A 360 video is a video that records in all directions at once. The viewer can look at any angle at any time, either through VR or a video platform such as Youtube. The end result puts the viewer right in the middle of the recording, feeling like they are part of the scene.
This technology can enable a wide range of new approaches to creating video content for marketing, training, recruitment, and more. Here are just a few examples of how businesses are using 360 videos today:
Virtual Tours
A 360 video tour of your business can show prospective clients, business partners, or employees your company’s approach and culture. A virtual company tour can save everyone involved a lot of time and inconvenience. This is especially for potential clients or recruits who would otherwise need to travel a long distance.
A 360 video is more engaging and useful than a standard video in this regard. It allows prospects to look around the area at will just like they would on a real tour. They can pause the video to take a look at someone’s work without disrupting them, getting a better sense of how your business operates on a normal day.
Of course, when making a 360 video tour you are not limited to just your business premises. For example, real estate businesses can use 360 videos to provide virtual tours of properties, letting customers take a tour without the hassle of booking a viewing.
Marketing & Promoting Events
Want to give people an idea of what attending one of your events is like? A 360 video is the perfect way to show them. A video tour of a recent event can give viewers the feeling of being in the middle of the crowd. They can freely look around at whatever catches their interest, getting a better feeling of what to expect if they attend.
360 video also creates opportunities to create marketing content that is more engaging than a standard video. For example, UK supermarket chain ASDA released a 360 video tour of their new product line that also included numerous hidden ‘Easter eggs’ throughout the video. Challenging customers to spot all of the Easter eggs for a reward encourages viewers to pay closer attention to the ad, ensuring it made a more lasting impression. The potential for more creative video content is one of the reasons 360 video ads have a 30% higher repeated view rate than standard video, with 3 times higher conversion rates.
Virtual Event Attendance
Virtual and hybrid events are here to stay. In a recent survey, 72% of professionals said they expected to attend as many or more events virtually as they would in person over the coming year.
Besides the growing demand for virtual event attendance options from audiences, they offer practical benefits to organizers, such as increasing audience capacity without the need for a larger event space.
As a result, event organizers are exploring new ways to make events just as engaging for virtual attendees as those who show up in person. 360 live video streams, especially when paired with VR, can go a long way to recreate the experience of attending in person. For example, Celebrity Championship Boxing combined VR with 360 videos last year to recreate the ringside experience, complete with other virtual audience members to interact with.
Training Materials
The potential uses for 360 videos as a training resource are too many to list. In a large working environment such as a factory or warehouse, they can be invaluable in familiarizing new employees with navigating the site safely. With the addition of interactivity, it can be a great tool to help trainees learn to spot hazards and dangers. A video can record a workspace from all angles for trainees to review and spot issues such as trip hazards. As a result, 360 videos can help employees be more aware of their surroundings on the job.
For example, global shipping company UPS recently expanded its training to include safety training modules that pair 360 video with VR. These modules use 360 video recorded while driving to test trainees’ ability to spot road hazards, improving overall safety standards as a result.
How Making a 360 Video Works
Our process for creating your new 360 videos follows a series of simple steps:
Storyboard
Like any other video, creating a 360 video starts with creating a concept and storyline that matches your brand image and communicates the key information. Writing out the scenario beforehand ensures that all the personnel and locations needed for the video are available at the right time.
360 Filming
360 video is recorded using specialized multi-camera setups to capture all the angles. The filming itself usually only takes one or two days, depending on the length and complexity of the video.
Post-production
Next, those cameras’ recordings need to be stitched together. Though this process is partly automated, it takes a keen eye to iron out the defects for a more seamless result. This also includes color correcting the video to remove glare and any color discrepancies that result from multiple camera lenses.
Motion Graphics
Depending on the scenario, we can add extra elements such as text, digital graphics, or green screen cut-outs to the 360 video. These are useful for putting additional information or instruction into a video after filming.
Spatial Sound
3d spatial sound can complete the immersive video experience, making viewers feel fully surrounded by the experience. Spatial sounds are typically added later, due to the difficulties of recording a 3d soundscape during filming.
Businesses from all industry sectors are benefitting from the introduction of 360 video content. To find out more about how it can help your company, get in touch with our 360 video experts to discuss ideas for an immersive video experience.
