360º tours are a newer form of marketing that has increased rapidly in popularity over the last few years. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual tours were quickly gaining momentum. This is because 360º tours create an interactive 3D environment that allows the user to control how they want to experience the space. Here are a few benefits of a 360º virtual tour that may surprise you.
Virtual Tours Increase Your Google Presence
360º views allow users to explore not only the business they are looking at but also the area around it. Google has taken notice of the increase in engagement, and as a result, businesses that include 360º images on their Google profiles get higher priority in searches. Your tour can even be added to Street View, allowing a visitor to view your business both inside and out from Google Maps. Websites that include virtual tours also gain higher SEO rankings. This is because users will spend 5 to 10 times the amount of time on your site, interacting with your content.
Virtual Tours Free Up Your Time
Virtual tours save time for both you and your clients. If someone is interested in your business but is not local to your area, scheduling an in-person visit can be costly and time-consuming. In addition, you or an employee have to be present to give tours in person. A virtual tour is available anytime and is accessible to a wider audience, regardless of location.
Virtual tours are also an important decision making tool for users. 50% of adult users rely on virtual tours as a part of their decision making process. About two-thirds of people say they wish more businesses offered an online tour. This means that many will pass on businesses that don’t offer a tour online.
Can Be Used as an Educational Tool
There are many innovative uses for a 360º tour. These tours do more than just allow a user to see the inside of your business. They can also contain interactive content, like in the tour we created here. The most effective tours include hotspots. Hotspots are clickable areas that lead to additional info. This can include text, images, videos and even quizzes. This content makes the tours interactive and can be used as an educational tool for clients or for training purposes. Take a look at this sample by 3D Vista for an example of how a virtual tour can be used for e-learning.
Virtual Tours Increase Your Sales
Virtual Tours boast some pretty impressive sales statistics. Adult consumers below the age of 35 are 130 percent more likely to book on sites that offer a tour on their website. The more engaging the content, the higher the conversion rate. Retail products displayed in a store can also be added as hotspots. This creates an interactive e-commerce store on your website. Simply put, virtual tours give your customers more ways to explore your business online. Taking advantage of this tool helps you reach a wider audience and close more sales.
Have you considered adding a virtual tour for your business? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
-Sara E. Jones, CEO & Co-founder, RadBot Video