If you’re like us, you want to do more travelling than you have the time or money to do. So if you’re stuck at work or home and dreaming of seeing faraway wonders, this week’s blog is for you!
Virtual tours are a great way to experience the world when you’re stuck at home. A few years ago, it would’ve been unthinkable to see world-famous tourist destinations except in pictures. Now, thanks to technology, exploring ancient ruins or landscapes as if you’re there is possible with the click of a mouse. Photographs are stitched together to create the feeling like you’re there, and you don’t even have to leave your keyboard.
Wait … what do virtual tours have to do with us, or your business? Read on to discover how you can apply the same principles that world-famous sites and places use to boost your business and engage your customers.
Wonders of the World
From famous museums to tourist destinations, virtual tours can transport you halfway around the world and beyond. One of our favorites is the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City. The colors, landscaping and of course the artwork are all fantastic. The virtual tour really does the trick in immersing you in the museum experience and making you feel like you’re there.
The setup is a lot like how we shoot our own virtual tours: a 360-degree panorama of each room showcasing the entire space. Since the Frida Kahlo Museum has multiple, stunning rooms, each room has an arrow for you to click. Then, you can “enter” the next room.
The best part? Once you’re done exploring the colorful rooms in the Frida Kahlo Museum, you can hop over to China and gaze at the Forbidden City, and then fly to France and view the exhibits at The Louvre – all without leaving your desk!
The Louvre’s virtual tours also offer special exhibits, podcasts, and a virtual Mona Lisa experience. The supplemental materials serve a critical function: they add value in terms of education; you’re not just viewing the Mona Lisa – you’re learning about its history and how The Louvre is working to preserve this landmark, world-famous painting.
Beauty of nature
From volcanoes in Hawaii to Mt. Everest, you can explore the wonders of nature from your fingertips, even if you’re stuck in an office all day.
Joshua Tree National Park incorporates their virtual tours alongside their educational and outreach programs. Even if you’re far away, you can still engage with the park by learning more about its wildlife, conservation efforts, and what’s new. Although this isn’t a 360-degree tour from Google, we love how they include their virtual tours of the park with educational materials to drive engagement … and share a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime experience with the world.
For a more 360-view of natural beauty, Yosemite Park gives visitors to its website a bird’s eye view of its natural landscape. As you spin through the wonders of the mountainous landscape, you’ll receive facts about the park and its landmarks. You can also see more viewpoints, including from bridges, lakes, and waterfalls, and purchase fine art prints and reproductions while you’re looking.
Your Dream Abode
You may be looking to buy your dream home or looking for a place to rent. But what if you could dream big? Virtual tours offer you a glimpse into mansions, apartments, and global abodes that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy anywhere else.
Virtual tours of homes and apartments can allow you to lie out your dreams of living in luxury. You can tour an apartment in London, Athens Greece, or Japan and dream you’re living large in your dream city.
If you’re moving, virtual tours are also a must to get a lay of what you’re buying. They can show you how much space your prospective dream home or apartment has. Plus, seeing the space can give you an idea of how to place your furniture and how to make your new space yours.
Your business
And that brings us to you. If you’re in the real estate industry, you already know the importance of virtual tours. But there are several more reasons you should consider investing in a virtual tour of your business, even if you’re not The Louvre.
Here’s an example. Eye Care Associates of Charlotte’s virtual tour showcases their office spaces, from the waiting room to the exam rooms. (Scroll down the page to see the tour) It can play as a video, you can virtually “walk through” each room and see them in 360, no matter what vantage point you see it from. You can also experience their virtual tour in VR, so you can feel like you’re there and navigate the space before you go.
But wait, doesn’t that seem like just a cool thing to have? It’s not just cool – it can boost your reach. First, Google loves virtual tours. The more photos you have on your Google Business Profile or your website, the more it could help your SEO. Second, by showcasing your business with a virtual tour, you’re letting customers experience your business before they drive there. It’s a great way to show off your warm, inviting atmosphere and let customers know what to expect.
Finally, like the museums and parks we love to survey from our computers, the aim of virtual tours can also be to educate and drive engagement. Who doesn’t love learning? Add a virtual tour to your relevant, educational web content and you’ll be surprised at how much it drives people to talk about your business and leads them to visit or click “buy.”
Ready to experience the difference? Contact us today to set up a consultation.