Increase Impact Using Virtual Tours
April 26, 2004
As a marketing tool, the Web is unequaled in its ease of exposure and communication. However, with the Internet's sheer volume, it can be difficult for you to stand out. Web developers are continually implementing new technologies to increase interactivity and draw the user in.
The Virtual Tour — a Successful Marketing Tool!
A “virtual tour“ allows the viewer to look from a single point in space any direction in the surrounding environment. In plain English, the virtual tour adds a dose of high-level reality to a Web site not possible with a static photograph.
A user can manipulate the tour by clicking and dragging, rotating the viewing angle in all axes. Popular uses for a virtual tour include real estate properties, hotels, restaurants and outdoor scenes. For example, a visitor could view a virtual tour of a museum, rotating the view just as if they were standing there. The opportunities for use are endless ... and all it takes is a creative mind.
How does it work?
Panoramas are created in a variety of ways. The most common: take several photos from a single point of rotation, then combine those images to form a full, 360-degree panorama. Another method is to use a special device capturing a 360-degree image in a single snapshot.
For Web delivery, download time is the deciding factor. A virtual tour must be prepared in such a way that it loads in a reasonable amount of time, without causing the user to grow impatient. Other methods of delivery have different requirements. Because a CD-ROM, for example, wouldn't have a download restriction, a higher quality tour could be used.
What do you need for viewing a tour?
Depending on the format, a virtual tour requires the user to have a specific plug-in installed on their computer.
- Tours that use QuickTime VR will require Apple's QuickTime software.
- Other solutions, such as iPix or Ulead360, also require a proprietary plug-in for viewing.
- Some virtual tours can use technologies readily available in 95% of all Web browsers, which is an attractive option for situations where downloading a plug-in is undesirable.
Adding Excitement and Image Clarity to Affect Your Bottom Line
As with any Web technology, there are appropriate applications for virtual tours, while other situations may require a different solution. Used appropriately, virtual tours provide added excitement to an online presence, sparking word-of-mouth marketing and inspiring visitors to tell others about your site.
To learn how a high-quality Virtual Tour can benefit your business, please contact us for more information. Be sure to inquire about our “free usability analysis” of your current website.
