A study by Cisco estimates that 82% of all consumer internet traffic globally will be videos by the end of 2022. To put it simply, utilizing video in marketing and in disseminating information is a trend that is here to stay, and implementing video into your strategy will benefit your dealership in multiple ways.

From smartphones and tablets to desktops and televisions, screens are everywhere. With information constantly at customers’ fingertips, it’s important for the automotive industry to utilize the technology available to provide the facts in a quick, engaging way, and one of the most effective ways of doing that is through personalized video.

Personalized video is a lot more than viral TikTok or YouTube videos, although those certainly can be a creative way of driving traffic to your website. The video your dealership uses can — and should — be an important informational tool to add value to your online showroom.

Personalized video is both effective and simple — when you use the right tools. Some of you may be thinking, “I know cars. I don’t know anything about making videos.” But the reality is, video production isn’t as complicated as it sounds. 

Creating video content specific to your dealership doesn’t have to be a long undertaking anymore. While there is certainly a time and place for hiring a videographer and video editor for some content, not every video needs to be a complex process. Smartphone and computer apps now provide user-friendly software that puts self-editing at your fingertips, helping you create engaging videos that are to-the-point, give your customers the information they need and look polished. These apps allow you to think of video content beyond commercials and help you incorporate content customers find useful, including vehicle-specific test drives and walk-arounds.

Video helps customers find your dealership and adds a human element to your product. As customers turn to the internet to further their car-buying process, using video to promote your dealership generally, and your vehicles specifically, is not only engaging but also makes it easier for customers to find your dealership in the first place. According to Forbes, video “ranks high on social media news feeds and can improve your search engine optimization.” 

Once a customer finds their way onto your website, a greeting video on your homepage and inquiry videos sent out in response to a customer’s initial outreach can put a literal face to your dealership’s name, and customers can become familiar with the actual people behind your dealership well in advance of coming to the store in person. 

Video makes the car-buying process faster for customers. The events over the past few years changed many aspects of life, car-buying included, and many of those changes have become permanent. A survey by Kelley Blue Book found that 86% of customers surveyed said they chose to shop online to save time at the dealership during the pandemic, and using online tools such as reviews and digital portfolios meant customers entered the buying process knowing exactly what they wanted. Add to that the pandemic-induced supply chain complications affecting inventory, and what we have now is customers who are looking to buy the car they want as quickly as possible but are not always able to do so. Your dealership’s personalized video is one more tool in the customer’s toolbelt to help them make fast decisions on their road to finding a car.

Video builds trust. The commitment required for a large purchase like a vehicle naturally means customers enter the process wary. The more transparent your dealership is, the more likely a customer is to trust you enough to buy your product, and video is an efficient way to share the information they need. Video allows you to initiate a personal relationship with the customer before they physically show up to your dealership, helping you stand out from other dealers.

Video shows things that photos alone cannot. Photos, of course, are important and useful for showing how a car looks cosmetically, but videos such as virtual test drives, allow you to show your customers how the car functions. It’s just one more way to show the customer exactly what they can expect before they even show up at the dealership.

Whether your dealership is new to using video or looking for ways to improve your current strategy, now is the time to let personalized video take your dealership to the next level.