You can think of the new 360 virtual tour like mobile and video marketing. Consumers wanted more and more, and the businesses that focused on these markets excelled in the SERPs.

The same goes for the virtual tours. Let’s say someone in your locale looks up a seafood restaurant and your business shows up in the results. You have your website link that shows up, along with your 360 virtual tour.

So this is an added way for users to find your business, which is a plus for bringing in foot traffic. Simply put, virtual tours will help maximize your visibility in the search engine results.

Some people care about their dining experience. So for these individuals, having a 360 virtual tour can win points for your restaurant. This is especially true if you’re known for having a beautiful, relaxing or exciting interior.

Offering a virtual tour will give prospects a firsthand look at your restaurant before stepping a foot into your doors. There’s no presentation that’s more realistic than a 360 virtual tour. No photographs or even basic videos will have the same effect.

Many consumers are very picky about where they eat. So they scour the net for local diners that have high ratings and great menus.

But instead of relying solely on these factors, customers can experience your restaurant firsthand and judge for themselves. The only thing they can’t judge is how the food tastes.

However, if the experience looks good, then it may be enough to get them in the door. The more people start using the virtual tours, the more customers you’ll draw in

Now, you may be thinking that the cost of creating a virtual tour is probably high. Truth be told, it comes with a reasonable price tag.

The rates vary depending on the professional and the size of your restaurant. The cost isn’t too high, sometimes being beneath $100 per panorama.

So you’ll need to browse around for an expert with a great portfolio and a solid customer base.

As always, business is about competition. If you’re not beating them, then you need to be neck to neck. You can expect that other restaurant owners are boosting their online visibility with 360 virtual tours.

So you should be doing the same.

And if the restaurants in your neighborhood aren’t doing it, this will give you a real competitive edge. It’s a fact – 38% of rural users are using virtual tours, compared to 53% of urban and 54% of suburban users.

Capturing even a portion of this market can be enough to help grow and expand your restaurant.

As we’ve already mentioned, the 360 virtual tour is available on Google. You can go with a Google Trusted photographer or hire your own to create the tour for you.

Either way, having a virtual tour on the most popular search engine will help maximize your visibility and potentially increase traffic. This can work for you whether you’re a newly opened restaurant or one that’s been around for years.

Just make sure the virtual tour is created by an experienced photographer. Then once you have that setup, you can use an SEO strategy to ensure your Google My Business listings are showing up when they need to.

If you want your restaurant to shine above the rest, you need to stand out in a good way. With a virtual tour, you can improve the likability of your diner.

And when your restaurant is liked, it means it’s now sharable. Today’s consumers are on one or more social media platforms, where they share just about everything in their lives.

So if they end up going to your restaurant after viewing the virtual tour, they may share their experience on their profiles. This creates social proof, which helps others decide whether or not to dine in your restaurant.

Also, consumers like forward-thinking brands. By modernizing your marketing strategies with virtual tours, it shows that you’re revolutionizing.

The more information you offer to prospects the easier it is to weed out the weak leads from the strong. All businesses want hot leads, and with the right marketing methods, hot leads are easier to come by.

Virtual tours give consumers a better understanding of your restaurant’s atmosphere, allowing them to choose whether it’s a place they’d like to eat.

Those that don’t find your restaurant attractive won’t waste time coming in and leaving a negative review online. So the goal isn’t to draw in all the customers you can but to draw in all the right customers.

Your reputation depends on this!