How to Feature Virtual Tours in AppFolio to Attract More Renters

Cloudpano
July 10, 2025
5 min read
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🏡 How to Feature Virtual Tours in AppFolio to Attract More Renters

In today’s digital-first rental market, standing out online is everything. Property managers and landlords who want to lease units faster and reduce no-show tours need more than great photos—they need immersive, interactive content.

That’s where virtual tours come in. When integrated with a property management platform like AppFolio, 360° and 3D virtual tours give prospective renters the power to experience your units remotely, increasing engagement, lead quality, and conversion rates. 🚀

In this post, we’ll walk you through:

  • Why virtual tours convert better in AppFolio
  • How to embed and feature tours inside your listings
  • Common pitfalls (and how to fix them)
  • Tips for maximizing exposure
  • Recommended tools and tour platforms

Let’s dive in. 🏊‍♂️

🎯 Why Virtual Tours Matter in AppFolio Listings

Renters today browse, compare, and choose properties from their phones. If your listing doesn’t stand out, it gets skipped.

Adding a virtual tour to your AppFolio listing helps you:

  • ✅ Reduce time spent on in-person showings
  • ✅ Increase trust and transparency with prospects
  • ✅ Filter out unqualified leads
  • ✅ Fill units faster and more efficiently

👉 Read more: Why Virtual Tours Increase Lease Conversions in AppFolio

🛠️ What You Need to Get Started

To embed a tour into AppFolio, you’ll need:

  • A hosted 360° or 3D virtual tour on a platform like CloudPano, Matterport, or Kuula
  • A shareable HTTPS link or embed code
  • Access to AppFolio with permissions to edit listings

📖 Compare platforms: CloudPano vs Kuula vs Matterport: What Works Best with AppFolio

🧩 Step-by-Step: How to Add Virtual Tours to AppFolio

Adding a tour is simple. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Log in to your AppFolio dashboard
  2. Go to the listing you want to enhance
  3. Click Edit
  4. Scroll to the Media or Description section
  5. Paste the virtual tour link or embed a clickable line of text (e.g., “🔗 Click here to take a virtual tour”)

💡 Want it above the fold? Use a customized embed strategy.
👉 Try this: Step-by-Step AppFolio Virtual Tour Tutorial for Property Managers

📍 Best Practices for Positioning Virtual Tours

It’s not just adding the tour—it’s how and where you show it that matters.

Here’s how to maximize visibility:

  • ✏️ Add “📸 Virtual Tour Available” to your listing title
  • 🔗 Include a clickable CTA: “Explore this unit in 3D!”
  • 🌍 Share the same link on Zillow, Apartments.com, Craigslist, etc.
  • 📲 Mention the tour in lead follow-up emails and texts

📖 More on this: How to Promote Your Virtual Tour Beyond AppFolio

📊 What Metrics Should You Track?

After adding a virtual tour, track performance inside AppFolio and Google Analytics:

  • 🔁 Listing views
  • 🕒 Time on page
  • 📞 Inquiries and applications submitted
  • 🏃‍♂️ Time to lease

These insights help you prove ROI and refine your listings over time.
👉 Need help optimizing? Read AppFolio Virtual Tour Setup Tutorial for Real Estate Pros

🧰 Tools That Work Seamlessly with AppFolio

If you're new to 360 tours, these platforms integrate well with AppFolio:

📚 Learn more: Virtual Tour Integration for AppFolio: Tools, Platforms, and Best Practices

🤖 Automate the Virtual Tour Workflow

Managing multiple units? Here’s how to scale your virtual tour strategy:

  • 🔁 Create listing templates with a virtual tour field
  • 🧑‍🏫 Train leasing agents to request tours after photo shoots
  • ✅ Use a tour checklist to streamline uploads

🎯 Guide: Virtual Tour Setup in AppFolio: Step-by-Step Guide for Property Managers

🧯 Troubleshooting: Tour Not Loading?

If your virtual tour isn’t displaying inside AppFolio, check these first:

  • 🌐 Is the URL using HTTPS? (HTTP links often get blocked)
  • 🔒 Is the tour set to public or “anyone with the link”?
  • 🧹 Try using a shortened, branded link with Bit.ly or TinyURL
  • 🔁 Test it in both admin and tenant views

🛠️ Help article: Virtual Tour Doesn’t Load in AppFolio? Fixes & Solutions

🚀 Real Results from Real Property Managers

Leasing managers who implement 360° virtual tours into AppFolio report:

  • ⏱️ 30–50% faster leasing cycles
  • 📈 2x more qualified leads per unit
  • 📉 Decrease in no-shows and wasted tours

Virtual tours aren’t just a “nice to have”—they’re becoming industry standard.

🧲 Take Your Listings to the Next Level

Virtual tours are your competitive edge. When you combine them with a smart AppFolio listing strategy, you create a visual-first experience that renters love—and landlords profit from.

Ready to get started?

👉 Follow the Step-by-Step AppFolio Virtual Tour Tutorial and start attracting better renters today!

🔗 More Helpful Articles:

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Allows potential buyers to explore properties in detail from anywhere, enhancing the real estate marketing process.
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