Virtual tours have gained significant popularity as a means of experiencing physical spaces from the comfort of our devices. These tours, typically created using videos or still images, offer an enhanced visual experience through the integration of sound effects, music, narration, text, and other multimedia elements. As the demand for virtual tours continues to grow, numerous online platforms have emerged, making it easier than ever to create and share these immersive experiences. One platform that stands out in this realm is Matterport, which takes the concept of virtual tours to a whole new level with its innovative digital twin technology. In this article, we will explore the world of Matterport digital twins and delve into their numerous benefits for businesses and individuals alike.
What is a Matterport Tour?
A Matterport 3D Virtual Tour represents a significant leap forward in the virtual tour experience. Unlike traditional virtual tours, Matterport tours offer a fully interactive and completely immersive 3D experience. By using infrared scanning technology, Matterport captures precise visual and spatial data to create a realistic representation of an existing physical space. These tours allow users to navigate through the space step by step, floor by floor, providing a real-world perspective of the location. Furthermore, Matterport tours can be embedded on websites, shared on social media platforms, and integrated into Google Business Listings, ensuring maximum exposure and discoverability for businesses and properties.
How does Matterport Work?
The process of creating a Matterport Tour begins with the scanning of the physical space using infrared scanning technology. The collected data is then uploaded to the Cloud, where powerful algorithms work their magic, processing the real-world data into an immersive 3D Virtual Walk-Through. The resulting tour can be accessed from anywhere in the world, thanks to the convenience of in-browser tools. Matterport's seamless distribution process allows businesses and individuals to effortlessly share their beautiful and fully immersive 3D Virtual Tours with their target audience.
Benefits of Virtual Tours
Virtual tours, and specifically Matterport digital twins, offer a wide range of benefits for businesses and individuals alike. Let's explore some of the advantages that come with incorporating a 3D virtual tour into your online marketing strategy:
- Interactive and Shopper-Friendly: Virtual tours allow visitors to remotely explore businesses, properties, or other locations at their own pace. Whether it's a retail store, a hotel, a vacation rental, or a cultural space, customers can navigate through the space, focusing on areas of interest to them. This interactive experience enhances customer engagement and facilitates informed decision-making.
- Captivate Customers: Virtual tours have the power to captivate viewers for extended periods of time. Unlike static images or plain text, immersive virtual tours keep visitors engaged, allowing them to make buying decisions while exploring the space. Media Tags strategically placed throughout the tour, such as videos, images, audio, or textual content, further enhance the experience and keep visitors engaged with the virtual environment.
- Increase Engagement: The longer a client spends exploring different sections of a business or property through a virtual tour, the more likely they are to visit in person. By utilizing interactive tools like Media Tags, businesses can entice visitors to make purchases or book reservations, ultimately driving higher engagement and conversion rates.
- Save Time and Effort: Virtual tours eliminate the constraints of operating hours, allowing businesses to remain open virtually 24/7. By providing potential customers with the opportunity to visit and make purchases at any time, businesses save valuable time and resources that would otherwise be spent accommodating physical visitors who may not convert into customers.
- SEO Boost: Integrating a virtual tour into a website or Google Business Listing provides additional content and interactivity for potential customers to explore. Increased customer interaction and engagement with online content can positively impact a business's search engine ranking, positioning it above competitors in relevant search queries.
Applications of Matterport Digital Twins
Matterport digital twins have found widespread use across various industries. Let's take a closer look at some of the sectors that can benefit from the implementation of Matterport 3D Virtual Tours:
- Residential and Commercial Real Estate: Matterport tours offer a game-changing solution for real estate agents and property owners. Prospective buyers and tenants can experience a property in-depth before physically visiting it, resulting in more informed decision-making. Studies have shown that listings with virtual tours receive increased attention and engagement compared to those without, making Matterport an invaluable tool for showcasing properties.
- New Home Builders: Home builders leverage Matterport 3D Virtual Tours to provide remote home shoppers with an accurate representation of their properties. By showcasing different furnishing arrangements and creating 3D models of proposed spaces, builders can give potential buyers a clear vision of the homes they offer, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.
- Vacation Rentals: Matterport tours allow vacation rental owners to showcase their properties effectively. By providing potential guests with a virtual experience of the rental space, including updated furnishings and amenities, owners can increase occupancy rates and differentiate their listings on various platforms. Studies have shown that the implementation of 3D Virtual Tours can result in higher occupancy rates and significant growth in inventory.
- Restaurants: With Matterport 3D Virtual Tours, restaurant owners can entice potential customers by showcasing their ambiance, interior decor, and dining areas. Prospective guests can explore the restaurant virtually, getting a sense of its atmosphere and offerings before making a reservation. This immersive experience can significantly impact customers' decision-making process.
- Retail Stores: Matterport tours allow store owners to display their store layouts and highlight specific products or sections. Shoppers can virtually walk through the business, discovering unique services and products. By providing customers with an interactive and visually engaging experience, businesses can increase brand awareness and attract new customers.
- Hotels and Hospitality: Hotels, resorts, cruise ships, airlines, and other hospitality entities can utilize Matterport tours to increase booking revenue. By offering potential travelers an immersive view of the property and its amenities, hospitality businesses can provide accurate expectations and create a memorable experience, ultimately driving more bookings.
- Architecture, Engineering, and Construction: Matterport's 3D scanning technology has proven to be a valuable tool in the construction industry. Construction projects are often fast-paced and complex, making it challenging to track changes on-site. By capturing timely periodic scans, construction professionals can efficiently document site changes in detail and share the scans with team members, facilitating collaboration and ensuring accurate project management.
- Event Venues: Hosting an event at a venue requires careful consideration of the space's suitability. Matterport tours enable event organizers to explore every inch of a venue remotely, visualizing how the space can accommodate their needs. This helps potential customers make informed decisions about choosing the right venue for their event.
- Cultural Spaces: Museums, art installations, and cultural displays can reach a broader audience through virtual tours. By providing an immersive and interactive 3D experience, these spaces can showcase their exhibits, architectural marvels, and event venues to a global audience, increasing accessibility and engagement.
- Historic Preservation: 3D virtual tours have become invaluable in documenting and preserving at-risk historic sites with limited public access. By creating virtual models of these sites, complete with detailed 3D representations, researchers and history enthusiasts can explore and study these landmarks for academic purposes and future generations.
Maximizing the Potential of Your 3D Virtual Tour
Once you have a Matterport 3D Virtual Tour for your business or property, it's essential to make the most of it. Here are some suggestions on how to leverage your existing 3D Virtual Tour:
Embed the tour on your website: If you have a website for your business or property, embedding the 3D Virtual Tour on relevant pages can provide visitors with an immersive and engaging experience. Consult with a web developer to ensure seamless integration and customization of the tour's dimensions and appearance to match your website's design.
Share the tour with clients and potential customers: Matterport provides a Single Property Website or Showcase Page for each 3D Virtual Tour. These pages feature the tour prominently, along with high-resolution images, your contact information, and lead generation forms. Utilize these pages to share the tour with your existing clients, potential customers, and other interested parties via email marketing campaigns or targeted distribution lists.
Upload the tour to MLS listings: If you are a real estate agent or listing properties on MLS platforms, make sure to add your Matterport 3D Virtual Tour to your listings. Most MLS systems have fields specifically dedicated to including the URL of virtual tours. This way, prospective buyers can explore the property in an immersive manner, enhancing their understanding and interest.
Leverage social media platforms: Virtual tours are highly shareable content, especially on social media platforms. Facebook and Twitter allow the sharing of web page links and effectively display them to users. When sharing your 3D Virtual Tour on these platforms, utilize the Single Property Website or Showcase Page provided by Matterport, as it is optimized for social media sharing. Additionally, consider creating teaser videos, about 10-15 seconds in length, to generate excitement and engagement on Instagram and Facebook.
Utilize Mattertags (Media Tags): Mattertags are interactive hotspots within the 3D Virtual Tour that can be customized to include additional multimedia content such as text descriptions, videos, images, audio files, or PDF documents. Strategically place Mattertags throughout the tour to provide viewers with more information about specific features, products, or services. This enhances engagement and keeps visitors immersed in the virtual experience.
Take advantage of 360° Views and Panoramas: Matterport allows you to capture 360° views of the property's exterior and surrounding areas, complementing the indoor virtual tour experience. Share these 360° images separately or integrate them into your virtual tour to provide a comprehensive view of the entire property, inside and out.
Enhancing the Virtual Experience with Matterport Core VR
For an even more immersive experience, consider integrating Matterport Core VR into your 3D Virtual Tour. Matterport Core VR allows viewers to experience the tour using virtual reality (VR) headsets, such as Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. By immersing viewers in a VR environment, you can transport them to your location, providing an unparalleled sense of presence and engagement.
The Importance of Virtual Tour Hosting
To ensure the seamless delivery of your 3D Virtual Tour to viewers worldwide, virtual tour hosting is essential. Matterport offers secure hosting on its servers, guaranteeing efficient access to your tour for a global audience. While there may be hosting fees associated with this service, Step By Step 3D typically covers the cost for an initial period of time. Extended hosting plans are also available for businesses or properties that require longer-term hosting solutions.
Custom Domain Names for Your 3D Space
Securing a custom domain name for your 3D Virtual Tour is highly recommended. Having a unique web address that directly showcases your virtual tour enhances brand recognition and recall. It also boosts online searchability, making it easier for potential customers to find your business or property. Step By Step 3D offers the option of replacing the default URL of your 3D space with a customized and memorable web address, optimizing your online presence.
The Power of Indoor Google Street View for Business
Indoor Google Street View is an exciting feature that can further enhance your online presence. By adding an Indoor Google Street View to your Google Business Listing, you allow potential customers to virtually explore the interior of your business. Professional photographers capture 360-degree photos, which are then transformed into an online virtual tour. Integrating your existing Matterport 3D Virtual Tour with Indoor Google Street View allows for a comprehensive online experience and increased visibility on search platforms.
Conclusion
Matterport digital twins revolutionize the virtual tour experience, providing businesses and individuals with a fully interactive and immersive way to showcase their properties, services, and products. By incorporating Matterport 3D Virtual Tours into their online marketing strategies, businesses can engage customers, increase brand awareness, and drive conversions. From real estate to hospitality, retail, and cultural spaces, Matterport tours offer valuable benefits across various industries. By leveraging the power of virtual tours and the advanced features offered by Matterport, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and provide their customers with unparalleled online experiences.
