BURLINGTON, Vt. -

Dealer.com is announcing new services at the virtual NADA Show 2021, and one of those is connected video advertising to reach in-market shoppers wherever they consume media.

The company said it was unveiling the new services to help dealerships inspire more successful conversations in more places.

Other services Dealer.com is unveiling are in the areas of holistic reputation management, digital storefront experiences and digital retailing.

Noting that current market conditions demand an agile approach, Dealer.com said strategies misaligned with consumer expectations can result in inefficient marketing spend and insufficient results.

Dealerships can bring the best of the dealership to wherever consumers browse, shop, or buy online to engage with shoppers on their terms. That, according to Dealer.com, results in confidence and transparency during the process.

The company said dealerships can use more customized, coordinated outreach across all digital touchpoints to influence how quickly shoppers find the right vehicle.

That connection leads to higher conversion.

Regarding one of the company’s latest innovations — connected video advertising — Dealer.com said it gives dealerships the power to deliver hyper-targeted video ads to consumers watching connected TV and over-the-top media. In the age of “cord-cutting” and internet TV, dealerships can target consumers streaming platforms and devices with as much precision as their other digital channels, the company said, adding that it can take place with verifiable ROI that challenges traditional TV spend.

Other new services from Dealer.com include:

— Redefining digital retailing functionality that meets dealer and user demands: By eliminating back-and-forth in person and online, dealers can pave the path to purchase and help streamline customer interactions. Dealer.com said its next-generation digital retailing experience brings a more seamless workflow for shoppers and dealers that reduces time spent in-store. The tool uses guided navigation to simplify the sales process for dealers and consumers. It also brings consumer confidence, trust and transparency.

— Reputation management tools, which can help attract more customers and increase leads: Dealer.com said dealers should reinforce their dealership reputation and appeal to new shoppers by taking advantage of customer reviews. Review Generation uses a high-converting SMS-based review request system to engage customers. That takes place while the transaction is still top of mind, to create a constant stream of reputation-based reviews that Dealer.com says can improve sales and customer retention. Dealer.com describes reviews as an influential factor among car buyers. Dealerships, the company said, need an efficient, easy way to solicit and manage these endorsements.

— Gain visibility and interact more with shoppers through a more immersive digital storefront experience: Over the past 24 months, the foundational redesign of the Dealer.com website platform features a complete code rebuild, secure cloud-based hosting, and data and shopper-guided site redesigns. Those can inspire confidence and drive leads. New Innovations such as free-text search with auto suggestions through the new SRP Experience can quickly bring in-market shoppers to the content they are looking for. That can boost the quality of conversion, the company said. Dealers can upgrade online “curb appeal” and engage shoppers at important decision-making moments with new home and interior page design, and they can also put important offerings such as Home Services front and center on the VDP to attract more shoppers interested in remote sales and service areas.

Scott Shepherd, internet manager, eCommerce and marketing director for Classic Cadillac of Atlanta and Cadillac of Birmingham, said the Dealer.com platform allows him to visualize the goal of helping customers find what they need in a fast, hassle-free manner.

“I always feel like progress is being made on my website. Whether it is changes we’ve set into motion or new components, tools and formats that are being done by DDC, there is always forward thinking, positive change,” Shepherd said in a news release.

Dealer.com associate vice president of products Bob George said consumers have high expectations regarding their shopping experience.

“And we’ve heard from many of our dealer groups that they want to offer a differentiated experience and start having more meaningful conversations with their customers,” George said. “We are able to provide solutions to problems dealers don’t even know they have. We’re giving dealers the tools to create more of a dialogue with a continuous customer experience that starts with strong targeting and ends with a tailored, one-on-one experience.”

For more with George, see the episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast below.