As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, schools are increasingly looking for ways to provide students and families with a sense of normalcy and connection. One way to do this is by offering fun virtual school tours. Virtual school tours can help families feel more connected to their child’s school and help them get a better sense of what the school is like.
How Can You Conduct a Virtual School Tour?
There are a few different ways to conduct a virtual school tour. Here are four of the best ways for school administrators to try:
1: Conduct a Live Virtual School Tour
The first way to conduct a virtual school tour is by doing it live. This means that you will be giving the tour in real-time, and families will be able to ask questions as they come up. You can conduct a live virtual school tour in a few different ways. One way is to use a video conferencing platform like Zoom, Google Meet, or Skype. Another way is to use a live streaming platform like Facebook Live or YouTube Live.
2: Pre-Record a School Tour Video
Another way to conduct a virtual school tour is by pre-recording a video. This is a great option if you want to ensure that the tour is high quality and that all of the information is communicated clearly. It’s also a good option if you want to be able to share the tour with families on a website or social media.
3: Create an Interactive Virtual School
If you want to create an interactive virtual school tour, you can use a platform like Google Street View or Matterport. These platforms allow you to create a 3D model of your school that families can explore independently. Also, if you have a drone, you can use it to create an aerial tour of your school.
4: Use a Virtual School Tour App
There are also a few different apps that you can use to conduct a virtual school tour. One option is Tourlina, an app that connects families with local tour guides. Another option is TakeTours, which offers pre-recorded video tours of schools.
Conducting a virtual school tour is easy with the right tools. These are the four best ways to conduct a virtual tour. All administrators should keep these in mind!
Tips to Make Your Virtual School Tour Effective and Engaging
Next, here are five tips to make your virtual school tours as effective and engaging as possible:
1: Keep It Short and Sweet
Keeping it short and sweet is essential when conducting a virtual school tour. Families are busy, and they likely won’t want to spend more than 15-20 minutes on the tour. So, make sure that you only include the most essential information in the tour.
2: Focus on the Positive
When giving a virtual school tour, you should always focus on the positive. This means highlighting the things that make your school special and unique. In addition, you want families to walk away from the tour feeling good about your school.
3: Use Engaging Visuals
Another effective tip is to use engaging visuals throughout the tour. This could include photos, videos, and infographics. These visuals will help families better understand what your school is like and what it has to offer.
4: Make It Interactive
As much as possible, you should try to make the tour interactive. This means giving families opportunities to ask questions and engage with the content. One way to do this is by using a live chat function during the tour or giving families the ability to submit questions ahead of time.
5: Follow Up After the Tour
Finally, you should always follow up after the tour. This means sending an email or giving a call to each family that participated in the tour. This will help solidify your school’s relationship with the family and potentially lead to enrollment.
Fun virtual tours are essential to keep families interested. You can ensure that your virtual school tour is effective and engaging by following these tips. Families will appreciate the effort you put into making the tour informative and enjoyable.
Next Steps
So, what now? If you want to conduct a virtual school tour, the first step is to decide which platform and strategy you’re going to use. Once you’ve done that, start planning out the content of the tour. And finally, don’t forget to promote the tour to families! Here are some ways to promote your school’s tour:
- Send an email to families
- Post about it on social media
- Add it to your school’s website
- Include it in your school’s marketing materials
- Tell families about it during school events
By following these steps, you can ensure that your tour is a success!
Virtual school tours are a great way to engage with families and promote your school. These tips will help you have the best school tours and lead to an increase in enrollment.
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