When you’re creating your Airbnb listing the photos you choose can make or break the deal. There are some simple steps you can take which automatically make your listing more appealing to prospective guests. Lets face it first impressions count for everything and that is never more true than when deciding on a place to live in. There can often be so much competition in a city such as London that you need to catch the guests attention by showing off your best bits.
When you sign up for our full property management service we can take professional photos of your space which can really give your listing an extra boost – however you can also get great photos from using your smart phone. If you’re doing it yourself here’s 8 tips to help you increase your occupancy rates.
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Duvet Covers
This is the first one because it’s the easiest to do but can often be the one thing which puts people off. Here at AirbnbEazy we can provide a fresh hotel-style linen service for our guests so this isn’t something you will have to worry about however this is often one area where people let themselves down. No matter how clean your flat may look – the most important thing is how appealing the bed is, after all this is where you’re going to be sleeping. If it looks like its been on there since you were 14 years old it’s not going to conjure up very nice images in your prospective guests head. Bright, bobbly and even creased bedsheets can be a big turn-off. Buy some plain white cotton sheets and make sure the bed is made to look like a hotel bed.
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Brightness
Ensure that your photos are bright – natural lighting shows up far better than artificial lighting which can often look yellow and dingy. Open your curtains wide and if possible shoot on a nice day so you get sunlight. The lighter a place looks, the cleaner it looks and the larger it looks. If you’ve got a killer light you want to show off don’t be afraid to turn that on as well – experiment.
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Save your best for…FIRST
Thats right – your first image is the one which people see when flicking past all the places which tick all the boxes so make sure your place stands out. Don’t waste it on the vase you picked up in Mozambique – however beautiful it might be, you need to sell your house in 1 picture. What’s the one thing which convinced you to buy the place when you bought your house? That view from the balcony, that conservatory, that swimming pool on the roof. Bear in mind your audience though when you are doing this and always check out your competitors. As cool as your pool table is, it may not seal the deal with a couple coming to Bruges for a weekend of cheese and wine.
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Shoot Airbnb photos outside
People want to see what your place just as much as they want to know whats inside. Be clever – If there’s a big tower block one way maybe point the camera the other way. Make sure you’re shooting on a nice sunny day. It’s often nice to show off unique elements about your place which are typical of the area – maybe the fromagerie across the road in Paris or the red phone box down your road in London.Remember the reason people use Airbnb instead of a hotel is to get the authentic experience. You also don’t want people to be in for a nasty surprise when they turn up and it doesn’t look how they expected it to look.
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De-Clutter
While people do want to live like a local for the weekend they want to be able to relax and don’t want to feel like they need to get out the house for fear of getting fleas. There’s nothing wrong with a full bookcase or a nice painting however less is most definitely more. Lock away the stuffed bear and the cat scratching post, clean the dishes and take down the One Direction Calendar. Don’t lose your personality just make sure it still looks clean and tidy – messiness makes you think it’s smelly and unhygienic.
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Highlight Quirky Features
This is not contradicting the last point – there is a difference. While we emphasised the need to de-clutter that definitely does not meant to lose the individuality of your place. If guests wanted a hotel they would get one. If your place has some typical local features show them off, if you have a cool cactus in your kitchen feel free to add a photo of it.
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Make your rooms look BIG
When it comes to your rooms – the bigger the better definitely rings true. This all adds to the feeling of space which is something which people are looking for when searching Airbnb to find a holiday home. Stand right in the corner when taking photos so that you capture the whole room and if you have a wide angle lens use that to really emphasise the space. Shooting into a corner is nearly always better than shooting straight on.
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Photo Quality
Last but not least always ensure that the photos you put on are of a high resolution. If you can get hold of a good quality camera it can really make the difference but if not then make sure you’re using a smart phone with a good quality camera. If you’re trying to shoot your award winning shots on an iPhone 3 then the chances are you won’t win any guests. Borrow someone else’s equipment to make sure your doing your place justice!
