First impressions matter, and now, visitors usually get those impressions online. When people search for a particular business on Google, they try to find essential factors to help convince them to use the service or product. Social media presence, business information updates, and reviews have always played critical roles in a prospect’s decision. But today, having a 360° virtual tour on your Google Business Listing could do all the magic.

These Google virtual tours allow organizations and business owners worldwide to showcase their businesses. It can help you attract more customers, outshine your competitors, boost your business, and generate more revenue. Here you’ll understand what a virtual tour is and why your business needs it.

What Is a Google Virtual Tour?

A Google virtual tour is an interactive 360° view of your business that show up on your Google Maps Listing beneath your business’ photos. It gives prospects and customers the chance to visit your business while staying in the comfort of their homes. It also enables them to find you in the Google Search results. Virtual tours engage visitors and help them to develop a solid, fast connection with your brand.

In America, 36% of shoppers begin their shopping experience online, thus giving you the need to include your top business features through a virtual online tour. The program offers a great marketing opportunity that helps increase your online exposure and improve your search result rankings. It also allows visitors to better understand your brand resulting in more business.

Google designed and hosted this program to boost your business presence throughout Google, and Google’s Street View technology powers it.

Benefits of Google Virtual Tour

As a brick-and-mortar business owner, customers must find your product and service when needed. But if visitors can’t locate your physical business in a virtual world, they might be unable to meet you in real life. A survey shows that 75% of prospects use virtual tours as a significant factor in their decision to buy a property.

The following are ways virtual tours can generate more business for you.

Increase Interest in Your Business

Online engagement is paramount and virtual tours play a vital role in a consumer’s decision. Apart from increasing traffic to your website, virtual tours help you maintain customers’ interest. These clients are also more likely to make in-person visits to your business. Businesses with eye-catching virtual tours and excellent quality photos provide prospects with a sample of what they’ll experience before walking through the door.

Study shows that business listings that feature virtual tours and photos were likely to generate interest resulting in a 41% increment in booked reservations. The program makes visitors more curious about your company and more time engaging with your brand, thereby increasing sales.

The Popularity of Virtual Tours

Due to the continuous advancements in video technology, companies have begun searching for new and effective ways to advertise their brand and enhance interaction and engagement from prospects. One method they found is the 360° virtual tour. Despite being new, virtual tours have become popular in the tourism and real estate sectors.

By including videos and images, a visitor can interact and explore the environment anywhere in the world. Study shows that 54% of buyers refuse to check a property unless it has virtual tours on its Listings. This indicates that people know virtual tours, making it an essential key to a business’ return on investment.

Website and Facebook Friendly

You can easily integrate 360 virtual tours into your website. Virtual tours are captivating, interactive, and engaging, and they help increase conversions and promote sales. A survey shows that 67% of customers want business owners to include 360° virtual tours on their websites. You can also improve further social engagement and garner more Likes by embedding virtual tours to your business Facebook page.

SEO Benefits

Well-developed Virtual tours are good for your website SEO. Many search engines, including Google, use algorithms to evaluate which web pages help the user. One of the key factors they consider is the number of time customers, or prospects spend on the website. A study has proven that websites with virtual tours rank higher than those with only images.

An eye-catching virtual tour will compel visitors to stay longer, improve your search engine rankings and help you increase your website traffic.

Compatible with All Devices

Virtual tours use interactive software to enable visitors to check out your business anywhere. They are compatible with all devices. Customers can use their desktop, smartphone, tablet, or mobile phone to find your business. They can use these devices to discover your bar, restaurant, store, and business anytime.