Most consumers begin the car buying journey online rather than inside a dealership. As a result, car dealerships must adjust their marketing strategies to ensure they are connecting with consumers before they ever step foot inside their showroom.
Because consumers start the car buying process online, it’s important for dealers to provide them with the resources they need to learn about different vehicles and compare their options. One way to do this is by using 360 degree car photography. What is 360 degree car photography? Why should you incorporate these images into your marketing strategy? Here’s everything you need to know:
What is 360 Degree Car Photography?
There are two different categories of 360 degree car photography. The first is 360 exterior spins, which are images that show the complete exterior of a vehicle.
At first glance, a 360 exterior spin image may look like a standard still image. However, clicking your mouse or swiping your finger across your screen will rotate the image so you can view the exterior of the vehicle from every angle. You can stop rotating the image at any point if you want to take a closer look at the vehicle from a specific angle.
The second category is 360 interior panoramic images. Whereas 360 exterior spin images showcase the outside of a vehicle, 360 interior panoramic images display the inside. Just like exterior spin images, a 360 interior panoramic image may look like a traditional still image at first glance. However, clicking your mouse or swiping your finger will rotate the image to give you a 360-degree view of the inside of the car from the driver’s seat.
You can stop rotating the image at any time if you want to take a closer look at something inside the interior. You can even use your fingers or mouse to zoom in for a better look at a specific interior feature. These images are so high quality that it will feel as if you are actually sitting behind the wheel looking around the inside of the vehicle.
Using both types of 360 degree car photography allows your target audience to see every inch of a vehicle’s interior and exterior.
What Are the Benefits of Using 360 Degree Car Photography?
There are a number of reasons why you should be using 360 degree car photography to market your dealership. Some of these reasons include:
- Adds Visual Appeal
- Creates An Interactive Experience
- Sets Your Dealership Apart From the Competition
- Helps Online Shoppers
- Captures Every Detail
Adds Visual Appeal
Auto consumers who shop online are exposed to countless different images of vehicles. If you want to grab their attention, it’s important to use images that are striking enough to stop them as they scroll through their newsfeeds. Still images are not captivating enough on their own, which is why you also need to use 360 degree car photography.
These high quality, professional images are visually appealing enough to stop your target audience in their tracks. Your target audience will be drawn in by the opportunity to see more of a vehicle that has caught their eye.
Creates An Interactive Experience
There’s no way to interact with or adjust a still image, so all you can do is look at it. However, that’s not the case with 360 degree car images. These unique images are interactive, so they create an entirely new and memorable experience for your target audience.
Anyone who views a 360 degree interior or exterior photo can customize their experience by clicking their mouse or swiping their finger across the screen. Doing this will rotate the image to give the consumer a view of the vehicle from a different angle. If something catches their eye, they can use their fingers or mouse to zoom in for a closer look.
They are in complete control of what they are looking at, how long they are looking at it, and what details they want to focus on. This can drastically improve their overall online car shopping experience.
Sets Your Dealership Apart From the Competition
There could be dozens of other auto dealerships in your area attempting to connect with your target audience. Because competition is so intense in the automotive industry, it’s important to use images that set your dealership apart from your competitors. Still images are a dime a dozen, but 360 car degree photography will help your dealership stand out.
Helps Online Shoppers
Today’s auto consumers complete many, if not all, of the steps in the car buying process online rather than inside a dealership. This means most auto consumers conduct extensive research, compare their options, and make purchase decisions before ever visiting a dealership in person.
360 degree car photography can make the process of buying a car much easier for these consumers. These images can provide them with all of the information they need to learn about different vehicles, narrow down their options, and decide which one is right for them.
These images are incredibly high quality and provide a great amount of detail, so looking at them can eliminate the need to visit a showroom in person.
Captures Every Detail
It’s impossible to capture every detail of a vehicle’s interior and exterior with still images alone. Using 360 degree car photography allows your target audience to see every inch of a vehicle’s interior and exterior. The 360 degree exterior spin images provide your target audience with a complete picture of a vehicle’s lines, angles, curves, and proportions.
The interior panoramic images, on the other hand, help your target audience get a better understanding of the vehicle’s interior layout. They can explore the interior features and see what it would feel like to sit behind the wheel of a specific vehicle without ever leaving home.
Where to Use 360 Degree Car Photography
At this point, you should clearly understand why you need to use 360 car degree photography to market your dealership. The next step is figuring out where you can use these images to successfully connect with your target audience online. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to incorporate 360 degree car photography into your dealership’s marketing strategy. Here are some ideas:
- Blog posts: Every blog post should contain multiple images. If you’re writing about a specific model, you can incorporate 360 degree images of the vehicle into your post. For example, if you are describing a feature found on a specific model, add a 360 interior panoramic image so the reader can see the feature for themselves.
- Social media: 360 car degree photography is captivating, so it’s perfect for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Post these images to introduce new vehicles, promote specific makes or models, or highlight popular features.
- Website: Many auto consumers visit dealerships’ websites when shopping for a car online. Make sure you include 360 degree car photography on your website so these consumers can explore the interior and exterior of different vehicles sold at your dealership.
- YouTube videos: Adding a voiceover will instantly turn a 360 degree image into an informative video that can be posted on YouTube. This is a great way to offer virtual tours of vehicles to online shoppers.
Now you know why and how to incorporate 360 degree car photography into your car dealership’s marketing strategy. By using these images, you can connect with your target audience online, attract more customers to your dealership, and grow your business!