According to Airbnb experts, photos are the first thing that attracts prospective guests to a listing when they are looking through the available properties for rent. Airbnb photo collection is a powerful tool to increase guests’ attraction to your rental listing.
Here are some tips that will help you present better photos and improve your chances of getting booked by a prospective guest:
1. Always use your best photo as the cover
Potential guests will be screening over Airbnb’s listing page, quickly comparing from the one photo shown until one catches their eyes. This is your chance to make them choose you. Put your best photo forward, it is your cover letter, your presentation card, their first impression. Don’t set up wrong expectations, make sure it represents your rental place and not a stock photo as it will leave a bad taste.
2. Don’t add too many outdoor photos
You are offering your rental place. The only way to convince a prospective guest that your place is the best option is by showcasing every area of it. Before adding outdoor or tourist attractions photos, make sure you have every area displayed in your photos. Share different angles of each area and make sure the prospective guest can understand the layout and available space from your photos. After you’ve achieved that, then share the outdoor areas and 4-5 pictures of close-by attractions, cool places to go, or natural scenery.
The Modern Cabin listing has 46 pictures. It is not until the 33rd picture that the hosts share the outdoors. They cover every angle of the house and display all of their amenities.
3. Use proper lighting
We all know filters are great but they can only do so much. Proper lighting is key to high-quality and beautiful pictures. There’s a little trick for that – it’s called natural light timing, depending on your property’s location. According to Digital Real Estate, for east-facing properties, morning is the best time to shoot. For west-facing properties, the afternoon provides the best light. If your property faces north, any time between 10:00 and 14:00 is ideal. And if it faces south, shoot for first thing in the morning or last thing in the day. Dark and low-quality photos give the perception of a small or dirty place.
DON'T: Dark photos
DO: Proper light and straight photos
4. Tidy Up
Make sure your photos don’t display items that are not part of your decoration. Remote control on the coffee table, socks under the bed, or dirty clothes on the laundry (trust me, I’ve seen this way too many times, it’s painful) are not selling points! Have your items aligned, and shoot straight pictures – shifted photos may give the perception of a disorganized place.
DON'T: pictures with messy beds like the example below
DO: A tidy bed and a good angle photo
5. Portray a lifestyle
Most guests select a rental based on the lifestyle it represents. If your rental place is for an outdoorsy style guest, include pictures of trails, your bicycle storage area, and safety gear. If your place is close to the beach, display photos of your beach chairs, a piña colada with the beach view from our balcony. If you are aiming for a high-end lifestyle, display the cocktails your guests can enjoy at your rental. Make sure you tell the story of how can they enjoy your Airbnb throughout your
Now go back to your listing and review your photos. Do you have all these tips checked off? If not, take a day to focus on your photos and plan a shooting with purpose.
Happy hosting!