Harnessing the Potential of 360° Virtual Tours in the Education Sector
Virtual tours have taken off in recent years as the next big thing in the real estate industry. While virtual tours are still relatively new and underutilized in education, they can be a potent tool to add to your marketing efforts and help bring in more students and parents interested in your school or college.
By using virtual tours of your campus, you can give potential students a realistic view of what your school looks like, including all the classrooms, dorms, extracurricular facilities, and more.
College and university admissions departments can use virtual tours to give high school students and their parents an immersive time of their college campuses so that they can get a feel for what it would be like to attend the school themselves.
This isn’t just an effective marketing strategy that gives prospective students the chance to see what campus life looks like before they even step foot on the campus grounds; it also helps schools and universities fill up classes with qualified candidates who want to be there, and who are excited about the prospect of attending.
See how you can use virtual tours to reach more students with our guide on the power of virtual tours in education!
How virtual tours be helpful?
Virtual reality has become an essential part of learning because it allows you to travel anywhere in the world with just the click of a button.
In fact, over 70% of college students now use virtual reality devices like Google Cardboard and other VR headsets in their education, which means that VR tours are more relevant now than ever before.
These tours are an innovative way to give prospective students a realistic look at what it's like to attend your institution. They can help students see and learn about places they would not otherwise be able to visit.
Benefits of Virtual Tours for the Education Industry
Education has been at the forefront of virtual technology since its inception and continues to embrace each new innovation and advancement made available.
It is no surprise that educators are embracing 360° virtual tours as the next step in education technology. With all the benefits of virtual tours, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be using them in your classroom or school today!
Let’s take a look at some of the best reasons you should use 360° Virtual Tours in your classroom!
1) They're Cost-Effective
Virtual Tours make it possible to tour any property without having to leave home. All you need is a computer and an internet connection.
The 360° views provide an immersive experience that can't be matched by still images or video tours, making them much more cost effective than traditional onsite visits.
Plus, with a Virtual Tour, it's easier to share your listing with prospective buyers through social media, email, or text messaging.
2) They're Engaging
360° Virtual Tours allow teachers to engage students in their lessons and make them feel like they're there. They make it easier for students to understand concepts because they can explore topics from different angles.
For example, a student can look up, down, left, and right to see every detail about a city or country. Students with visual impairments also benefit from these types of tours as they allow them to navigate an environment without getting lost.
3) They're Accessible
Virtual Tours can help by providing an immersive and interactive experience that is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
They can be used as a substitute or supplement to visits from prospective students, in order to provide a better sense of what life would be like at a particular institution.
4) They Help with Student Retention
Virtual tours can help students feel more connected to your school and make a decision on whether or not they want to attend.
It also helps them visualize where they will be living, which makes it easier to get excited and commit to your school. Plus, this is a way for prospective students to see what it would be like to go there before they decide if they want to come or not.
5) They Foster Interaction and Collaboration
One of the main benefits is that 360° Virtual tour videos foster interaction and collaboration among students.
For instance, a teacher could assign students to watch a video together and take notes on what they want to say or ask about it. During the next class period, they could discuss the video in detail with their peers who watched it with them.
6) They Can Enhance the Learning Environment
There is a lot that can be said about augmented reality, but one thing it does really well is to enhance the learning environment.
360° pictures and videos allow students to see what it would be like to visit schools from anywhere in the world.
This helps them better understand what they are going to encounter when they actually do go to that school, which also helps them make more informed decisions about where they want to go.
7) They Can be Reused
Schools, museums, and other educational institutions can take advantage of 360° virtual tours to generate interest in their events, exhibits, and classes.
Since these tours are optimized for Web browsers, educators can post them on their websites or social media profiles to attract potential students and patrons.
They also give parents a better idea of what they can expect before they visit a school or museum with their children. Virtual tours allow teachers to share more about themselves and their schools without relying solely on personal interaction.
Case Studies
Virtual tours give potential students a chance to experience the school before making their decision, and can dramatically affect conversion rates.
There are three major reasons for this:
- It's hard to get an accurate feel for the environment from only looking at pictures.
- The virtual tour is more personal than other forms of advertising like print or video.
- You can't Google your way through virtual tours.
In other words, you can't easily find out what people are saying about the schools because there isn't much information available online. So there is a sense that you're getting inside information about the school when you see it firsthand with your own eyes.
Conclusion
Virtual tours allow students to see your school from the comfort of their homes and get a feel for what it's like to be a student. They also allow prospective parents to walk through your campus with their child, so they can see if it's the right place.
Virtual tours are one way to ensure you're on top of your game when marketing your education-based institution.
One final piece of advice is to try and put yourself in the shoes of a prospective parent or student who is considering enrolling at your school. What do you want them to know? How would you want them to feel?
