Online Video Is The 21St Century Car Buyer's New Best Friend
Posted on: 8 January 2016
The expression "out with the old, in with the new" is no more accurate than it comes to the car buying process. While potential buyers used to have limited recourse when it came to finding and buying new cars, they now have more options than ever. One increasingly popular research tool? Online video. Read on to learn more about why online video sites may be an invaluable resource and secret weapon for today's savvy car buyers.
The Rise of Video
An abundance of research points to the profound power of video in today's world of insider consumer access and instant gratification. Need specifics? How about one statistic indicating that just one minute of video is worth a staggering 1.8 million words? Or that more than four billion videos are viewed every day on a single online video viewing platform?
And while plenty of these videos feature sleepy puppies and babies (sometimes both!) and cats being terrified by cucumbers, countless more offer rich and unprecedented value for consumers looking to make the most informed and economical purchases.
Using Video to Your Advantage
Let's say you're in the market for a car, and your search has led you to narrow down the field to new Nissans. Sure, you can go to Nissan's website or the website of a reputable Nissan dealer to learn more about the brand's unique selling points, but there are also other things you can do from the comfort of your own home to learn more.
While a trip to the dealership will almost undoubtedly be in your future, online videos can help you further refine your search before you even step foot onto a lot. In fact, research suggests that a whopping 70 percent of car buyers are impacted by videos they've watched online. How much so? Today's car shoppers visit dealerships an average of two times thanks to digital technology, such as online videos, mobile search and social media.
So what, exactly, can you find out about a prospective car online? For starters, you can experience virtual-walk throughs and test drives. You can also take an "up close and personal" tour of various options and features.
However, many other factors also go into the decision-making process. Whether you're looking for used car buying secrets or tips on buying a new car, you'll find tips and techniques to guide you through the process.
Worried about financing? There's plenty of information on that subject, too.
Making the Most of Online Videos
Online videos wouldn't be nearly as useful if they weren't so exhaustive: On one major site, 60 hours of video content are uploaded every single minute. Which begs the question: how do you find trustworthy, reliable and useful content?
Channels are a terrific place to start. For example, one one video-sharing website, Nissan USA has its own channel stocked with videos and playlists perfect for learning more about the car brand and its offerings. But that's not all: A handy sidebar also lists "Related Channels," including everything from international content to owner input.
For non-brand specific searches, meanwhile, there are buying guide channels, car buying tip channels, and car buying Q&As. Simply enter your search parameters into the search window, and you'll receive a list of relevant resources. One last tip? The more subscribers a channel has, the more credible it is likely to be.
Buying a new car is a significant and often overwhelming process for many consumers. However, the more information you have, the more confidence you can have in your decision. An increasing number of consumers are finding online video to be an indispensable tool in finding and buying the new or used cars of their dreams. Click here for additional reading.
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