Virtual Tour Myths

Words are a powerful thing. Whether they’re written down or spoken and heard – they can heavily influence our views. We think that there’s a few common virtual tours myths that we’d like to iron out. We’re going to set the record straight.

When marketing a property or business online, it’s important you think to yourself: ‘what’s the best medium for me?’ There are a few different options. It could be that it’s traditional photography, a promotional video, or a virtual tour.

However, thanks to the ever-growing influence of social media and the internet, many people are confident in their understanding of the pros and cons of photos and video, but, virtual tours are a comparatively new innovation. And, as with a lot of new technologies, there are still common misconceptions and, consequently, doubts.

In this article, we’re going to do our best to shed some light on some virtual tour myths. We’ll discuss where we think these virtual tour myths came from, all whilst helping you to feel more confident when considering them as an option for your business or property.

Virtual Tour Myth #1: Virtual Tours Are Crazy Expensive

Where did this myth come from:

We’ve already established just how young virtual tours are as a tool, but it’s often thought that they are always expensive. But, like many marketing tools, there are various factors that can dictate how much a virtual tour costs.

Virtual tours are visually very impressive and are created with high-spec cameras – this is why we think people assume a high price tag.

In the current market, there’s also no standardised cost as it stands. You’ll generally find that quotes from virtual tour providers will vary fairly drastically.

What’s the truth?

Although virtual tours do generally cost more than a standard photography package, they can often be cheaper than just a video. Surprising, right?

Advances in technology mean that large parts of the virtual tour production process are automated, meaning they’re quicker to produce.

And if that wasn’t enough, virtual tours are proven to provide a better return on investment when compared to traditional photography. Virtual tours create an in-depth viewing experience, helping you to capitalise on genuine enquiries.

We’ve written a blog that covers virtual tour pricing in more detail. Click here to read it.

virtual_tour_myths_01 — To help add even more value, Scene3D provide a pack of photographs taken from the virtual tour as part of our deliverables package.

Virtual Tour Myth #2: Virtual Tours are not interactive.

Where did this myth come from?

This ones straightforward. When virtual tour experiences first became commercialised, a lot of people got the wrong end of the stick.

Virtual tours are different to a video tour (so different we’ve actually written another article on the subject, click here to read it). This is what people were unclear about. A video tour is a simple and passive experience where viewers are taken on a set route through a property or business.

What’s the truth?

Well, the truth is pretty black and white – virtual tours are completely interactive, and video tours aren’t.

3D virtual tours give users total control. They can explore whichever area of the space they want, whenever they want – that’s the beauty of them.

Users won’t have to deal with clever camera angles or overcomplicated transitions – they’ll have total freedom. This will give the viewer total confidence and belief that what is being marketed is genuine and accurate.

And it doesn’t end there. Aside from being able to freely navigate a space, virtual tours can feature other beneficial interactive elements. Things like music, data tags, text or embedded videos will provide another layer of detail.

You can have fun with it too. Why not create an interactive scavenger hunt as part of your virtual tour and offer prizes for the winners? At Scene3D, we’ll work with you to develop innovative ways of using your virtual tour.

Explore this virtual tour of an events venue we created

Virtual Tour Myth #3: Virtual Tours Are A Risk To Privacy.

Where did this myth come from?

We all value our privacy, but are virtual tours a threat to that? Well, in truth, it can happen.

To prevent any breach of privacy, we suggest working with a well-established, professional and experienced virtual tour provider. Any company that fits these criteria will be aware of this potential issue and will be committed to ensuring it doesn’t come back to bite you.

What’s the truth?

First things first. With any virtual tour, it’s crucial that no private information is on display when scanning a property. Whether you simply remove any personal details on show, or ask us to blur it out during the editing phase – breaches of data protection are entirely avoidable.

For example, you’ll want to check whether there are any personal letters, legal documents or family pictures present that could potentially cause a problem if captured.

But what if I accidentally miss something that contains personal data and it appears in the final virtual tour? Great question. As we mentioned before, there is a blur tool on some virtual tour software that can be used to obscure and hide anything on the virtual tour.

Finally, and most importantly, it is vital that the final tour is reviewed by the client prior to it being released. This ensures they are happy with the tour and lets them confirm there’s no private information on show.

virtual_tour_myths_02 — The blur tool can obscure any private or personal information left on display

Summary:

Research, research, research. That’s what we want you to take away from this article.

You can never underestimate the importance of conducting your own research on a virtual tour provider before putting in an inquiry.

If you do enough reading, you’ll soon realise that many of the virtual tour myths are, in fact, untrue. Let yourself see the wood for the trees and we’re confident you’ll see the benefits of a virtual tour.

Looking to learn more information about virtual tours, or still have questions about them?

Click here to read our article explaining virtual tour pricing

Click here to contact our team

We will help to answer any questions you may have about virtual tours, and do all we can to help you feel confident in choosing the right option for you.