Show your school off with a virtual tour!

By Alastair Poole|Published On: Friday, October 14, 2022|5 min read|

We’ve lost count of how many times Admissions Directors have said “if we can just get them to the school, we can get them to enrol”.

But what happens when prospective parents and pupil can’t get to your school?

We are actively working with many schools who are pivoting and adapting their strategy to embrace virtual admissions. Schools are developing ‘virtual tours’, and these are already proving invaluable.

If your school already has a virtual tour, you are luckily one step ahead, but if you don’t’ you still have time to create a tour-like experience.

1. WHY SHOULD YOU PRODUCE A VIRTUAL TOUR?

Financial uncertainty is forcing families to make difficult decisions about Independent schooling. You cannot afford to lose contact or build relationships with any prospects who may be unsure about committing to your school.

There is evidence that families are expecting virtual experiences, indoor activities and much more since coronavirus sequestered families in their homes. Your school is not alone, and many organisations who are selling destinations are already turning to this marketing strategy to help convert their customers, these include; property, leisure, zoos, landmarks, theme parks and many more….

2. WHY ARE VIRTUAL TOURS SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL TOOL?

It is vital that prospective parents and pupils get a proper sense of your school so that they appreciate what it will be like for their children once school returns to normal.

A virtual tour really is the next best thing to actually being there and gives schools an edge over their competition. With the interactive content you can embed it is essentially the ultimate digital prospectus.

This is a great example of a video virtual tour from the University of Shefffield. (Click above to view on YouTube).

3. ISN’T IT BETTER TO WAIT?

Now is the best time of the year to shoot exterior and interior locations., with full days of sunlight, green grass, trees in leaf, and sunny weather. Fewer staff, and no general public on site also makes things far easier.

4. WORRIED ABOUT HOW TO BRING THESE TO LIFE – BUDGETS?

Virtual tours can be integrated seamlessly into your existing digital platforms. Alternatively, simple stand-alone templated holding pages / micro sites can be produced. We would need to work directly with you to scope out and identify the best approach for your school. Integration is a secondary cost to video production so you will need to plan additional budgeting for this.

While it’s impossible to recreate a face-to-face experience, you shouldn’t shy away from producing an engaging and eye-catching tour.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PRODUCE VIDEO CONTENT?

Virtual tours don’t need to cost as much as you think, so for simplicity we have developed three simple video production packages to meet varying budgets and school needs.

These include: –

• OPTION 1: THE SNAPSHOT
• OPTION 2: THE STORY
• OPTION 3: THE COMPLETE GUIDED TOUR

OPTION 1

THE SNAPSHOT

£3,500+VAT £400 – Per film for additional micro films

Give prospective parents a snapshot of the school.
Parents are guided through using video footage of the school set to music.
Choose from either a single 5 minute film or 5 x 1 minute micro films.
Includes
Shoot scheduling
1 day’s filming + editing
2 round of client revisions

OPTION 2

THE STORY

£5,500 +VAT £600 – Per film for additional micro films (i.e. Sports, Boarding, Arts)

Add narration to your films so you can tell a story that will bring your school to life.
Choose from either a single 5 minute film or 5 x 1 minute micro films.
Either a pupil or teacher will guide your parents through the school with a voiceover set to video footage of the school and music.
Includes
Shoot scheduling
Script writing
voiceover record
1 day’s filming + editing
2 round of client revisions

OPTION 3

THE GUIDE

£9,000 +VAT £950 + VAT per film for additional microfilms (i.e. Sports, Boarding, Arts)

The ultimate showpiece tour to replace the real thing.
Have a pupil or teacher guide us around the school on camera offering insights and quirky snippets of information that will add bags of personality to your school.
Choose from either a single 5-minute film or 5 x 1-minute micro films.
Includes
Includes location recce
Shoot scheduling
Script writing
Voiceover record
2 day’s filming with Senior Camera operator
Editing,
2 round of client revisions
*Travel expenses charged separately.
*Aerial filming / photography not included.

Need some inspiration?

Below are a few links to a selection of US & UK school virtual tours, plus we couldn’t resist but include a few of the very best virtual tours from around the world – I hope they inspire you!

Educational Establishments

University of Sheffield

Virtual Tour of NYU

D’Youville Virtual House

Seaford College

Landmarks from around the world – Stay at home yet see the world!

The Eiffel Tower

Stonehenge

Great Wall of China

Finally, if you don’t have much budget, then we can help by re-purposing existing content including images, re-editing videos and turning them into new presentations.

Please do get in contact should you require support or advice in creating virtual communications. Myself, and our team are available and always happy to help. You can also email me directly on [email protected] (07468 491942).

Good luck, stay safe, committed and keep smiling.