How to Dealers should use Video to Increase Sales

As Covid-19 pushes the auto industry and the world forward digitally, video is becoming more and more important. Consumers still want to feel connected to retailers and the products, in our case cars, they’re buying. But, they want to do it from a safe distance.

If you think about it, dealers have been utilizing video content in the form of TV commercials for years and years. Shifting that concept online and expanding the idea of a “traditional commercial” isn’t really that far of a stretch.

It’s no secret that most car-buying starts online. Customers research different vehicles to decide what they want. One study claims that 40% of auto shoppers who used video for research said it helped them discover a vehicle they hadn’t previously considered buying. You might be thinking that this influence comes from the OEM, but even videos you make about vehicles on your lot  or about your dealership can influence buyers to shop with you. That same study actually suggests that buyers are more likely to visit a dealership after viewing a video on a dealer’s website.

Video marketing creates consumer trust through transparency. It let’s customers feel like they know more about you. Video also boosts SEO, meaning more people will find you. Google likes video content and rewards you for using it. Social media rewards you with more impressions on video compared to other types of content, too. Plus you’re more likely to get higher engagement rates on posts that include video. Video generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined.

Video is a great way to communicate with audiences, but if you aren’t sure of where to start, here are 6 video content ideas for car dealers.

1. Promos
Take those commercials you’re airing on TV and put them on YouTube and Facebook. Promote them. Pay for advertising. You can set budgets, and it can be a very affordable option. It’s also highly targeted, meaning you can even choose to only show your videos to people who are actively researching to buy a car.

2. Vehicle Walkarounds
Have your sales team do a walkaround on each make and model in your lineup. Post the videos to your website. Then share them on YouTube and social media to drive traffic back to your website.

3. Meet Your Salesperson
As this world gets more digital, we will likely see more and more contactless transactions. This means your customers may complete entire purchases online and over the phone, never actually meeting their salesperson. Having each team member make a short video introducing themselves that they can forward to internet customers helps people feel more connected to you and your business, which can create repeat business for your sales and service departments.

4. What to Expect in Your Showroom
Right now, people don’t know what to expect when they go places. Creating a video that walks them through your sales process and safety measures could reassure them and put any anxiety at ease, making them more likely to actually come into the dealership. Since this is a major concern right now, put this video at top of your homepage and pinned to the top of all social media platforms. It will make potential customers feel more comfortable from the second they start researching your dealership.

5. Contactless Service How-To
Many dealers are offering contactless service appointments right now. Whether you’re picking up and delivering vehicles to customers’ homes or have a contactless drop-off/pick-up option, it’s important to take all the questions out of the process, so people know what to expect. Do a how-to video on where to leave keys, how they will sign for repair authorization, and how the pick-up process works.

6. Virtual Meetings
If someone is buying a car virtually or doing contactless service, having staff do video calls will help them feel more connected. Sure everything can be done via text and email, but adding that touch of personalization is what creates transparency and life-long customers. Equip your staff with webcams or phones/tablets with video-calling capabilities and encourage them to use this option to communicate with their customers.
 
Creating simple video content is not only helpful, but we believe it will be imperative to running a successful dealership in the future as the digital reach continues to expand.