Dean Evans & Web Marketing

We have started discussing the growing importance of incorporating video on the dealership website and will continue here with more ideas and considerations.

Online video shares many of the strengths of television advertising, including the use of sight, sound, color and imagery to interact, impact and excite the viewer. These are key differentiators of video and rich media messages. And as a community member commented on my last video blog, video search engine optimization is very powerful and will continue to increase in relevance. Your videos can be brought up on Google searches for videos posted on YouTube or AOL Autos for example.

It’s also very important to keep Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) in mind with videos for your website. Your videos should always match the look and feel of your website, TV ads, printed materials, etc. Videos are a great way to engage your site visitors on a visceral and emotional level to create rapport and preference for your dealership brand.

To get started with video on your dealership website, one of the easiest things to do is use an existing TV ad. It is always best to target your creative for your website visitors, but using an existing ad is a good start. And we know that at least 75% of automotive shoppers use the Internet before making a vehicle purchase, so for the most part they are the same people.

“Meet the Team” videos are a great way to introduce your staff members to site visitors and provide a personalized greeting to your visitors. And don’t confine them to your sales team. Videos can be a great way to increase your parts and service business, for example, by showing visitors how competent, friendly and reliable your service team members are.

If your dealership sponsors golf tournaments or other charitable causes, capture the events on video. Event and community involvement videos show your site visitors that you care about others and the community. Also, tent sales or other special sales events can also be effectively captured on video to create excitement and show your dealership as innovative.

And these are just a few ideas to start. The sky is truly the limit for creative, engaging, even humorous videos for your dealership. So, get going today!

Technorati Tags: dealership videos, online videos

The numerous benefits of including video on dealership websites are clear. More over, consumers are beginning to expect to find and use video on dealership websites. Why is this? Video has a power and depth that other “flat” media do not. It’s simply more engaging than most other media and, executed properly can be very persuasive.

Some Key Advantages of Video on the Dealership Website:

Consumers are beginning to choose video for online car searches.

Video can sell better than mere pictures and text.

Video is the most compelling, fastest way to present vehicle information to consumers.

Videos can be interactive, a chief characteristic of Web 2.0.

You can track ROI!

And this is just the short list. Video on your website offers your site visitors a better experience and that always contributes to the bottom line. Ask your website provider about video on your website today!

Technorati Tags: dealership website video

Somehow the notion that you should only have one website for your dealership has taken hold of the automotive industry. Sure you should have a primary website, www.yourdealershipname.com, but there is just no reason in this day and age that you shouldn’t capitalize on multiple websites. Websites are not difficult create, microsites are readily available and you can even use the site the OEM offers you. (Having multiple websites can be used for “black hat” search practices, and unscrupulous practices of the past may have led to the bad rap.)

Think of your websites as Internet lead generators! With an average of $4-10 per lead and the highest closing rates for any type of lead type, generating more leads from your websites is one of the most cost effective ways to ultimately generate additional sales. So re-evaluate your website strategy and talk to you website provider and OEM to see what additional sites you could add to get more leads!

Launching sites for special offers, for example, is great way emphasize your offer and to measure the success of marketing campaigns. Additional sites also give your site visitors fresh content and additional methods to identify with you dealership.

With that said, however, you do have to be careful about how you link and direct to additional sites and you must follow best practices. Talk to your website provider and make sure they know how to help your dealership benefit from multiple websites.

Integrated Marketing Communication can be streamlined in the current economy and technological climate. If you find yourself tightening the proverbial belt, think about the way to maximize the value of a few small elements of your marketing mix.

As previously discussed and widely understood, the Internet is now the main catalyst in car sales. So how can you maximize your Internet presence, even on a tight budget?

Here are a few easy ways to enhance your Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

*You can increase traffic by driving users to your site with links on your advertising.

*Reciprocal linking (linking out to RELEVANT sites that link back to you) can also really boost your traffic for a number of reasons.

*Figure out your top keywords, then make sure you integrate them into your site wherever appropriate.

*Write articles/content with solid content and links that have to do with your keyword.

One rule of thumb is to ask yourself if the content is really helpful from a user’s perspective. If you find yourself adding links and content just to improve your search engine rankings, there’s a good change it will be obvious.

Share your quick tips to improve SEO with us!