Video & the web: Why and how in 2010
September 6th, 2010 by Richard Aucock
VIDEO is where it’s at in 2010 and if your car dealer has not joined the scene, you’re missing out.
How big is it? The scale of internet video is demonstrated by top website YouTube.
Amazingly, in 2008. this single website was bigger than the entire internet was just 8 years before!
For car dealers, it’s now top-priority technology. Why? Simply because, says UK Web Sites’ Rob Queen, ‘If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand pictures!’ Get the picture?
‘Dealers need to wake up to this video revolution and get on board before they get left behind.’
Premium lead
Posh car dealers are leading the way here. The industry there seems to understand the benefits a lot, particularly the ability to show all the key elements of the vehicle.
What’s more, there’s the perceived value; you’d probably not spend a lot of time trying to flog an old Corsa, reckons Queen, but you would take more care when selling luxury motors.
Now, though, dealers can perhaps afford to be less picky. ‘We are currently in a market whereby anything dealers can do to try and boost sales needs to be utilised and rolled out where possible.
‘Dealers should thus be using video to elevate sales and drive lead conversion for all stock that is 1-3 years old. Using video to sell your stock will really elevate your dealership to be head and shoulders above everyone else.
‘The use of a video brings the vehicle to life and makes websites feel personal again.
‘It allows for a unique one-on-one communication with potential buyers. This unique feature transforms selling from a normally static routine to a dynamic experience.
‘Online video not only adds the personal appeal of the dealer’s demonstration of their vehicle, but it also provides an entertaining experience that is sure to be remembered.’
How to do video
So how can you easily embrace video? The theory is great, but doing it is another matter – and a whole extra level of technical demands, right? Not necessarily, says Queen; dealers can look to firms such as UK Web Sites for assistance here.
‘Dealers can easily attach a video of each vehicle using our Stock Management System, for example. Dealers can either take and edit the video themselves, or we can arrange for professional video to be created by our specialist team.’
Some dealers may already be keen for something more, though. For them, there’s the increasing use of all-new car dealer video tools, such as UK Web Sites’ Autopresenter tool.
This takes the form of a trained real-life presenter fronting an introductory video to your site – talking about your dealership! ‘It is an online media tool that allows dealers to place web presenter video on their website,’ says Queen.
‘It allows users around 250 words to verbally describe their business, its unique selling points and value added services. This can improve sales by introducing customers to the dealer’s services with a human face.’
The firm says it has proof that potential customers are more likely to make an enquiry about products or services if introduced to them by a professional Autopresenter.
‘Every Autopresenter is unique to each car dealer, allowing them to describe their key features and benefits which can be augmented using backgrounds, static images or animations.’
The presenter can even ‘point’ to parts of the actual website they’re talking about! ‘Dealers can select their own presenter from a wide choice or pre approved professional presenters.’
See it as your online meet and greet person, says Queen. It gives potential customers a professional insight into what the dealer has to offer, and is something that can genuinely set you apart from rivals.
There’s plenty more besides, of course: As YouTube proves, there’s no end to what you can do with video.
What are you doing?
Tags: autopresenter, CDTV, uk web sites, Video