Your guest has never been to your stay. They may not be from the area, or even the continent. Great photos help you differentiate and communicate your STR from the one down the street, and that leads to more bookings.
Put up lots of photos.
You ever notice that car dealerships and real estate companies put up only a hand full of photos, that are too small and not great? They want you come see the car or the house for yourself, to help get you in the door and sell it to you. Your STR is the opposite – you need to show guests every detail, with the most photos and the best arrangement of photos you can.
Take some that are pretty and help convey the feel of your stay. Take some that are utilitarian and show that you have the amenities that will let a guest know that they are at the right STR. You can use your cell phone, point and shoot, or a DSLR to take photos – just make sure you have enough light and form a great composition. We usually will take 30-40 photos of one room so we can pick out the best of the bunch. Ensure your photos are level, no odd angles please! If needed, you can always correct them in a photo editing application.
Take care to make sure the environment is clean and organized. No one wants to see crumbs on the counter or a missing outlet cover. Beds should be made neatly and bathrooms should be clear of anything that would normally be used daily like tooth brushed, tooth paste or garbage in the bin. Light should be turned on and set to a level that you would expect for the room you are shooting.
Include a variety of night and day shots, mixed with inside and outside. We try to order them on Airbnb so that it feels like you are walking through the house.
We’re not professional photographers, but we’ve learned a few things over the years and hopefully this gets you started on taking great photos for your STR. Thank you for reading!
