With the Internet becoming the tool of choice when shopping for a home,
there’s no question virtual tours are here to stay and can grab the attention of
buyers better than listings without them. However, as powerful as they are, many
agents have not yet taken the plunge due to price or ease of use, making it a
challenging commitment.
So let’s start with the most basic question: “What’s all the hype about a
virtual tour?” A virtual tour is a multimedia presentation that gives home
buyers the option of seeing a listing over the Web as if they were seeing it in
person with their own eyes. They include slide shows, video, 360 viewing, sound
and narration – all of which are published on a single Web page. More elegant
solutions include visitor tracking, the ability to connect with leads and tools
for linking to maps and other online resources.
FlyInside.com is one
virtual tour company that has taken aim on solving the problem with price and
ease of use. You can create as many, or as few virtual tours, as you want,
whenever you want … for FREE. Designed for REALTORS® who don’t have to be
tech-savvy Web developers, setup is quick and easy. A self-guided wizard walks
you through the entire process, beginning with adding property data to providing
MLS number, lot size, and then uploading photos—as many as desired—for a
slideshow or 360-degree version. You can add background music, and once the tour
is published a link is sent to your e-mail account that you can add to your Web
site or MLS listing to drive home buyers to your virtual tour.
So watch’s the catch? At one time
flyinside.com had a
one-dollar-a-lead model, but this is no longer the case. They now make money
through offering several value-added upgrade services such as:
REALTOR.com® postings,
the ability to have a tour posted on
Craigslist.com, Oodle
and Yahoo and the ability to add additional tools, such as a mortgage
calculator, school information and more.
Key features include:
100% Branded to You
Display your photo, your name, company name and logo. (Optional unbranded
version also available.)
No Third Party Ads
Your free virtual tours have no third party advertisements.
Interactive Map
Virtual tour links to an interactive map of the location.
Music Selection
Choose from a variety of music selections to play in the background of your
tour.
Unlimited Linking to Your Virtual Tour
E-mail your tours or place them on the Web sites of your choice using the
unique tour URL.
Unlimited Tours
Create a tour without worrying about the cost. When it’s free, there are so
many options.
Unlimited Images
Upload as many photos (slideshow and 360º) as are needed.
No Tour Expiry
Keep tours active for as long as you like – your active tours never expire.
Free Hosting
Host your tours on our powerful and secure servers for free.
Free Activity Tracking
Monitor how well tours are performing with extensive activity tracking for
every tour.
Lead Capturing Forms
Know the contact information of individuals interested in specific properties
through lead capture forms.
Free Lead Management
Store and organize all virtual tour leads in one secure place.
Cross Marketing Abilities
“See my other tours” link and interactive map show all your active tours in a
centralized location.
Easy Editing
Edit your tours online, anytime.
Published: 4/11/2007
