You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s the old cliche, right? Unfortunately, with short attention spans today, it has never been truer. There’s no better way to make that impression on your website than with a great set of photos. You can keep consumers clicking by showing off all your vehicle has to offer. With that in mind, here are some tips, tricks and best practices to help you make the best first impression.
Standardize Your Photo Sets
If you didn’t already know, presentation is key when creating an effective marketing presence. Standardizing the content and order of your photo sets will make you look more professional, and will help your customers quickly find and view what matters most to them. Look at the Vehicle Listing Page (VLP) and Vehicle Details Page (VDP) examples below for ideas for how you can beef up your vehicle presentation.
Find a Consistent (and Attractive) Place to Take Pictures
No one wants to see their future car anywhere near the dumpster in the back of your dealership. Find a clear space in or near your lot with a picturesque background where you can stage vehicles before snapping your photos. It may be a little extra effort, but it will be worth it when the more attractive photos receive extra attention. Take a look at the photos below. Which would you rather click on?
Show Off a Little
What makes this car cool? Get a good photo of it! Whether it’s the decked-out wheels and exhaust on a sports car or the comfy third-row seating of an SUV, show off the features that make that vehicle special.
Part of a Group? Remove Your Dealer Name from Overlays.
Now, this one may seem a little counter-intuitive, but hear me out. It’s common for dealer groups to move Used inventory from store to store in order to find the right audience. To reduce the number of times you have to take photos of the same car, make sure the background is a neutral setting (no dealer signs!) and create a generic Auto Group overlay to apply to your inventory. When a vehicle switches stores, the overlay will go with it and fit in just as well with every other vehicle!