not all channels work equally for all dealerships. That’s why it’s worth analyzing them one by one:
Google Vehicle Listing Ads (VLA)
VLA is one of the most powerful tools of the moment. Google allows you to show your vehicles directly in search results, complete with photos, price, and a call to action.
Advantages:
Quality traffic (people looking to buy now)
High visibility
You can integrate with your inventory
How to measure it:
Tag your links with UTM parameters
Connect your campaign with Google Analytics and your CRM
Compare clicks, leads, and sales
Portals like coches.net, AutoScout24, and Wallapop
The classics. They remain important but can be expensive if not managed well.
What you should measure:
Cost per lead (CPL)
Conversion rate (leads that turn into sales)
Average time from contact to purchase
Average ticket (what type of car sells best on each portal?)
Many dealerships invest more out of habit than results. Measuring helps you cut what isn’t performing.
Your dealership's website
Few things are more profitable than capturing your own leads without paying per click.
Your website can be your silent conversion machine if well optimized:
Well-developed local SEO ("car dealership in [your city]")
Simple and visible forms
Effective calls to action
WhatsApp or direct chat for quick questions
How to measure? Google Analytics + CRM + source tags from the form.
Tracking and analysis: the heart of real ROI
Imagine this: you receive 30 leads. How many come from Google? How many from Wallapop? How many made a purchase?
If you don’t know, you can’t decide.
That’s why you need tools that allow you to:
Tag the source of each lead
Link leads to specific sales
Compare results by channel
Using a CRM connected to your inventory (like Dealcar) allows you to see everything visually and centrally.
Data-driven decisions, not gut feelings
How many times have you heard "Wallapop is no longer performing", or "Instagram brings many inquiries but no one buys"?
The only way to know is to look at the data:
How much did you invest in each channel?
How many leads arrived?
How many sales did you close?
What was the margin on each deal?
With that, you can redistribute the monthly budget and focus only on what works. What doesn’t yield results gets cut. And what works gets amplified.
Key KPIs you should review every month
Monthly investment by channel
Cost per lead (CPL)
Conversion rate of each channel: how many leads turn into customers
Cost per closed sale
Average value per transaction
Average time from contact to closure
Measuring this gives you clarity. And clarity = smart decisions.
Conclusion: it’s not about selling more, it’s about selling better
In a market where every click costs, it’s not about being everywhere. It’s about knowing where you are really selling.
Systematically measuring your ROI allows you to:
Detect inefficient channels
Enhance what does convert
Justify budgets and decisions to your team or partners
And, above all, increase your profitability
Do you want to see how to centralize all this data on a single platform?
Visit www.dealcar.io and discover how to measure, optimize, and grow with real data.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What ROI should a dealership look for?
A healthy ROI hovers around 300-400%. It will depend on the type of car, margin, and channel.
How do I measure if a sale comes from a specific channel?
Use UTM tags in your campaigns and a CRM that records the origin of the lead to the sale.
Is Google VLA better than coches.net?
There is no single answer. You will know when you compare your own data.
What if I have few leads per month?
All the more reason to measure. With low volume, each lead counts more.
Can my dealership's website bring leads without paying per click?
Yes, if it is optimized for local SEO and has effective forms.
