In-market automotive consumers are relying more and more on the web to do research - including watching online videos, which boost both brand consideration and brand image, according to a recent Burst Media survey.

Among the study’s findings:

• Some 71.9% of in-market respondents - 75.8% of men and 64.9% of women - say they would use the internet to research automobile models they might purchase or lease.
• Even among respondents 65 years and older - the only group less than two-thirds of which would use the internet for vehicle research - more than half (51.6%) said they would do so.
• Pricing information is the most popular among the types of data in-market auto buyers seek online (52.9%), followed by fuel economy (43.4%), performance info (43.0%), model specs (40.3%), safety info (39.9%), interior and exterior pictures (39.9%) and interior features (38.0%).
• Women to seek out safety information more than men (45.4% vs. 36.9%), including about crash-test ratings (36.2% vs. 24.5%).
• Some 25.2% of in-market consumers say independent websites are the best source of information about auto models, followed by automobile company websites (10.7%)
• Other sources cited as “best”: friends and family (10.9%), local auto dealerships (9.6%), magazines (7.4%), television (6.5%), radio (4.8%), local newspapers (4.8%) and national newspapers (4.3%).

Findings related to online creative:

• Some 18.2% of in-market respondents say online automotive creative is “cutting edge,” while 22.0% say it’s better than other media, but not cutting edge.
• Some 53.1% say online automotive creative is no different from what’s on TV or in print, and 6.7% say it is worse.

 

Findings about online automotive video:

• Nearly four of 10 (37.6%) - and at least one-third of all age segments - say they have watched an online video about an auto they might buy or lease.
• More than half (52.9%) among those who have not viewed online video say they likely will when they conduct online research about vehicles
• More than half (54.7%) of those who have watched a video - and 64.2% of those age 18-34 - say the video made them more likely to consider the model that was featured.
• Those who have viewed an online automotive video are more likely than those who have not to say automobile companies are “cutting edge” in their advertising: 37.1% versus 19.3%.