As a Lakehills rental property owner, you are aware that marketing is a vital piece to discovering ideal renters. If in case you’re not making use of virtual tours yet, you’re missing out! Extending potential tenants the opportunity to take a virtual tour of your rental properties is a fantastic way to show them what they’re getting even before they come through the door. In the following sections, we’ll discuss the advantages of using virtual tours for your rental property marketing and explain why every rental property owner should be using them.
Virtual Tour Basics
By definition, a virtual tour is a digitally rendered walk-through of a rental property. Unlike photographs, which showcase the property based on the photographer’s point of view, virtual tours can offer an in-depth glance into each room of a property. Virtual tours can likewise allow prospective renters to measure spaces and areas of the home and even digitally put their furnishings to see how they would fit.
Recent studies have shown that renters want virtual tours of rental properties. According to results compiled by Zumper, more than 70% of renters say they would be happy to rent an apartment without seeing it in person if they could check it out through a 3D virtual tour.
Types of Virtual Tours
Virtual tours are an immersive way for potential tenants to see your rental properties. They present a chance for potential renters to get a feel for the space and see if it meets their needs without having to visit the property physically.
There are three main types of virtual tours: a 360 virtual tour, a 3D virtual tour, and a virtual reality tour.
- 360 Virtual Tour. A 360 virtual tour is a single panoramic image pieced together from several photographs. These tours let potential tenants see the whole room in one image, then click and drag to look around. 360 virtual tours are easy and relatively inexpensive to create, making them a great option for Lakehills property managers just starting with virtual tours.
- 3D Virtual Tour. A more immersive choice than a 360 virtual tour, a three-dimensional (or “true”) virtual tour allows potential tenants to walk through the property as if they were there. These tours are created by taking several photographs of a rental property and then piecing them together using special software. As a consequence of the time and effort involved in creating them, high-end rental properties usually only use three-dimensional virtual tours.
- Virtual Reality Tour. The most recent and most immersive type of virtual tour is the virtual reality (VR) tour. These tours allow potential tenants to put on a VR headset and explore the property as if they were walking through it. While VR tours are still relatively rare, they are becoming more and more popular as VR technology becomes more accessible.
What are the benefits of virtual tours?
- Convenience. Perhaps the biggest benefit of virtual tours is that they are incredibly convenient. Potential tenants can tour your rental properties without having to leave their homes or work schedules. This is especially beneficial for out-of-state or international renters who might have difficulty arranging a time to tour the property physically.
- 24/Hour Availability. Virtual tours are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means potential tenants can tour your rental properties on their own schedule, without having to work around your availability.
- Increased Engagement. Virtual tours are also proven to increase engagement. A study by Inman News found that properties with virtual tours receive, on average, 42% more website views than those without virtual tours.
- Improved SEO. In addition to increased engagement, virtual tours can also improve your rental property’s SEO. Google loves fresh content and adding the virtual tour to your property listing is a great way to add new content and improve your ranking in search results.
How to Optimize Your Virtual Tours
Quality Matters. Make sure to use high-quality images and videos, and avoid using low-resolution or blurry photos. You want potential tenants to get a clear sense of your rental properties, so be sure to use quality virtual tour content.
Include a Call to Action. Be sure to include a call to action (CTA) at the end of your virtual tour. A CTA is a statement or button encouraging potential tenants to take the next step, such as scheduling a showing or contacting you for more information. By incorporating a CTA, potential tenants are more likely to rent from you.
Virtual tours are a terrific way to give prospective tenants a feel for your rental properties without having to physically visit the property. If you’re not already using virtual tours in your rental property marketing, now is the best time to start. Ready to learn more about how to incorporate virtual tours into your rental property marketing? Contact us online today!
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