Hi everybody.

So once again I need your feedback. I hope you will be as helpfull as always.

Up untill now I have always handed over all files for the tours I have produced, so the customer have total control with them. I am now considering to host all future tours I produce. What is your opinion no hosting tours? Advantages vs disadvantages?

PROS:

- The main reason for me to host tours my self is that I will be able to offer more advanced packages. IF hosting tours my selv I imagine that I would provide additional services like:

- An infopage that shortly explain what the viewer is about to see, and how to navigate through the tour.

- Pop up detector

- Centering tour in the middle of the screen. I think the visual experience is better if the tour is centered in the middle of the screen.

- Statistics. I will be able to offer a monthly report telling how many people actually views the tour. That way the customer will get a better feeling of the actual value of the tour I have produced.  

Furthermore I think these arguments are good:

- It have never been easier for the client. They just have to insert a link and they are up and running. Many of my customers web pages are CMS sites and that can give a lot of problems when uploading the tours.

- I will be able to charge an annual hosting fee

- It will give me an opportunity to brand my company more efficiently

Cons:

- It will take longer to produce the tours = more work

- So far it have been an important selling argument that the client actually got the files. I gues it makes the "product" more tangible Actually this would be my main argument for why I should NOT host the tours!

- My expences will increase due to increased  traffic to my web site.

Bring it on Easypano forum members and Tourweaver users. Let me knwo what you think about it?

Best regards

Morten Andersen

Hi again Morten

I prefere to host the tours for our clients on our own servers but also provide them with a CD version once we have recived Payment normaly 30 day invoice.

1 It make it a more simple procedure for the client if thay only have to have the link inserted on there site.

2 Ensures that we recive full payment for the Tour.

3 Also alows us to fully customize the VT so that we has a company can benifit in over ways. i.e meta tags with in the HTML files consist opf keywords that help our website search eng listing postions.

Go for your own server buddy when you thinks of the benifits to cost ratio it certanly pays off.

Good luck

Jonpaul

Hi Jonpaul

Yes the advantage is also that I will be able to use the site in regards to SEO (I just have to learn how it actually works *lol*)  

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Morten what areas do you reqiure help with I will try to assist.

Jonpaul

All very valid points (good advice)

Jonpaul

Hi Jonpaul & Thatone1785

Your arguments are very good. I guess my main motivation and most important arguments why I host the tours would / should be that

1) I can deliver a much more professional product, with an added value. 

2) It makes it easier for the client. - Just have to insert a link.

Now my only concern is to find / make a template that I can use to al my customers - with few adjustments.

Do any of you use a loading / welcome page?? I would love to see a couple of examples to get inspired.

Best regards

Morten

Hi Morten

Best thing to do is design a standard skin making sure you keep a copy of your background image.

Keep the skin simple so that all you have to do for each customer is change the background color of the skin to your customers primery color, then simply add their logo.

Spend time looking at some of the good example done by others on this forum you will find their designs quite inspiring.

I wanted to market some local real estate business and sent each customer i whent after a sample tour done in thier own color scheme. I tghink i saw the simply design some where on this forum. I sent out 5 example all the same and won 3 new customers.

http://www.vr-360tours.co.uk/dhirst/sample/welcome.html

Hope this helps

Jonpaul

Hi, Jonpaul,

Congratulations, nice tour. Good idea the thumbnails with the mouse over efect. Another way of showing the same. What equipment are you using?

Regards, Martin

Nikon D70, D200, 10.5mm fisheye (Nikon 2.8) SPH 303 head

Sometimes i may use D70, Agnos MRot b with Nikon E9 Fisheye depends on payment for work.

Mainly only ever produce 360 x 180 type tours as i can never understand why people would want to look at their feet the light fittings unless a building as feature floors or ceilings. Then I see the point.

I have done a lot of 360 x 360 but the gen feed back is that people get disorientate by them. You would be surprised by how many people can not use their mouse properly. Also allows me to be more competitive on price as the workflow is less. Really down to what the client is happy with and wants to pay for.

360 x 360 are the best if the clients want to pay a fair price for your time. But the main thing is to give a good clear image and to show off what ever the client is trying to showcase.

Jonpaul