We will post the tours we shot as soon as they go live on our clients website.

So if the rumors are true what does this mean for the UK. Well its great news for the virtual tour industry as web users will become increasing exposed to this type of media. As a result, they will start to expect this functionality from UK websites. Consequently the uptake of 360 degree images will increase as business establishments meet this demand.

I don't imagine Google will have enough resources to cover all possible venues and stores across the UK. Therefore, in the near future Google may allow users to upload their own virtual tours (they currently off this with pictures through Picasa Web). This would be a great way to get even more exposure for FullVisual's current and future clients.

We will monitor these changes within Google Street View and post on any developments. Keep up-to-date with our latest post by following us on twitter. You never know Google Street View may become Google Store View very soon.

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The Assembly Rooms, on George Street Edinburgh, commissioned us to produced virtual tours across two of their venues, Assembly Rooms and Church Hill Theatre. They also commissioned as to show of their venue during the 2009 Forth One Awards in November. This allowed us to capture the venue's unique atmosphere during a live event. Our live virtual tour of the drinks reception required patience but was well worth it:

The virtual tours have been a great selling tool for the Assembly Rooms. Below is a quick interview, with Shona Clelland, General Manager at the Assembly Rooms, which explains the impact the virtual tours have had:

What was the impact on your online audience?
We have had very constructive feedback from clients about the virtual tour, overall the ability to see a room and virtually walk round it assists clients to make a more informed decision about whether or not they want to book it.

How did you promote the virtual tours once they went live on your website?
We ensured that all staff had the virtual tour address on their email signature, this had an immediate impact with colleagues and clients. We promote the virtual tour through our website and to everyone who contacts us personally about hiring space or staging an event with us. It is particularly useful for us when promoting the venue to international clients that cannot visit the venue.

How will you continue to use the virtual tours?
We are putting together a Facebook profile for the Assembly Rooms and a key element of this will be promotion of the virtual tour.

Click here to see some our other art venue virtual tours.

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Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre commissioned us to produced fifteen virtual tours across their auditorium, backsatge areas and venue hire rooms. Once the virtual tours went live on the Lyceum's website this wasn't the end. The Lyceum's web team continued to promote the virtual tours through news stories, monthly newsletters and social media. This strategy was allowed them to make the most of their virtual tours and has increased their overall exposure.

Below is a quick interview, with Michael Thomas, Marketing and Communications Officer at Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre, which explains how the theatre promote their virtual tours:

How did you promote the virtual tours once they went live on your website?
When we launched our virtual tours, we made a point of featuring them on our home page and news pages, and mentioning them in our bimonthly eNewsletter. We also promoted them in the programmes for each of our shows as part of a more general promotion of our website and online presence. Further to that, whenever an enquiry comes in by email regarding room hire or similar, we try to make sure to mention the VTs to give our potential customers a better idea of what our spaces look like and what they have to offer.

What was there impact on your online audience?
We've had a great deal of positive feedback from people who thought the VTs looked great and added to their enjoyment of using our website. They're also a great hook for getting people to visit the site in the first place and thus they improve the potential for converting those with a casual interest into customers.

How will you continue to use the virtual tours?
As our social media presence increases (we're now on Twitter and Facebook among others) we'll continue to alert our fans to the existence and quality of the tours. We'll also make use of them whenever there's a circumstance where it would be useful to let people see the rooms - one recent example would be this news story where we are advertising for an artist to exhibit in our main bar next month - this story aimed links to the virtual tour for that room, to give potential exhibitors a better idea of the space.

Click here to see some our other theatre virtual tours.

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We have just launched the FullVisual Twitter page. This will allow share quick links to our latest work while offering more in-depth stories on this blog.

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