Every day, manufacturers and dealers are shifting more of their advertising budgets from traditional to interactive media. Despite increased spending in this area, however, an answer to maximizing returns from this non-traditional media spend remains elusive.
J.D. Power and Associate surveys reveal that consumers spend nearly seven hours online researching their next automobile purchases. Unfortunately, they do not spend much of that time on dealer Websites, nor do they perceive the functionality of those sites to be comparable to automotive portal sites or manufacturer sites. One reason for this view is the presence of diverse multimedia content on third-party and OEM sites compared to a lack of intriguing content at dealership sites.
Online content helps differentiate one marketer from another while attracting car buyers in the process. The question is: How do dealers make their sites stand out from the crowd—especially when standardized templates seem to be the norm in dealer Website development?
One need only observe what successful Websites are doing to understand the importance of video when it comes to online automotive content. Not only does video enhance the content a site offers, it also enables that site to capture buyers’ attention more effectively.
As consumers switch to high-speed Internet connections at home, the increased bandwidth will allow for richer content to be presented. With a multitude of video choices available, sites can showcase vehicles in a variety of ways, including exterior video spins, interior video views, narrated editorials, sleek video vignettes, virtual walk-arounds, and video ads. All of these methods are effective tools that both emulate the emotional appeal of traditional broadcast media, but at a much lower cost.
For new car sales, a narrated video editorial is an excellent and informative way to engage consumers online by communicating key features of a vehicle. It is critical, however, to account for the short attention span of online shoppers. A five minute video clip may cover the gamut of options, from cap-less fuel filling to heads-up navigation displays, but more often than not, prospective customers will click away in search of the specific information they seek rather than watch the video from start to finish. That is why it is recommended that videos be concise, to the point, and last no longer than a couple of minutes.
Video clips that showcase a car's specific features in action offer another excellent way to attract car buyers. Many of these clips are less than 30 seconds in duration and use hand models to reveal the steps involved with effectively operating complex systems like SYNC or iDrive. In addition, high-definition exterior video spins of vehicles are used in tier two advertising by many regional ad groups around the country and can be incorporated into dealer Websites off the shelf. Finally, video vignettes offer a look at the vehicle beyond the exterior spin, further capturing consumer attention and generating even greater interest among car buyers.
Used vehicle marketers have also shifted their attention to video presentations. Methods vary—from edited video consisting of still image content to true moving video featuring interior and exterior views. In some cases, dealers shoot their own footage, with the most successful innovators focusing on the product, not the sales pitch. In other cases, video can be provided by technology companies that specialize in this type of content. Since a majority of today's car buyers use search engines to find online car videos every day, offering that content at your own Website inevitably leads to more visitors and potentially, more customers.
Videos can save time during the sales process too. Informed consumers will want to see and ask questions only about those features that interest them most. Additionally, in-dealership kiosks can leverage video to help retailers sell more effectively and efficiently. Both Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz provide video displays in their stores to serve as digital signage and provide an interactive customer experience. These videos don’t just help inform customers either, these content-rich digital display cases help train sales staff on products while complementing traditional sales tactics in the process.
Video is the next frontier in establishing an emotional bond between consumers and their next vehicle purchase. It has become a dominant force in eCommerce by providing information-hungry car buyers with the data they want, when and how they want it. Leveraging video on your Website and in your showroom is vital to engaging consumers in the buying process. As such, automotive professionals who incorporate video content into their business operations will emerge as industry leaders.
Scott Weitzman is Vice President of Business Development for eVox Images. He can be contacted at 310-800-0362, or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .