Tag: video advertising

Real Photos Equal Real Leads

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By Casey Corcoran, Lead Product Analyst & Jeffrey Pierce, Sr. Director, UX 

Key Take-Aways 

  • 90% of customers say photos are an important aspect in their shopping journey1 
  • New car listings using actual photos are 30% more likely to get a lead2  
  • The likelihood increases to 40% with used/certified vehicles with actual photos2 
  • VDP visitors who interact with photos are 16% more likely to submit an inventory lead than those who do not interact with photos3 

Shoppers Want to See the Nitty-Gritty Details 

We all know the old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, and nowhere is this truer than on websites. Countless cross-industry studies have posited that most web users don’t read, they scan for content relevant to their goals. If these users come across a photo, it helps lock in what they’ve seen. Renowned scientist and “Brain Rules” author John Medina states,  

“We are incredible at remembering pictures. Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%. Pictures beat text as well, in part because reading is so inefficient for us. Our brain sees words as lots of tiny pictures, and we have to identify certain features in the letters to be able to read them. That takes time.”  

With the pandemic still top-of-mind and social distancing restriction still in place, car shoppers are more likely than ever to start their shopping journey online, pushing first impressions and contact to the digital storefront. A recent Cox Automotive study found that 83% of car shoppers prefer to do at least one step online and 57% engage with online penciling and purchasing functionality.5 During this shift to remote shopping, photo engagement has increased 11% since last year.6  When a shopper is unable to see what a vehicle actually looks like, dents and all, they have a harder time making an emotional connection, limiting their desire to commit. Harvard Business Review found that customers who have an emotional connection to a product or brand bring 52% more value to those brands than those who are just “satisfied” with their experience.7 In contrast, viewing real photos can build a sense of transparency and trust in your brand. If you bring in more transparency in pricing as well, quality visits increase even more.8 

Not having “real” photos not only breaks your customers’ expectations, but can also hurt your customers’ online experiences. Poor or stock imagery is in the top five things shoppers complain about in our long running satisfaction survey. [source] We hear negative sentiments about stock photos regularly in our user interviews:  

“These [stock] photos I always find really confusing, I don’t feel like I need to see what the car should look like. I want to see what the car actually looks like.”  

Real Photos Improve Key Website Metrics 

While keeping customers happy and informed should be enough motivation to use quality photography, actual vehicle shots can have a huge impact on your website’s performance as well. 

Best Practices for Vehicle Images on Your Site 

What does this mean for your dealership? Here are some practical tips to get the most out of your photos and delight your customers.  

  • Use actual photos.  Obviously, the first thing to do is use actual photos of the vehicle whenever possible, especially on used vehicles. On site where over 65% of inventory feature real photos, customers have~5% longer visit time, see ~20% more VDPs, and see ~5% more SRPs.3 That said, a stock photo is better than no photo. 
  • Use a diverse set of images. You might be surprised to discover that the top five types photos that car shoppers ask for are all interior shots. [source] This is not to say exterior photos are not important, but the inclusion of interior photos is high on the list for successful marketing. Additionally, engagement grows are the number of photos increase all the way up to 40+ images.1 
  • High-quality matters. During a recent user testing session, 4 out of 5 shoppers preferred high-resolution photos and full screen galleries because they allowed them to view the vehicle in more detail. Avoid pixelization, extreme (distorted) angles and low-light photos whenever possible.  
  • Do not embed branding in vehicle photos. While this can be useful for aggregator sites like Autotrader, there are several disadvantages to embedded overlays on dealership sites: 
    • On mobile devices, text or logos in the photo can be hard to read and distracting.  
    • When multiple vehicles containing overlays are side-by-side on a page (vehicle recommendations, SRPs, etc.), the page can become harder to scan and add to the perception of clutter. 
    • Overlays featuring the dealership name and contact information are redundant with information found in the website header and on the page.  

To continue to use overlays on aggregator sites, consider using the preference on the Dealer.com platform that starts image carousels on the second photo.  

  • Feature a photo carousel on the Search Results Page (SRP). When designing Dealer.com’s new SRP we added a new option to include an image carousel. Of people that viewed at least one inventory page, there was an increase in photo views of 21% on mobile and 8% on desktop with this new functionality.3 Ultimately, we want to empower our dealer partners to make the best decisions for their market. That’s why we provide two different options for layout: list view and grid view. Grid view, with its more minimal layout, will maximize VDP views, while List view will provide customers more information upfront, leading to less ping-ponging between the SRP and VDPs. Either way, there is no change to the number of leads received and photo engagement increases 13-42% depending on device, especially when the new photo carousel is featured. 

The Dealer.com User Experience team is always looking for partners to participate UX studies. Reach out to your Performance Manager or email us at ux.lab@dealer.com if you’d like to join upcoming A/B tests and other experiments. Want more best practices? Click here.

Sources & Footnotes 

1 Power of Pictures Study, Oct. 2017 

2 Stock vs. Actual Photos Vehicle Comparison, June 2018  

3 Dealer.com’s New Search Results Page: Performance Analysis, Dec. 2020 

4 http://www.brainrules.net/vision 

5 Cox Automotive Future of Digital Retail Study, Nov.2017 

6 COVID-19 User Study – Insights for Consumer Shopping Experience, May 2020 

7 https://hbr.org/2015/11/the-new-science-of-customer-emotions 

8 AutoTrader.com Site Statistics May 2018 

5 Video Advertising Strategies to Drive Customer Engagement

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video advertising strategy

In today’s market, you need to be able to sell everywhere your customers want to shop. It may come as no surprise; studies show your customers are spending more time online. Consider that Akamai, the world’s largest content distribution network, is running 67% more web traffic than normal, and average daily mobile traffic has jumped from 2.5 hours per day to 4  hours. 

With more eyeballs going to the digital environment, consumption of video content is also increasing. Each day, consumers view 4 billion videos on Facebook and 5 billion on YouTube. Importantly for digital advertising, video-hosting platforms and media providers engage in-market shoppers. Nearly 4 million automotive videos are viewed on YouTube every day. 

Video is a brand awareness channel that influences the viewer’s digital behavior. In simple terms, when in-market shoppers are frequently exposed to video assets of a specific vehicle model, they are more likely to search for it. This powerful tool has the reach, targeting capability, and content richness to drive more traffic to your Digital Storefront or automotive service marketing, and ultimately help you sell more of the advertised model or service.

All things considered; it is essential for the modern dealer to cultivate a robust video advertising strategy. Here are some branding and multi-channel strategies to employ today to leverage the increase in video consumption and the automotive vertical.

1. Lead with Brand, Mobile First

Capture the viewers’ attention immediately with a strong opening. Different channels will have different criteria for video ads, such as time limits of 15 seconds, and some may allow the viewer to skip after 5 seconds. The start of your video should be engaging and recognizable, whether it’s your logo, your Why Buy, or a key message.

While developing your content, keep in mind that over 50% of traffic is from a mobile device. Think like a smartphone user, considering all the distractions they may be encountering, and select your ad formatting to length to overcome these obstacles.

2. Data-Driven Targeting

Harness your first party data and evolve your audience segments. Whether this first party data is from the media provider, or it’s data from within your dealership website, both are gold mines of opportunity. Your most qualified audience is made of consumers who have already been to your website, so start with a retargeting effort to maximize that targeting capability. Follow along with other audiences depending on their segments and goal-based priorities after that.

3. Multi-Channel Message

Develop a consistent message that is coherent with copy in your website landing page and brand marketing. Be sure this message should be clear and concise. You will build perception of brand value by repeating it in the ad copy of the video and across other channels, including email, banners, and more.

4. Integrated Marketing Approach

Avoid the silo mentality, and work to ensure your channel campaigns are integrated together. For instance, a well-planned Search Engine Optimization (SEO) program can be leveraged to drive more traffic from a video advertising campaign as well as other active channels, such as paid search. As you launch brand awareness opportunities, like video advertising, you will get more traffic and increased exposure on the other channels that are running.

5. Media Spend Allocations

It’s important to talk about budget when addressing advertising strategy. To know if you’re getting your money’s worth, develop a hierarchy of needs based on your goals. For instance, if your goal is a cost per action KPI, then you need to prioritize your channels that have the best return, such as retargeting. Historically, we’ve seen retargeting efforts have the best cost per action, depending on your cookie pool.

Branding channels are imperative in a diversified media plan. Branding from video advertising supports additional website engagement from multiple digital channels. And don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. If you’re currently running a traditional cable TV budget, then test it on Connected TV and gauge the performance.

One of the opportunities that Connected TV offers is more reporting capabilities. Digital marketing supports a wide range of KPIs and deep, granular reports to identify success. This level of information allows you to improve what’s working, expand on what’s working, and pull down what isn’t. Over time, you will see more cost efficiencies on overall media spend.

Dealer.com acts as your dealership’s very own automotive advertising agency, powering consumer experiences from anywhere. Deliver the right message from your Digital Storefront to every customer, wherever they are, with video advertising from the industry’s only complete digital marketing solution.

*Source: Think With Google

3 Reasons to Make Digital Video Advertising a Priority Now

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For some automotive marketers, the decision to embark on a video advertising campaign may still be undecided. If you’re in this camp, you may be losing valuable time and impressions to your competitors. Here are three reasons why you should be including video in your dealership advertising mix. 

1. Your customers are spending more time online. 

Over the course of 2020, consumers in most markets across the country were required to adapt their daily routines and shopping behaviors in order to comply with safety guidelines. This included spending more time at home and less time browsing or researching inventory in person.  

For consumers in the market for a new or pre-owned vehicle, this shift resulted in more people going online for the information needed to reach a purchase decision. As a result, there are two trends occurring: 

  • The number of people consuming content online is increasing. 
  • The average number of hours per day people are online is increasing. 

The numbers speak for themselves. In a recent study by Facebook, at a platform level, 53% of people are browsing Facebook more often and 32% are using Instagram more often. And Akamai, the world’s largest content distribution network, reports running 67% more web traffic than normal. Lastly, daily mobile traffic has jumped from an average of 2.5 hours per day to almost 4 hours.* As this traffic continues to increase, so too does the consumption of digital video content. 

2. How your customers consume video content is changing.  

Traditional TV programming, including cable and satellite subscriptions, is seeing a decrease in viewers year over year. This trend is commonly referred to as “cord-cutting.” Industry experts foresee an acceleration in cord-cutting and an increase in the consumption of streaming video.  

Cord-cutting and other measured changes in behavior are driving marketers to rethink how and where they target shoppers with new inventory and automotive service marketing. 

  • In 2020, 20% of U.S. households have cut the cord on traditional TV 
  • Of those still watching traditional TV, 73% are using their smartphones 
  • Each day, 4 billion videos are viewed on Facebook and 5 billion on YouTube 

While more people are going online, they’re consuming data and video in multiple ways. Consumers are spoiled for choice when it comes to how they access streaming video. The range of connected devices includes smartphones, smart TVs, gaming platforms, and other instruments (ex. Apple TV and Roku). 

3. Views and overall video consumption are increasing.  

We know more people are watching more videos. To underscore this fact, here is a figure that may surprise you: YouTube has 1.9B monthly users. It’s important for digital marketers to be aware of how enormous this platform is, and the opportunity for getting in front of their target audience and influencing these users. 

It’s worth considering why YouTube has so many users. YouTube is the #2 search engine after Google, and automotive content is a major contributor to this usage case. 

  • Nearly 4 million automotive videos are viewed on YouTube every day. 
  • Test-drive videos outnumber in-store test drives 2:1 – an increase of 105% since 2015. 

From videos of virtual test drives to reviews of the latest model, YouTube offers an abundance of information for consumers interested in purchasing a vehicle. This creates a virtual pool of in-market shoppers. To tap into this market, dealers need a partner that can turn data into effective video advertising and create conversations relevant to your customer’s place in the car shopping journey.  

Here is one more reason to make video advertising a priority now: your competition is distributing videos and capturing the attention of your potential customers. Video is the #2 format for discovering new vehicles in the consideration set. If you are not meeting consumers everywhere they want to shop, you are at increased risk of losing the sale to the dealership down the street. 

 
Dealer.com acts as your very own automotive advertising agency, powering consumer experiences from anywhere. Deliver the right message from your Digital Storefront to every customer, wherever they are, with video advertising from the industry’s only complete digital marketing solution. 

*Source: Think With Google 

Webinar: Creating Your Virtual Sales Approach

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Webinar: Creating Your Virtual Sales Approach

It’s crucial to shift your current selling approach. Learn a 5-step digital retailing sales process that is customized to today’s online car shopper, and learn about these topics: the current state of car shopping, what other dealers are seeing and experiencing, an abbreviated selling approach that works virtually, and key examples we are seeing in the market, in this webinar, hosted by Rich Mertz, Sr. Manager of Digital Retailing & Digital Selling Expert.

Video Advertising for Tier 1 and Tier 2: The Dealer.com Advantage

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By Jon Torrey 

Video marketing helps Tier 3 dealerships put their messages in front of their audiences, and Dealer.com’s A-team of industry experts is making this easier than ever before. We make this service quick and easy to use by offering video templates, automatically inserting data, and updating videos to match the latest offers and inventory. But our solution isn’t just for Tier 3 dealers. In fact, all our video marketing services are available to the first two tiers of the automotive marketing ecosystem, OEMs and regional dealer associations. By implementing digital video advertising at the brand marketing level, manufacturers and associations can complement and boost the efforts of their dealers. Dealer.com video services support Tier 1 and Tier 2 organizations in three distinct ways:  

1. Localization of B-roll Footage  

Manufacturers work hard to develop professional-grade video assets that reflect their core values and differentiators. Using those assets to elevate the brand on a national level is one thing, but it’s an even greater challenge to do the same within each and every locale. We can take a brand’s B-roll footage and drop it into professional templates, then customize by adding dealership names, URLs, and personalized end cards that showcase adjustable offers. This approach to video advertising offers the best of both worlds: brand-level marketing with localized offers and details.  

2. Launching Locally Converted Tier 1 and Tier 2 Ads at Scale  

After combining brand-level B-roll footage with dealer-specific information, Dealer.com has the tools, resources, and expertise to launch video campaigns at scale. Speed to market is essential with digital video marketing, and timely production and activation are two of the biggest challenges that dealers face. Often, delays are so great that many localized OEM video assets never make it into the market at all. With plenty of production resources and expert video capabilities, we’re here to solve that problem for you.  

3. Performance Reporting at All Tiers 

Through the Dealer.com ControlCenter platform, Tier 3 dealerships can view metrics and reports on their video ads alongside the results of other advertising channels. This allows them to make more informed decisions by comparing channels and evaluating the quality of traffic. And because they don’t have to pull together disparate reports, it’s easy to monitor results and make decisions.  

We also provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels of reporting. Reports for OEMs and regional associations include aggregate performance reports to help them make more informed decisions about their investments. Armed with accurate information, these groups can clearly communicate the importance of video advertising performance to their Tier 3 dealerships.  

Video Advertising from Dealer.com can help dealerships facilitate interactions between their audiences and their inventories and incentives. But it’s also a great solution for Tier 1 and Tier 2 organizations that are looking to maximize their advertising investments, promote brand consistency, and encourage better performance at the dealership level.  

Click Here and contact your performance manager to learn more about Video Advertising.

Webinar: Reaching Remote Consumers Through Video Advertising

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Current events have disrupted the car buying journey. While social distancing, customers are less likely to visit your dealership, but will spend more time shopping online. Video advertising is one of the best ways to continue reaching them, but to stay competitive, your dealership will need flexible tools that allow for quick adjustments to campaign messages and offers. This webinar will explain how your dealership can leverage video advertising to reach remote shoppers.

Video Advertising: Connect Your Audience with Your Inventory

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“Help Me Sell More Cars” is Evolving 

From the industry’s earliest days, dealerships have had the same singular goal: sell more cars.

And, while increasing sales is probably still at the top of your priority list, the goal has shifted in recent years. Now, you want to sell more cars while maintaining or, better yet, reducing your advertising budget.

Enter digital video advertising. 

Digital Video Advertising is Underpriced

A good advertiser is always on the lookout for under-valued channels that meet the client’s needs, and digital video platforms do this while also being seamless and scalable to execute. Those channels deliver qualified leads because they meet shoppers where they are. Advertise to the right people, at the right time and in the right place.  You can buy an audience’s focused attention through digital channels for far less than is possible through established channels like television. Digital video advertising campaigns built using the Dealer.com platform are achieving $.02 and $.03 cost per 15-second video view, getting your brand and inventory in front of someone on a channel they’re already using. And you never pay for shoppers that watch less than 15 seconds.

Shopper Behavior is Changing 

Of course, an advertising channel is only as good as the audience that’s consuming it. You could have the best marketing message in the world, but if you advertise it on a channel that encourages skipping or grabbing snacks during commercial breaks, you’ll be hard-pressed to drive results. 

Fortunately, we know that shoppers are consuming video content on channels like YouTube and Facebook. In fact, they are using video to educate themselves at every step of the buyer journey. There are 4 million in-market auto videos viewed on YouTube every single day. Digital test drives now outnumber in-dealership test drives two to one. After all, watching 3-minute walkarounds on YouTube requires less time and energy than reading articles or visiting showrooms.  This combines with the fact that we can target better with in-market audience data based on past search history, so we know they will actually watch the ads.

A Content Shortage and the Dealer.com Solution

Okay, so you’re bought into digital video advertising as an undervalued channel with the power to reach quality audiences that actually see your videos. But where will you get all that video content?  

You guessed it—Dealer.com can help. 

We built an automated video solution that incorporates the vehicles and offers you want to showcase into existing video templates. You can even customize them with branded taglines and information. Then, from within the platform, you can launch your videos at scale across YouTube and Facebook. And if you decide you want something more personalized, we have premium custom packages that incorporate footage of your dealership, custom graphics, custom animations, and more.

The Time is Now

Like all advertising channels, digital video advertising may get more expensive as demand grows. Don’t miss your opportunity to get into digital video at the right time. With Video Advertising from Dealer.com, you can incorporate this exciting channel seamlessly into your existing advertising effort to improve results and increase sales. 

Click Here to learn more about Video Advertising.