Matterport Tour vs. Regular Virtual Tour: What’s the Difference?
In today’s real estate and event venue markets, virtual tours have become essential tools for showcasing spaces to potential buyers and clients. But not all virtual tours are created equal. Two of the most common options you’ll encounter are Matterport tours and regular virtual tours. While both serve the same fundamental purpose—allowing viewers to experience a space remotely—the technology and user experience they provide are quite different. Understanding these differences can help you decide which one is right for your property.
What Is a Matterport Tour?
Matterport is a cutting-edge 3D platform that creates immersive, fully interactive virtual tours. Using specialized 3D cameras, it scans a property to capture every detail, creating a “dollhouse” view that lets users navigate through the space as if they were physically walking through it. Matterport tours offer several features that set them apart:
3D Mapping: Matterport uses 3D technology to create a highly detailed, three-dimensional rendering of a property. Viewers can explore the space from multiple angles and even measure room dimensions.
Dollhouse View: This unique feature gives a bird’s-eye view of the entire property, allowing users to understand the layout before entering the individual rooms.
Interactive Features: Matterport tours offer added interactivity, like clickable points of interest. These can provide extra information, such as details about specific features, rooms, or upgrades in the home.
Precision and Accuracy: Because it uses 3D scanning, Matterport offers highly precise virtual representations, capturing details down to the millimeter.
What Is a Regular Virtual Tour?
A regular virtual tour, on the other hand, typically uses panoramic photography or video to capture different angles of a property. These tours are often composed of a series of still photos or 360-degree images that give a sense of the space, but they don’t include 3D mapping. While not as advanced as a Matterport tour, a regular virtual tour still offers many benefits:
2D Imagery: These tours rely on high-quality, wide-angle photos or videos to showcase the property. Users can move from room to room, but they won’t have the ability to zoom in or rotate objects in 3D.
Simplicity: Regular virtual tours are often easier to produce, which can make them a more affordable option, especially for smaller spaces.
Faster to Load: Because they involve less data, regular virtual tours can load faster on most devices, which might be an advantage for users with slower internet connections.
Fewer Technical Requirements: You don’t need specialized equipment to create a regular virtual tour. A high-quality camera and basic editing software are typically sufficient.
Key Differences Between Matterport and Regular Virtual Tours
When deciding which tour type is best for your property, it’s important to consider several key factors:
Immersion: Matterport tours offer a more immersive experience, allowing viewers to interact with a 3D model of the space, while regular virtual tours are more limited to panoramic views or static photos.
Technology: Matterport requires specialized 3D cameras and software, making it a more high-tech option, whereas regular virtual tours can be created with less sophisticated equipment.
User Experience: With Matterport, users can explore a property with great detail and precision, including viewing floor plans, measuring spaces, and navigating in 3D. A regular virtual tour gives a straightforward visual experience but lacks these interactive elements.
Cost and Production Time: Because of the advanced technology required, Matterport tours are often more expensive and time-consuming to create. Regular virtual tours, while less advanced, can be a quicker and more affordable option.
Both Matterport and regular virtual tours have their strengths, and the choice between them depends on your specific needs. If you’re looking to market a large, high-end property or an intricate event venue where attention to detail is essential, Matterport might be the better choice. The ability to offer viewers a detailed, 3D walk-through can be a strong selling point.
On the other hand, if you need a cost-effective way to showcase a smaller property or simply want to provide a basic online preview, a regular virtual tour could meet your needs without the extra expense or technical requirements.
In either case, virtual tours can help boost engagement, improve listing visibility, and give prospective buyers or clients a better feel for your space before they even step foot inside. Understanding the differences between these two types of tours will help you choose the one that best highlights your property’s unique features.
