Why choose 3D tours for your university?
If you are an admissions officer or marketing leader at a University that went through the economic crisis bought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. In that case, you know by now how crucial it is to adapt to new technologies. Embracing visualization technology, 3D tours, in particular, is a critical factor for your future success.
Here are some reasons why:
Virtual Tours save time.
Many people are hesitant to go outside their way and visit college campuses with other individuals. People are still careful and continue to practice social distancing.
When a potential student contacts the admissions office and asks for details about the university, wouldn’t it be nice if you could redirect them to an online tour and showcase the full splendor of the college campus and community without meeting each of them?
With 3D tours, incoming students can see the university using their computers and smartphones. Those who are genuinely interested will keep in touch and apply. A process like this saves everyone’s time because (a) the student doesn’t need to go out, and (b) you will have more time to focus on students who are interested in attending your institution.
They Help Out-of-State and International Students
Every year, hundreds of thousands of international students research universities and colleges in the US. Traveling across the world is a big decision; students often go to a country that doesn’t speak their native language. To top it all off, the lack of information and the whole bureaucratic process can make it seem like an insurmountable hurdle to study abroad.
Virtual tours offer a refreshing break and a reminder that there is a light ahead of the tunnel, and it is your university. In these cases, the best virtual tour can help your institution stand out from the crowd, and we at Interactiva specialize in that.
Out-of-state students are another demographic on the rise lately and are increasingly switching coasts in the US. Giving these students an attractive and convenient alternative to a plane trip can make them attend your institution.
They generate Web Traffic.
Cutting-edge 3D visualization technology attracts more clients and drives traffic to websites. Research reveals that websites with 3D tours on them receive about 40% more interactions compared to those using images or videos only. In marketing, more clicks mean higher engagement, which translates into higher enrollment. Also, higher traffic pushes your website up the search results enticing more students and making your institutions seem more prestigious. Furthermore, over 700 institutions already offer 360-degree virtual tours making them an industry standard. What if we could combine these two?
They Decrease in College Website Bounce Rates
The term bounce rate refers to the percent of your website visitors who leave your college’s website after only seeing one page. A high bounce rate signifies that a website needs some work. Posting high-quality and engaging content to potential students and parents is highly recommended to lower bounce rates. You can use virtual tours and keep visitors engaged.
Also, 3D tours often last a few minutes, and the user needs to click on several things while tour-guiding. Due to this, students and parents tend to spend more time on your website. This will make your bounce rates drop.
Low bounce rates result in improved search engine rankings, helping your institution receive more attention from prospective students and parents.
They Boost your Institution’s Social Media
Digital platforms like 3D virtual tours tend to magnetize attention on social media. All you need to do is share your content and experiences with your followers and let the thing do its magic.
Also, social media platforms like Instagram are search engines. The more valuable and engaging content you create, the more exposure you get.
Stand out from the crowd.
More people will discover you and find your institution if you are on the front page of the search results. If 3D tours are available to prospective students and parents once they open the link to your site, it will surely make a very personal impression.
Virtual tours add that wow factor to your institution and elevate parents’ and students’ perception of your prestige and ranking. Surprised by how you present your university, they will want to attend it more than their alternatives.
You give your institution convenient options.
Planning tour guides is tricky. Planning around the weather, events, and campus renovations can sometimes be insurmountable.
When you offer virtual tours to prospective students, you don’t have to work around these issues if the weather suddenly decides not to cooperate.
With virtual tours, you can show your campus in the best light and conditions possible at every time, enticing prospective students into attending.
You provide a realistic experience.
While the real estate business and other Metaverse pioneers have started to offer 3D tours of their properties and brands, this is one notable area universities have not yet adopted. Providing that ultimate realistic experience of complete immersion is something only Interactiva has started to target with higher education institutions.
Virtual 3D tours are like permanently open 24/7 campuses. Virtual tour guides always accept people and give them a personal experience every time. High-quality visuals, virtual tour avatars, and branching dialogues make the experience more realistic. Those who take the 3D tour imagine themselves attending the university. It creates a sense of identity, which helps you boost enrollment and yield.
No technical skills are needed.
Here at Interactiva, we create virtual tours designed to help college marketers digitize and modernize how they present and showcase their educational institution.
Our clients’ only job is to send us pictures, videos, and relevant facts about the university. We will compile everything and design a stunning tour.
Once the job is done, we will host and publish the tour making it directly available from your website, and also manage any additional platforms and services you’d like to include.
We hope this article helped you understand why 3D virtual tours are a fantastic way to reach more students and take your university enrollment to the next level. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!
