Video is becoming more and more of an online player all the time. Just a few years ago using video for promoting any business could be tricky due to bandwidth related issues, but now video is a completely viable way for businesses of all kinds to reach more people online. People pay a good deal of attention to online video, in part, due to the fact that the novelty of video ads. Video interactivity hasn’t yet wore off and will not for years to come. Having a video strategy is thus a must. If your car dealership doesn’t have a video strategy you can be sure that your competitors will. 

A study in 2008 by the Kelsey Group revealed that a full third of car dealers surveyed were using video on their own websites. Of course, you can be quite certain that those numbers have only went up in the last four years! Additionally, Howard Polirer, director of industry relations at AutoTrader.com estimates that about 25% of U.S. car dealers are using online video marketing. In short, video marketing is now a key component for car dealerships around the country; you have no choice but to formulate and implement a video strategy!

There are many steps that you can take to develop your video strategy. The first step is to put videos on your website and make certain that they are optimized for search engines. Another prudent move is to also place videos on YouTube. The number of views generated on YouTube is simply staggering and you can be certain that you will reach potential car buyers in your region with your key marketing message. 

A third idea is to use video in banner ads. This technique can definitely get results as video ads will help you stand out. If your competitors are not yet using them, well, even better. A fourth step in your video strategy should be to put videos in all of your email marketing. Again, videos in online ads still have novelty to them. People will watch your online video ads, but remember that quality counts!

Realizing that you need a video strategy and video ads is, of course, one thing, but knowing how that strategy should unfold is another. Let’s take a look at a few tips that should help you get more out of your video strategy.

Tip One-Testimonials

A video featuring a testimonial with a real customer is a great idea. If possible, resist the temptation to hire an actor, but instead use the real customer and let that person talk about his or her great experience. Authenticity sells!

Tip Two-Educational Information About Cars

People seek out information on every topic imaginable online via search engines and sites such as YouTube. Simply stated, if you produce educational car videos people will watch them and, in the process, you can become a trusted authority!

Tip Three-Get Personal

Its always smart to show the public that your car dealership is comprised of real life people that are friendly and knowledgeable. Consider producing videos in your own showroom that feature key salesmen and employees.
Online videos that are informative and honest will help you score points. Video is here to stay and will likely only grow in importance, so embrace it today!

David Farmer 
Co-Founder/CEO
intice, Inc.