Welcome to 2026, the year social media shifted from optional to essential for dealerships. Whether your store has been posting consistently, is building momentum or is still trying to convince your top salesperson to retire the flip phone, the reality is simple: The landscape has changed.
Your customers are online. Your community is online. Your next sale begins online.
Dealerships that embrace this will come out ahead. This article delivers practical, easy-to-apply guidance created specifically for Montana dealers.
The Biggest Shift in 2026: Shoppers Decide Before They Arrive
Consumers complete most of their research long before they step on the lot. They study TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook community groups and Google reviews. They watch towing comparisons, winter driving tips, walkarounds and real opinions on the exact trucks and SUVs they plan to buy.
By the time they visit a dealership, they already know who they trust. The question is whether that trust belongs to you or to another store.
The New Rule for 2026: Faces Over Flyers
If there is one takeaway for the year, it is this: Real people outperform polished ads. Montana shoppers connect with familiar faces, plain language, local context and genuine personality. A salesperson sharing a clear 30-second winter driving tip will outperform a perfectly designed promo graphic every single time.
Stop Selling. Start Showing Up.
Social selling is not about posting daily reminders to “come on down.” It is about teaching, helping, answering actual questions, sharing real moments, and demonstrating consistent community involvement. When customers feel they already know you, the sales process becomes faster, smoother and more confident.
Five Easy Wins
These dealer-tested actions are quick, effective and free:
- Record one 30-second video each week that answers a real customer question. Keep it natural and unscripted.
- Spotlight a team member. Familiarity builds trust.
- Share one community moment. Montana dealerships excel at this.
- Post one helpful tip related to towing, winter prep, finance or service.
- Respond to every comment. Engagement leads to visibility. Visibility leads to trust. Trust leads to sales.
The Montana Advantage
Large metropolitan stores would love to have what Montana dealerships already hold: long-term customer relationships, strong community loyalty, recognizable faces, multigenerational trust and an authentic small-town connection. Social media does not replace these strengths. It amplifies them.
When you highlight your people, your values and your involvement in the community, you immediately stand out.
What To Do Next
Use this simple checklist to get started:
- Post one helpful video.
- Feature a staff member to build familiarity.
- Share one customer moment that reflects real experience.
- Review your last 10 posts and shift toward a ratio of 70% people and 30% product.
- Choose one platform to focus on and strengthen it before expanding.
Final Thoughts
Stay human. Stay consistent. Keep showing up. Your community is already online. Now is the time to meet them there.
Miranda Pyette is a leading automotive advertising professional with more than 25 years of experience. She began her career at Sun Media’s Toronto Sun, then spent many years at AutoTrader, where she built deep expertise in dealer marketing. She later moved client-side as the director of marketing for a large Ontario dealer group, gaining first-hand insight into dealership needs. In 2017, she launched her own company, Miranda Pyette Automotive, focusing on ad spend analysis and customized cost-saving strategies.
As social media became a more powerful and efficient channel, Miranda shifted the business toward high-performing organic content across major platforms. The company has since grown into Purpose Automotive Inc., reflecting its expanded vision and success in the automotive digital marketing space.
