Are Virtual Tours the New Open Day?
How Colleges & Universities can Engage with Customers Online
When making a decision on where to study for further education, the most useful source of information for students is to visit a campus and have a good look around. An open day is a great way to get a feel for a place, but what about those who can't attend or are at the early stages in their selection process?
A virtual tour gives colleges and universities the means to provide web visitors with full access to their locations using the internet. By showcasing the key areas to visit, prospective students can navigate their way around the ones they specifically want to see.
In the tour below of Oxford Brookes University, you can take a virtual walk around all the facilities on offer. There's loads to see, including information points, the library, lecture theatre, drama studio, music rooms, law building, Union bar, restaurant, chapel and Japanese room. Or take the tour of Hertford Regional College where you can look at the dance studio, science laboratories, IT facilities, hair and beauty salon, TV recording studio, photography dark room, motor vehicle workshops, gym and sports hall.
The addition of a custom overlay to a tour enhances navigation, keeping viewers engaged for longer and helping in the decision process. Menus and quick links to different areas can be included, as can hotspots with pop-up windows of information, plus extras like animation and video. Analytics are also available to show how visitors are using the tour.
For those just starting to explore their education options, it's an effective way to encourage interest in finding out more. For those closer to their final choice, it can help provide the confidence needed to make the right one.
With visual content a persuasive way to boost engagement with customers, a virtual tour embedded into a website is a powerful sales and marketing tool. And with more and more businesses realising the benefits of having a tour produced, it's a sure fire way to keep up with and ahead of the competition.
Date: 16 June 2015
Author: The 360 Company