Last updated 24 September 2026.

A short-form video strategy that works for a car dealer is simple: film short walk-arounds and behind-the-scenes clips on your phone, post three or more a week on TikTok or Instagram Reels, and give every video a way to enquire. Both platforms show videos to people who do not follow you yet, so a small dealership can reach buyers it would not reach through its own page. You do not need a production team or expensive kit.

Short-form video is now one of the main ways people find products, including their next car, and it is especially popular with younger buyers. This guide covers why it works, video ideas, filming tips, when to post and how to turn views into enquiries.

Why does short-form video work for dealers?

It works because the platforms show your videos to new people, cars look and sound good on video, and it lets buyers see who they would be dealing with.

Your videos reach people who do not follow you

Facebook and Instagram feed posts mostly reach your existing followers. TikTok and Reels show videos to people who have never heard of you, based on how much viewers engage with them rather than on how many followers you have. A good video from a dealership with a small following can reach many times more people than follow it.

Cars suit video

Cars are good to watch. The sound of an engine, a walk-around of the interior, freshly valeted paintwork in the sun: people enjoy watching that, and car content does well on both platforms.

Younger buyers are there

First-time buyers, young professionals and people under 35 spend a lot of their time on TikTok and Reels. If you are not posting there, those buyers are less likely to come across you.

Buyers see the people behind the business

Short videos show buyers your team, your premises, how you prepare cars and how you treat customers. That builds trust in a way a polished advert cannot.

What videos should a dealer make?

These eight formats work well for dealers and can all be filmed on a phone.

1. Walk-arounds

Walk around a car, pointing out the key features, the specification and anything that stands out. This is the video most dealers make most often.

  • Start with a wide shot of the outside, then move inside.
  • Point out the features buyers want, such as a panoramic roof, an upgraded stereo or low mileage.
  • Keep it to 30 to 60 seconds.
  • Put the price and key details on screen as text.
  • End with a call to action, such as “link in bio” or “message us for details”.

2. Cold starts and engine sound

Start the engine of a performance car, or anything with character, and let the sound do the work. These videos have a big, keen audience.

  • They work best with performance cars, V8s, straight-sixes and anything unusual.
  • Film from near the exhaust for the best sound.
  • Name the car in the caption and invite comments: “Rate this exhaust note 1 to 10”.
  • Keep it short. 10 to 20 seconds is enough.

3. Before and after preparation

Show a car going from the day it arrived to ready for the forecourt. People like watching the change, and it shows the work you put into your stock.

  • Film the “before” when the car arrives, before any cleaning.
  • Show the main steps: machine polishing, cleaning the interior, refurbishing the wheels.
  • Finish on the clean result.
  • Time-lapse suits this well.

4. A day at the dealership

Take viewers behind the scenes for a day. It makes your business feel human and helps people connect with you.

  • Film short clips through the day: opening up, new stock arriving, the team, handovers.
  • Be natural rather than scripted.
  • Show what really happens. It is more relatable than a polished video.

5. Customer handovers

With the customer’s permission, film them collecting their car. These are strong social proof and get a lot of positive reactions.

  • Always ask before filming.
  • Keep it short and upbeat.
  • Tag the customer if they are happy to be tagged.
  • People often share these, which reaches more people.

6. Trending sounds and challenges

TikTok runs on trends. Using a trending sound or joining a popular challenge with one of your cars can reach far more people than usual.

  • Check TikTok’s Discover page regularly for trending sounds.
  • Adapt the trend to your stock, for example a car shown with a trending sound.
  • Be quick, because trends fade fast.
  • Keep it light.

7. Helpful tips

Short tips on buying, running or financing a car do well and show you know your stuff.

  • “3 things to check before buying a used car”
  • “What does it actually cost to finance a car?”
  • “How to spot a bad respray”
  • Keep it simple, direct and useful.

8. Price reveals

Show off the car’s features and condition first, then reveal the price. People are curious about car prices, so they watch to the end.

  • Build up the features and condition first.
  • Tease it with on-screen text: “How much do you think this costs?”
  • Reveal the price at the end, with the finance figures.
  • Ask viewers to guess in the comments before the reveal.

If you want professional footage as well, our Video Storyboard service produces drone footage and a fully edited, dealership-branded video for your website and social channels.

How do you film without being a videographer?

A recent phone, daylight and a clean car are enough.

Equipment

  • Your phone. Recent iPhones and Android phones shoot very good video.
  • A stabiliser or tripod, if you want one. It makes walk-arounds smoother.
  • Daylight. Film outside where you can. Overcast days give the most even light.
  • A clean car. Never film a dirty one.

Filming

  • Hold the phone upright. TikTok and Reels are vertical (9:16).
  • Move slowly. Fast pans and jerky movement look amateur.
  • Keep videos to 15 to 60 seconds. Shorter videos are more likely to be watched to the end, and the platforms favour that.
  • Avoid harsh shadows by filming in open shade or on an overcast day.
  • Wipe the lens. A smudge spoils the whole video.

Editing

  • Use the editors built into TikTok and Instagram. They do everything you need.
  • Add text on screen: the car, the price, key features and your call to action.
  • Add trending music, but keep it quieter than your voice if you are talking.
  • Add captions, because many people watch with the sound off.
  • Cut hard. Remove any pauses to keep the pace up.

When and how often should you post?

Post at least three times a week, at times when buyers are scrolling.

How often

  • TikTok: 3 to 5 videos a week.
  • Instagram Reels: 3 to 4 Reels a week, plus regular Stories.

When

For UK car buyers, these times tend to work:

  • weekday evenings, 6pm to 9pm, when people browse after work
  • weekend mornings, 9am to 12pm, when buyers are planning their day
  • lunchtime, 12pm to 1pm, for a quick scroll on a break

Hashtags

Use a mix of broad and specific hashtags:

  • broad: #carsoftiktok #usedcars #carsforsale
  • specific: #usedcardealer #cardealeruk #[yourlocation]cars
  • the car: #bmw3series #fordfiesta #auditt
  • trending: one or two car hashtags that are popular at the time

How do you turn views into enquiries?

Views and likes do not pay the bills on their own. Give every viewer an easy way to get in touch.

Link in bio

Both platforms let you put a link in your profile. Point it at the stock page of your dealer website, and change it when you are promoting a particular car. Make sure the page it lands on makes booking easy. Our guide on getting more test drive bookings from your website covers what to check.

Direct messages

Invite viewers to message you for details. Many buyers, especially younger ones, would rather message than call. Reply quickly, because a slow reply loses the moment. A WhatsApp button on your website gives people who move from the video to your site the same easy way to message you.

Comments

Reply to every comment, especially questions about the car. Replies boost the video’s reach and show other watching buyers that you answer.

Posting the same video to both platforms

Make each video once and post it to both TikTok and Instagram Reels. Some people argue each platform prefers videos made for it, but for most dealers the time saved is worth any small loss of reach.

How does video fit with the rest of your marketing?

Short-form video works best when it sends people to the rest of your marketing:

  • send people to your website, where they can browse all your stock, apply for finance and enquire
  • use it alongside Google Vehicle Ads, which reach people searching on Google while video reaches people who are just browsing
  • run it alongside your regular social media posting schedule; our social media automation strategy for car dealers covers what to automate and what to post yourself
  • build remarketing audiences, so people who engage with your videos can be shown your ads later

Where should you start?

Start small with what you already have:

  1. Pick one platform, TikTok or Instagram Reels, whichever feels more natural.
  2. Film three walk-arounds this week. Keep them simple, 30 to 45 seconds each.
  3. Post them with on-screen text showing the car, the price and “message us for details”.
  4. Film one behind-the-scenes clip from a normal day.
  5. Post at least three times a week for the first month, then look at what worked.

The dealers who do well on these platforms are rarely the ones with the best cameras. They are the ones who post every week, show their stock and reply to their audience.

Get in touch with our team to talk about your marketing as a whole, from your dealer website and DMS to Google Vehicle Ads and social media.