Digital Marketing Singapore
SEO & Lead Generation Agency
Case Study | YouTube Ads

Used Car Dealer YouTube Ads Singapore: Test Drive Bookings Up 54% in 5 Months

Client Type
Used car dealer, 2 showrooms, around 40 cars sold a month, Singapore
Services
YouTube Ads and video production
Engagement
5 months
Primary Result
Test drive bookings from 46 to 71 a month
+54%Test drive bookings a month
+73%Branded searches for the dealer
32%YouTube view rate

Client name withheld under NDA.

The Challenge

The Starting Point

Buying a used car in Singapore is a big, carefully researched decision. Used car singapore is searched about 5,400 times a month, buyers compare hundreds of listings on marketplace sites and many dealers look the same on a listing page. Trust decides who gets the visit, and it is hard to build trust from a thumbnail photo and a price.

This dealer sold around 40 cars a month from two showrooms and relied on listing platforms and search ads. Its brand was barely searched, about 1,300 times a month, and buyers knew little about it beyond the cars it listed. The dealer received around 120 online enquiries and 46 test drive bookings a month, and wanted more buyers to choose it before they started comparing prices.

MetricMonth 0
Test drive bookings per month46
Branded searches for the dealer per month1,300
Online enquiries per month (all channels)120
Monthly YouTube ad spendS$0
YouTube view raten/a
Cars sold per month38
What We Did

What We Did

Phase 1, Month 1

Message and Video Plan

We interviewed the sales team about the questions buyers ask on the showroom floor, then planned a series of short videos: walkarounds of popular models, the dealer's inspection checklist and plain answers about warranties and trade-ins.

Buyers worry about hidden problems in a used car. Videos that showed the inspection process answered that worry before buyers ever stepped into the showroom. The sales team's questions also became the script, so the videos sounded like the conversations buyers already had in the showroom.

Phase 2, Months 1 to 2

Video Production

We filmed two days of content at both showrooms: twelve 30-second walkarounds, a 90-second inspection explainer and six-second bumper ads, all with clear on-screen text for viewing without sound.

Short, honest videos of real cars on the lot felt more trustworthy than polished brand films, and could be refreshed easily as stock changed. Filming on the lot also meant new videos could be made in an afternoon when fresh stock arrived.

Phase 3, Months 2 to 3

YouTube Campaigns

We launched skippable in-stream and in-feed video ads to people in Singapore researching cars, viewers of car review channels and people who had searched for the models the dealer stocked most.

YouTube reaches buyers while they are researching, before they compare listings. That is when a dealer can still earn a place on the shortlist. Targeting viewers of car review channels reached buyers in research mode, who were far more likely to book a test drive than a general audience.

Phase 4, Months 3 to 4

Connect Video to Search

We retargeted video viewers with search and display ads, and added the dealer's name to the video ads so viewers could search for it later.

Many viewers did not click straight away but searched for the dealer days later. Branded searches rose 73% as the videos ran. Retargeted viewers also saw search ads for the exact models they had watched, which made the follow-up feel relevant rather than repetitive.

Phase 5, Months 4 to 5

Optimise by Model

We moved budget to the videos and models that drove the most test drive bookings and swapped in new walkarounds as cars were sold.

Stock changes every week at a used car dealer. Keeping the videos current meant buyers never fell for a car that was already gone. Weekly stock updates also meant the ads featured cars buyers could actually buy, which kept trust high when they called.

The Results

The Results

Five months in, the dealer received 71 test drive bookings a month instead of 46, and online enquiries rose from 120 to 168. Branded searches grew from 1,300 to 2,250 a month as more buyers looked the dealer up after watching a video. YouTube ads achieved a 32% view rate on S$3,500 a month, and sales rose from 38 to 47 cars a month. Sales staff also noticed that buyers arrived having already watched the inspection video, which made conversations about condition and price easier.

MetricBaselineMonth 5Change
Test drive bookings per month4671+54%
Branded searches for the dealer per month1,3002,250+73%
Online enquiries per month (all channels)120168+40%
Monthly YouTube ad spendS$0S$3,500New
YouTube view raten/a32%New
Cars sold per month3847+24%
Months 1 to 2
Plan and film

Video plan agreed and two days of filming across both showrooms.

Months 3 to 4
Launch and retarget

YouTube campaigns live, viewers retargeted, and test drives passed 60 a month.

Month 5
Optimise

71 test drive bookings a month and branded searches up 73%.

Key Takeaways

What We Learned

Answer the trust question on video

Used car buyers worry most about hidden problems. A short video of the inspection checklist answered that worry before buyers compared prices.

Video and search work together

Many viewers did not click the ad but searched for the dealer days later. Measuring branded searches showed the real effect of the videos.

Keep videos as current as your stock

Short walkarounds of cars actually on the lot, refreshed as they sold, kept the ads honest and stopped buyers asking about cars that had gone.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

They can be, because buyers research cars on YouTube long before they visit a showroom. This dealer's test drive bookings rose 54% in five months.
Short. Walkarounds of around 30 seconds and six-second bumper ads worked best here, with a longer explainer for buyers who wanted more detail.
Track branded searches, website visits and enquiries from people who watched the videos. Here, branded searches rose 73% while the videos ran.
Not a big production. Clear, honest footage of real cars and staff often works better than a polished brand film, as long as it looks good and has on-screen text.

Want Results Like This for Your Dealership?

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