Video marketing is one of the most effective tools for dealerships to engage customers, build trust, and showcase inventory.
According to Google, over the past two years, YouTube has seen a significant increase in the watch time of “test drive” videos by over 70 percent. Additionally, 64 percent of shoppers who watch online videos to inform their purchase decisions indicate that new formats like 360° video could convince them to buy a car without a traditional test drive.
These trends highlight the growing importance of immersive video content in car buying, especially on YouTube, the second-largest search engine, which has become an essential platform for dealerships. This article highlights the benefits of YouTube for dealerships and shares practical tips for leveraging it effectively.
YouTube’s Potential for Targeted Marketing, More Website Traffic
Through its advanced advertising features, YouTube makes it easier for dealerships to connect with potential buyers. Dealerships can create targeting ads based on audience attribution like location, age, gender, income, car-buying interests, browsing history, and recent searches, ensuring their message reaches the right audience segments at the right time. The platform also offers behavioral factors to target users who have watched a specific video or engaged with a YouTube channel.
Embedding YouTube videos directly into a dealership’s website offers significant advantages. These videos enrich the site with engaging content and keep visitors on the page longer, decreasing the bounce rate, increasing page engagement, and helping your website rank higher.
These videos also enhance the dealership’s visibility in search results, creating additional opportunities to drive more organic traffic. These benefits expand the dealership’s digital footprint and generate more leads.
The Community feature on YouTube is a valuable tool for dealerships to engage with their audience beyond just videos, fostering stronger connections and building loyalty. Through community posts, dealerships can share updates, promotional events, and polls directly with their subscribers, creating a more interactive experience. This feature enables dealers to develop a sense of belonging and keep their audience engaged.
How to Make an Effective Video
Compelling videos are essential for dealerships to stand out and build meaningful connections with their audience. Here are some key tips:
- Avoid Manufacturer-Provided or Generic Videos: Dealerships often rely on pre-packaged videos with robotic voiceovers or overly generic, template-based content provided by manufacturers. These videos lack personalization and fail to highlight what makes the dealership unique, making it indistinguishable from competitors.
- Steer Clear of Irrelevant or Off-Brand Content: Videos deviating from the automotive industry or the dealership’s target audience can confuse viewers and dilute the brand message. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that video content aligns with the dealership’s goals and resonates with potential buyers.
- Limit Overly Salesy Content: Constant sales pitches can make viewers stop watching because they feel pressured rather than informed or engaged. Striking a balance between promoting inventory and providing valuable information is key to maintaining viewer trust.
- Create Educational and Value-Driven Content: Educational videos, such as maintenance tips, car-buying advice, vehicle feature highlights, or car reviews, position the dealership as a helpful, reliable resource of knowledge. These videos engage viewers and foster stronger relationships.
Cohesive Branding in Your Dealership’s Strategy
Creating a consistent brand identity is essential for a dealership’s YouTube channel to stand out and build recognition. This involves using professional logos, banners, and custom thumbnails to maintain a cohesive and polished look across all videos. Equally important is establishing a consistent tone and style, whether it’s friendly and approachable or sleek and professional, to align with the dealership’s overall branding.
Every video should also include a clear call to action, such as “Visit our website,” “Subscribe for more videos,” or “Schedule a test drive today” to guide viewers toward the next step and move them down the sales funnel.
Posting regularly and promoting videos effectively are key to maintaining an engaged audience on your dealership’s YouTube channel. A consistent posting schedule helps viewers know when to expect new content, fostering loyalty and encouraging repeat visits. Using YouTube’s native analytics section, dealers can determine the active time and schedule content publishing when they will most likely get more engagement.
YouTube is a powerful tool for dealerships to engage audiences, build trust, and drive sales. Unique content, consistent branding, and features like the Community tab, Analytics, and targeting ads enhance engagement and visibility. By posting regularly and promoting videos effectively, dealerships can attract more leads, foster loyalty, and achieve long-term success.
