Step-by-Step: Uploading and Displaying Virtual Tours on AppFolio

Cloudpano
July 4, 2025
5 min read
Share this post

🛠️ Step-by-Step: Uploading and Displaying Virtual Tours on AppFolio

In today’s fast-paced rental market, attention spans are short—but competition is fierce. So how do you make your property listings stand out in a sea of sameness?

Easy: you pair AppFolio with engaging 360° virtual tours 🌀🏘️

If you're managing properties using AppFolio and want to showcase your units more effectively, this guide will walk you through the exact steps to upload and display virtual tours inside your listings. We’ll also share creative tips to maximize your results—and links to free tools and templates.

Let’s turn your listings into leasing machines 🚀

🤔 Why Virtual Tours in AppFolio?

Traditional listings with photos and text are no longer enough. Renters today want:

  • Instant access 🕒
  • Full transparency 🪟
  • Mobile-friendly experiences 📱

Adding a virtual tour helps your listing stand out visually and emotionally, helping renters feel like they’re already “home.”

🔧 What You Need Before You Start

Before uploading anything, you’ll need a few essentials.

✅ 1. A Completed Virtual Tour

Create one using tools like:

  • CloudPano – Fast, mobile-ready 360° tours
  • Pictastic.ai – Combines virtual tours, listing videos, floor plans, and branded delivery pages
  • Matterport – Great for high-end or luxury units

Once you publish the tour, you'll receive a shareable public link (like https://yourtourlink.com/view123).

✅ 2. Admin Access to AppFolio

Make sure you can edit property listings, descriptions, and media settings.

📥 Step-by-Step: Uploading and Displaying Your Virtual Tour

Here’s how to showcase your 360° tour inside your AppFolio listings in just a few minutes:

🔹 Step 1: Copy Your Virtual Tour Link

After generating your virtual tour (CloudPano, Pictastic, or Matterport), copy the direct URL. This is the link that leads to your hosted tour page.

Example:
https://cloudpano.com/tours/abc-123

🔹 Step 2: Log In to AppFolio

Navigate to your AppFolio dashboard.

  • Go to Marketing → Properties
  • Choose the unit or property you want to edit
  • Click Edit Listing Description

🔹 Step 3: Insert the Link Into the Description Field

Add the virtual tour link inside the listing description with a short call-to-action.

Example:

🎥 Explore this unit in 360°: Click here to take a virtual tour

Or…

🌀 Want to preview the unit before visiting? View our virtual walk-through

📌 Note: AppFolio doesn’t support iFrame embeds, but links work perfectly and are mobile-optimized.

🔹 Step 4: Highlight the Tour in Listing Photos (Optional)

Take a screenshot of the virtual tour interface, add a “360°” or “Play” button overlay, and upload it as one of the property photos.

This acts as a visual prompt that a tour is available!

🔹 Step 5: Save and Test Your Listing

✅ View the live listing to confirm that the link is working
✅ Check on mobile to ensure the user experience is smooth
✅ Track engagement over time

🔄 Where Else to Share Your Virtual Tour Link

Don’t stop with AppFolio—get more eyes on your tour using these smart ideas:

📣 1. Add the Tour Link to Auto-Response Emails

When someone inquires about the property, send this:

“Thanks for reaching out! Here’s a 360° virtual tour so you can preview the space right now: [link]”

Set this up as an auto-responder using AppFolio’s built-in templates.

📱 2. Post Clips or Screenshots to Social Media

Post a tour preview on:

  • Facebook Marketplace
  • Instagram Stories/Reels
  • Google Business Profile updates
  • TikTok (walkthrough preview)

🔗 Check out: How Local Businesses Use Google Maps and Street View to Capture More Leads

🌐 3. Build a Branded Media Delivery Page

With tools like Pictastic.ai, you can send renters to one link that includes:

✅ 360° Virtual Tour
✅ Listing Video
✅ Floor Plan
✅ Contact form + Apply Now
✅ Private-labeled URL

Perfect for stand-alone listings and off-market deals.

💡 Pro Tips for Leasing Success

Here are some tactics used by top-performing leasing agents:

🔸 Use “Virtual Tour Included” in Listing Titles

Example:

“2BR Downtown Loft w/ Virtual Tour – Apply Today!”

🔸 Train Your Leasing Team to Promote the Tour

When someone calls or texts, your leasing agent should say:

“Have you had a chance to take the 360° tour yet? That’s the best place to start!”

This builds engagement before you book a showing.

🔸 Track Tour Views and Lead Conversion

Use tools like Pictastic or Google Analytics to monitor how many users click the tour link and convert.

🧠 Real Results From the Field

“We added virtual tour links to our AppFolio listings and leased 5 more units the same month.”
Jill M., Property Manager in Austin, TX

“Having a clickable 360° tour helped us reduce no-shows and made renters more confident.”
Carlos V., Leasing Agent

🔗 Related Blog Posts

🏁 Final Thoughts

You don’t need a developer. You don’t need custom code.
You just need a virtual tour link and a few clicks inside AppFolio.

If you want:
✅ More qualified leads
✅ Faster leasing cycles
✅ Fewer wasted showings

Then adding a tour to every listing is the smartest move you can make today.

You’ll learn exactly how to sell, promote, and scale your tours across every property.

Share this post
Cloudpano

Choose The Right 360° Camera

Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition

  • Compact, ready to go anywhere

  • Interchangeable lens that’s upgradeable

  • Dual 1-inch sensors for improved clarity and low light performance

  • Dynamic range and 6K 360° capture

  • 360° photo resolution at 21MP

Learn More

Insta360 X4

  • 8K 360° video recording for ultra-detailed visuals.

  • 4K single-lens mode for traditional wide-angle shots.

  • Invisible selfie stick effect for drone-like perspectives.

  • 2.5-inch touchscreen with Gorilla Glass protection.

  • Waterproof up to 33ft for underwater shooting.

Learn More

Ricoh Theta Z1

  • 360° photo resolution in 23MP

  • Slim design at 24 mm thick

  • Built-in image stabilization for smooth video capture.

  • Internal 19GB storage for photo and video storage.

  • Wireless connectivity for remote control and sharing.

Learn More

Ricoh Theta X

  • 60MP 360° still images for high-resolution photography.

  • 5.7K 360° video recording at 30fps.

  • 2.25-inch touchscreen for intuitive control.

  • USB Type-C port for fast charging and data transfer.

  • MicroSD card slot for expandable storage.

Learn More
Property Marketing
Allows potential buyers to explore properties in detail from anywhere, enhancing the real estate marketing process.
Automotive Spins
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.
Interactive Floor Plans
Create 2D and 3D floor plans with measurements in 4 minutes or less, all from your phone. Download the Floor Plan Scanner app and get your first scan free.

360 Virtual Tours With CloudPano.com. Get Started Today.

Try it free. No credit card required. Instant set-up.

Try it free
Latest posts

See our other posts

Interviews, tips, guides, industry best practices, and news.

Stellar MLS vs Other MLS Platforms: What Realtors Need to Know

Choosing the right MLS can make or break your real estate success. In this 2025 guide, we compare Stellar MLS vs other MLS platforms to help Realtors understand what sets Stellar apart. Serving more than 80,000 subscribers across Florida, Stellar MLS delivers accurate data, broad syndication, and powerful integrations with IDX websites, CRMs, and AI marketing tools. Unlike smaller MLS platforms, Stellar emphasizes virtual tour support, advanced analytics, and training resources—giving agents a competitive edge in listings and sales. We also explore the challenges agents face with MLS systems, from compliance rules to overlapping territories, and share actionable tips on maximizing your MLS investment. Whether you’re an agent seeking more exposure for listings or a broker scaling your team, this guide highlights the key differences you need to know when choosing between Stellar MLS and other MLS platforms in 2025.
Read post

How to Maximize Listings and Sales with Stellar MLS Tools

In today’s fast-moving real estate market, simply adding a property to the MLS isn’t enough. To stand out and close deals faster, agents and brokers need to fully leverage the tools Stellar MLS provides. This complete guide shows you how to maximize listings and sales with Stellar MLS in 2025. From optimizing property listings with high-quality media and SEO-friendly descriptions to using syndication, virtual tours, and market reports, you’ll discover how to attract more buyers and win more sellers. We’ll also cover integrations with IDX websites, CRMs, and AI-powered marketing tools that streamline your workflow and boost visibility. Whether you’re a new agent or a seasoned broker, these pro tips will help you deliver a better client experience, build credibility with data, and increase your ROI. If you want to close more deals this year, Stellar MLS is the digital powerhouse you can’t afford to ignore.
Read post

Stellar MLS: The Complete Guide for Real Estate Professionals in 2025

Stellar MLS is one of the largest multiple listing services in the U.S., serving over 80,000 real estate professionals across Florida. In this complete 2025 guide, discover how to use Stellar MLS to grow your business, market listings with AI and virtual tours, and stay ahead with the latest MLS updates. Perfect for agents, brokers, and teams looking to scale in today’s competitive market.
Read post