The automotive industry has been in a state of rapid flux between crisis and opportunity these past several years. Embrace it. Dealers have been resilient and great at welcoming new challenges and opportunities. Extend that instinct to experimenting with and being creative with ad strategies and you will stay competitive and build strong brand recall as a result. One of the most effective ways to stay ahead of the competition AND drive affordable, trackable success for your campaigns is through the use of video creative!
Now, we’re not saying you need to become the next YouTube sensation or go viral on TikTok, but there are many ways to leverage video within your dealership and online marketing initiatives. Here are just some of the ways creative video can make a difference at your dealership.
Engagement
Attaching videos to posts and advertisements has been the gold standard on social media for the last decade. People like to watch the internet, not read it! While attention spans have been diminishing, the use of video is an excellent way to immediately highlight your inventory while keeping social media users hooked through auditory cues and music. Simplicity is key – here’s a great guide on keeping your video length appropriate to the target platform.
This is an excellent opportunity to get creative with your creative! Take advantage of customer testimonials across all departments within your dealership but don’t be shy to post a full walkaround of your inventory on various platforms to provide a complete yet informative view of the vehicles on your lot!
Versatility
Video creative can be formatted for almost all placements across social and search. With this capability, you can leverage automated placements to ensure that your creative is being displayed where and when it aligns most with your target audience and campaign objectives. This advantage allows dealers to increase exposure opportunities while also connecting with younger demographics.
Meta Reels and TikTok Feeds are an excellent avenue to display video assets while also providing value for your prospective customers – it’s integral to format your creative for all placements, as this fosters a professional appeal to consumers! Make sure your videos are always formatted in a 9:16 aspect ratio for mobile and 16:9 for desktop users!
It’s important to have a combined paid & organic strategy. Organic efforts will help build your brand voice and community, while paid ads can amplify your organic efforts and introduce your audiences to your inventory and services. Taking advantage of platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and Meta will help you build your brand, community, and sales opportunities.
Conversion Rates
A video based advertising campaign can help bring your inventory to life by presenting an easily comprehensible relay of information while also enhancing product and brand retention. Video assets have historically provided businesses with higher click through rates, general engagement and greater likelihood to direct consumers to VDP’s with an intent to purchase.
With this efficiency in mind – dealers can expect to see reduced cost and a higher ROI through the adoption and deployment of videos across most major platforms.
Fresh Opportunities
There are several new ways you can reach shoppers though rich video content, and sMedia is proud to be able to provide them. We can provide TikTok services (where available), and Pinterest ad services in Beta, allowing you to reach new audiences. We also have several different AI-driven video services on offer. Like a service that can provide up to 6 videos per month for $299. Our newest offering lets you deliver incredible eye-catching video to supplement standard vehicle display page images, and enhance your ad offers on most platforms by replacing static images with visually stunning video. Book a meeting with us to find out more.
Summary
Video has become a game-changer in digital marketing, offering a dynamic yet impactful way to stand out in an uber-competitive industry. With the versatility to reach engaged consumers and increase brand awareness, video allows dealers to connect with their target market on a more personal and informative level – all while adapting to a continuously changing digital landscape! The lesson? Leverage video everywhere you can, there’s no better time to get started than right now!
– Evan McNamara
