When it comes to engaging and informing customers online, two popular visual mediums are 360 virtual tours and video. But which is right for your business?
360 virtual tours provide immersive, interactive digital environments that simulate physically visiting locations. Video offers a linear yet visually compelling way to showcase stories and products. Both have valuable uses across industries.
Let’s compare the key factors between 360 virtual tours and videos to help inform your choice.
A key advantage of 360 virtual tours is they provide more immersion and interactivity than standard video. Using VR goggles or click-and-drag navigation, customers can explore environments freely as if transported there. Video offers more limited pre-determined perspectives.
Virtual tours allow embedding hotspots, links, floor plans, and other interactive elements to engage users. The ability to browse at one’s own pace creates a deeper connection. According to USA Today, 52% of users exposed to VR share their experiences with others.
While less customizable, video excels at linear storytelling and evoking specific emotions through cinematography, music, narration, and more. Smooth camera movements and careful editing rhythm guide the viewer’s experience.
Short brand films can powerfully encapsulate stories that tours cannot. For example, the nonprofit Charity: Water creates moving videos showcasing their work in communities to inspire donors. Used strategically, video is ideal for conveying targeted stories and messages.
Professionally produced video is generally faster and cheaper to create than custom 360 virtual tours. Basic videos can be filmed in one shoot and then edited within days or weeks. Virtual tours require thorough photographic capture of spaces, 3D modeling, hotspot creation, and back-end development.
However, for locations not accessible to film crews, virtual tours provide a powerful alternative. They also have more reuse value for evergreen marketing since users explore at their own pace. The upfront investment in virtual tours pays off long-term.
Both mediums provide visual content that can boost SEO when incorporated into website content. However, virtual tours tend to provide more opportunities for keyword optimization through hotspot descriptions, metadata, alt text, etc.
According to Search Engine Journal, pages incorporating video see 157% more organic traffic on average. The immersive environment of tours provides even more optimization potential.
For accessibility, video accommodates closed captioning and screen readers to support diverse audiences. But 360 virtual tours pose challenges for those with visual, hearing, or mobility limitations due to heavy reliance on mouse/touch navigation.
Improving the accessibility of tours continues to be an area of development. Offering guided video tours in addition to interactive experiences helps expand access. Both mediums can be optimized to ensure inclusive experiences.
When strategically combined, video and 360 virtual tours are powerful marketing and storytelling tools. Video excels at conveying emotion and messaging cost-effectively. Tours provide next-level immersion and interactivity to showcase locations.
The choice comes down to your brand’s specific goals and audience. With ongoing tech improvements, virtual reality content will become even more accessible and lifelike in the future.
Determine which medium best aligns with your needs, resources, and vision. With creativity and purpose, both 360 tours and videos can captivate audiences in memorable new ways.
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