There are more than 8 billion video views per day on Facebook alone and by 2019, video will account for 80 percent of consumer-based web traffic. It's no wonder "video marketing tips" is a popular search phrase in the online world.

With numbers like these, you'd be crazy to ignore marketing your business through video. This's especially true in a field like car sales. 

In the following article, we'll be showing car dealers how to better use video in their marketing efforts.

Let's crank up the engines! 

1. Know When to Rough It

Creating quality videos can present a big challenge. That's because most people are not professional videographers. 

They're intimidated by how to use the technology. They don't know the difference between wide and tight shots.

If their name isn't Martin Scorsese, they wonder what the point is. And the idea it can take a couple of days to end up with two minutes of professional-looking video is discouraging, to say the least.

But social media has torn down some of these barriers. Today, it can give you a marketing advantage on the different platforms if you incorporate the use of video.

The challenge is knowing when (and when not) to "rough it." See, every video doesn't have to be of a professional caliber.

In fact, short and off-the-cuff videos in the raw can do much to build intimacy between your dealership and prospects. Save the professional production quality and the two-day headaches for your most important messaging. For the rest, a smartphone will do.

2. Go Live with Automotive Video Marketing

Platforms like Facebook Live make it easier to answer your prospects' and customers' most pressing questions in real time. To make it work best for your marketing efforts, try the following: 

          >  Announce and amp up your "Live" video ahead of time

          >  Make sure you're working with the strongest possible internet connection, so choose a                      reliable provider

•           >  When responding to a question, speak to your viewers by name to encourage a better                       sense of community

          >  Put some thought into the description, so there's no mystery as to the purpose of the                         video

Other than that, encourage your viewers to subscribe. And ask them to tell their friends.

3. Use It Frequently

You may be uncomfortable when you first start using video. It'll probably show, too. But as you do it more often, your comfort level will grow.

Short attention spans can work to your advantage here. Your viewers won't remember the early "bad" videos. They'll just see that you keep using video.

Sooner or later, the messaging will take hold over the delivery. Before long, you'll be a pro! 

4. Go Deeper with Your Product

Car sales marketing ideas are all over the web. But most pale in comparison to a short video that demonstrates your inventory's key product features or performance. 

In other words, show customers what the cars can do. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million.

Video Marketing Tips the Balance in Your Favor

Incorporating the above video marketing tips into your outreach will help you stand out from the many car dealerships still resistant to video production. Embrace the format in its messy and polished forms, and you'll see the results.

This especially is important as the holidays near. Your competitors will be making a strong play for your customers. So use video often; and while you're at it, check out these holiday-specific marketing tips.

The automotive industry spends around $35 billion on marketing every year. Two-thirds of that goes to variable marketing, while the remaining one-third gets spent on fixed marketing.

But are dealers and automakers getting the most out of their money? This guide explains three ways to maximize automotive marketing in today's tech-driven world.

Automotive Marketing Strategies Have Changed

Automakers redesign their models every few years, adding innovative and state-of-the-art technology. Manufacturers know they have to give consumers what they want, which means making their vehicle an extension of their home or office.

Models today have Bluetooth capabilities, satellite radio, GPS systems, and cameras. Yet, some established dealerships refuse to change their marketing strategy with the times.

Many dealers in the south prefer radio and TV to digital. They see positive results from this fixed marketing strategy. But the younger generation is skipping the showroom and doing all their shopping online.

Automotive digital marketing campaigns need to speak to the audience. That means using it to target the intended buyers in a way that connects

1. Data-Driven Marketing

The first step any dealership should take is to hire a digital team. This could be in-house or an automotive marketing agency to handle digital platforms.

This allows a trained marketing professional to use tools designed for data collecting and analysis. These tools identify the top keywords and search trends. Dealers then know how to get buyers from their smartphone into the showroom.

An automotive marketing company will have the knowledge needed to generate leads based on their findings. They use the data to build effective digital marketing strategies that increase sales and profits.

This allows a dealer to focus on what they do best - closing the deal.

2. Social Media

Social media gives dealers a huge advantage in targeting car buyers. Buyers rank social networks higher than dealership websites in their selection process.

75% of car buyers revealed internet research was the most helpful medium when searching for a dealership. This includes social media, which allows a customer to get instant reviews and view dealership incentives.

It's also a way to manage a dealership's reputation and give feedback to unhappy customers. Dealers can use replies and comments to address a customer's issue. Others will see it, which could lessen any potential damage from a one-star review.

3. Direct Marketing

Direct mail marketing is still one of the most effective ways to get customers onto a lot. In today's market, there's a new twist: using email to generate customers.

This approach is more personalized than social media. A dealer can also expand on its digital ads since there's no character limit. It's an affordable way to explain financing options to subprime buyers who don't know they have options.

Generate the Highest Quality Auto Leads Possible

Effective marketing drives the automotive industry. While some automotive marketing strategies work across the board, some should be tailor-made for each dealer.

At Cyberlead, dealers across the U.S. use our process and it could be the answer your dealership is looking for.

Check out how our process works, then contact us for more details.

After the economic recession, the profile of the American car buyer has changed dramatically. The days of endless credit limits and prime financing options for everyone came to a halt. As customers adjusted to the changing financial industry – the automotive industry also had to switch gears to keep pace.

While lenders eventually began to loosen their reins and started to offer financing programs again to “less than perfect” customers – many consumers found themselves sorted into an unfamiliar category – subprime.  And while some dealers and lenders saw this new customer classification as unfortunate, many others saw it as an opportunity.

Dan Cheng, the Finance Manager at Kearney Automotive suggests, "Auto lenders who understand that lending has more nuance to it than a FICO score and are able to accurately size up credit risk in a lower FICO-score environment, will better avail themselves of the opportunity to help buyers finance new car purchases."

Experts are quick to note that most subprime customers of today are typically not the same individuals that were labeled as subprime in past years. Cheng added, "In the past few years, we have seen a lot of people that once had great credit go through some tough times and are now just getting back on their feet.  Most of today's subprime customers are fully aware of their FICO scores and what that means in regard to buying a vehicle. As such, they're more inclined to bring along necessary documents, such as proof of residence or pay statements, to prove their financial status.”  These customers are easy to deal with, especially when they find the rates and terms that they are able to qualify for; and for the most part, they will gladly provide the documents that are requested of them.

In an interview with Automotive News, Howard Astor, a finance executive in the automotive industry explains “People are feeling comfortable about making a purchase now. The recession created leverage issues, where the banking systems froze up. Even if someone wanted to buy a car in those years, their lending options were limited. It was a much tougher environment to buy automobiles, but if you look at the environment today, things have loosened up and it looks pretty rosy.”

Because of the financial struggles they've endured, these new subprime customers are often very smart consumers. They understand the loan process, its requirements and their own responsibilities.

If your dealership offers subprime lending options to consumers, partnering with a company like CyberLead can help to increase sales. CyberLead is an established, experienced and credible business that generates potential customers for hundreds of auto dealerships throughout the country.  They utilize a strong network of search engine-optimized domains that provide valuable subprime leads. As an added benefit, dealerships may use these vanity domains as part of their advertising campaigns. If your dealership markets to subprime customers, call CyberLead, Inc. for the most credible leads at 866-347-0607.