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Why Video Titles are so Important

Videos are essential for effective marketing and will continue to rise in importance in the future. They are engaging, and consumers would rather watch a video than click through a bunch of photos. I’ve talked plenty of times about the different types of videos. But for this blog, let’s get off VDPs for the moment. Some of the video content I recommend for dealers are how-to videos, vehicle walkaround videos, and reviews. This is excellent content for a dealership’s website as these videos engage existing customers. But there is another benefit that dealers tend to forget – they also attract prospective buyers and service customers. The trick is that they must be easily discoverable.

According to an article on CEOWorld, matching your video title to a search and optimizing the video description and URL is an excellent way to increase your dealership’s SEO strategy and performance.

Everyone uses a search engine – mostly Google. On a basic level, Google delivers search results by deciding which content is relevant to the search and tends to favor local results first. For example, if a consumer were to search “Chevrolet dealership,” Google won’t serve up results for dealerships across the country, but rather those nearby. The problem is that how-to and video walkaround videos and reviews don’t show up in many consumer searches because dealerships fail to tell Google that their video is relevant.

Think about it. If a consumer is looking for a review of a new model vehicle, what do they typically type into the search bar? Most consumers will type in precisely what they are looking for. If searching for a review of a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, that is pretty much exactly what they type into the search bar. Or, if they want to know what a radiator flush is, that’s what they type in the search.

It makes sense to ensure that the title of your video mimics the questions a consumer is most likely to type into a search engine. You then show relevance to Google and will show up in searches. If you hit the nail on the head and the title of your video is an exact match for the consumer’s search, you are infinitely more likely to show up high in the organic search results. And not just Google but all search engines. Also, because Google favors local search results, chances are high that local consumers will be served up your video over others.

Video is increasingly favored by search engines, social media platforms, and consumers. Therefore, it’s imperative that your dealerships have an effective and comprehensive video marketing strategy in place.

Create content consumers want to see and be smart with your titles. Consumers will then be served up your dealership website as the answer they are looking for. And that’s a great thing for sales and service.

A Mobile First Strategy is the Future of Marketing

Consumers increasingly use mobile devices to view content online. Study after study cites the fact that mobile devices are on a continued rise as the preferred medium for content. They surpassed desktops not too long ago and will undoubtedly continue to rise in dominance.

Mobile devices are always at hand, can be used almost anywhere, and are a convenient way to consume content. Because of this, marketers are on the lookout for the preferred type of content consumers want to view on their mobile devices.

What’s easier to do on a mobile device? Reading an article or watching a video? If you answered watching a video, then you’re in the majority.  Video ad spend is expected to reach over $100 billion by 2023, accounting for 80 percent of all Internet traffic according to a recent article on MarTech.

Facebook was the first to tie “mobile first” to “video first” as a strategy for brands. Why? Well, think about the billions of Facebook users and its unlimited content. Facebook knows where people browse on their site and, more importantly, what type of content they pay the most attention to. And that content is video.

Just look at the evolution of video. Why do you think we’ve progressed from stitched photo videos to real-time video and now 360 degree, augmented and virtual reality video? It’s not because marketers want it. It’s because consumers want it. There is simply no other reason to create a strategy and invest the time and effort into content production.

Look at Netflix. It went from a small mail-order movie rental company into one that dominates consumer’s televisions with streaming content. It is now one of the fastest and most prolific producers of original content in the country. Why would it choose to make that investment? Because that’s what consumers want! Netflix knows that the more eyeballs it can get, the more money it can make.

And that’s precisely how you should be viewing video content.

Video continues to dominate every form of content delivery. It takes less effort to consume and is more immersive. It’s easier to consume on mobile devices and captures more details in a way that text can’t. A consumer can’t really “see” a car by reading a Monroney sticker. They can, however, kick its virtual tires online and cruise through and around it via video.

Video content is here to stay. Not only is it here to stay, but marketers that fail to use it – and fail to have a robust mobile and video strategy – will quickly find themselves left behind eating their competitors’ dust. And, more importantly, left behind by their potential customers.

Decide now to increase your video content production efforts and include mobile in your strategy. You will quickly find that not only do your customers like it… but so does your bank account.

Can Anybody Find Me Somebody To Love?

By Tim James

That classic line from the song “Somebody to Love” by legendary band, Queen epitomizes the destination for consumers and the goal of all salespeople. There’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ve heard the phrase “People buy from people they like.” In the past, a consumer had to come into a dealership to start the car shopping process. This is where the important skill of “building rapport” came into play for salespeople. Great salespeople learned quickly how to find common interests and develop relationships with their clients, while assisting them to find the right vehicle.

Fast forward to today. Consumers now have the option of car shopping anonymously. Dealership Internet and BDC departments are inundated with leads arriving from countless sources. Consumers chose to share some or all of their information after narrowing down their online research. They’ve engaged with you to some degree and have given you the opportunity to earn their business. You must remember, however, that to the consumer, you are only a car dealership. Chances are also good that you are not the only car dealership who they (or a third party) has given this opportunity to. All dealerships have auto-responders and the standard “Why Buy From Us” email templates are sent to leads pretty quickly. Because the consumer is inundated with these templates, they are meaningless.

The fact is that people buy from people they like. So, how do you make that emotional connection with a lead? It’s certainly not through e-mail templates.

Consumers like to be treated as if they are special. They can smell an e-mail template before it even hits their in-box. While it’s fine to tell your dealership’s story, don’t forget the importance of building rapport — it will go a long way towards winning the sale.

Highly successful dealers have started sending out individualized “Why Buy From Me” type videos in their e-mails. These videos are personalized to each and every customer. These are not just a homogenized blanket “one size fits all” type of message. The reason this works is because of a very simple concept known to salespeople. By saying someone’s name, you recognize them as a person… and individual. No longer is your video message “My name is Tim. And I would like to earn your business… Mr. Blank.”

Instead the message is directed to the individual as … “My name is Tim and I want to earn YOUR business, Mr. Smith.” — That’s a very different message.

What do you do if you see someone you know walking nearby, but out of reach? You yell out their name! Why? Because it gets their attention! And that’s exactly what personalized video responses accomplish.

The bottom line is that the possible touch points on the consumer’s online car shopping path are increasing at an incredibly rapid pace, almost daily. It is becoming more and more difficult to stand out and claim a customer’s attention. This very simple technique can make your interactions more personal and help to gain the customer’s attention. I am sure you will find that more people appreciate, respond and give you the opportunity to earn their business.

After all, we all simply want to find somebody to love. Make sure that somebody is you.