Virtual Tours: From criticism to proven business advantage
28 May 2008
Properly produced and presented Virtual Tours give your business the definitive advantage over “static” presentation methods, especially if the complete experience contain high quality visual material.
However “Virtual Tours” got themselves some criticism, and rightly so:
- Most of the “virtual tour” packages offered are designed in opaque Flash container, invisible to Search Engines and screen readers.
- The design itself lack style
- Panoramas are low resolution, tend to distort a room, and too often aren’t fully immersive.
- The tour tend to go heavy on system resources. i.e. the user need fast access and powerful computers to view the tour.
- Furthermore, the actual content was low resolution small frames photographs, Panoramas and Videos.
- A majority of Virtual Tour providers do not offer all the content required to produce VTs, such as Pro standard photography, panoramas, floor-plans, translations and copy writing.
- Therefore costs quickly add-up
- The final result of the experience makes the visitor confused if anything.
- Whilst the user does get more information, the accuracy/clarity of it can raise suspicion.
- Too many VTs are too compliated to navigate for the average user.
- Once made, the VT cannot be edited by a non-techy client.
The web today is about quality, transparency, style and fun.
A virtual tour should not be a punishment, or a confusing experience, but instead, a joy to view, being fully informative, properly photographed and documented.
Based on these observations, here is the 10 “must have” feature list for a winning Virtual tour:
- The VT must be fast to load, and easy on system resources
- Simple and intuitive navigation.
- Simple and neutral styling, giving room and space to the content
- Photography, Panoramas and Video must be high resolution, whilst lightweight, with a minimal 600 pixel width, plus if possible option for full screen resolution.
- Media files must each remain independant and visible to Search Engines.
- Use Flash as preferred method of displaying medias, and check that the tour is cross platform compatible
- If using VitualTour company, ask if they can provide the content, at what cost, delays and quality.
- All pages must be easily editable with minimal html knowledge and no special editor.
- The Virtual Tour must be complete, giving information for dimensions, features, fittings, directions, plans, maps.
- The VirtualTour must be a “one click” install
- All links must take the user back to your main website
- Your business logo, address and contact details should be clearly made visible.
If the Virtual Tour fulfilling it’s duty? is it Seducing, Informing and Reassuring your prospective client ? It should.
