The Power of Speed: High-Quality Images and Videos on Your Dealership Website

Since 91% of car buyers start their research online, high-quality images and videos are no longer optional, they’re essential. But it’s not just about putting up any ole' image or video; it’s about delivering the kind of content that grabs attention, increases engagement, and drives conversions - without compromising on page load times.

Let’s break down why high-quality images and videos, paired with faster, responsive websites are keys to boosting leads and sales.

1. High-Quality Visuals: They Matter More Than Ever

Never underestimate the power media content has to help sell more vehicles. It’s no secret that visuals can make or break a first impression and nowadays they aren't just nice to have—they’re legit deal-makers. Studies show that shoppers are 133% more likely to click through to new car vehicle detail pages (VDPs) when listings have multiple images.

But it’s not enough to slap a few photos online or only show them on SRPs and VDPs. Ensuring your model pages have as many (or more) photos and videos as Tier 1 sites significantly increases the amount of time spent on Tier 3 sites and the opporunities to lead buyers further down the funnel.

Why? Because showcasing a multitude of high definition images for each model and their features along with informative explanations helps creates trust with shoppers while they research. Plus it keeps them from having to bounce around to various sites.

2. Don’t Just Stop at Images—Leverage High-Quality Video

While photos are great, video content is king going into 2025. Consumers are watching more video than ever, and car shoppers are no exception. Listings with walk-around or feature-focused videos boost engagement even further. Buyers can see the car in action, hear the engine, and get a sense of scale and space that images alone can’t convey.

A few key types of Video Not to Miss Out On:

• Walk-Around Videos: Show the car from all angles, inside and out. Highlight the car’s features and point out anything unique. But be sure to use a sales person doing this on their cellphone in a casual, fun way, it just works better. And, if you are able to hire your own videographer to capture key models in high resolution detail, do it!
• Interior Feature Demos: Show off tech features like infotainment screens, Bluetooth connectivity, and safety systems (like backup cameras or lane assist). And again, be sure to leverage social reach by doing this with an engaging sales person in a low key setting.
• Ad Planner / Master Promotional Videos: Don't forget to check your OEM's library of assets for up to date quality assets. (Especially for building out your model pages).
• Showcase Models Around Your Store's Location: Invest in brand awareness videos to add to your site showing your best selling models in easily recognizable, local spots along with drone footage of your store.

And here’s the kicker as to why you really should do more video: Consumers spend 88% more time on websites with them, and those who view videos are more likely to engage by submitting a lead form or making an appointment. Pair that with high-quality images on a platform focused on speed, and you’ve got a winning combination. Plus a better experience, authority and AUTHENTICITY!

3. Speed is Key: Your Website Needs to Keep Up

Here’s the hard truth: none of the additional media content matters if your website is slow. Consumers expect websites to load very quickly—especially on mobile devices. A slow-loading site can cost you serious business. In fact, just a 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7% (and this adds up faster than you'd expect in loss of leads / sales!)

When you’re displaying high-quality images and videos, the load speed becomes even more critical. Dealerships must ensure their websites are optimized to handle these media files without sacrificing speed. If your images or videos take too long to load, buyers will bounce—and go straight to a competitor’s site.

Unfortunately, many current website provider platforms are not built to handle an abundance of high resolution photos and videos, so be sure to do various speed tests across multiple devices and environments before launching new assets.

4. Responsiveness: A Seamless Experience Across All Devices

More than 80% of car shoppers are browsing on their smartphones. This means your website—and the images and videos you upload—must be fully responsive and optimized for all screen sizes (and of course, speed matters even more here!) A high-resolution image that looks great on desktop might look cropped or distorted on mobile if your site isn’t responsive.

When designing your dealership’s site and uploading visual content, make sure the images adjust dynamically for different screen sizes. Responsive images ensure your content looks professional and polished no matter where your customer is viewing it.

What to Watch For:

• Aspect Ratio: Ensure images don’t get stretched or cropped in weird ways on mobile.
• Touch-Friendly Design: Make sure photos and videos can be easily navigated with finger swipes, and that CTAs are switched to actions on a mobile device (ie; click to call)
• Fast Mobile Load: Mobile users are often on slower networks, so image sizes and load times need to be optimized for those connections.

High-Quality Visuals on Fast Websites Drive Engagement and Sales

High-quality images and videos, paired with a fast, responsive website, are critical tools for driving more leads, engagement, and sales at your dealership. With buyers becoming more visually driven and video consumption skyrocketing, your dealership’s website must stand out with sharp, authentic, and immersive visual content.

By investing in high-resolution images, high-quality videos, and ensuring a seamless browsing experience across all devices, you’re not just showcasing your cars—you’re building trust and leading buyers further down the purchase funnel.

Ready to optimize your dealership’s website for success? At Team MXS, we help dealerships make their website their number one salesperson.

Contact us today to learn more!