Leading Auto Brands in Q4 2023: A Sensor Tower Analysis

Introduction

In Q4 2023, the automotive industry in the United States witnessed significant digital engagement across various platforms. Leading brands such as Toyota, Kelley Blue Book, and CarGurus LLC demonstrated remarkable online presence through their websites and apps. This article delves into the performance and trends of these brands, based on data provided by Sensor Tower's comprehensive analytics tools.

Toyota

Toyota's digital footprint is robust, featuring its website, toyota.com, and the Toyota app.

• Audience Trends: Throughout Q4 2023, toyota.com maintained a stable monthly visitor base, with visits ranging from over 50M to nearly 57M. Unique monthly visits remained consistently above 8M. The monthly true audience hovered around 10M, with a slight increase by December.

• App Engagement: The Toyota app saw monthly active users fluctuate modestly, peaking at over 2.3M in December, indicating strong mobile engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Toyota's monthly advertising spend decreased over the quarter, from over $11M in October to approximately $9M in December. Key channels included OTT, Facebook, and Instagram, with OTT capturing significant monthly impressions.

Kelley Blue Book

Kelley Blue Book's online presence is primarily through its website, kbb.com, and the KBB.com-New & Used Car Prices app.

• Audience Trends: Kbb.com saw monthly visits ranging from 42M to over 45M. The monthly true audience showed growth, particularly in December, reaching over 8M. The web-only audience was dominant, with negligible app overlap.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active user count was relatively low, declining slightly to around 35K by December, indicating a preference for web-based interactions.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly ad spend was highest in October at over $2M, dropping significantly by November. Facebook and OTT were primary channels, though OTT activity decreased sharply after October.

CarGurus LLC

CarGurus LLC operates the website cargurus.com and the CarGurus: Used & New Cars app.

• Audience Trends: Cargurus.com experienced growth in monthly visits, peaking at over 86M in December. The monthly true audience remained stable around 7.5M, with a notable web-only audience.

• App Engagement: The app maintained a strong monthly user base, with active users peaking above 1.6M in November before slightly dipping in December.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly ad spend decreased from over $1M in October to under $750K in December. Facebook was the dominant channel, with significant monthly impressions, while OTT usage declined by the end of the quarter.

Conclusion

The Q4 2023 analysis underscores the dynamic digital strategies of Toyota, Kelley Blue Book, and CarGurus LLC in the auto category. Sensor Tower's unparalleled data insights provide a comprehensive view of cross-platform user behavior, essential for understanding market dynamics. For more in-depth analysis, explore our Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics offerings.