I just had this fight with my Cars rep! I could really use $300 in a better way than to have our horrible photos stitched together with lackluster comments on their one site. Alas we were told it wasn't an option but a change to the package.
However, I do have these "videos" on my DDC site. It is because DP forgot to cancel after free trial that I still have them. I would rather have the option there, on my #1 lead generator, for the shopper to choose to view than having nothing-if we are going to have stitched videos at all. You have the choice to click through the pictures or watch the video on our VDP or to have the video start right from the SRP without going into the VDP.
DDC Video Views- in Dec. 502 started the videos, 413 watched 25%, 374 50%, 328 75%, 258 100%. Of those, 77 "100% viewed" were new cars.
One my DDC site, Aug. 11 before (ghetto) chat & Videos were added to Dec. 11 with both:
Time on site: 9:42-9:16
Visits: 5499-6114
Visitors: 3,687-3920
Page Views: 30,588-32,524
Submissions: 110-113
Sub. Rate: 2.98-2.88
Dealer Sold: 127-133
Internet sold (e-mail/chat only) has added variable of change in process (err...new dedicated guy)
25-20
That means 8.2% of overall visits resulted in a video being started and 4.2% watching it in full--to what result IDK.
I also don't know how "good" or "bad" these numbers are for a single rooftop CDJ store selling 120 cars (2011 avg), I do know the visitors/visits/views are going up (views up 54%, unique visitors up 40% since from my 1st month handling site Apr 10 to Dec 11); time on site is up 20% since Apr. 10, but has held steady since I started in ISM (March 11); submission rates are down (12% 10:11, 9% since Mar 11); overall dealer sales up (25% 10:11; 31.5% Dec. 10:11) -but internet sales weren't tracked before my time.
I'm too new to know what the expectations are year to year, but I think this counts as in improvement. I do understand the internet is more heavily used; sales are up over the board 10:11; I've not been able to add any marketing and little else, only make sure all leads were attended to and specials are changed semi regularly; and that once tracked most everything goes up.
You can use the numbers to validate as you see fit. IMO I don't really see the videos helping...but like Cars & AT, walk-ins can't be discounted--8.2/4.2% are seeing/watching. As people are starting to expect more accuracy from sites, and wanting less ability to be hounded if they don't buy, more people are walking in without submitting leads.
To Uncle Joe's point--I will also note that the pictures we have and the comments we generate are BAD (I'm working on moving the moon to change the tide on this one). I wish I could get real walkarounds and good pictures with actual comments with options listed on my VDPs--then I know our numbers would be moving!
...thanks for reading my rant from under the rock!