Virtual Tours for Businesses: Matterport vs Bespoke Options

Virtual tours have moved well beyond the property sector. Hotels, factories, showrooms, offices, and retail spaces are all using immersive 3D experiences to engage customers, attract talent, and demonstrate capability without requiring a physical visit. For businesses, a virtual tour is a 24/7 sales tool that works while you sleep.

The data backs this up: businesses with virtual tours see visitors spending 5-10x longer on their websites, and conversion rates increase significantly when potential customers can explore a space before committing to a visit. Whether you're a hotel trying to secure wedding bookings, a manufacturer demonstrating production capability, or a law firm showcasing your new offices, a commercial virtual tour delivers measurable ROI.

Not all virtual tours are created equal. The two main options for businesses are Matterport (3D scanning) and bespoke non-Matterport tours, and each has distinct advantages depending on your space and requirements.

Matterport Pro 3 is ideal for spaces up to approximately 10,000 sq ft. It creates a photorealistic 3D model that users can navigate freely, with dollhouse views, floor plans, and measurement tools built in. The technology is particularly effective for:

Bespoke non-Matterport tours are the better choice for larger or more complex spaces. They use high-resolution 360° photography stitched into a custom navigation experience, with no ongoing hosting fees and more flexible shooting patterns. This approach works well for:

An award-winning boutique hotel using their Matterport tour to secure wedding and event bookings from couples who can't visit in person. The tour lets prospective clients explore the garden pavilion, ceremony rooms, and luxury bedrooms at their own pace, dramatically reducing the sales cycle.

A comprehensive 3D tour of MKM's trade counter and warehouse, giving trade customers a virtual walkthrough of the full product range before visiting. The tour helps customers plan their trip and find what they need faster, improving the in-store experience.

A full factory tour demonstrating PCB manufacturing capability to prospective clients and partners who can't visit in person. The tour communicates scale, precision, and professionalism without requiring international clients to travel.

A bespoke non-Matterport tour of Trethowans' newly fitted Winchester office. The custom approach was chosen because the space spans multiple floors and the firm wanted a branded, professional experience with no ongoing hosting costs. The tour is used for recruitment, client confidence, and internal communications.

The ROI on commercial virtual tours is typically realised within 4 weeks. Here's why:

Reduced wasted visits — prospects who've explored your space virtually arrive pre-qualified and ready to commit. This saves your team time on tours that don't convert.

Extended reach — international clients, remote decision-makers, and time-poor professionals can all engage with your space without travelling. For hotels and venues, this opens up markets that physical viewings can't reach.

Longer website engagement — virtual tours keep visitors on your site 5-10x longer than static images alone. This improves SEO signals, increases brand familiarity, and gives your content more time to convert.

Recruitment advantage — for offices and workplaces, virtual tours help attract talent by showing the working environment before interview stage. Candidates arrive already familiar with the space and culture.

Evergreen content — unlike video which dates quickly, virtual tours remain relevant for years. A single investment provides ongoing marketing value across your website, social media, email campaigns, and sales presentations.

A commercial virtual tour shoot typically takes half a day to a full day depending on the size of the space. For Matterport tours, I scan methodically through each area, capturing every angle. For bespoke tours, I shoot high-resolution 360° panoramas at carefully chosen positions that create a natural navigation flow.

Post-production takes 5-10 working days, during which the tour is assembled, colour-corrected, and prepared for embedding on your website. I provide the embed code and can assist with integration if needed.

For businesses considering a virtual tour, I'd recommend starting with your highest-value space, the one that generates the most enquiries or where remote viewing would have the biggest impact on your conversion rate. You can always expand to additional spaces once you've seen the results.

If you're interested in exploring commercial virtual tours for your business, or want to discuss which approach would work best for your space, get in touch for a no-obligation conversation.

How much does a commercial virtual tour cost?

Matterport tours start from around £350 for smaller spaces, with pricing scaling based on square footage. Bespoke non-Matterport tours are priced per project based on complexity. Both options deliver significantly better value than ongoing video production for the same purpose.

Matterport tours require a hosting subscription (typically £30-50/month depending on the plan). Bespoke non-Matterport tours have no ongoing hosting fees, the tour files are yours to host wherever you choose.

Yes. If you renovate or reconfigure your space, the tour can be re-shot and updated. For businesses that change displays regularly (showrooms, retail), I offer retainer packages for periodic updates.

Absolutely. Both Matterport and bespoke tours are fully responsive and work on smartphones, tablets, and desktop browsers. No app download is required for viewers.

I provide a simple embed code (iframe) that your web developer can drop into any page. The tour loads within your existing site design and doesn't require any special plugins or software.