Beginner’s Tutorial: Adding Virtual Tours to AppFolio Listings

Cloudpano
July 8, 2025
5 min read
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🏠 Beginner’s Tutorial: Adding Virtual Tours to AppFolio Listings

As the property management world goes digital, virtual tours are no longer optional — they’re essential. 🎥 Whether you’re managing a handful of single-family rentals or an entire multifamily portfolio, adding 3D or 360° virtual tours to your AppFolio listings will make your properties stand out, lease faster, and reduce no-shows.

This beginner’s guide walks you through exactly how to add virtual tours in AppFolio, step-by-step. 👇

💡 Why Virtual Tours Matter in Real Estate Marketing

We’ve all been there: dozens of back-to-back showings, no-shows, or renters who realize a place isn’t a fit within 10 seconds of walking in. 😩

That’s why virtual tours = a leasing game changer:

  • 📈 3x more listing engagement
  • 🏃 Fewer wasted showings
  • 💬 More qualified inquiries
  • 📅 Shorter days on market

🔧 What You’ll Need Before You Start

To add a virtual tour to AppFolio, make sure you’ve got:

  1. ✅ A completed 360° or 3D virtual tour link (from Matterport, Kuula, CloudPano, etc.)
  2. ✅ Access to your AppFolio property management dashboard
  3. ✅ A clear Call to Action (CTA) for potential renters

🚀 Step-by-Step: How to Add a Virtual Tour to Your Listing

Here’s the beginner-friendly method for integrating virtual tours in AppFolio:

🔹 Step 1: Log into AppFolio

Head over to appfolio.com and enter your credentials.

🔹 Step 2: Choose Your Property

Navigate to Properties > Units > Marketing Tab.

🔹 Step 3: Add the Virtual Tour Link

Paste your tour link in one of the following:

  • Property Description
  • Custom Field (labeled as “Virtual Tour” or similar)
  • Showing Instructions

🔹 Step 4: Add a Compelling CTA

Use clear language like:

"📍 Take a 360° virtual walkthrough now 👉 [your link]"

For more examples of high-converting CTA language, visit 👉 AppFolio Virtual Tour Setup Made Easy

✨ Pro Tip: Use Shortened Links for Better Tracking

Platforms like Bitly or Rebrandly let you track link clicks, optimize CTAs, and even A/B test where the link appears in the listing.

Learn more 👉 How to Add External Virtual Tour Links to AppFolio

💬 What About Embedding?

AppFolio doesn’t currently support iframe embeds of virtual tours (like how you might embed a YouTube video). But don’t worry — a clickable link still works beautifully, especially when paired with a great call-to-action. 🖱️

You can also direct users to the tour through:

  • Auto-reply emails
  • SMS drip campaigns
  • QR codes on flyers

🔄 Want to Change the Link Later?

No problem. Just go back to the marketing tab, edit your description, and paste in the updated tour link. It only takes 30 seconds. 🛠️

🧪 Test It Before You Publish

✔️ Open your listing preview
✔️ Click the link from a mobile device and desktop
✔️ Make sure the tour loads properly and directs users to the right place

💡 Optimizing for Leads

Once your link is live, here’s how to take it a step further:

  • 🔁 A/B test placement in listing vs. showing instructions
  • 💬 Send virtual tour links as a reply to inquiries
  • 📊 Monitor clicks + conversions using short link tools
  • 🧠 Educate leasing agents to reference tours during calls

Need help building a tour strategy? Read 👉 Boost Leasing with AppFolio Virtual Tour Integration

📌 Summary Checklist

Before publishing your listing, check:

✅ You have a working tour URL
✅ The link is clickable in the listing
✅ Your CTA is clear and action-oriented
✅ The tour loads properly on mobile and desktop

🔚 Final Thoughts

By following this guide, even first-time AppFolio users can successfully add and promote virtual tours. 📲 You’ll reduce friction, impress renters, and lease faster.

Ready to turn browsers into applicants?

✅ Start with 👉 Step-by-Step: Add a Virtual Tour Link to AppFolio
✅ Or dive deeper 👉 AppFolio Virtual Tour Guide: Set Up, Embed, and Publish Easily

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Property Marketing
Allows potential buyers to explore properties in detail from anywhere, enhancing the real estate marketing process.
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Create an interactive virtual showroom and engage affluent digital buyers with live 360º video calls, all through the CloudPano mobile app for a complete automotive sales solution.
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