8 Video Marketing Stats (and What They Mean for Dealerships)

Video advertising is growing for a reason—it’s a lot easier (not to mention more entertaining) to turn on a quick video than it is to read an article at times. As consumers push for more readily available and dynamic content, incorporating video into your marketing will only become more essential. Here’s some stats to keep in mind as you determine how video will work for your dealership:

The Common Influencer

1.  Over 75% of auto shoppers say that online video has influenced their shopping habits or purchases.

There’s a lot of car-related video content out there—why wouldn’t your customers want to use that to their advantage? You have the opportunity to provide all the dealership-specific content that your customers might be looking for, such as how to schedule a service appointment or complete a portion of the car buying process online with you. Do you have a particularly charismatic employee? Consider putting them in front of the camera to give your viewers insight into these simple, fun processes within your dealership.

The Serious Researcher

Two stats are better than one, right?

2. Over 60% of auto shoppers who used video during the research process reported visiting a dealership or dealer website after watching a video of a vehicle they were considering.
3. Over 40% of auto shoppers who used online video for research said that it helped them discover a vehicle they weren’t previously considering or even aware of.

Car buying is no small decision, and you can’t blame shoppers if they want to research all of their options before making such a large purchase. That said, video advertising can help your dealership stand out as a solid contender for future business. Inventory specific ads, combined with things like test drive videos and feature reviews, can help your customers feel confident in their purchase decisions.

The Explorer

4. 59% of Gen Zers agree that they use short-form video apps to discover things that they will then watch longer versions of.

Short form videos are far more than just TikToks—there’s YouTube shorts, Facebook reels, and Instagram stories just to name a few. Short form video comes in all sorts of packaging, and dealers shouldn’t discount the weight that a minute-or-less video can hold (especially when paired with some longer, more in-depth videos for those looking to hear more).

Bonus Tip: YouTube offers a variety of ad types, one of which is a bumper ad. These 6-second ads play at the beginning of videos, and viewers are unable to skip them (which makes them great for brand awareness or short messages).

The Service-Minded Individual

5. 65% of people report that they turn to YouTube for help fixing something in their home or car.

The service industry is vast and deeply competitive, and advertising your fixed operations can help establish your dealership as the helpful service destination to current and new customers alike.

When it comes to service-related videos, consider content like ‘how to determine what is wrong with my car’ or ‘the most common winter car problems’. These kinds of videos offer the content that your customers are looking for while simultaneously establishing your dealership as a resource for those more extensive ROs (not to mention the possibility of retargeting these video viewers with future dealership content).

The Virtual Experiencer

Since we’re talking about video, it only felt right to refer to this one as a double feature:

6. Watch time of “test drive” videos on YouTube has grown more than 65% in the past two years.
7. 64% of shoppers who watch online videos to inform their purchase say new formats like 360-degree video would convince them to buy a car without a test drive.

Face-to-face interaction with customers is no longer a guarantee. Customers want to buy more and more online, including their next vehicle, and if your dealership isn’t providing inventory-related video content to appease the need to remotely see the actual car before a purchase, then someone else is. Consider how much business you’re missing out on because your online customers require more content to feel confident making a purchase.

The Audiophile

8. 95% of ads on YouTube are played with the sound on.

Turn off the sound on a video ad and press play. What message did it convey?

Now turn the sound back on and close your eyes. Listen to the video without visuals—is it the same message?

A good message can be seen (or heard) with minimal effort from your audience. There’s no shame in using a catchy slogan or jingle, but try not to rely on it. Try using sounds that enhance your visual content—such as a revving engine or a warning light blinking on—but that aren’t necessary to understand the message. And when your message is spoken aloud, be sure to also create captions so that portion of the video isn’t lost to those on mute, or who rely on captions for consumption.

The Bonus Trick!

Video advertising can be HARD, and not everyone has the time or skillset necessary to create and distribute the video content they desire. Don’t let that stop you though—getting the help of professionals lets you work to your strengths while effectively capturing the right business for dealership.