Recently featured in an article by Automotive News about custom dealership TV systems, It’s Relevant TV comes out on top when it comes to features and affordability.

Comparing IRTV to “other leaders in the field;” the article presents a short-list of digital dealership TV providers – which illustrates that even though It’s Relevant TV costs less than its competitors, it provides a lot more in its service offering. This is something that Jimmy Macagna of Mercedes-Benz, who is featured in the article, knows and has experienced first-hand.

The Best Custom Dealership TV Choices

There are a few names in the industry that come to mind. However, the article from Automotive News singled out the most successful, and most innovative, car dealership TV vendors out there. Whether you’re currently using a custom TV service and you’re exploring options, or looking to cut cable and get your feet wet; the following comparison guide will help you settle on a custom dealership TV solution that fits your brand, budget, and marketing goals.

1.) It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV costs less than its competitors, while providing a lot more in its service offering.

Available for as low as $99/month, It’s Relevant TV’s all-inclusive subscription is a cost-effective solution for dealership owners looking for a better alternative to cable, or digital signage services that are boring or don’t fit their budget. It’s Relevant TV is truly a premiere custom dealership TV service.

Content: It’s Relevant TV features the largest living library of licensed content in the US; with 500,000+ short-form videos spread across 40+ categories for clients to pick and choose from. Content includes up-to-the-minute video news, home/garden, celebrity interviews, food/cooking, car shows, fashion, pets, travel and more. All videos are family friendly, and pre-screened to ensure that safe, quality content is delivered to your TV. Additionally, content isn’t limited to what It’s Relevant TV delivers. Personal videos and side ads showcasing your brand may be uploaded and featured alongside IRTV’s licensed content; informing visitors on sales, services, and important messaging you want them to see; all as they watch fun and interesting content.

Cost: Briefly hinted at above; It’s Relevant TV’s pricing is set as the lowest in the pack. Two full-featured plans are available: $99/month for users who sign up for a year, and $126/month for users who prefer not to “be stuck” in a contract. IRTV is all-inclusive; meaning that it doesn’t matter if you’re under a yearly contract, or paying month-to-month, you have access to all of It’s Relevant’s features and a dedicated client success manager who not only helps you manage your account, but also contributes graphic design services free of charge.

Customization: The content, videos, promotions, and live social media feeds on It’s Relevant TV are fully customizable. Users are able tailor video content categories to their customers, upload their own dealership videos, control how frequently their personal messaging appears, post relevant headlines, showcase full screen and partial screen promotions, integrate Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, tailor messaging to specific days, and hours of the week; even add subtitles to videos. All of which can be controlled from any tablet, computer or smartphone; from anywhere. Customizations take effect on all screens within the hour, and don’t require weeks of waiting to be implemented.

Competitive Ad Block®: No one wants to see their competitors’ ads show up on their TV screens. It’s Relevant TV provides one of the only legal ways to keep great television content without allowing competitor ads to be shown. Their Competitive Ad Block system will ensure that no other dealerships or car brands can get an ad message through on your screen.

Topic Blocking: As Macagna highlights in the Automotive News article, his dealership greatly appreciated their ability to block out topics from appearing on their screen. When politics gets to be too controversial, It’s Relevant TV has the ability to block just those videos out. You can even block out news stories about Tesla if you feel like they are going to compete with your brand/image.

Customer Service: Clients of It’s Relevant TV are assigned a client success manager who will provide best practices for using their TVs effectively, act as a thought partner on marketing campaigns, and will assist you with graphic design work that’s being featured on the TV. The client success manager provides some great additional value, and it is all included with the regular low subscription fee.

2.) Automotive Broadcasting Network

ABN boasts “effective digital signage solutions for the automotive industry;” basic services starting at $499/month, with average dealerships paying +$1,000/month for a variety of additional services. Services that car dealerships are paying for include lounge TVs, digital signage, video walls, service menu boards, and appointment boards – which can add up to a lot. ABN has been serving the industry for years and has a large footprint since it got into the industry early, but it remains one of the most expensive options.

3.) Spectrio

Spectrio offers clients solutions in digital signage, on-hold messaging & marketing, overhead music & messaging, as well as wi-fi marketing; charging upwards of $125, to $149/month per service. When it comes to content, Spectrio plays videos from networks like CBS or NBC, and streams shows and entertainment clips from a short list of categories.

4.) Digital Dealership System

With basic services starting at $99/month, Digital Dealership System offers dealerships a short selection of location-based digital signs. Signage options are broken down into sales signs, service signs, customer lounge signs, sales leaderboard signs, and kiosk signs.

Visitors are exposed to the brand on select screens; others will show them how much money they will have to spend on services such as oil changes, tire rotations, or fluid services. Lounge TVs feature commercial free, and live-TV options.

As with any service which combines digital signage with broadcast TV; make sure you have the legal right to do so. If a service is integrating cable TV you may find your business is liable. Make sure it’s legal and not violating the Terms & Conditions of your cable/satellite provider. Be safe!

5.) Auto Dealer Network TV

Coming in at $399 a month with a one-time channel development fee of $995, and a cost of equipment fee of $351 (additional TVs costing +$200/month & +$350 for setup); Auto Dealer Network TV introduces itself as a live internet-delivered TV service that provides auto dealerships with news and entertainment from networks like CNN and HLN. Programming is limited to news, business and financial, sports, updates, weather, lifestyle and travel segments; as well as entertainment features from HBO, TNT, truTV, and TCM.

Beyond basic programming, Auto Dealer Network TV offers the uploading your own personal dealership videos to expose visitors to your brand, sales, and services. Additionally, a number of generic Sample Videos are available to users at a cost of $100/per video. These videos can be custom-tailored to your brand at $800 for 4 videos, $1,400 for 8 videos, and 12 videos for $2,000.

6.) AutoVision TV

Costing around $350 to start, with average clients paying upwards of $600/month – AutoVision TV provides dealerships with a variety of brand-tailored TV channels to outfit showrooms, lounges, and service centers with; with the goals of promoting sales, selling you on car parts, as well as services they want to get you interested in. While you wait, you’ll be watching inside-vehicle tours, staff profiles, featurettes on satisfied customers and their new car purchases, as well as what people on social media are saying about the dealership; while rotating sports, finance, and weather boxes play on the side. Additionally, you’ll watch plenty of other car-relented content to pass the time; which is great if you’re into cars, but less-so if you’re not.

AutoVision TV also features an optional “TV Window” mode for users with cable/satellite TV. Before throwing this up in your main lobby, do your homework. Business TV software that modifies, or changes the service from its original form without the expressed consent of your provider may violate the Terms & Conditions listed in your service agreement. For the same reasons you can’t play Netflix, or DVDs in a place of business, you can’t alter portions of broadcasts when they don’t suit your needs.

It’s Relevant is the Top Choice for your Car Dealership TVs

Compared to other automotive TV networks, It’s Relevant TV is a feature rich service that costs the least, while giving dealerships the most. Unlike most of its competitors, It’s Relevant isn’t limited to just the automotive industry; it has success in serving clients, and audiences, across the U.S.

The same people who visit your dealership visit restaurants, medical offices, salons, and other places that It’s Relevant serves. While the places are different, the mission is the same: Give people in each place something they will connect with.

For the same reason a doctor’s office shouldn’t show only medical content; a dealership shouldn’t limit its content to only automotive. The more interests you cater to, and the more variety you have, the more your visitors will be interested in your messaging. In the end, it’s people you’re trying to market your services to. The best way to get them to come back more, and spend more, is to create the best experience for them while they’re at your location. Put something on the TV people will enjoy, and your messaging will do the rest.

*All pricing and service details included in this article were either sourced from the Automotive News Article or directly from the service’s websites in February, 2019.

July 7, 2021 Update: Automotive Broadcasting Network was acquired by Spectrio.