When it comes to promoting real estate as an agent or real estate marketer, you generally have two options. You can either choose a virtual tour or a video tour. Before we tell you which one’s a better option, let’s define them both.
A virtual tour is a 360-degree image of a property that the viewer can use to see the property from all angles. If you didn't already know, 36-degree photography is a thing now. It basically involves stitching up images shot from various angles to create a whole.
It’s very useful in situations where you want to get a better idea of the subject you are viewing.
A video tour, on the other hand, involves using motion video for the same purpose.
So, the big question is, which one’s better? Well, we think it’s the latter option. Here are a few reasons why.
MULTIPLE ELEMENTS IN A VIDEO TOUR THAT MAKE IT MORE ENGAGING
A real estate video tour can be enhanced with various elements to make it more appealing. For starters, you can add music. Music can make a property look more “alive” and adding in the apt background tune can set the perfect mood and even portray a lifestyle that the buyer is expecting to enjoy within that property.
You can also add a voiceover. This helps create a very personal feeling, as if the buyer is being walked through the property by an actual agent. In fact, you can have one of your own agents do the voiceover to add a little bit more authenticity. They can even go on camera and make it more authentic.
Apart from voiceovers, speed is another major factor to look at. Browsing through 3D tours can be quite time-consuming and frustrating. The transitions between each frame are usually choppy, if you don’t have the hardware for it.
Though most smart devices today can handle it, an old desktop or even an older mobile phone model may not. However, that's not the case with video. A video doesn't have those limitations. You don't have to download anything like you used to.
The benefit of video is that you just need an internet connection and a link to the site or portal where the video is hosted. This makes the video far more accessible.
Then, there’s the benefit of aerial views. Virtual tours are limited to interiors and exteriors. It’s very hard to shoot an aerial view with 360-degree cameras. However, it’s much easier to do so with a video camera. Just mount it on a drone and it’s done.
Finally, we have the element of price. Producing a video tour is far more cost-effective than producing a virtual tour. This is because 360-degrees are very new to the market and therefore, very expensive. On average, it can cost you $5000 and added charges.
On the other hand, you can record a video with just your smartphone. There are entire movies that are shot using smartphones, so a real estate video should be a walk in the park. Most smartphones today offer 4K resolution video coverage, which is "ultra-definition."
VIDEO IS MORE POPULAR
One more reason to go with video is that its still the most popular medium through which information is shared. Statistically speaking, most consumers prefer to get their ad content or information from video content. This is simply because video content is far more engaging than anything else out there. This is mainly due to some of the elements that go into making a video; like the ones we discussed above, such as music or voiceover.
IN THE END…
So, there you have it. Our justification for video tours over virtual tours. It just boils down to three things at the end of the day – simplicity, accessibility, and consumer demand. We still haven’t reached the point where people prefer virtual tours and video is just easier to make and edit. Creating a 360-degree image is much harder to do and its appeal lies only in its novelty rather than actual purpose.
A video is far more purposeful because it helps to share information in an easier manner.
