A Matterport virtual tour can do much more than let someone walk through a property from their phone or computer. When it is properly organized and presented, it can become a powerful marketing asset for real estate agents, property developers, photographers, restoration companies, and businesses with physical locations.
At Momentum 360, we work with virtual tours for properties and businesses in Philadelphia and markets across the country. One thing we have learned through hands on experience is that creating the scan is only part of the job. How you organize and optimize the finished tour can have a real impact on the experience your audience gets.
In this guide, we will walk through several practical ways to optimize a Matterport virtual tour, from choosing the right starting point to adding Mattertags, creating a highlight reel, and publishing your tour to Google.
Start Your Matterport Tour in the Right Location
The first thing a visitor sees matters.
Matterport can automatically choose a starting location for a tour, but you can adjust it yourself.
For most residential properties, starting near the main entrance is a natural choice. It gives visitors an immediate sense of how they would enter the property in real life.
If your tour starts somewhere random, such as an upper floor or an unusual corner of the property, the experience can feel confusing.
Before publishing your tour, preview it from the customer’s perspective.
Ask yourself:
Does this feel like a natural place to begin?
If the answer is no, change the starting location.
For a Philadelphia home, commercial property, apartment, or office, a logical starting point can make the entire virtual experience feel more polished.
Hide Unwanted Scans
Sometimes a Matterport scan contains an area you do not want visitors to see.
Maybe two scans are unnecessarily close together. Perhaps one scan creates a confusing navigation point. Or you simply want the tour to feel cleaner.
Instead of deleting the scan entirely, you can hide it when the platform allows you to do so.
This can keep the scan available within your project while preventing it from appearing in the published experience.
It is a simple cleanup step, but it can make navigation feel much more intentional.
Add 360 Views When They Make Sense
360 views can add another layer of visual information to a virtual tour.
Depending on your workflow and the equipment you use, you may be able to incorporate additional 360 imagery into your Matterport project.
These views can be useful for areas that benefit from additional context or perspectives.
They are not necessarily required for every property, but they can be valuable when used strategically.
The goal should always be to improve the visitor’s understanding of the space rather than adding media simply because you can.
Use High Quality Property Photos
A virtual tour does not have to replace traditional photography.
In fact, the two can work very well together.
Matterport projects can provide still views that can supplement your property’s marketing materials. These images can be useful when you need additional visual content for listings or other marketing channels.
However, remember that automatically generated Matterport images may not have the same quality or editing level as professionally photographed listing images.
For real estate marketing, professional photography and a well built virtual tour can complement each other.
A buyer might look at polished listing photos first and then use the virtual tour to explore the property in greater detail.
Use Mattertags to Highlight Important Features
Mattertags are one of the most useful features for creating an informative virtual tour.
Instead of making visitors guess what they are looking at, you can use Mattertags to provide additional information about specific features of the property.
For example, you could create a tag for:
- Kitchen countertops
- Appliances
- Flooring
- Architectural details
- Renovations
- Amenities
- Building features
- Special materials
- Rooms or areas
Imagine a luxury home in Philadelphia with custom quartz countertops and premium appliances.
Rather than simply allowing visitors to look at the kitchen, a Mattertag can explain what they are seeing and provide additional context.
That creates a more engaging experience.
Make Your Mattertag Descriptions Useful
A Mattertag should provide information that actually helps the visitor.
Instead of writing something generic such as “Kitchen,” you could provide more useful information about the materials, appliances, renovation, or features shown in that area.
You can also use available media and links to provide additional information where appropriate.
For example, a tag could direct visitors to:
- A website
- A relevant service page
- An image
- A video
- Additional property information
- A call to action
This can help turn the virtual tour from a simple walkthrough into an interactive marketing experience.
Be Careful With Keyword Optimization
The transcript recommends using descriptive phrases within Mattertags when trying to improve the visibility of a property.
There is an important distinction here.
Use relevant property information naturally, but do not stuff keywords into every tag.
For example, if you are marketing a home in Fairmount, Philadelphia, a natural description could mention that it is a single family home in Fairmount.
The description should still sound like something a real person would write.
Good optimization helps visitors understand the property. Keyword stuffing does the opposite.
Create a Matterport Highlight Reel
A highlight reel gives visitors another way to experience your property.
Instead of manually navigating through the entire tour, a visitor can watch selected highlights in sequence.
This can be especially useful for people who want a quick overview before deciding whether they want to explore the full tour.
Choose your strongest views and arrange them in a logical order.
For a residential property, your sequence might include:
- Exterior or entrance
- Main living area
- Kitchen
- Primary bedroom
- Bathroom
- Outdoor space
- Other standout features
Think of the highlight reel as a short guided introduction to the property.
It should make someone want to explore further.
Publish Your Virtual Tour to Google
One of the most valuable distribution options discussed in the transcript is publishing virtual tour imagery to Google.
For businesses with physical locations, Google can be an important discovery channel.
A properly connected 360 experience can help potential customers get a better understanding of a location before they visit.
This can be useful for:
- Restaurants
- Retail stores
- Offices
- Hotels
- Event venues
- Real estate properties
- Showrooms
- Commercial spaces
The exact publishing process and available integrations can change over time, so always follow the current instructions provided by Matterport and Google.
Check the Property Location Carefully
When publishing a tour to Google, make sure the location is accurate.
The transcript demonstrates selecting the property location and aligning the virtual tour with the appropriate area on the map.
This is particularly important in dense cities such as Philadelphia, where multiple properties and businesses may be located close together.
Double check the address and map placement before publishing.
A technically impressive virtual tour will not help much if it is attached to the wrong location.
Give Clients Appropriate Access
If you are creating a virtual tour for a client, you may also have the option to collaborate with them depending on the platform and account setup.
This can be useful when a real estate agent, property owner, or marketing team needs access to a specific project.
Only provide the level of access that the client actually needs.
Keeping project permissions organized can help prevent confusion, especially when you manage a large number of Matterport models.
Add Presenter and Contact Information
If the platform provides presenter or contact information options, use them to make it easy for visitors to identify who is responsible for the property.
For real estate marketing, this can include the appropriate agent or company information.
You can also provide a website or other relevant contact details when supported.
The objective is simple:
Make it easy for an interested visitor to take the next step.
A virtual tour should not become a dead end.
If someone likes what they see, they should have an obvious way to learn more or get in touch.
Matterport Optimization for Philadelphia Real Estate
Philadelphia has a diverse real estate market, from historic row homes in neighborhoods such as Fairmount and Center City to modern apartments, commercial buildings, restaurants, and renovated properties.
That makes strong visual marketing especially valuable.
A Matterport tour allows someone who is not physically at the property to explore the layout and get a better sense of the space.
For agents and property marketers, this can be particularly useful when reaching buyers or tenants who are relocating to Philadelphia or considering a property before scheduling an in person visit.
The same concept applies to commercial properties.
A potential tenant, client, or customer can explore a location before deciding whether to visit.
Why Virtual Tour Optimization Matters
Creating a Matterport scan is only the beginning.
A poorly organized tour can feel confusing even if the scan itself is technically excellent.
A well optimized tour feels intentional.
Visitors can quickly understand where they are, what they are looking at, and where they should go next.
That is why details such as the starting location, hidden scans, Mattertags, highlight reels, photos, contact information, and distribution channels are worth reviewing before you publish.
A Simple Matterport Optimization Checklist
Before publishing your next tour, review these items:
Navigation
Start the tour at a logical location, usually near the primary entrance.
Scans
Hide unnecessary or confusing scans where appropriate.
Photos
Add strong visual content that complements the virtual tour.
Mattertags
Use tags to explain important features and amenities.
Links
Add relevant websites, videos, or calls to action when appropriate.
Highlight Reel
Create a short sequence showcasing the property’s strongest features.
Location
Verify the address and map placement.
Contact Information
Make sure visitors know who to contact for more information.
Final Review
Walk through the entire published experience yourself before sending it to a client or sharing it publicly.
Final Thoughts
A Matterport virtual tour should do more than show a property.
It should tell a story.
Start visitors in the right place. Remove unnecessary scans. Highlight important features with Mattertags. Add useful media. Create a highlight reel. Make your contact information easy to find. Then distribute the finished experience through the platforms that make sense for your property or business.
These small improvements can turn a basic virtual walkthrough into a much more useful marketing asset.
If you are looking for professional virtual tour services for a property or business in Philadelphia or another market, learn more about Momentum 360’s Custom 360 Virtual Tour services.
Whether you are marketing a Philadelphia home, commercial property, restaurant, office, or another physical space, a professionally created and thoughtfully optimized virtual tour can give potential customers a better way to experience the property before they ever walk through the door.
