Over the last few weeks we’ve been running a competition in conjunction with the independent Hotel Show, and the time has come to announce the winner. Congratulations to Picton House in Sherborne, Dorset on winning a professional photography shoot* for your property.
Melanie Hatfield from Picton House said “we are delighted to have won the photoshoot. The team were very professional and I’m extremely happy with the final photo’s. I feel like they really capture the essence of my property. I look forward to putting them on website manager and hopefully getting more bookings because of them. Thank you eviivo.”
Great images are all important when promoting your property to potential guests, especially online, where your website is your window to the world.
Why are images so important?
Every month 22 BILLION potential guests make accommodation searches on Google, and another 750 MILLION are made on TripAdvisor. Your potential guests are being bombarded by property information, and in order to filter it all they use the information that enables them to make a quick decision, your photos.
The consequences of poor photos can be quite frightening, a survey we conducted of 500 UK hotel visitors found:
• 82% of Brits are put off solely by poor snaps
• One in three believe poor photos mean poor service!
With just 3.4 seconds to make a good impression, and encourage potential guests to find out more about your property, and ultimately go on to book, your website needs to delight them visually, and quickly, and great imagery does that – they help tell your story.
What the experts say
Travel website giant Expedia were so intrigued by the impact of photography, that they conducted some rather scientific sounding electromyography testing last year. Essentially this tracks a person’s eye gaze and facial expressions to determine what images create the feeling of delight in a potential booker, and therefore a bigger drive to go on and make a booking.
And here are their top 3 findings:
1. Rooms with a view
– The bedroom image is the most important to show
– If possible include a pleasant view in the shot
– Ensure the bed looks inviting, so the guests can imagine themselves jumping in
– Good lighting is critical, let natural light fill the room
– A clean and tidy picture of the bathroom associated with the room is all important
2. Keep things balanced
– Ensure images look natural and authentic to build trust.
– Show multiple angles of the bedroom
– Avoid using distorted images, and use of fish-eye lenses, they are not trusted
– Use lots of images to show off your property but do not use superfluous images
– List any facilities that do not make for an exciting image instead
3. Quirky is good – show it off!
– Unique features can be positive eye catchers and be the reason to secure a booking
– They bring your property to life, and distinguish you from faceless chain hotels
– Potential guests staying in independent accommodation want something different
– Shots of interesting features enable potential guests to imagine themselves at your property
– Think an original piece of art, funky furniture, quirky period features – how are you unique?
Further reading
Images are the most important thing you can spend marketing money on, but don’t just take our word for it – for more findings about the power of good photography, the impact of poor imagery, and expert hints and tips from the BBC’s expert interior designer Sophie Robinson click here .
How can eviivo help?
Because we know how important great photography is: when you sign up to eviivo suite we provide you with a list of local, trusted photographers who provide special rates for eviivo’s clients, to make sure you get the winning images you need, to help your property win those online bookings.
That’s just one of the very small ways we help our customers to sell their rooms and tell their stories online – To find out more about what we could do for you why not take a 30 day free trial.