Struggling to get local traction with auto repair social marketing—any tips?

[jessica1190smith]

Hey everyone, I’m helping out a local garage owner who wants to bring in more local drivers, but I’m hitting a wall with our auto repair social marketing strategy. Right now, we’re mostly posting generic graphics about seasonal maintenance, oil change reminders, and basic tire rotation tips, but the engagement is virtually zero.

It feels like people just don't care about car maintenance until their engine light actually comes on, which makes social media a tough sell. I’m thinking we need to completely overhaul our approach. Maybe short-form videos showing real mechanics diagnosing weird engine noises, or quick "before and after" clips of restored headlights and detailed brake jobs?

For anyone who has experience with auto repair social marketing, what type of content actually gets local residents to trust a shop and save the post for later? Are local Facebook groups and Instagram Reels worth the effort for a neighborhood mechanic, or should we just stick strictly to local search ads? I’d really appreciate any creative ideas or real-world examples that have worked for local service shops!