Nowadays, we value productivity more than ever. Not just in our work but in our social lives, too. We have evolved to become a generation of planners who end up researching a series of lunch spots before settling on the ‘one’. We always need to be reassured that we’re getting the best possible product or service for our needs. 

People are more anxious than ever about how they spend their time and money. A mistake could easily interfere with our busy schedules. So it makes sense that consumers like to research before making a commute to purchase a product or service. Google Maps, the ‘go-to’ for business research, provides us with a good selection of tools needed to carry out this research process. 

Google business profile

However, even with the location, pictures and reviews, Google wanted to provide more value for their Google Maps users by encouraging businesses to showcase their location ‘from every angle’. And so, Google 360° Virtual Tours were born to allow the consumers to decide for themselves what sets businesses apart from their competition.

Adding a 360° Virtual Tour

A Google 360° Virtual Tour is a computer-generated simulation of an environment that allows the user to interact with it in a realistic way.  Attached to a Google Business profile, it presents a location in its true condition, hence, giving potential customers what they really want before deciding to visit in person. This addition can be especially effective for businesses that rely heavily on visuals, such as hotels, restaurants, and retail stores.

Honest marketing 

By being transparent with the public and allowing them to feel like they are in the location certainly builds trust and shows them that you are a confident expert in your field. In a world full of marketing gimmicks and false claims, displaying such honesty makes businesses stand out as reliable, trustworthy and helps consumers remove any potential mistrust or suspicions.  And, according to Google, consumers have clearly responded well. From their research, ‘Listings with photos and tours motivate customers to make a purchase 29% of the time.’

Improves online visibility 

It is well known that Google rewards businesses who contribute to a more holistic profile that improves the user experience.  Appearing in search engine results is a competitive struggle for most businesses and those with Google 360° Virtual Tours certainly stand out in search rankings. Similarly, all of the increased engagement involved with roaming around a business will be seen as an even bigger target in the eyes of Google. They can also be a valuable asset for a business website, too. They can help to improve search engine optimization (SEO) and increase a website’s conversion rate. 

Online users to paying customers

As part of any online marketing strategy, businesses should focus on benefitting from building online relationships to help create that ‘need’ to visit their location in person. It can be difficult for brands to cut through the noise and connect with their target audiences especially when consumers are bombarded with hundreds of marketing messages every day. Nevertheless, roaming freely around a ‘digital twin’ of a premises sounds pretty innovative and practical so it could end up being the difference between a customer actually visiting a premises and one who overlooks it.

Google 360° Virtual Tours require no maintenance or updates once uploaded (unless you update your location of course) and therefore act as an evergreen and cost-effective sales and marketing tool that works around the clock.