How an Apartment Virtual Tour Can Seal the Deal - Mass Interact - Google Trusted Agency
Millennials today are moving more frequently than previous generations. With globalization, the internet, and the world coming closer together than ever before, this trend is here to stay. Millennials are moving both for higher-paying jobs, as well as for the rich experiences that staying in their hometown may not be able to deliver.
Having said that, it’s really hard to take time off work andgo all the way to the city you’re moving to for apartment hunting. There’s fartoo much planning, scheduling, and effort involved — and most people just don’thave the time for that.
As a result, most people have to find a house in a matter of afew days once they move to a new city, and that can be really challenging.Instead of spending tons of money on a hotel, people are now choosing to leaseand rent sight-unseen.
A few years ago this would have been unheard-of but technology has made this increasingly possible. Today, potential renters are okay with signing on that lease agreement on the basis of a high-quality, ultra-detailed apartment virtual tour. As long as the virtual tour gives them the feeling of having really seen the apartment in a complete, comprehensive way, they don’t mind signing the dotted line.
So if you’re targetting a sight-unseen lease — specificallyfor millennials and important businesspeople with little time on their hands —an apartment virtual tour is a must-have. Before you get that virtual tour upand running, here are a few things to keep in mind:
What this means is that a potential renter shouldn’t have tosearch for the virtual tour, they should naturally gravitate towards it whenscoping out the apartment. While the virtual tour is likely to be the clincherwhen it comes to a sight-unseen lease, you have to remember that renters areunlikely to search for a virtual tour. It’s more important that the virtualtour is a part of a seamless viewing experience. This means that you shoulddisplay the virtual tour prominently —whether that’s on the home page or on the listings page.
A lot of people look at a virtual tour as something thatexists lower down the sales funnel. In other words, they try to use it to closethe sale. While that is an important function of the tour, it’s just asimportant to have the prospects see the virtual tour when they’re casuallybrowsing the listing. This way, they will have a much more in-depth idea about theapartment, so the leads that you get will be highly qualified. This saves a lotof effort and energy later on in the sales process.
There are many virtual tour software out there, some of whichare even available for free. But if you want to get a professional-lookingvirtual tour (which is highly recommended when you want to close a sight-unseenlease), consider hiring a professional. Check their references, make sure theyfit within your budget, and of course look at their portfolio of work.Preferably work with a provider that already does apartment virtual tours sothat they know exactly what works.
What makes virtual tours different from videos is the interactive element. With virtual tours, users are expected to click on where they want to go, zoom in and out as they please, and even engage with the descriptions and information. You need to ensure that your virtual tour has a number of “hotspots”, with clickable icons and interesting copy, so that users are much more involved than with a regular video. What’s more, if your virtual tours are interactive, customers will stay on your website for longer. This is something that search engines take into account which will mean more traffic for you in the long run.
At the end of the day, if you expect someone to rent or lease an apartment without ever having seen it, then you need to give them a little bit extra. Renters today are willing to take that leap of faith— as long as they have extra information to bridge that trust gap. Virtual tours of apartments are the perfect fit.
Real Also: Real Estate Photography: Use the Right Visuals To Generate Buyers’ Interest
