Adding a virtual tour to a property listing is one of the highest-impact actions an agent can take — but only if it's done correctly. A tour buried in an unreadable URL or added to the wrong field gets ignored. This step-by-step guide covers every major platform and method for adding a virtual tour to your listing, including MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, and your own website, so buyers see it.
Step 1: Create Your Virtual Tour
Choose Your Capture Method
Before you can add a tour to your listing, you need one. The fastest approach for most agents is using Travvir or a similar smartphone 360 app to create the tour yourself during the property walkthrough or staging visit. For a complete capture guide, see 360 real estate photography: complete guide for agents.
Get Your Tour URL
Once your tour is processed and published, your hosting platform provides a shareable link. This is the URL you'll add to every listing platform. In Travvir, find this under the tour's "Share" option. The URL should look like a standard web address — not a file path or download link. Test the URL in a private browser window to confirm it loads the tour correctly before adding it to your listing.
Adding a Virtual Tour to MLS Listings
The Standard MLS Virtual Tour URL Field
Most MLS systems include a dedicated "Virtual Tour" or "Tour URL" field in the listing editor. This is separate from the remarks or notes fields, and it's where your tour link belongs. The field accepts a standard HTTPS URL — paste your tour link directly here. MLS rules vary by region: some allow any virtual tour URL, while others restrict it to specific platform formats. Check your MLS's media guidelines before publishing.
RETS and IDX Distribution
When you add a virtual tour URL to MLS, it's distributed via RETS or RESO data feeds to all IDX-connected websites — including your brokerage's agent pages, third-party property portals synced to your MLS, and the buyer portals your office uses. This means a single MLS entry pushes your tour to dozens of platforms automatically.
Common MLS-Specific Instructions
CRMLS (California): Enter the tour URL in the "Virtual Tour 1" field under Media. CRMLS supports multiple tour URLs (Virtual Tour 1 and 2) — use the first for your primary tour and the second for video walkthrough or Zillow 3D. BRIGHT MLS (Mid-Atlantic): Tour URL field is in the Media Upload section under "Virtual Tour." Supports any HTTPS link. NTREIS (North Texas): Virtual Tour URL field in listing Input. Important: NTREIS requires the URL to display the tour directly, not redirect to a login page. FMLS (Georgia): Virtual Tour URL in the Features/Details section. URL must be accessible without a password.
If you're unsure where to find the field in your specific MLS, search your MLS help documentation for "virtual tour URL" or contact your MLS support line.
Adding a Virtual Tour to Zillow
Method 1: Through Zillow 3D Home App
The most direct Zillow integration is through Zillow's own app. Create a Zillow 3D Home tour (as described in our Zillow 3D vs 360 tour comparison), which automatically adds the 3D Tour badge to your Zillow listing.
Method 2: Manual URL Addition via Zillow Premier Agent
If you have a non-Zillow tour (Travvir, Matterport, etc.) that you want featured on Zillow, you can add the URL manually: Log into your Zillow Premier Agent account → Find the listing → Select "Edit listing" → Scroll to the Media section → Add your virtual tour URL in the designated field. Note: Third-party tour URLs on Zillow do not receive the "3D Tour" badge, but they do appear as a clickable "Virtual Tour" link on the listing page.
The hybrid strategy many agents use: create a Zillow 3D Home tour to get the badge, plus add a Travvir tour URL for full-quality viewing and embedding elsewhere.
Adding a Virtual Tour to Realtor.com
Via the Listing Agent Portal
Log into your Realtor.com listing management portal. Select the listing → Media. In the Virtual Tour section, paste your tour URL. Realtor.com accepts any standard HTTPS virtual tour link. The tour appears as a "Virtual Tour" button on the listing details page. Realtor.com distributes to Move.com, Homes.com, and affiliate portals that use their data feed.
Via MLS Distribution
In most cases, your Realtor.com listing is automatically populated from your MLS data feed. If you've already added the tour URL to your MLS listing correctly, it should sync to Realtor.com automatically within 24–48 hours. If it doesn't, use the manual portal method above.
Adding a Virtual Tour to Your Agency Website
Using an Embed Code (Iframe)
Most virtual tour platforms provide an embed code — a small snippet of HTML that you paste into your website's page editor. This embeds the interactive tour directly on your property page so visitors can explore it without leaving your site. In Travvir, find the embed code under the tour's "Share" → "Embed."
The embed code looks like this example structure: <iframe src="[your-tour-url]" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
For WordPress sites, paste this in the HTML editor block. For Squarespace, use an Embed block. For Wix, use the HTML embed element.
Responsive Sizing
Set the iframe width to 100% (not a fixed pixel width) and height to at least 500px for mobile-friendly display. On mobile devices, a 100% width iframe with 500px height allows effective 360 navigation. Test your embedding on both desktop and mobile before the listing goes live.
Adding Virtual Tours to Email Marketing
The Right Way to Include Tours in Listing Emails
Email clients cannot render iframes or interactive content — never try to embed an actual 360 tour in an email. Instead, include a screenshot or thumbnail image of the tour that links to the hosted tour URL when clicked. Include a clear call-to-action such as "Click to Take the Virtual Tour" as both a button and text link.
Tour links in email marketing achieve 2.8× higher click-through rates than standard photo gallery links in real estate listing emails. The word "tour" in a subject line also improves open rates by approximately 18% compared to standard "just listed" email subject lines.
Adding Tours to Social Media Posts
Facebook and Instagram
Facebook supports 360 photo posts natively — if your tour platform allows downloading individual equirectangular JPEG files, you can upload them directly to Facebook for an interactive experience. For Instagram, share a screengrab or walkthrough video clip, and include your tour link in the caption or bio link. See our guide on sharing 360 photos on social media for platform-specific tips.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Tour URL Not Accepted by MLS
Some MLS systems reject URLs containing redirect chains, tracking parameters, or that require cookies to load. Try shortening your URL using Bitly or your platform's built-in link shortener. Also ensure the URL uses HTTPS (not HTTP). If the issue persists, contact your MLS support — many have specific whitelist procedures for new tour platforms.
Tour Not Showing on Third-Party Portals
MLS data feeds to portals like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com can take 24–48 hours to sync. If your tour doesn't appear after 48 hours, log into each portal's listing management tool directly and add the tour URL manually using the portal-specific instructions above.
Conclusion: Getting Your Tour Seen
Adding a virtual tour to your property listing requires a few extra minutes but delivers outsized results. The key is adding your tour URL to every available platform — MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, your agency website, and your email campaigns — so it reaches buyers regardless of where they search.
One tour URL, properly distributed, can reach every buyer searching on every major platform simultaneously. That's the most efficient marketing lever available to real estate agents today.
