WHY CHOOSE THE LARGEST AUTOMOTIVE STOCK LIBRARY AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL USE?

When it comes to cars, pictures tell important stories. Trucks tell tales of hard work, crossovers can speak to the joys of raising a family, and there is a reason James Bond is always seen driving an exotic luxury sports car. But aside from the grand narratives, they also tell simpler  stories—how much luggage will fit, how controls are laid out, how the seats may feel. And all of these stories can play a role when it comes to how customers relate to vehicles. That’s why having access to the largest automotive stock library matters for car dealerships, rental agencies, publications, and other automotive businesses; it allows you to tell the story you want.

HOW STOCK IMAGES BENEFIT DEALERSHIPS IN TODAY’S MARKET

Today, over 86 percent of car buyers start their shopping process by researching cars online. This presents two important challenges for dealerships. The first is standing out from the crowd in an environment that gives customers a seemingly endless range of choices. The second is creating a digital experience that showcases cars in their best light. Complicating matters further is that most car buyers start with third-party sites, which means that first impressions are typically created on sites over which dealers themselves have little control over.

High-quality stock images can play a critical role in addressing all of these concerns. By presenting extensive sets of detailed, high-resolution, professionally shot images of each vehicle, dealers can present vehicles in the best way possible and give car shoppers the insight they need. Not only does this help approximate that showroom experience, it also helps dealers stand out and become a trusted resource, whether the images are part of a third-party listing site or the dealer’s own website. 

Significantly, stock libraries aren’t limited to still photos. Rather, they can contain a vast variety of assets that serve as invaluable resources for dealerships, including video, virtual reality, and augmented reality assets. These allow dealerships to not only enhance online listings, but create compelling websites, powerful advertising campaigns, and captivating showroom presentations. With the advent of purpose-built virtual reality technologies, it is even possible to create virtual showrooms car shoppers can access from anywhere in the world. Together, these assets give dealers the ability to effectively cover all marketing channels and take full advantage of the opportunities presented by digital media and the online marketplace. 

THE VALUE OF STOCK LIBRARIES ACROSS THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Of course, the value premium stock photos, videos, and VR/AR assets stretches beyond dealerships. In particular, they can play an essential role in digital automotive publications, which act as a vital source of information for car shoppers and enthusiasts. While automotive news, editorial, and review sites can provide useful written accounts of vehicles, being able to pair them with relevant stock assets can take the experience to the next level and engage readers more deeply. After all, most car shoppers and enthusiasts want to see a vehicle, not just read a description—regardless of how well-written, entertaining, or exhaustive that description is. With access to a high-quality automotive stock library with first-to-market assets, these news, editorial, and review sites can show vehicles in relevant configurations, different variations, and in their true colors as needed. 

The same holds true for other automotive businesses. Car rental and car-sharing services can use stock images to show renters exactly what their choices are, helping them create more positive rental experiences. For rideshare apps, these images can ensure customers know what to expect and ensure they can easily pick out their ride, improving both efficiency and safety. Meanwhile, car accessory and component companies can integrate a variety of stock image assets throughout their online marketing and sales channels to highlight product compatibility and help customers choose appropriate products. Indeed, there are few companies in the automotive industry that cannot benefit from high-quality stock images, particularly as commerce moves further and further into online spaces and customers come to expect better and more sophisticated digital experiences.

THE LARGEST AUTOMOTIVE STOCK LIBRARY AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL USE

Despite the clear and increasing importance of automotive stock assets, most libraries offer only a small selection with few options in terms of makes, models, colors, and angles. Most are also limited to still photos. This limited range will do little to help automotive businesses develop their web presence and harness the potential of the digital market. In fact, using images that don’t correspond exactly to the product or service being offered can hurt more than it helps. Instead, businesses should look toward a stock library that specializes in automotive imagery and features a comprehensive selection of assets for commercial use, giving them the ability to showcase the right vehicle for every application. 

Today, the largest automotive stock library comes from EVOX Images. This database was developed specifically to meet the needs of the automotive industry and is continuously updated in response to emerging technologies and changing industry standards. Today, it features over 13,000 vehicles starting with model year 2000 and includes:

• Full still sets
• Three-angle colorized sets showing every manufacturer color
• Interactive 360° exterior spins that allow users to view a car’s lines from every angle
• 360° interior panoramas that put users in the driver’s seat
• Splash images that show an automobile in a variety of locations
• Virtual reality library featuring stereoscopic coverage of over 2,700 vehicles

With access to these assets, car dealers, rental companies, car-sharing services, automotive publications, and others in the auto industry can ensure they have the assets they need, when they need them. 

Pictures are powerful and they will only become more so in the future. By partnering with the right stock library, automotive businesses can ensure they have the resources they need to make an impact across marketing channels—now and in the future.