Virtual tours offer a safe way for potential patients to see your office and get a feel for your practice. As a result, these videos have become more popular than ever. Google reports that people are twice as interested in business listings1 featuring virtual tours. And when users find a virtual tour on your website, they’ll stay on your site five to 10 times longer than they would without a tour.2
So if you’re wondering, “do I need a 360° tour of my dental practice?” The answer is a resounding YES. Here’s why they’re worth the investment.
1. People Want to See Your Practice
People’s expectations and tastes have changed as our reliance on technology has increased. Now high-quality images and well-written copy, although extremely important, just aren’t enough. Studies show that 72% of people prefer to watch a video3 instead of reading text to learn about a product or service.
And not only are videos preferred, they’re expected. Google’s research has found that 67% of users want to see more videos4 on Google Business Profile listings. Incredibly, half of adults say they rely on virtual tours5 when researching a business or medical practice, like a dentist.
But there’s another reason why people want virtual tours. For many adults, either due to distance, lack of time, or physical limitations, making a special visit to check out a new dental practice just isn’t practical. With virtual tours, prospective patients visit your practice from the comfort of their home, saving the journey for when they actually have an appointment.
2. Help Patients with Dentophobia
About three-quarters of the population6 suffers from some form of dentophobia. One of the ways you, as a dental practice, can quell those fears and help patients feel less anxious is with a virtual tour.
Virtual tours of your lobby and examination rooms will show nervous patients precisely what they can expect from a visit to your office. As a result, you easily demonstrate they have nothing to worry about. You start building trust long before setting foot in the practice.
This is also important when you’re in a competitive market—as most dentists are. Fearful patients will choose the dentist they feel safe with. If you have a virtual tour and your competition doesn’t, there’s an excellent chance those patients will feel more comfortable selecting your practice.
3. Show Off Your Space
You’ve worked hard to create an inviting, comfortable space for your patients. You have a welcoming waiting room, top-notch tech, and probably hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of the best dental equipment money can buy sitting in your office. So show it off with a virtual tour!
Demonstrate what you do and how you do it. Showcase the investments you’ve made in your practice. If you’ve recently purchased a new tool that improves patient care, get the word out with a special virtual tour.
4. Improve Your SEO
Virtual tours also have some valuable search engine optimization benefits (SEO). When your website includes a virtual tour or other video content, your organic traffic increases by around 157%.7 And organic traffic is what you want, because 67% of marketing professionals agree it converts better8 than other types of web traffic.
Adding a virtual tour to your website will earn you more organic traffic and better patient leads. And the more high-quality leads you have, the more your patient list will grow.
5. Grow Your Practice
Video, including 360° tours, carries significant marketing value. Studies show having video content on your landing page can increase conversions by as much as 80%.9 And what’s better content for a landing page than a 360° tour?
Your virtual tour is not the place to skimp. Virtual tours and other video content have one important danger to look out for. Just over 60% of consumers say they’ll form a negative opinion10 of a brand that publishes a poor-quality video. A virtual tour on your website is essential, but you risk hurting your practice if the content isn’t quality.
Need a high-impact 360° tour for your dental practice? Dreamscape Marketing can help. Contact us today at 888.307.7304 to get started.
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