Conducting virtual tours requires minimal technology on the guide's end. In order to be successful you will need:
- Smart Phone
- Zoom
- Gimbal( stabilizer for your phone)
- Headphones with a microphone
In this article we will discuss the importance of each and how the play a role in being successful conducting live virtual tours.
Smart Phone: You dont need a brand new phone with the latest technology or camera. Your standard smart phone with a front and back facing camera will work great. depending on where you live you may want to purchase a separate SIM card specifically for live streaming, the more data you have on your phone the slower your streaming quality will be, especially in areas with limited internet connection to begin with
Zoom: You will need a zoom account with the upgraded Pro version of zoom in order to conduct tours. The free version of zoom will restrict how long you can stream for(40 minutes) and how many participants you can have at once. We typically recommend holding off on upgraded until you receive your first booking to limit the amount of money spent prior to your first tour. Cost: $9.99usd/month
Gimbal: A gimbal is essential for conducting live from the street tours. It stabilizes your phone so viewers experience a smooth picture whether you're walking, driving, biking, etc. Beeyonder does not permit guides to conduct live virtual tours without utilizing a gimbal. A selfie stick is not a suitable alternative for a gimbal, it may seem like a good option and less expensive, unfortunately it doesn't offer the stabilization quality needed.
There are hundreds of gimbals on the market ranging from $50-$200+ USD. We have linked some gimbals below that have gotten great reviews from current guides on the platform.
Headphones: Beeyonder tours are live streamed via zoom which means you can see and speak to participants and participants and see and speak to you. We typically recommend AirPods, or any other type of bluetooth or wireless headphones with a microphone attached. If you live in an area with a lot of background noise, or with high winds this can impact the quality of your audio to viewers. In which case we recommend headphones with noise cancelling features.
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