Car dealership service departments still get a bad rap. Trust has always been a major issue for vehicle owners, who often cite fear of being overcharged and being sold unnecessary repairs as reasons why they don’t get repair work done at dealerships.
Incorporating videos into your service marketing campaigns is more than a strategy; it’s a transformative tool for building and reinforcing customer trust. Video, as a medium, has a unique ability to establish a personal connection and provide transparency to both current and potential new customers.
Here are some steps to building an effective video marketing strategy.
Create Service Content
When service marketing campaigns are designed for a specific purpose, you can make a video for that purpose. However, when customers click through to the video landing page, you want to have additional service content on there to keep customers engaged and build trust.
Examples of service content videos that accomplish this goal include service department value proposition, customer testimonials, service-related FAQs, and employee introduction videos.
Once you have service-focused video content, use a multi-channel marketing strategy to get the most exposure. Here are a few recommendations.
Post on Your Website
The average car dealership website has only a few service-related content pages. The more information you provide to your customers about your service offerings, the more likely they will consider you as a service provider. Videos are a great way to fill your website with service content so customers can find the information they are looking for.
Send in Email Campaigns
Design targeted video email campaigns for different groups of customers. Examples include service customers who have not been in for 12 months or longer, customers who have warranties about to expire, recall customers, sales customers who have purchased a vehicle but have never been in for routine maintenance, and customers with overdue maintenance.
Send videos to each of these groups that contain a special offer and call to action. Remember the main reason that people don’t visit your service department is fear. Sending videos that feature a sincere, authentic message from your Fixed Ops Director or advisors help to earn customer trust and win their business.
SEO/SEM
Most auto dealerships have a hard time competing with independent repair shops for search terms like “brake service,” “oil change” and “transmission flush.” This is because Google recognizes independent repair shops as authoritative voices, because all of the content on their websites is service-related.
Adding pages with service content helps, but videos also help to boost search engine rankings because Google ranks video content higher than other types of content. Additionally, videos are “sticky,” keeping visitors on your website longer, which Google also rewards.
Social Media
Another place to leverage service-focused video content is on social media profiles. Videos on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have a greater organic reach than posts with text and photos.
Videos can also be used in social advertising. For example, try Facebook’s targeted ad capabilities to identify customers in your DMS who are due for maintenance, then serve those customers a “maintenance reminder” video ad that they will see in their news feed.
Video Ad Campaigns
Video ad campaigns allow you to target current customers and prospects with specific offers. Google has a number of options that allow you to show video ads within other streaming video content on YouTube and across the Google Display Network.
Running pre-roll ads on YouTube allows you to reach customers who are searching for service-related content. Another advantage of pre-roll ads is that you only pay if your audience watches the ad for more than five seconds. Try using in-display video banner ads that deliver relevant offers to grab attention and encourage clicks within that five second timeframe.
Using videos to market your service department isn’t just about showcasing technical expertise; it’s a strategic move to foster trust. Whether on your website, in emails, on social media or through targeted ad campaigns, videos help to humanize your service department and help dispel apprehensions.
