How Do You Update a Virtual Tour? When Is a Reshoot Needed?

How Do You Update a Virtual Tour? When Is a Reshoot Needed?

A virtual tour is a one-time production, but the venue does not stay the same. Renovations happen, furniture changes, new sections open, and menus get updated.

The question is: do you need to have the whole tour reshot after every change?

The answer: most of the time, no. It depends on what has changed.

The two layers of a tour

Understanding this makes everything easier. A virtual tour is made up of two separate layers:

The image layer: the panoramas, or the physical state of the venue. Changing it requires a reshoot.

The interaction layer: hotspots, info cards, links, the menu, and the logo. It sits on top of the panorama. Changing it does not require a shoot.

Most of the update requests we receive are actually about the second layer.

When a reshoot is NOT needed

• The menu has changed → the link inside the tour is updated
• The price list has been updated → the link is updated the same way
• The booking system has changed → the redirect address is updated
• The phone number or opening hours have changed → the info card is edited
• A new promotion has started → a hotspot is added or removed
• The social media account has changed → the link is updated

None of these changes how the venue looks. We cover the details in our hotspots and info cards guide.

When a partial shoot is enough

If one part of the venue has changed, only the scenes for that part are redone:

• Renovating a single hall
• Rearranging one floor
• Opening a new section or room
• Redoing the garden or terrace
• Completely changing one department in a showroom

The new scenes are shot, linked to the existing tour, and the transitions are set up again. The rest of the tour is left untouched.

The cost is calculated accordingly, based on the number of scenes redone. A two-scene update costs far less than a full shoot. We explain how scenes are priced in our virtual tour pricing guide.

When a full shoot is needed

• The entire venue has been renovated
• The concept has changed (completely different furniture, colors, or lighting)
• The business has moved to a new address
• The layout has changed beyond recognition since the tour was shot

For the last point, there is a practical test: would a customer who opened the tour be surprised when they arrive? If the answer is yes, it is time for a full shoot.

After all, the core job of a virtual tour is to make expectations match reality. If the tour no longer reflects reality, it starts working against you.

Moving is a special case

If your address has changed, the old tour now gives the wrong information. Two things happen at once here: the new venue is shot, and the link on your Google Business Profile is moved to the new address.

The old tour is taken down. If it stays up, customers will go to the wrong place.

What happens on the Google side?

The updated tour stays linked to the same business listing. It is republished on Google, the link does not break, and the new tour appears in place of the old one.

The embed code on your website usually stays the same as well; if it needs to change, a new code is provided.

How often should a tour be updated?

There is no rule based on a calendar. The test is simple: if the venue has not changed, the tour does not go out of date.

A large share of the tours in our archive have been live for years and are still accurate. That is because most businesses do not change their physical appearance every year.

If you would like to assess whether you need an update, we can review your current tour together and work out which scenes should be redone.