User-generated video arrives at carsales.com.au

Words are ideal for describing minutiae when it comes to selling your car, and photos are a great way to show off a car's features. But videos tell a deeper, even richer story.

As part of our Premium and Ultimate ads, carsales customers can now create videos to help promote the sale of their car, adding an important extra element to help their carsales.com.au advertisement stand out.

User generated videos are by their nature unique. But most importantly, they create opportunities to present specific car features in an engaging manner to the buyers– such as a how the folding roof on a much-loved convertible works or to deliver a taste of the V8 rumble of a specially modified Holden Commodore SS.

To create your carsales video ad all you need is a smartphone. You’re then able to use our app or website to upload the video and away you go.

The new video advertising tool makes things simple and is a demonstration of carsales commitment to improve our customer offering via innovation. It follows on from the recent award-winning AutoAds social media ‘plug-in’ and our helpful price indicator tool.

As Australia's number one online destination to buy and sell a car, carsales.com.au attracts over 2 million visitors each month to buy and sell cars, as well as conduct research via our independent editorial content.

You can read more about optimising your video ads at our help centre. But here also are a few tips to achieve the best possible result.

• Videos can be up to 60 seconds long.
• You can use a video camera – it’s not just smartphone compatible…
• Find the right place to shoot the video – around other cars or in a dimly lit garage is not ideal.
• If you are shooting outside, for best results pick a cloudy day or film in the early morning/late afternoon.
• Plan your shoot and choose a couple of key features to highlight.
• Try and keep the phone or camera steady. Jerky, abrupt movements are best avoided.
• You need to create/own the content to avoid copyright violations. That means be sure you turn off any music in the background (or on the car stereo) as this may mean a video has to be rejected.
• Although 60 seconds doesn't sound like much, try not to rush.
• Umm-ing and ahh-ing is best avoided. If you're nervous let the pictures do the talking.
• And please, no cursing or illegal, illicit, offensive or divisive content

Here's an example we quickly put together...

Now go forth and spread the word... and next time you're selling a car make one for your ad.