By Adam 
More and more people turn to social media to make friends. They are not afraid to reach out. If you are friends with someone on Facebook, does that mean that you are friends in real life too? Why, yes. Friends are friends no matter if they are your online or offline friends.
Many believe that intimacy cannot exist in the same way for online friends. People in the automotive community have managed to prove that this is not the case. If you take the time to examine social media subcultures and relationships, you will see that it is possible to have a meaningful relationship with someone online.
Social media isn’t harming car culture
So much has changed in the world in the past few years. In the old days, you would work on the car with your dad to learn how to fix things. You would stay up all night, leaving the garage exhausted but contented.
When you are young, you do not get the fascination for cars. You think of them in terms of means of transportation and nothing else. However, it is only after looking under the hood that you start to understand. You do not dread the mechanical work anymore. As a matter of fact, you come to love working on your own stuff and learn to solve even the most discoursing issues.
Obviously, it is a tradition that you would like to pass down. It is a marvelous journey. But what if you did not have your dad to instill a love for cars? Well, social media would certainly transform you into a car person. Social networking sites like YouTube offer a great deal of knowledge. Just think about how many How-to and DIYs for fixing various vehicles you can find online.
If you wanted to upgrade your car and take it to the next level, nothing would be simpler. Contrary to popular belief, social media isn’t harming the automotive community. Actually, it can be argued that it has flourished thanks to online interactions. Web-based communities are organized by car enthusiasts around the type of vehicle, brand, and so on.
Yes, you can even become friends with cars
Imagine what it would be like to become friends with your car or tell it to stop sharing so much information online. This scenario is pretty close to reality. Important names in the auto industry have launched social networking services for motorists. Applications for car owners enjoy a lot of popularity. Until the advent of social media, there has never been a one-stop source for those who like cars.
There is no denying the fact that social networking apps for car owners come in handy. Let us say that you were trying to find downtown Seattle monthly parking. All you would have to do is start asking questions in the online community. They will be able to recommend spots near Seattle.
In what follows, we will discuss some of the most important social networking apps for car owners.
Jeremy Clarkson’s DriveTribe
Jeremy Clarkson always has an opinion when it comes down to automotive-related topics. He is beloved because he is humorous and gives people a good laugh. The former Top Gear star launched DriveTribe, which is hard to define. It is a website, application, and social media platform all in one. The platform has several automotive-themed tribes that you can join. Dogs in cars is just one example.
The social networking app allows access to a wide array of different content. you can interact in the online community by posting or commenting. You can even “bump” into another person. You receive the latest news, get to see the best clips, and play the most insane games. Who would say no to that? Launched in 2016, the app soon became the hottest app.
Toyota Friend
Toyota partnered with Salesforce.com back in 2011 to create a private social networking site that we all know as Toyota Friend. As the name clearly suggests, the app is aimed at Toyota clients and their vehicles. Basically, people can connect with their cars online, receiving messages that look a lot like tweets about problems such as a low battery in electric. So, you will know if you got a car stuck in the garage with a dead battery.
The service is accessible via smartphone, tablet, and other mobile devices. If you like, you can have a two-way conversation with your car. The vehicle will talk to you and you can talk to it. the great thing is that you can extend the network to include members of your family and friends through Twitter and Facebook.
What is the point of social networking services for motorists? The aim is to give people all the info they need about vehicles. Users can ask and provide advice about maintenance get directions and even find means of public transportation.
Social media influencers are sought out by top
A social media influencer is someone who has access to a significant audience and can persuade just about anyone because of their authority. The most reliable car brands have started to use social media influencers.
Toyota, for instance, partnered with Loki the Wolfdog. For those of you who do not know, Loki is an Instagram star. This furry creature is not like other dogs and this is visible from the photos. Owing to Loki, Toyota was able to reach their target demographic. Practically, the Instagram star has helped the automaker take its marketing campaigns to another level.
Let us take another example. Jenny Walton signed a partnership with Maserati. Jenny is a highly-appreciated fashion influencer with 230 thousand followers. It does not come as a surprise that the company wanted to work with her.
Influencer marketing is a relatively new thing, so it is not possible to forecast what impact it will have on the automotive industry. For the time being, social media influencers have helped important automakers expand their reach, humanize their brand, and communicate with younger customers. So, it is all for the better.
SME Paid Under
Sitetrail Research Team 
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