When it comes to car buying—one of the biggest purchases most people make after a home—shoppers don’t start on dealership websites. They start with a simple question.
“What car do I want?”
And where do they go for answers?
They Google it.
But by the time a car shopper types something like “best lease deals near me” or “used Ford Explorer under $30k”, they’re already far along in their journey. At that point, it’s a competition for attention—and if your dealership is only showing up in these moments, you’re already fighting uphill.
So, what’s the solution? Don’t wait for search demand. Create it.
The best way to generate search demand—before a shopper ever types a query—is by tapping into Amazon Advertising. It’s the secret sauce that fills the funnel, drives better Google performance, and most importantly, connects the entire car buying journey in a measurable, meaningful way.
Why Dealers Need to Get Ahead of Search
Most digital marketing strategies in automotive are overly focused on the bottom of the funnel—search ads, vehicle listing ads, and paid lead providers. But relying solely on in-market demand is like waiting for rain in a drought. It’s reactive, not proactive.
Instead, top-performing dealerships are using Amazon’s first-party data to spark shopper interest earlier. Why? Because that’s where influence begins—before the search.
Amazon Data: A Car Marketer’s Dream
Amazon isn’t just a retailer. It’s the world’s largest shopping and behavioral database.
- Over 74% of US households have an Amazon Unique ID, giving access to unmatched audience insights.
- OEM Showrooms on Amazon let users build vehicles, estimate payments, and explore trim levels.
- Life event data—from weddings to babies—signals major lifestyle changes that often precede a vehicle purchase.
All of this data fuels hyper-targeted, intent-based advertising that reaches people before they search, when brand influence is highest.
And it doesn’t stop there—dealers can build lookalike audiences, use customer CRM lists, and layer on third-party data like Polk or TransUnion for even more precision.
Meeting Shoppers Where They Are
Car buyers aren’t just on Google. They’re watching Hulu, streaming music on Spotify, browsing Amazon product pages, and watching YouTube videos.
Amazon Advertising allows you to deliver display, streaming, video, and audio ads across platforms like Hulu, Disney+, ESPN, Tubi, Prime Video, and a plethora of other apps and websites.
But unlike traditional ad networks, Amazon doesn’t just target by channel—it targets the individual. That means a family shopping for a third-row SUV sees relevant SUV offers, while a service customer sees maintenance specials. Every touchpoint becomes personalized, relevant, and timely.
From Awareness to Action: How Amazon Fuels Google Search
Here’s where the secret sauce really kicks in: Amazon creates the demand, and Google captures it. After seeing an Amazon ad, many consumers take the next logical step: they Google it. That’s when high-intent queries like
“Jeep Grand Cherokee lease deals near me” start appearing.
If your dealership is running Google Search Ads, Vehicle Listing Ads, and Performance Max campaigns—you’re now capturing traffic that you helped generate.
Dealers who run Amazon campaigns alongside their Google strategy routinely see:
- Increased search impressions and clicks
- Lower cost-per-click (CPC) due to higher overall demand
- Stronger quality traffic and lead engagement
- More VDP views and showroom visits
Think of it like stocking a pond: if there are more fish swimming around (thanks to Amazon), your bait (Google Ads) works even better—with less competition.
Connecting the Entire Path to Purchase
The car buying journey isn’t linear, and your advertising strategy shouldn’t be either.
Amazon Advertising helps influence shoppers early, while Google Ads captures them mid to late funnel, creating a full-circle path to purchase:
- Top of Funnel: Amazon display, streaming, and audio ads introduce your dealership and offers.
- Mid Funnel: Retarget shoppers on YouTube, Demand Gen, and Google Display.
- Bottom of Funnel: Search Ads, VLAs, and PMAX convert high-intent buyers ready to act.
By the time someone lands on your website or visits your lot, they’ve seen your brand multiple times across different channels. They’re not just ready to buy—they’re ready to buy from you.
The Power of Insight and Optimization
It’s not enough to just run ads. You need to know what’s working.
That’s where Google Ads shines, especially when paired with tools like Google Analytics 4, offline conversion imports, and dynamic call and lead tracking. These tools allow dealerships to follow the shopper journey from first ad impression to final sale, turning raw data into actionable insights—like keyword trends, lead quality, and campaign ROI. By optimizing based on real sales data, not vanity metrics, your marketing dollars work smarter—not just harder.
Final Thoughts: Why It All Comes Back to Sales
At the end of the day, digital marketing isn’t about impressions, clicks, or even traffic. It’s about sales. That’s why the best-performing dealers treat Google Ads as the conversion engine, and Amazon Advertising as the demand engine. Together, they create a connected, full-funnel strategy that fuels growth across the board.
If you’re only running Google Ads, you’re waiting for people to show up. If you’re only running Amazon Ads, you’re generating interest—but missing the conversion.
But when you run both? That’s when the magic happens.
- More visibility
- Lower costs
- Higher conversion rates
- And most importantly: more cars sold
Dealerships that lean into this connected advertising strategy—Amazon to generate demand, Google to capture it—aren’t just staying ahead of the competition, they’re leveraging a recipe for success.
In today’s digital-first car shopping environment, relevance wins. The right mix of Amazon and Google ensures your dealership is always in front of the right shopper, at the right moment, with the right message.
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Katie Rio has climbed her way from DEP’s content department, through the Account Executive team, and now excels in the PPC team as a Digital Marketing Solution Engineer. Throughout her journey at DEP, she’s expanded her knowledge and background in websites and organic SEO, contributing to her outstanding ability to understand the big picture behind how paid marketing impacts a car-buyer’s journey. With nearly a decade of experience managing automotive digital marketing accounts for VIP clients and large dealer groups, Katie’s wealth of knowledge is one of the richest. Additionally, she’s run in-house dealership agency digital marketing for a large local dealer group, developed digital marketing strategies that have sold thousands of cars nationwide, and was an early pioneer of Google smart bidding and max conversion bidding strategies! You can reach Katie at