Using Video on Your Dealer Website to Sell Cars

Over the last 12 months that Motors.co.uk have really started to push their website and in this months CarDealer Magazine they have started to sell the services of their sister company Auto Exposure by offering video on Motors.co.uk.

Now, even though Auto Exposure offers the ability for dealers to upload there own video or even supply the video shoot as part of the service.The main problem is that video is a costly operation and if not done properly, can look amateurish. Some sites, including Motors.co.uk fob you off with imitation video, this “video” isn’t video at all but just a pan and zoom slide show of images. I’m not sure if dealers are paying for this type of video, but if so, then it’s money down the drain as the effect can be achieved without any ongoing work. In future posts, I’ll demonstrate how easy it is to do in JavaScript and Microsoft Silverlight. No I’m not saying these slide shows aren’t worth putting on your site because done well with an intro and good voice over they do offer a good way of promoting the car. A good example is this one taken from a site in the USA: www.pohankachevrolet.com

Video will be common place on dealer websites and on third party sites like AutoTrader and eBay just as photographs have become the norm, but during this tough time in the automotive industry I can foresee a slower uptake than most predicted.