Where Car Buyers Actually Search in 2026
The buyer journey has fragmented across a dozen platforms. Google is still important - but it's no longer the whole picture. Here's where your customers actually research before they walk through your doors.
6 Platforms. 1 Buyer Journey.
Car buyers don't stick to one platform. They bounce between search engines, video, social, AI, and maps before they ever contact you.
Google Search
Still the starting point for most, but AI Overviews are changing what they see.
YouTube
Video walkarounds, comparisons, and reviews. The #2 search engine and a major influence on purchase decisions.
Real owner experiences and recommendations. AI tools heavily cite Reddit threads.
TikTok
Short-form video influence, especially for younger buyers. Vehicle reveals and dealership culture.
AI Tools
ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode. Conversational research that bypasses traditional search.
Google Maps / GBP
The local discovery layer. Reviews, posts, photos, Q&A drive walk-ins and calls.
Your Website Is Now the Last Stop
Your website used to be the first stop in the buyer journey. Now it's the last stop - the confirmation point.
Buyers arrive having already researched on 3–5 other platforms. When they hit your site, they're confirming inventory, checking hours, and looking for a reason to trust you.
The Modern Buyer Funnel
Discovery
Google, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, AI
Consideration
Reviews, Forums, AI conversations
Confirmation
Your Website, GBP
Visit
Your dealership
What This Means for Your Strategy
The dealerships winning in 2026 aren't doing more of the same. They're rethinking how content works across every surface.
You need multi-surface content
Not just a blog. GBP posts, video, social, FAQ content that shows up where buyers search.
Your website must convert, not just inform
When visitors arrive, they're warm. Make it easy to take the next step.
Content infrastructure beats individual campaigns
A system that publishes to multiple surfaces from one platform wins.
What to Do on Each Platform
Quick, actionable tactics for every surface where buyers search.
Structured data & schema markup
Answer-first content for AI Overviews
E-E-A-T signals across your site
YouTube
Vehicle walkarounds & comparisons
Staff introduction videos
Service process explainers
Authentic presence, not ads
AMA-style content from staff
Helpful answers in relevant subreddits
GBP
Weekly posts with offers & updates
Review responses (every single one)
Photos, Q&A, and inventory highlights
AI Tools
Structured data AI can parse
E-E-A-T content AI trusts
Answer-first formatting AI cites
How Hrizn Covers Multiple Surfaces
You don't need a different tool for each platform. You need one system that distributes content where it matters.
Related Resources
Build Before You Need To
The teams gaining ground aren't reacting faster. They're building a content system that works for them even when they're not working on it.
That advantage grows every month.
Start FreeWe Rise Together.