Matterpod Podcast: "Nobody wants a Matterport tour."

Queensland, Australia

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Originally Posted by johnwheatley
@Wingman - You are a wealth of knowledge. I appreciate how much you contribute to this forum.

Thanks John, just trying my best to stay above competitors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwheatley

Are you saying that you connect MP 3D models to Google Maps? If so, wow! I did not realize that's a thing. Can you or @DanSmigrod direct me to training or info on how to do that?

Yes it is in Add-on section of Matterport workshop. It is actually there for years. Dan has given you a link how to do it. You only need a Gmail account to publish any tour. Just stay away from publishing holiday private properties without open during business hours reception and sex shops. There may be more that Google does not want you to create a tour for but these two are for sure not allowed by Google.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwheatley

And are you saying that once you add (or connect, or convert, or transfer or whatever you do) a model to G-Maps, you no longer need to host it, and so you don't need to charge for hosting? I ask because you make a distinction between using the model as a G-Maps SEO tool vs merely media for a website that necessitates hosting fees. Or, are you saying that the model must be hosted either way, but businesses are much more willing to pay hosting fees to get a boost in SEO but not for just media on their website?

Yes, if your client does not want a 3D tour for their website or social and only wants a google maps tour for their GBP you do not need to host their 3D tour. Once published & transferred to Google all 360 images and connections between them are stored on Google servers and they are not linked to Matterport anymore.

However I meant slightly different thing about SEO. When a business creates Google Business Profile(GBP) known as Google My Business before it is like a summary of everything a business has on Google. A business ads their website link to GBP so wherever(website or GBP) a user clicks on business content or engages with it for some time it is all counted. Just an example there are 20 views on a business GBP and 5 on their website so it is total of 25 views that will be counted towards Google ranking.

Now back to my point why a maps tour embed on a business website is better for ranking that a Matterport tour. Matterport data from a 3D tour is stored on their servers or Amazon. That's why any user interaction with a 3D tour on a business website is not counted for a business. I believe Google only recording engagement time as a user still stays on a business website walking through a 3D tour but how many scan points a user go through are not counted as business views.

However it works much better for ranking if you place a google maps tour on a business website. It is simply because all 360s belong to a business(their GBP) and when they are called from any place on the Internet Google will deliver it there and count every request including showing 360 photo from a business google maps tour on a business website.

So if you are coming to a business with an offer to make their ranking better offering to use a google maps tour on a website will deliver much more.

You can still sell them Matterport even with hosting fees as an extra to publishing to Google Maps just do not offer it straight away as you may scare them with hosting fees.

If a client contacts me I just listen to what they need and their idea what they need it for.

If they ask for a Matterport tour but have a GBP I usually offer a Google Maps tour for free as an extra.

If they ask for a google maps tour only but I see they may get more clients to use a 3D tour(on social for example) I would mention it and show what it looks like with examples. Most will still say I do not need a 3D tour and only need a google maps tour. It is usually marketing companies that hire me. I would say most of such orders ended up with no use for Matterport even when it is offered.

However if I go out knocking on doors I usually sell google maps tours. In rare cases for example for event spaces I offer to be listed on a venue marketplace for free but I mention that a business better to have a 3D tour for their listing as this is what the marketplace is about-show what is available for hire in the best possible way.

The hardest part in such sales is finding an owner or any decision maker and grab their attention within seconds of introducing yourself. I do not have any hints for that so far but I have an idea that may convince an owner they need a tour. I am planning to use it soon and let you know if it works.

2 years ago

@johnwheatley I have a client who I scanned about a year ago, and the tour has around 500+ views ( Multinational company ) now their marketing and sales staff swear they are using the tour (s) every day ( 120+ for their locations )

I uploaded one to their Google my business three months back and got a report from Google about a month ago that in the last two weeks they received just over 160 000 views of their Virtual Tour on Google Business. Now if you grasp Google Business you know the customer journey to find 360 content on your Google listings.

So when I showed the customer how clients saw their content, he said they had to pay me more money, as trying to pay for ads, etc was not working for them, and fired their marketing team - well almost. They had an MSP scanning for them, claiming they are the biggest in my area, but just shows you they have no experience and are just your typical British snake oils salesman, but its fun having them around because taking their business has become so easy, for the other more seasoned and experienced MSPs as they can't sell value only "Dollhouse Views".

Secondly, my clients get Google Business for free and also I don't charge them for hosting ever. but if we get forced to start charging hosting will still just charge them directly my Matterport cost, don't like to steal customers' money.

1. This proves that most customers are only getting the tours as nice to have.
2. They use it maybe a couple of times and then it just does not get used anymore ( yes I put my tours on steroids, not like some of the lazy MSPs), Don't believe all these fake stats Matterprt tries you to believe in. I can also make up statistics.
3. Google is generating X10 000 more engagement and conversions for my clients than Matterport.
4. Also look at people's avg time spent on a Matterport tour, maybe longer than video content, but still only 1 - 2 min. So why are these, tours boring, not engaging enough, or have the TikToks of the world changed the marketing scene?

Openhaus Co-Founder 302 Website Heber City Utah Linked In Facebook Twitter YouTube Instragram We Get Around Network Member	302 Carson private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 3
	Dean Scholey of New Zealand talks about his experience as a Matterport Service Provider and discusses what his customers really want — solutions. Listen in! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2v7V-YUtI
	2 years ago	Post 1 • IP flag post

244	244 johnwheatley private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 3
	I wonder if anyone has shared in this forum a list of problems for various business types for which a Matterport tour is a great solution.
	2 years ago	Post 2 • IP flag post

WGAN Fan Club Member 4.34K Website Queensland, Australia Matterport Service Partner Google Street View Trusted Photographer We Get Around Network Member	4.34K Wingman private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 6
	I do not have any magic guides or words but I do remember one. There was a benefit for hospitals mentioned when they were using a tour to show a working environment for new employees they were looking to hire. I always offer it as a tool to generate more sales by letting a viewer to walk through a business, find something they need or like and visit a business personally. In most cases I always sell it as a google maps tour to reach millions of searches but I am less keen to offer it as a media for a business website. I'd love to but once you say there is a recurring fee for hosting most won't be interested even if its $10-20/month. Plus lets be honest if a business after better ranking on Google embeding a google maps tour on a business website will do it much much better.
	2 years ago	Post 3 • IP flag post

244	244 johnwheatley private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 6
	@Wingman - You are a wealth of knowledge. I appreciate how much you contribute to this forum. Are you saying that you connect MP 3D models to Google Maps? If so, wow! I did not realize that's a thing. Can you or @DanSmigrod direct me to training or info on how to do that? And are you saying that once you add (or connect, or convert, or transfer or whatever you do) a model to G-Maps, you no longer need to host it, and so you don't need to charge for hosting? I ask because you make a distinction between using the model as a G-Maps SEO tool vs merely media for a website that necessitates hosting fees. Or, are you saying that the model must be hosted either way, but businesses are much more willing to pay hosting fees to get a boost in SEO but not for just media on their website? I have only ever used Matterport for my own jobsite documentation, as a contractor for IFTI, and for real estate agents. I bought my Pro 2 camera after MP closed the MSP program to new candidates, so I never had the benefit of being an official MSP. No fair! lol So exploring how Matterport models might benefit other businesses in my area is intriguing. I guess that's why I threw it out there, wondering if there is any list or training on all the benefits of MP models to businesses besides real estate sales and documentation for design/construction/insurance.
	2 years ago	Post 4 • IP flag post

WGAN Fan Club Member 1.91K Website Buffalo, New York Instragram Matterport Service Partner Google Street View Trusted Photographer Zillow Certified Photographer We Get Around Network Member	1.91K GETMYVR private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 3
	I don't know about everybody else but I occasionally do audits of properties of photos I've shot. I do this to make sure I know what websites are showing my 3D tours or not. I Google the address listing and see what comes up. I recommend agents do this as well. Zillow and Redfin and Realtor dot com dominate in this space and do the best job. Most other real estate websites, including many agency websites, do not include virtual tours. However, almost nobody pays attention to listings on broker pages because everything is found on the big websites like the ones I mentioned. So moving forward what we really need to do is have a conversation with these websites that do not pay attention or care about 3D virtual tours. I produce Matterport 3d tours which are the most realistic and massive information, providing experiences that photos and video can't equate. And if I want to publish a virtual tour from the likes of Openhaus, I want that virtual tour to appear on the real estate website listing regardless of what the URL is. They're not only needs to be a huge buy-in from real estate agents, but also from real estate listing websites.
	2 years ago	Post 7 • IP flag post

WGAN Forum Founder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host 31.2K Website Atlanta, Georgia Linked In Facebook Twitter YouTube TikTok Instragram Matterport Service Partner Google Street View Trusted Photographer Zillow Certified Photographer We Get Around Network Member	31.2K DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Quote: Originally Posted by GETMYVR They're not only needs to be a huge buy-in from real estate agents, but also from real estate listing websites. Seems like Matterport should have an entire department focused on real estate listing websites. Happy holidays, Dan
	2 years ago	Post 8 • IP flag post

244	244 johnwheatley private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 6
	@DanSmigrod @Wingman Thanks you guys!! Wow! So much great information!! I love this forum.
	2 years ago	Post 9 • IP flag post

1.48K	1.48K Gerhard private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 3
	@johnwheatley I have a client who I scanned about a year ago, and the tour has around 500+ views ( Multinational company ) now their marketing and sales staff swear they are using the tour (s) every day ( 120+ for their locations ) I uploaded one to their Google my business three months back and got a report from Google about a month ago that in the last two weeks they received just over 160 000 views of their Virtual Tour on Google Business. Now if you grasp Google Business you know the customer journey to find 360 content on your Google listings. So when I showed the customer how clients saw their content, he said they had to pay me more money, as trying to pay for ads, etc was not working for them, and fired their marketing team - well almost. They had an MSP scanning for them, claiming they are the biggest in my area, but just shows you they have no experience and are just your typical British snake oils salesman, but its fun having them around because taking their business has become so easy, for the other more seasoned and experienced MSPs as they can't sell value only "Dollhouse Views". Secondly, my clients get Google Business for free and also I don't charge them for hosting ever. but if we get forced to start charging hosting will still just charge them directly my Matterport cost, don't like to steal customers' money. 1. This proves that most customers are only getting the tours as nice to have. 2. They use it maybe a couple of times and then it just does not get used anymore ( yes I put my tours on steroids, not like some of the lazy MSPs), Don't believe all these fake stats Matterprt tries you to believe in. I can also make up statistics. 3. Google is generating X10 000 more engagement and conversions for my clients than Matterport. 4. Also look at people's avg time spent on a Matterport tour, maybe longer than video content, but still only 1 - 2 min. So why are these, tours boring, not engaging enough, or have the TikToks of the world changed the marketing scene?
	2 years ago	Post 10 • IP flag post

Matterpod Podcast: "Nobody wants a Matterport tour."17938