360 photos are, like Hansel the male model from Zoolander, so hot right now.
Also known as panoramic photos, photospheres, and virtual tours, 360 photos are a fast and easy way to wow prospective clients and set your spa or salon above the competition. Let’s dive a little deeper into the ways that 360 photography can benefit your business and ultimately, boost your revenue.
More Familiarity = More Bookings
Research from VIZ360 showed that businesses that use 360 photographs get 10% more online attention than those who don’t. Why would this be?
Business interiors have tremendous power to draw people in (or do just the opposite!)
Have you ever looked up photos of a place online before deciding to go somewhere? Whether scouting a new restaurant, a doctor’s office, a hotel or Airbnb, consumers are becoming increasingly more visual in their search patterns. 360 photos offer an immediate and immersive way for clients to get familiar with your space and visualize themselves there.
With greater familiarity comes greater trust, and with greater trust comes more sales. In fact, research by Panomatics showed that online viewers are 115% more likely to book after viewing a virtual tour.
Boost SEO Power
Not only do prospective clients get a nifty view of your space, but your website SEO gets a rich return as well. 360 photos boost SEO for the following reasons:
Increased dwell time: dwell time, or the amount of time a visitor spends on your site, is directly related to SEO, with websites that have higher dwell time ranking higher in search results. 360 photos invite viewers to spend more time on your site as they interact with an image, pointing and dragging their finger (or mouse) around the screen as an interior explorer 🕵️♀️
Google Maps/Google Street View: it's no secret that Google favors businesses that utilize their tools, with Maps being one of the biggest in the box. Businesses that have a presence on Google Maps (done by setting up a free Google My Business account), have the option of including their own 360 photos––
Google said that businesses that have photos in their listings received 42% more requests for driving directions on Google Maps and get 32% more click through to their website.
Stand Above the Competition
With the saturation of spas and salons in the Portland metro area, 360 photos give your business a noticeable difference from the rest:
First impressions matter (in business and in life!) Being ahead of the curve as an early adopter of 360 photos establishes your business as a modern leader in a sea of followers.
Facebook ready: Facebook for Business users will appreciate the fact that Facebook hosts 360 photos with ease. Unfortunately, Instagram is not 360-equipped at this time.
Where, When, and How to Use 360 Photos
Where: on your website, Google Maps, Facebook, and/or YouTube.
When: Sooner the better! Facebook first launched 360 photo sharing back in 2016, and the growing exposure to 360 has only gotten more popular.
How: Believe it or not, your smart phone has the ability to take 360 photos through popular apps like Google Street View. This is a great, free option for techies out there (although it does come with a learning curve.)
For those that have more important things to do with their time, Electric Beauty Productions has a top-of-the-line 360 camera ready to capture your space. Message us today to schedule your 30-minute shoot and see your virtual tour on Google Maps within 48 hours!
Any questions? We love getting emails: hello@electricbeautypro.com
Megan Rayo has been deep into video production since 2012 when she was an intern for E! Entertainment and once shared an elevator ride with Kim Kardashian. She moved to Portland OR to find more meaningful work and started Electric Beauty Productions after her esthetician mama asked her to make some treatment videos for her medspa. She gets fired up about all things photo/video, her wife's homemade flautas, The Bachelor franchise, and helping other women entrepreneurs level up in life and business.