Flick Fusion Video Marketing’s internal data reveals that full-motion walkaround videos are the fastest growing video products among auto dealerships in 2019. As a percentage of total video views that consumers have watched on dealership websites, social media platforms and third-party auto shopping sites, full-motion walkaround video views have risen 20% in Q1 2019 compared to Q1 2018.
In Q1 2018, 15% of all inventory videos viewed were full-motion walkaround videos, compared to 85% of inventory videos that were stitched-photo videos. In Q1 2019, full-motion walkaround videos accounted for 18% of all inventory video views, while the remaining 82% of video views were stitched-photo videos. In Q1 2017, just 11% of inventory video views were full-motion walkaround videos.
“I believe the primary reason for this increase is because more people are seeing the significant impact that full motion walkaround videos have on their sales,” said Tim James, COO of Flick Fusion. “However, I want to caution dealers that before you run out and sign up for a full-motion video package, make sure that you or your lot services provider is able to produce professional-quality videos.”
To determine which type of video is best for your dealership’s video marketing program, James recommends paying attention to view rate. Stitched photo videos have an average 70-75% completion rate, while some full-motion videos only have a 20% completion rate. “If the video is amateur quality, shot with a smartphone without a stabilizer and the audio is bad, you’re better off sticking with stitched photo videos until your full motion video production process is improved.”
Flick Fusion’s data reveals that it’s the use of any video that’s the driving factor, and that both stitched-photo and full-motion videos are important to increase website conversion rates. In fact, James notes that when a dealership first switches from using only inventory photos to stitched-photo videos on their VDPs, the website visitor engagement rate spikes significantly. So, if a dealership doesn’t have a process in place, or if their photography company doesn’t yet offer full-motion videos, stitched-photo videos are still a better option than inventory photos alone.
More important than the type of video is the exposure of the video. “What baffles me the most is when I see someone shoot a great full motion walkaround of a vehicle to post to their Facebook page, but then don’t have that same video syndicated to their website and 3rd Party listing services to improve their merchandising of that vehicle on those sites,” said James.
“That same vehicle is going to get just as many, and probably a lot more, views on these other sites than it will get on their Facebook page, but they won’t take the time or use the right technologies to get that video working for them across all of their online marketing touch-points,” he added. James recommends that if someone is going to take the time to shoot a full motion walkaround for one touch-point, ensure that video is used across all online marketing touch-points. “Your efforts will be rewarded 10X,” said James.
Another benefit to investing the time to shoot Full Motion Inventory Videos is that you can repurpose those existing videos for Personalized Walkarounds. Many sales abd BDC professionals want to shoot Personalized Walkaround videos for their leads; however, it can be a time-consuming process and the weather doesn’t always cooperate. With today’s technology, lack of time and weather conditions are no longer excuses to not make videos.
“Shooting Personalized Walkaround videos can be a 15- to 20-minute process on a good day, but what if it’s raining, snowing, hot, or cold outside,” said James. “With today’s technology, you can simply take an existing Full Motion Inventory Video, click on a button and record a personalized, custom voice over on top of the existing video. It takes about two minutes, is done from the comfort of your desk, and you’ll see a massive increase in your lead follow-up response.”
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