ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- More shoppers than ever visited AutoTrader.com® from a smart phone in July, setting a new record in the company's history. Over 2.1 million unique visitors interacted with AutoTrader.com from a smart phone during the month, which represents a 60 percent increase year-over-year. AutoTrader.com's mobile properties include a robust mobile site and a car shopping app for iPhone and Android phones.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110425/CL88097LOGO )

"We know from our research that usage of the Internet in the car shopping process in general has increased substantially—even in the last two years—and the proliferation of mobile devices has given consumers the ability go online and get the information they need anytime, anywhere," said John Kovac, vice president of marketing at AutoTrader Group. "The increasing role of mobile in the car shopping process is quite evident in our site traffic, and we expect that trend to continue."

In addition to the 60 percent increase in mobile traffic, the number of unique visitors to the core AutoTrader.com site also increased 13 percent year-over-year in July, bringing the total to just over 17.7 million unique visitors. That is an increase of 17 percent over the same time last year. The strong traffic in July led AutoTrader.com to a fifth straight month with double-digit increases across all key metrics. The continued double-digit growth to the AutoTrader.com site has been driven by a multifaceted media strategy, as well as the overall health of the automotive industry.

"With the increases in traffic that we've seen throughout 2013, it's clear that consumers are returning to the car shopping process in droves, and the strong sales numbers that automakers have been posting month after month indicate that those shoppers are turning into buyers," Kovac continued. "We will continue to be creative and innovative with the ways we stay top of mind with shoppers to help them find their next car, and that will enable us to deliver exceptional value to the tens of thousands of dealers and private sellers who list new and used vehicles for sale on our site."

AutoTrader.com's multifaceted media strategy in July delivered maximum exposure to car shoppers in almost every local market across the country with a healthy mix of television, radio and online placements. Included in the media mix were a custom feature in HGTV's new show, "Brother vs. Brother," which reached over 2.9 million adults with the premiere episode; a strong radio campaign; and an ongoing digital campaign that includes SEM, social, mobile and video.

To stay connected to the latest news and information, visit the AutoTrader.com Press Room at press.autotrader.com.

About AutoTrader.com
Created in 1997, Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace. As a leading resource for car shoppers and sellers, AutoTrader.com aggregates millions of new, used and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of dealers and private sellers and provides expert articles and reviews. AutoTrader.com, which also operates the AutoTraderClassics.com® auto marketing brand, is wholly owned by AutoTrader Group™. Additionally, AutoTrader Group owns Kelley Blue Book® (KBB.com) as well as three other companies that provide a full suite of software tools that help dealers and manufacturers manage their inventory and advertising online: vAuto®, HomeNet Automotive® and VinSolutions®.  AutoTrader Group is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.

SOURCE AutoTrader.com