Google Virtual Tours
Increase Search Rank, Boost SEO, Gain Visibility
WHAT
is Google Indoor Streetview?
It is a Google Virtual Tour. Just like the famous “Google Car” creates a virtual tour of the streets, we can now take Street View inside your business. Also like the Google Street Car, the Google Virtual Tour is made up of different points that we called “photospheres.” With a simple point-and-click interface or the arrows conveniently placed on the floor, you can now explore the interior of businesses to your heart’s content. If you’re more of a “Show Me, Don’t Tell Me” type of person, watch this 1-minute video.
Benefits of Google 360 Tours
WHY
Google Indoor Streetview?
Click on the image above to learn more about where the Google Virtual Tour is accessed by users.
1. Because you care about your Google Listing
If you’re a business owner, you’re probably familiar with Google Listing. Even if you aren’t, it’s basically the first thing that appears when someone looks for a local service on the Google Browser. The way Google determines who ranks here is based on a few things, but user interaction is a huge factor.
2. Because you care about your Website
Google Virtual Tours are free and easy to embed on your website. Both search engines (Google, Bing, etc) and your potential customers like the same thing:
High Quality, Fresh, Engaging Content
Click on the laptop to learn more about how the Google Virtual Tour can positively boost your SEO.
3. It’s a Great Sales Tool
The most underrated benefit of a Virtual Tour is its usefulness as a sales tool. The specific use case is unique for different industries, but the fundamental value pertains to the ability to add a visual to your communication. You and your team can easily “show as you tell” and this is very powerful.
- Unlike video, the user controls the pace of the presentation
- You can easily email or text the tour to a potential customer and control the specific angle & zoom of the imagery.
Below are a few examples to get you thinking about how this applies to you specifically, but you can visit our industry examples page to find specific ideas as well.
- A hospital can use the tour to guide patients to the correct reception area for new patients
- A furniture store can guide a viewer through a showroom to show the type of sectionals they carry.
- A restaurant can show the person booking a party of 20 where they will be located so they don’t need to drive in.
- A salon owner can show a potential stylist the chair they would be renting.
- A home remodeler can show how a certain tile looks installed.
HOW MUCH
does a virtual tour cost?
Extremely Affordable
As a business owner, you know how expensive marketing can be. That’s why we make VR Tours so affordable! Getting a Google-approved virtual tour published to Google Search and Google Maps for a one time set up cost is a great value. While you start bringing in customers to your location every month, you only pay once for the Google virtual tour cost.
$360 For The First 4 Photospheres
We charge $360 as our “base” pricing for the first 4 photospheres. Google Virtual Tours are made up of multiples photospheres. A photosphere is a “360” degree viewpoint. One photosphere is placed just outside your front entrance and three are placed inside. When the photographer arrives, they will complete a “walkthrough” of your facility with the appropriate person (a general manager, general sales manager, etc.).
$50 Additional Photospheres
Depending on the size and layout of your facility, you may choose to add additional photo-spheres to enlarge the scope of your virtual tour. These are only $50 each.
Process
1. Schedule
The Photography Appt portion typically takes about one hour. We are very flexible and will find a time that works best for you. While we typically book 2 – 3 weeks out, sometimes we’re available much sooner. And although many appointments are during normal business hours, we shoot 24 hours a day. Your situation is unique but two elements that should always be considered are people & lighting. Learn more about best practices below and we’re always happy to set up a free consultation.
2. Shoot
When the photographer arrives they will complete a 5-minute walkthrough with the appropriate person to determine the placement of & number of photospheres. While the photographer will advise and offer their recommendation, the scope of the virtual tour is completely up to you. Most shoots take about one hour, but if you have a very large facility the shoot can take a few hours.
3. Build
Back at the lab (sounds sexier than the office) we stitch in individual images into 360-degree panoramas (Each panorama is comprised of four sets of three images shot in HDR). Then, we log into your Google Maps publishing portal and plot, arrange, and connect the photospheres to create the Google Tour. We then submit the virtual tour to Google and await their publishing to Google Maps.