How Lone Star Auto Group achieved 3.4x Test drive bookings.
What Lone Star Auto Group needed to solve.
Lone Star Auto Group — a multi-brand dealership in the DFW Metroplex — were spending $95,000/month on Google Ads with a cost per test drive booking of $780. Campaigns used generic automotive terms with no model-specific segmentation and no YouTube presence.
Our Google Ads were expensive and underperforming. Synap restructured everything and introduced YouTube and Meta into our acquisition mix. Cost per test drive dropped by 72% within 90 days.
How we delivered the results.
We restructured Google Ads around model-specific and competitor brand keywords, with dedicated landing pages per model line. YouTube pre-roll was introduced with 15-second model showcase formats. Meta was rebuilt with lead generation campaigns directly booking test drives. Geo-targeting was tightened to DFW zip codes with highest purchase intent.
What changed.
- 3.4x growth in qualified test drive bookings
- Cost per test drive booking reduced from $780 to $215
- YouTube pre-roll achieved $0.08 cost per view vs industry average $0.32
- Meta lead gen delivered 48% of total inquiries by month 3
- Show-to-sale conversion rate improved 28% due to higher lead quality
The decisions that made the difference.
- Generic automotive keywords were replaced with model-specific and comparison searches that signal real purchase intent.
- YouTube and Meta were added to reach buyers earlier in their research, feeding higher-quality search demand later.
- Test drive bookings, not clicks, became the primary conversion the account optimized toward.
Lessons for your business: Dealerships spending heavily on search can usually lower cost per test drive by structuring campaigns around models and buyer intent, and by using video to influence shoppers before they compare dealers. Read more about our automotive marketing or see more paid media results.