Storytelling goes long way to drive customer satisfaction online

A little storytelling to grab potential shoppers’ attention on the Web goes a long way these days.

That’s according to the summer J.D. Power 2015 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study released Monday that highlights how storytelling can help drive auto shopper customer satisfaction.

The semiannual study showed that OEMs are moving away from static text and pictures on their websites, and instead are telling engaging stories about their vehicles using more impactful visuals with in-depth descriptions and interactive content.

And it seems luxury automakers are doing the best job of providing such content to website users.

According to the study results, on the 1,000 point scale, BMW and Porsche ranked the highest with an overall score of 830 each.

The pair was followed by Mercedes Benz (819), Jaguar (816) and Land Rover (813).

Overall customer satisfaction with manufacturer websites it currently at 797, as the study measured the usefulness of automotive manufacturer websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by examining four key measures: information/content, appearance, speed and navigation.

J.D. Power pointed out “rich imagery paired with concise, informative text and interactive content” is becoming the new standard for showing off vehicles and product features on OEM websites.

And according to the study, information and content as well as website appearance are the two most important factors contributing to overall customer satisfaction on the sites.

"Buying a new vehicle is a big investment and shoppers want to be sure they are making an informed decision in selecting the right vehicle," said Arianne Walker, senior director, automotive media and marketing solutions at J.D. Power. "Manufacturers can influence shoppers by creating an emotionally connected online shopping experience through compelling, visually appealing storytelling to engage, entice, and reassure shoppers that they are making the right decision."

Walked also pointed out the two most improved brands in this study — BMW (830) and Volvo (789) — have recently worked to enhance the visual imagery of their sites and are now reaping the rewards.

Among other key findings from the study, 57 precent of new-vehicle shoppers who say they were “delighted” with their website experience say they are more likely to test drive a vehicle after visiting the site, compared with only 13 percent of those who say they were “disappointed”, showing the importance of websites to getting shoppers through the front doors of a dealership.

And don’t stop at just pictures of the inside of a vehicle — shoppers want to get insight into the interior of their potential new vehicle, as well.

The study found that 82 percent of in-market shoppers viewed vehicle exterior images on the site, while 80 percent checked out interior images, as well.

Interactive content, such as videos, are also expected and desired by auto shoppers.

According to the study, overall satisfaction is higher among the 49 percent of shoppers who watch as least one video on a manufacturer site than it is among those who did not watch a video. After viewing a video, customer satisfaction goes up from 781 to 813, according to study results.

The summer study is based on responses from more than 9,600 new-vehicle shoppers who indicate they will be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 24 months.

See the full rankings below: