Photographs are a guest’s first impression of your Airbnb. That means your photos are extremely important!
Listings with good photos rank higher in searches and get booked more frequently. For this reason, it is a good idea to invest in professional photos if you can afford them. Pictures that are unclear or not staged properly will get passed through in search.
Here are some tips for getting the best photos for your listing.
Know Who You’re Renting To
Does your property best suit couples looking for a romantic getaway? Or families with multiple children? Or is your rental best for traveling business people? Each will be looking for specific things in your photos because guests want to be able to imagine themselves in the space.
Couples want to see gorgeous views, a relaxing ambiance, and amenities such as hot tubs. One tip is to add some wine glasses to your photos to create a romantic setting for two.
Business people like to see desks, office equipment such as a printer, and a comfy place to relax after a long day at work.
Families need ample storage space, a well-equipped kitchen for meals, and plenty of beds. If you have a pack-n-play, toys, or games in your rental, include those in your photos.
Know What Emotions Are Driving Each Type of Guest.
These are feelings that arise within the guest as they are looking for a place to rent.
Think of the vibe your property has. Is it romantic? Is it cozy? Is it modern?
Below are examples of what each type of guest may look for and how you can inspire these feelings in your Airbnb photos.
- Couples:
Romance: champagne or wine glasses on the table, hotel-style bedding - Families:
Comfort and safety: comfortable family furniture, locks on doors, baby gates - Business People:
Relaxation and practicality: premium amenities, nice view, comfy bed, office furniture - Groups:
Excitement: highlight large common areas, games, TVs, and gathering places such as a fire pit or large deck
Know Your Strengths
These are parts of your property or guest experience that are better than the competition.
Do you have a gorgeous view, a special amenity such as a game room, or do you provide luxury items like hotel-quality bath towels and robes?
Show these strengths in your photos!
Do Not Misrepresent Your Home
What you should not do is dress your place up so much for your photos that it becomes unrecognizable once the guest arrives.
If you will be removing certain items from the home, don’t show them in your pictures.
Most guests will remember what they saw in the photos versus what was written in the description.
Misrepresenting your place can lead to guest complaints and a bad review.
You don’t have to be the nicest house on the block! Your guests will appreciate your honesty.
Keep It Simple
Don’t overdo your photos section by taking ten pictures of every room or amenity from a different angle.
Highlight what is special about your place in your cover photo and have 3-5 photos of that amenity.
Then take 1-2 photos of everything else you want to showcase and make sure you have at least one photo of each room.
I would suggest 15 photos or more, depending on the size of your property.
Choose the Right Photographer and Communicate With Them
I suggest hiring a photographer experienced in either short-term rental photography or real estate photography.
Make sure to give the photographer all the information about your home before your appointment. If you cannot meet the photographer in person, it may be a good idea to send them several photos you have taken yourself. The pictures you send will help the photographer determine what lights, lenses, and other equipment to bring.
You should also discuss your preferences. If you think your view is the main draw of your property, ask the photographer to take the most photos of the view. Be sure to ask how many final images you will receive and if they will be edited or not.
If you plan on doing any renovations to your property, buying your own DSLR camera is a good idea so that you can photograph your growth and post any updates to your listing.
Take advantage of Airbnb’s Free professional photographer
Airbnb offers free professional photography in certain locations to hosts who already have a few bookings and need to upgrade their listing.
We had a great experience with our free photographer. He showed up and took photos of our place. We had already staged it by the time he arrived. Due to that, he didn’t have to make many adjustments, after snapping a few photos we were done.
Someone with Airbnb edited the photos and uploaded them directly to our listing. We were then able to remove any redundant photos. You will have those since they do not delete your old photos.
After that our listing looked so much better!
Thanks for reading along and I’ll see you in the next one.
