By Jennesa Ongkit, Contributor
If you run a bar or restaurant, you already know how prevalent the Internet is for hungry diners looking for a new place to eat.
Consequently, if the Internet doesn't have much information about your restaurant, you can lose potential guests. The great news is that there are ways for you to get yourself listed on the Internet. And sure, setting up a Google Business Profile is a good start, as well as a modern, impressive website. But to really stand out and wow visitors, operators should consider creating a virtual tour of their restaurant.
You may be thinking that you don't have the necessary resources to create a virtual tour. But, it's actually quite simple. If you follow these five easy steps, you will be well on your way creating a restaurant virtual tour.
#1 Decide the Type of Virtual Tour You Want
Will it be a 360-degree immersive tour of your restaurant? Or will it be a flat, panoramic image? Both styles have their own benefits and drawbacks.
For example, 360-degree tours allow viewers to control where they look in the scene by moving their mouse cursor around on the screen. However, this can lead to motion sickness if done incorrectly. Flat images are much easier to create but don't provide users with the same level of interactivity as their immersive counterparts.
Keep in mind that the purpose of a virtual tour is not just to show off your business but also to get people excited about visiting it. That's why you should focus on creating a simple, easy-to-follow tour that highlights what makes your business better than others.
#2 Plan the Virtual Tour Flow
A virtual tour of your restaurant requires planning, organization, and proper execution from start to finish for it to be successful. You'll need to decide how many scenes are required for each location as well as the flow between them.
For the best result, consider creating a shot list that outlines each scene and how it will look on screen. You can use this to guide your filming process so that you don't forget anything important or miss out on any opportunities to improve your virtual tour. You’ll also want to decide if you care about showing off your kitchen, etc. in the tour. Will it be interesting to give visitors a peak behind the curtain or is it completely unnecessary?
A shot list is also useful for keeping track of all the necessary equipment, props, and people needed for each scene. That includes all the locations and scenes you want to insert in your virtual tour.
From there, it's easier to create a storyline for each scene that leads visitors through the location in an easy-to-follow manner. This is also where you can get creative with your virtual tour by adding features that make it stand out from others.
You may want to include the following:
Video footage of people eating and drinking in the scene.
Interior and exterior shots of the restaurant
Behind-the-scenes footage of the staff working in the kitchen
Mouth-watering images of your dishes
Interview with the chef
#3 Capture the Footage
You can get your footage of your restaurant in one of two ways: You can either go out and shoot it yourself or hire a professional videographer to do it for you.
If you decide to do this yourself, some creative thinking will be required for your virtual tour to look really good.
Ensure you have enough light when shooting outdoors, so the video doesn't look too dark or grainy. Consider having multiple cameras set up around the property so that you can capture different angles of everything. Pro-tip is to test your webcam or camera before you start shooting so that you can make sure it's working properly. You should also consider getting a tripod to help stabilize your shots.
#4 Edit Your Footage
As you edit your restaurant tour footage, make sure that it flows smoothly from one shot to another. Make sure that the editing doesn't distract from the story you want to tell. Follow the storyline you plan in Step 2.
If you have multiple angle shots, start by reviewing all of them and picking out the best clips to use in your video. Make sure that the audio is clear and that you have a professional voiceover if you plan to narrate the virtual tour. Background music is something else you might want to consider adding.
It's also a good idea to add extra features like interactive links, 360-degree views, and social media buttons. You can achieve this with the help of software programs designed specifically for creating virtual tours.
#5 Share Your Restaurant’s Virtual Tour
Yes, this will not be complete if you don't share it with the world. You can upload your finished product to platforms like YouTube and Facebook or by embedding it on your website.
Another option is to create a short-form video of your virtual tour that can be posted on TikTok and Instagram.
While virtual tours are useful for a myriad of businesses, they are especially effective for those operating in the restaurant industry. No matter how great the food and service are, you won't get very far without good advertising.
And with advanced technology, a virtual tour of your restaurant business will give potential customers a taste of what it's like to be there. You can bring them along for a ride as they sit at their table and get waited on by a smiling server.
About the Author
Jennesa Ongkit is a content writer working for a video editing platform, VEED.IO. Being a nomad and a traveler, she has explored various countries and got to know different cultures. She enjoys writing about travel, food, and lifestyle.
