Short videos are more impactful than long-form videos. They receive 2.5x more engagement, thanks to the short attention spans of internet users. Automotive video advertising is new and effective in automotive marketing and is being largely used by auto dealerships and businesses. Read on to find out more about this entertaining yet informative way of car merchandising and how you, as a dealership, can profit from it too!
What is Automotive Video Advertising?
Automotive video advertising showcases vehicles using short, eye-catching videos, which makes it easier to grab attention and connect with customers. It can be either a quick car preview or a virtual test drive; videos help auto dealers show off their inventory in an engaging way, instead of traditional photos or text. Video ads are a powerful tool to drive traffic to dealerships, boost sales, and reach a bigger audience. They tell stories, create excitement, and make information easy to understand.
If you are a dealership, automotive video marketing can help you promote and update the audience about your brand, products, and services. It allows you to showcase your vehicle’s features, performance, and design in an engaging way that a still or static visual or text description cannot. They also boost your SEO and help you excel on social media platforms.
Benefits of Automotive Video Advertising
Video is one of the most powerful ways of advertising. For example, short video platforms like TikTok have experienced massive growth/demand. Video advertising helps reach in-market shoppers, and it fits in the budget for most dealerships, unlike television advertising. Here are 3 benefits that will help you consider choosing automotive video advertising:
1) More Targeted
With video advertising, you can reach the customers you want, especially those looking to buy a car. Unlike television ads that are shown to everyone, even those not interested, video ads on platforms like YouTube and Facebook let you target specific groups based on tier interests, location, and online activity. This means your message is reaching the right people.
For example, with the Spyne video tour, you can create engaging video tours and ads that highlight your car’s features and share them with the right audience on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
2) More Trackable
Video advertising makes it easy to see how well your ads are doing. You can find out how many people watched your video, how long they watched, and if they took any action, like visiting your website or booking a test drive. This helps you understand what’s working and what’s not., so you can adjust your strategy for better results.
With Spyne, you can easily track these details and see how your videos are performing across different social media platforms, ensuring your advertising dollars are being used wisely.
3) More Affordable
Video advertising is much more affordable than traditional TV ads. You can create and share high-quality videos without spending a lot of money. Online platforms offer flexible pricing, so you can set a budget that works for you. This makes advertising accessible to dealerships of all sizes and a powerful way to reach customers without breaking the bank.
Spyne video tour uses your Vehicle Display Pages (VDP) to create videos that are both cost-effective and impactful and ensure your vehicles get noticed.
Why Video Advertising Matters for Car Dealerships
86% of car shoppers use video as a research tool when they are looking for a car. After watching a video, the chance of shoppers visiting the dealership increases by 200%. This is called effective car advertising. Video advertising is the most powerful and effective way to attract new car shoppers and grow your dealership.
As a dealer, you can attract more customers through the power of video. You cannot tell your story through text on a page. You need automotive video advertising to drive traffic to your store. Here are 5 huge reasons telling you why video ads matter:
1) Video Captures Attention
People are 4x more likely to watch a video than read text. Gaining your customers’ attention should always be your top priority, and with all the ad clutter, videos are the weapon to break through. It is the form of communication your customers will definitely pay attention to. Placing a video on your landing page can increase conversion rates by 80%.
2) Emotionally Connect with Customers
Video is the best tool to improve customers’ emotions. It is the only form of marketing that can connect with other people through their facial expressions, body language, and voice. It is the best way to get a sense of another person’s passion, excitement, and character. If you want car shoppers to choose your dealership, use video ads to make a connection with them.
3) Build Trust and Connection
Before a buyer spends their hard-earned money, they need to feel a connection with you. They make sure they can trust you and you understand their needs. Video conveys empathy and is the quickest way to create a bond between you and your customers. You can use video ads to form a genuine connection that will promote your car dealership.
4) Simplify Complex Information
Video ads give you the ability to explain even the most complex parts of buying a car. 65% of people are visual learners and 30% are auditory learners. It is easier for customers to learn through watching a video rather than reading endless web pages full of text. A video has you covered with both visuals and sound which gives your audience exactly what they need to understand about what your dealership offers and how they can get it.
5) Inspire Action and Excitement
Video creates excitement and motivates car shoppers to take action. Text can’t do that alone. Meanwhile, video can convey your passion and allow you to bring the energy needed for customers to take notice and engage. You can paint a picture of how their lives will improve if they buy the car from you. Video marketing is a combination of motion and sound and ultimately the best tool to give them the motivation to make a purchase.
How the Auto Industry is Leveraging Mobile-First Ad Placement for TV and Digital
Car dealership videos and advertisements are made to capture attention and are a critical part of today. It is estimated that the average person is exposed to upwards of 10,000 ads every single day. That is a lot of noise to cut through and many dealerships don’t hack it.
Digital automotive video advertising is one of the best automotive advertising tools today. It is appropriate that many of the most engaging ads come from automakers. Here is how the auto industry is using mobile-first ad placement for TV and digital:
1) Mobile-First is a Must
Video ads need to be optimized for mobile devices. On YouTube, mobile devices account for more than 70% of watch time. Many of the audience who see digital video ads watch them on their mobiles. There are several keys for standing out on a small screen that include:
a. Using high-contrast imagery
b. Narrowing the frame
c. Optimizing for vertical viewing
d. Using large and snappy supers
e. Paying attention to run time
2) Thinking Cross-Platform
It is important not to overlook the other ways people consume video content. Viewers are embracing streaming videos, making ad campaigns on connected televisions a major opportunity for connecting with customers. The modular approach to using your video ads as a 30-second repurposed commercial is practical and cost-effective. You should make sure your video ads can be served to audiences on multiple devices and platforms.
3) Amplifying the Audio
Using the sounds of purring engines, vehicles in motion, and dramatic music – these are the cornerstones of car commercials and are highly effective. One can adjust the soundscape of their video ads to represent their business and industry. They help car companies by creating an experience that invites viewers to understand what it’s like to be a customer of their business.
4) Abandoning Outdated Strategies
The way people watch ads has changed, and the auto industry is moving away from old-school car merchandising approaches and methods. Traditional TV ads take their sweet time to tell a story, but in today’s fast-paced world, it doesn’t work well, especially on mobile phones and with short attention spans. Car brands are focusing on making their ads grab attention right away. They are keeping it short, relevant, and visually striking so that they can connect with viewers quickly.
5) Going from 0 to 60 from the Start
Just like how a car can speed up quickly, car ads need to start strong as well. The first few seconds of the ads are important, especially on mobile devices where people and easily scroll past or skip it. Automakers are making sure that their ads catch a viewer’s eyes and ears right from the start, using bold visuals, sounds, and messages. This way even if they only watch a little bit of the ad, they still get the main point, and make it more likely to stick with them.
Creative Strategies to Improve Car Video Ads
Creating car ads that connect with your viewers can be tricky and challenging. Here are 5 simple yet effective automotive video advertising strategies to make your auto ads stand out:
1) Grab a viewer’s attention right away by diving straight into the action. Skip the slow, wide shots that will bore them, and go for fast-paced visuals with impactful sounds and bold, flashy text.
2) Show how the car fits into a customer’s everyday life. Highlighting human experiences helps viewers picture themselves in the driver’s seat which creates a connection with your brand and product.
3) Sounds like engines roaring and tires squealing make the ad feel real. Since most visual ads are watched with sound on, using audio effectively can draw viewers in and make the car look more appealing.
4) Try keeping your message clear and simple. In short-form ads, focus on one or two standout features of the car. For longer ads, you have more room but don’t overload the viewer with a lot of information.
5) Since most people watch ads on their mobile phones, make sure your ad looks great on a small screen. Design accordingly using bright colors, close-up shots, and larger, clear text to make it pop.
Video Advertising Use Cases for the Automotive Industry
Vehicle merchandising is an important part of advertising your vehicles effectively. Let’s look into some use cases within the auto industry to learn more about automotive video advertising:
1) How-To Tutorials & Support Videos
Many drivers don’t use their car’s advanced features because they are unsure of how to. Creating simple, quick videos to explain things like setting up the dashboard, charging electric vehicles, or performing common tasks is one of the effective ways of video advertising.
2) Customer Experiences
Video testimonials from happy customers are powerful. They provide genuine proof that your brand delivers on its promises. This helps build trust with potential buyers which is important since buying a car is a major financial decision.
3) Walkthroughs & Demos
Walkthroughs and demo videos help potential buyers decide if they want to see the car in person. These videos give them a clear look at the car and its features which makes them an essential part of your marketing.
4) Personalized Video Messages
Personalized video messages help you create a strong connection with customers. Addressing them by name and discussing their specific needs adds a personal touch which makes your brand stand out and builds trust, which is important for a purchase like this.
Key Video Trends for the Automotive Industry
Automotive video advertising has become an essential strategy for auto dealers in 2024 and beyond. As platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook continue to thrive, video creates an opportunity to reach, inform, and connect with car buyers throughout their car buying journey. Here are the key video trends for the automotive industry:
1) 360-degree walk-around videos showcase a vehicle and its features – inside and out. This is perfect for online shoppers who want to inspect a car visually before visiting a dealership.
2) Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok Live sessions like test drives, Q&As, and behind-the-scenes create engagement through interaction with audiences.
3) Strong video ads are a key to creating conversions. Prompt immediate action by leading viewers to contact the dealer, or visit the website or the dealership physically.
4) Thanks to the human touch, personalized videos with dealers speaking directly to the consumers create genuine connections.
5) Collaborations, sponsorships, hashtags, and effects help attract younger demographics through platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Conclusion
Now that you know what automotive video advertising is, why not check out Spyne’s video tour to enhance your video advertising? Our industry-first video tool will create a video for you in 30 seconds and create an immersive experience for your customers using AI avatars!
