Whether you’re creating real estate virtual tours to entice buyers to your properties, or putting together a virtual tour for your business that will boost your online marketing and bring more customers in, you want your facility or property to look great on any screen. That’s why it’s important to get your virtual tour right the first time.
Avoid these common mistakes in creating a virtual tour, so you’ll end up with a visually stunning finished product that showcases the best of your property, and attracts more buyers and customers.
Mistake #1: Using your phone’s camera
It’s true that smartphone cameras have come a long way in terms of image quality. However, taking a professional-looking shot with a smartphone is difficult, if not impossible, for a few reasons. Most smartphone cameras don’t have a zoom feature, and it’s tricky to hold the “camera” still and at the right angle. For best results, you should use a high quality digital camera, and accessories such as a tripod and a panoramic tripod head attachment.
Mistake #2: Photographing “as-is”
Even if your business or property is clean and tidy, it’s important to realize that the camera easily picks up on—and often magnifies—dirt, stains, and other imperfections. Prior to shooting your virtual tour, take things from clean to immaculate with a fresh scrub, dust, and stain removal.
Mistake #3: Using too much (or not enough) natural light
A little bit of natural light can make a room look stunning—but too much will distort or swallow your photos. Incandescent lighting for a virtual tour is ideal, but the harsh glare of florescent light makes for poorly colored, washed out images.
When photographing a room where incandescent lights are not available, take the shots on a sunny day, at a time when the sun is not shining directly through the windows. Leave any florescent lights off, and use blinds or curtains to adjust for the best amount of natural light.
Mistake #4: Not taking test photos
With a digital camera, it doesn’t cost anything to snap extra shots. Take several test photos of a room to see how it looks through the camera lens—including the lighting, potential grime, and furniture arrangement. Then make any necessary adjustments before taking the final pictures.
Mistake #5: Incorrect use of panoramic shots
While some 360 panoramas can bring a lot to a virtual tour, in some cases it’s better to stick with straight images. Smaller rooms can appear distorted and disproportionate in panoramic shots—save them for large rooms and exterior photographs.
Mistake #6: Creating an image-only virtual tour
One of the greatest advantages of a virtual tour is the ability to combine high quality images with other media, such as text descriptions, narration, music, and full motion HD video. An interactive, multi-media virtual tour will perform better with your prospective buyers or customers than an image-only presentation. Take advantage of additional tools and features to help your virtual tours truly stand out.
Mistake #7: Relying on DIY techniques or poor quality virtual tour software
Often, a low-quality virtual tour can do more harm than good. Potential customers or buyers may be turned off by grainy, poorly shot images and a “homemade” presentation. However, a quality virtual tour made with professional tools such as RTV FusionMax 3 or Fusion HD+ will help you market your properties or your business across multiple channels with stunning, interactive virtual tours.
Contact RTV today to learn more about our powerful virtual tour software and professional photography services so we can create one for you.
Sincerely,
Team RTV
Virtual Tour Software & Digital Marketing Training
Order a virtual tour – 866-947-8687