We all love to look at beautiful, lovely things that please the eye and evoke sweet associations. As for an Airbnb property, appealing pictures play a vital part in the marketing strategy as they strongly influence a person’s booking decision.
Snaps of your property are the first thing that catches the prospect’s attention and propels them either to click on your offering or scroll the search page down. Top-quality, smartly taken photographs can become a powerful magnet that attracts streams of travelers.
Not only do Airbnb photos show what your vacation rental has to offer. Indeed, they tell about the service and experience people are going to receive if they pick you. People want to book with confidence, and stellar photographs speak volumes of your hospitality.
Airbnb listings with captivating images outreach to a broader audience. People tend to click more often on publications with nice photos, which may eventually result in that your listing hits a better ranking position in Airbnb search results, dramatically increasing your chances for a successful deal.
Discover more information about optimizing your Airbnb listing on Hosty’s blog.
While the importance of classy Airbnb photos is obvious, it is still not very clear how to take them. Some Airbnb hosts may believe that they cannot go without a professional photographer, but the matter is you can take enticing Airbnb images without third-party assistance. In this article, we will reveal all the secrets of perfect DIY Airbnb photos to ignite curiosity in inquiries and stir them into action.
Bright Interior
Light is a huge power. All seasoned photographers know this little secret of statement pictures. Light helps to bring out all the colors, contrasts, and natural depth of space. With properly arranged lighting, your Airbnb pictures will look professional and impressive, boosting your credibility in the eyes of a potential client.
So, it is wise if you shoot your property during the daytime, with all the artificial lights turned on, too. Pull the curtains to let more natural light flow in. Modern cameras are smart enough to adjust to brighter spots by darkening others, so focus your camera at some distance from windows when shooting your Airbnb property.
The Corner As The Main Focus
It is essential to shoot into the corner while capturing your comfy Airbnb home. Such an approach will help you take a broader range of the area while also adding dimensionality to the image. When shooting only on a wall, space can appear smaller than in real life, and the angles help create a sense of true perspective.
A photo composition must be considered as well. Skillful photographers try to apply the rule of thirds to make a photo much greater. The rule of thirds is a composition principle that splits an image into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have nine parts and four grid lines. Based on this principle, you need to place key elements along the grid lines to achieve better composition. Most of today’s cameras come with a grid overlay, which you can activate from the menu. This way, you do not need to imagine the rule of thirds. Instead, you can see it by looking through the viewfinder.
Visual cues also kick in when designing an alluring Airbnb photo. The four major visual cues are color, form, depth, and movement – these are the first attributes our eyes see before the brain starts processing the vision. Pay attention to these cues to create truly catchy images.
Uncluttered Scene
Take time to spruce up space and remove all the clutter. Unnecessary things will only distract the viewer while making the area appear smaller and unwelcome. Imagine you are preparing for a date with a person you like: arrange some flowers, sort out the mess, clean surfaces. Be at your tidiest. Clean up, but without creating false expectations. Your space on the photos must look the same way as when guests arrive; otherwise, clients’ disappointment may ruin your Airbnb business. Let the photographs reflect what tenants will find upon checking in.
Unique Amenities
Do you have a lovely small balcony for a tasty morning coffee? Or a swimming pool? Does a bathroom feel like a spa? A cool playground for kids in the backyard? Everything that makes your listing outstand against competitors must be shown through photos. People want to know what they will get for their money, and your task is to maximally highlight your amenities and comforts.
Little details that make your rental unique and personal must be portrayed by Airbnb photos, too. Whether there is an exotic musical instrument, a wall-size picture on the wall, a collection of 18th-century British novels, do not be shy to showcase these décor accents as people love to explore interesting spaces.
Inviting Outside
Outside settings are also important. You can set people’s expectations better if you show them the external surroundings, too. The ideal time to take photos of the outdoors is during the first and last hour of sunshine, which is called the Golden Hour in the photograph community. During this period of the day, the light appears at its softest (highly diffused) and reveals the widest range of colors.
Let your neighborhood shine, as well. People want to have a clear understanding of their destination, what they can see in your area, and which entertainments are available there, so showcase your locality in photos. Post the pictures of stylish venues that are within walking distance from your home, show parks, and natural attractions to be admired in your place, snap shopping centers, and amusement hubs if you live close to them.
Generally speaking, the more, the better. So the more photos you upload, the longer the prospects will browse your listing. Airbnb pictures shape a person’s booking decision, so try to diversify your photo portfolio and take pictures of different objects. Remember, your goal is to give prospects a maximally detailed idea of your vacation rental, luring the excited travelers into placing a booking.