Luckily, this handy guide is your one stop shop for all vehicle photography tips and tricks. Let’s start with why it’s so important.
Why is Stock Photography So Important?
1. Visuals sell
It may sound obvious, but allowing the potential buyer the chance to get a holistic idea of the vehicle features and condition will increase the odds of getting a sale. Not only this, but photos can improve recollections about a product by 65%. So, if you don’t get a great lead immediately after posting your ad, the odds of a consumer recalling that vehicle and perhaps acting later are much greater.
2. Create a virtual showroom
Elevate your reputation and your website by showcasing all the stock you have in the best possible way. High-quality photography effectively transforms the dealership’s website into a virtual showroom, allowing customers to explore all of the available inventory from the comfort of their homes. This accessibility expands the dealership’s reach and potential customer base, leading to increased sales opportunities.
We know that it’s tempting to throw ads together quickly, and come back for images later, but be wary of leaving it too long!
3. Highlight unique selling points
You know that every vehicle has some unique selling points that would appeal to a different target audience. So, if you consider the target audience for that vehicle, make sure that as well as the usual features and angles you would cover, you also include things that might appeal to that audience. For example, if you think the vehicle is more likely to appeal to older people, cover features that make it easier to get in and out of. If you think it’s more for large families, showcase how roomy it is, and so on.
4. Capture your customers trust
Would you spend several thousand pounds on something you had never seen before? With the exception of a holiday, the answer is probably no. Detailed images provide transparency and authenticity, giving buyers confidence in the dealership and the vehicles they are considering.
5 Tips for Better Stock Photography
1. Invest in some good equipment
It may sound like an unnecessary expense, but as good as smartphone cameras are, they just can’t cut it when it comes to product photography. There are multiple professional-grade cameras out there that come at all kinds of price points, so take an evening to research one that meets your needs. Need high resolution images? Find one that can handle it. Need to take lots of images in one go? Get a good memory card. Thinking about adding video tours of the vehicle? Make sure it can do HD video as well.
2. Stage the Vehicle for Success
Presentation is key. Of course, we know that you would make sure that each vehicle is clean and polished, but there are some smaller details that are easy to overlook. Remove clutter from the background, and pay attention to the little things like the angle you take images from and any reflections in the windows and mirrors. We know that removing clutter from backgrounds can be tricky on a crowded forecourt or showroom, so why not try out our background removal tool? To see if you like it, try out 5 images for free now!
3. Cover every angle
Provide potential buyers with a comprehensive view of the vehicle both inside and out. Given how long consumers are spending researching their next vehicle online, it could be as long as five weeks before they come into a dealership to view it for themselves. That’s why giving them as much visual information about the vehicle is crucial to helping them make a decision, and in turn, getting them through the door for a test drive.
Capture exterior shots from different angles to showcase the design and condition, and interior shots that highlight the comfort and amenities of the vehicle. Keep in mind your target audience for the vehicle as well, highlighting anything that may be particularly important for them – whether it is large boot space for a family vehicle, or towing capabilities for trade and leisure vehicles.
4. Think about venturing into video
Video offers a dynamic way to engage with customers and provide a more immersive experience. Consider creating walk-around videos that give viewers a virtual tour of the vehicle, highlighting key features. If you don’t have time for video creation at the moment, but would like to include some in your vehicle listings, speak to us about our automated video creation service. All you have to do is provide images and vehicle specs in your ads as usual, and we do the rest!
And that’s it! The ultimate guide to vehicle stock photography to help you create vehicle ads that sell! If you would like to learn more about how you can optimise your vehicle details pages more effectively, get in touch with us today