Video marketing has become one of the best ways to connect with customers around the globe. The combination of visual stimulation, paired with compelling storytelling and branding creates an emotional reaction in the viewer. Whether you’re sparking joy or nostalgia, video marketing is the way to do it.

Automotive businesses have long been privy to the benefits of a well-crafted video. Every automotive industry, from manufacturers to dealerships to detailers, should use video marketing to reach customers.

Here are five automotive video marketing ideas to boost your sales.

Why Automotive Businesses Should Use Video Marketing

There are various reasons why automotive companies should use video marketing. First and foremost, it creates transparency and authenticity in an industry that gets somewhat stigmatized. The idea of the sleazy car salesman is one that’s endured throughout the ages. Video marketing can showcase the human side of the business and build customer trust.

When it comes to online marketing, videos tend to dominate. They trump photos and text posts in social media, sitting at the top of the algorithm hierarchy. They also help drive traffic on websites through SEO. Videos also tend to be more engaging, boosting analytics across all platforms.

Finally, automobiles are meant to be visually appealing. Using a video showcases that better than a blog post or photo ever will. It doesn’t take a full-scale, professional production to create compelling content. You can use Boosted’s promo video maker to help you create high-quality equipment to get the job done.

Tutorials and How-To Videos

One of the most versatile ideas for automotive video marketing is to post tutorials and how-to videos. When it comes to vehicles, there’s so much more than just the point of transaction to cover.

You can have mechanics outline step-by-step videos surrounding simple maintenance, like topping up windshield wiper fluid and checking the tire pressure. They could also cover common sounds and feelings and what those mean regarding service requirements. All of these videos are great lead-ins for a call-to-action (CTA) inviting customers to use your services.

There are also a lot of processes and steps on the periphery of purchasing and maintaining a car. Create a helpful guide of what customers should expect when they come in to look at vehicles. Cater your content to first-time buyers who are nervous about getting swindled. You can also create content surrounding financial health and planning, such as reading a credit report and improving a credit score before applying for financing.

Planning how-to content and tutorials is as simple as researching what people ask about purchasing and maintaining a vehicle. This research should generate a robust list as a starting point for your video marketing efforts.

Staff Personalization Videos

A common challenge for automotive salespeople is that their interactions are cold— the customer has never met them before but has to trust them to guide the process for a significant purchase. Video marketing is a fantastic opportunity to start warming customers up before they walk through the door.

Create staff personalization videos that introduce your audience to the people with whom customers will interact. Make them fun and personal, highlighting hobbies, interests, and work history. Create content that helps new customers feel acquainted with sales staff before they walk through the door.

When creating staff personalization videos, avoid overtly commercial or formal content. These videos don’t create an authentic connection and can feel false.

Aesthetically Pleasing Videos

One of the top trends of recent years is videos without a clear structure or purpose, just satisfying visuals. If you search for satisfying videos, you’ll find clips of people cutting bath bombs or icing cakes. These videos are paired with relaxing music that engages the audience.

Use this type of video as inspiration for filler content in your video marketing strategy. These are the videos that have a high level of shareability but lack a clear message. Posting these videos is a great way to trigger the algorithm to follow up with an intentional video and improve the organic reach.

Create a video from inside the car during a washing or detailing session. Post a video that follows the natural curves of a vehicle and showcases its artistic design. Create test drive videos that show the beautiful surroundings in the place you call home.

Another benefit of aesthetic videos is that you can repurpose the clips for other things, improving your ROI.

Trending Challenges

Trending video challenges are a fun way to build trust and engagement with your audience. The key to creating these videos is to be quick on the draw and able to adapt your strategy before the trend fades away. Gen Z is the master of video challenges, and this huge generation is quickly reaching their driving years.

Consider a few recent video trends. The Dreams challenge, stemming from a TikTok user who has trying to make the most of a bad day, not only went viral online but also resulted in Fleetwood Mac’s 1976 hit being streamed over 230 million times in two weeks. Car dealerships could participate in this challenge while driving one of their featured vehicles.

Another popular trend is the Hopelessly Devoted To You trend, in which content creators transition to retro-inspired makeup and hair at the crescendo of Olivia Newton John’s 1978 hit. Car dealerships could replicate this by transitioning from a newer model to a classic car.

Capitalizing on this opportunity requires adaptability and creativity while staying up-to-date on current trends.

Promotional Marketing Videos

Finally, automotive businesses should still use video marketing for direct conversion goals and promotions. Showcase what’s happening at a sales event, highlight the benefits of a new model or car parts, and discuss the latest deals to get people through the door.

The key to posting promotional videos is to go live and circumvent the algorithms. Additionally, it’s essential to balance passive marketing videos and active marketing videos to maintain trust with customers.

Final Thoughts

Take some time to brainstorm marketing video content and create a production schedule that suits your resources. Automotive companies have a huge opportunity to get in the hearts and minds of the modern consumer through video marketing.