How to Build a Virtual School Tour (Without Being a Tech Whiz)

Let me take you back a few years. About six months into my role as Director of Marketing and Recruitment, I hit my stride.

I could give a school tour that made families feel the vibe of our classrooms, see the passion of our teachers, and envision their child walking through our doors. By the one-year mark, I could do them in my sleep.

Then the world shifted. When the pandemic hit, in-person tours vanished overnight. No walking the hallways. No peeking into classrooms. No hearing the sweet chaos of a freshman science experiment in real-time.

I realized something: if I couldn’t get people into the building, I wasn’t sure how to sell our school.

I needed a virtual tour. Stat.

Wait…Me? Build a Virtual Tour?

Here’s the thing: I love technology. I’ll try almost anything if it makes my work life smoother or my school look better online. But I’m not a designer. I’m not a videographer. And I am definitely not a software engineer. I had never built anything close to a virtual tour before.

So I did what all of us do when we’re in over our heads professionally: I Googled it.

And let me tell you, there’s a lot out there. Some of it’s useful. Some of it less so. But after wading through the noise, I found a few gems that even a non-techie like me could manage.

Now? I can confidently say that if I can build a virtual school tour, you can too. Here’s how!

By the way, if you don’t currently offer school tours or have one but want to make it better, check out our school tour guide. It has everything you need to getting started!

Step 1: Choose the Right Tools (and Get Creative)

First, you need a way to capture your space.

I started by renting a 360-degree camera from my local library (yes, really!). If you’re lucky, your school might already have one. Or, even better, your school might have a real estate parent who has one.

But if a fancy camera isn’t an option? Don’t stress. Apps like CloudPano let you create a basic 360 tour straight from your smartphone. It’s not perfect, but it’s good in a pinch.

Step 2: Use Tour Software That Makes It Simple

Capturing the space is one thing. Stitching it together into a cohesive tour? That’s where the software magic happens.

I used SeekBeak in the early days because it was easy to figure out and didn’t make me feel like I needed a computer science degree. But there are lots of other options too:

• Klapty
• Kuula
• CloudPano

All of them are relatively beginner-friendly and let you add the bells and whistles that really sell your school, which brings me to the next point...

Step 3: Embed the Magic of a Real School in Action

Parents aren’t choosing your school because you have beige hallways and clean floors (though, let’s be real, clean floors are a big win). They’re choosing you because of who you are: your teachers, your community, your energy.

Whatever tool you use, make sure it lets you embed:

• Short video clips (think: a peek into a STEM lab experiment)
• Teacher intros
• Student artwork
• Application links or contact forms

These little touchpoints make a huge difference. They bring the energy of an in-person tour right into people’s living rooms.

Step 4: Include a Clear Next Step

Always include a Call to Action. You need to tell families what to do after the tour:

• “Join us at our Open House on May 1!”
• “Schedule a live virtual info session here.”
• “Apply now. It only takes 10 minutes.”

If you don’t ask, they don’t act. So be clear, be confident, and make it easy.

Step 5: Keep Iterating

Just like your in-person tours evolve (hello, new science teacher who brings tarantulas into class), your virtual one should too.

• Use analytics if your platform has them.
• See where families spend the most time.
• Ask parents for feedback.
• Keep what’s working; improve what isn’t.

A virtual tour isn’t a one-and-done project — it’s an ongoing, dynamic part of your recruitment toolbox.

Final Thoughts

Creating a virtual tour might sound intimidating, especially if your title isn’t “tech coordinator.” But you don’t need to be a tech expert. You just need to be willing to try.

If you’ve ever managed a last-minute school event where the balloons didn’t show up, the sound system failed, and you still pulled it off with a smile and a clipboard, you can absolutely build a virtual school tour.

You don’t need to be a tech wizard or a professional videographer. You just need the right tools, a little creativity, and the same hustle you already bring to your enrollment work every single day.

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