Category: Owner Information

Photos sell holiday cottages. Are yours working hard enough for you?

patio table with view over Derbyshire

Photos say so much more than words

It seems that sometimes, owners can underestimate the importance that photos play in ‘selling’ their cottages. We see a diverse range of photos on our adverts and, there is no doubt, that adverts showing a good selection of high quality photographs, reap the rewards in terms of increased enquiry levels and bookings. If you have chosen to market your holiday home independently then it really is important that you instill confidence in your potential guests and let them see exactly what they are getting for their money. Photos are a great way of doing this, particularly for properties which are not inspected by the tourist board and do not have an official star rating to provide a ‘reassurance of quality’.

For sure, having professional photographs will show your property off in the best possible light but its not just about photo quality (although quality is obviously an important factor). A great selection of photos can give prospective guests enough information to help them make their decision and not just in terms of the accommodation but the whole holiday experience.

At Independent Cottages we now allow up to 40 photographs on an advert which provides plenty of opportunity to sell the inside, outside, local area and also include photos of guest book comments to provide reassurance of previous customer satisfaction.

So how can you make your photos really work for you?

At the very least, holiday makers need to see photographs of the outside of the property and living areas (both inside and outside living space) to help them make their decision. If you choose to not show the outside or only show a couple of internal shots then there is a risk that holiday makers may wonder why! Even if you have a small one bed property, you should still be able to come up with a good selection of photos to sell your holiday home and all the reasons why it’s an ideal holiday destination, so here’s some photo ideas to give you inspiration:

Internal photos: Make sure you photograph as many rooms as possible and don’t overlook the importance of bathrooms and kitchens. If your property is small with only a couple of rooms to photograph, focus on what makes those rooms special and capture its features.

Black and white collie dog sleeping in front of log burner with flickering flames

Great shot by Hideaway Cottage, Staveley, Cumbria.

Maybe you have a fire so capture it roaring with walking boots in front of it (if your cottage is ideal for walkers), champagne glasses (if you target romantic breaks) or a dog snoozing whilst the flames flicker (if your cottage is pet-friendly). If you have lovely views surrounding the cottage, why not take a picture of them through an open window to really highlight the lovely scenery all around and, if you provide a welcome tray, hamper or complimentary toiletries, photograph them to show the caring extra touches and warm welcome that awaits. We often see owners including artistic shots of decorative items or cottage name plaques which can work well to help increase your photo offering, and using photos to highlight in a positive way, cautionary things for holiday makers to be aware of before booking such as steep stairs or unfenced water areas like ponds. When you start to think about it, even in a tiny cottage, the photo opportunities are endless!

External photos: Photographs of the outside areas are equally as important. You are not just selling accommodation but need to paint a complete picture of the whole holiday offering. A good selection of appealing external shots will add variety and interest to your advert.

Sunset over Loch Melfort

When you have incredible sunsets like Crosple Cottage in Melfort, show them off!

No-one knows the cottage and the local area better than you, so think about all the reasons why you chose your property and its location in the first place and capture them in photos to inspire others. Your photos give you the chance to demonstrate all the things people can do whilst away on holiday. If you have fantastic coastal walks, magnificent stately homes, or nice places to enjoy a picnic, share them with potential guests on your advert (due to copyright issues, please make sure you only include photos you personally own).

Patios, gardens, swimming pools, play areas and hot tubs are obvious choices, but extend your outdoor collection to include stunning sunsets, nearby attractions (beaches, rivers, mountains, villages etc), lovely walks and shots of people enjoying outdoor activities that are available locally. Cautionary note: When taking photos containing people , please ensure that nobody is identifiable (i.e. take photos at a distance, obscure faces once taken or ensure people have their backs towards you) as the person’s consent within the photo is usually required by law given the fact that the photos are being used for commercial use – find out more).

Village sunrise scene with thatched cottage dusted with a scattering of snowPhotos for all seasons: Understandably there will be more focus on capturing your best shots in full summer glory, but don’t forget to add some enticing shots for all seasons. Autumn and spring breaks are very popular (particularly with walkers and outdoor enthusiasts) so show off the golden colours, spring blooms and magic of the snow dusted landscape.

Guest book photos: Everyone loves to read guest book comments (us owners included!) so why not photograph your guest book when you do the turnaround and include the photos in our Guest Book Gallery on the advert.

A great way of providing guest ‘reviews’

It is a great way of making your advert more engaging, sharing comments previous guests have left and providing reassurances of quality. We recommend you updating guest book photos regularly so holiday makers always have up to date comments to read. It is also a good idea to add the date in the comments field and feel free to add photos of ‘thank you’ cards and messages you have received. Cautionary note: Unless you have the permission of the guest to publish their comments on the internet, we recommend you removing identifiable information (i.e. the address even if it is only the village/town of residency that is noted) before uploading to protect guest privacy. It is very easy to do this before you take the photo by folding the visitor book page to cover the address field or placing a piece of paper over it. Alternatively, you can crop it off or retouch/blur/smudge/spray paint it afterwards in your favourite graphics editing software package.

Floor plans: Whatever the size of your property, floor plans can be useful photos to add to the collection. They provide a great way of visually explaining the layout of the accommodation and are particularly important for properties catering for those with limited mobility. Fairly easy to produce, there are plenty of cheap packages available online to help you create a floor plan such as Floorplanner or you can easily create one by hand which can look equally as effective.

Awards and Accolades: If you have received a star rating or an industry award, why not include a photograph of the ‘badge’ amongst your photos. It is a great way of highlighting quality and really showing off the merit you have worked so hard to achieve.

Photos really do say so much more than words (especially those containing guest book comments!) and are key to marketing a holiday home effectively. Every photo provides an additional opportunity to sell your property and increase your chances of social sharing. Make sure your advert photos stand out above the rest and update them today!

2 thoughts on “Photos sell holiday cottages. Are yours working hard enough for you?

  1. Marianne

    How do visitors to the property page know that there are ‘guest book comments’ to view? As far as I can tell, the visitor sees just one photo gallery, and since the ‘guest book gallery’ seems to tack itself onto the end of the main photo gallery, visitors need to click through all your property photos before they see the comments. Should there not be a button taking you straight to ‘guest comments’? I’ve tried to encourage visitors to look at the comments by flagging one up on the notice board and then telling visitors where they can see more, but surely there is a better way? Am I missing something?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Jarvis

      Hi Marianne, thank you for your comments. Currently the guest book comments are displayed at the bottom of the advert (and they also appear at the end of the normal photo gallery as you rightly said. I think that is a good suggestion to have a button or something to direct people directly to them and we will take a look at this to see if we can incoorporate it in the enhancements we will soon be making to the site.

      Many thanks for your feedback, it is always gratefully received.

      Reply

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