Jul
1
2011
Did you know that according to our recent survey, 48% of travelers say photos are very important to them when booking? Another 27% say they won’t even book without photos. Images are the single most important component of your BedandBreakfast.com listing. But not just any images—clear, large, high-quality pictures.
Photos that are blurry, tiny, outdated, poorly lit, or unflattering are often enough to make a traveler book elsewhere. We also aren’t able to feature listings with low-quality photos in our press releases, blog, articles, or social media. If your guests arrive and say, “Your B&B looks better than in your photos,” it’s time to get new pictures taken.
What steps can you take right now?
- If you have high-quality photos on your website but have not uploaded them to your BedandBreakfast.com listing yet, please do so now. BedandBreakfast.com users would love to see them, too!
- If you have 10 photo slots on BedandBreakfast.com but are only using six, fill up the rest if you have good photos. Take advantage of the opportunity to show off more bedrooms or areas of your B&B.
- On the other hand, if you currently have some low-quality photos on your BedandBreakfast.com, it is better to remove them than keep them there. Only leave your best ones. It most cases, quality over quantity is more important.
- If you don’t have any current or high-quality photos but you have a good camera, take new ones yourself. You may want to take a local photography class to learn more about lighting and composition.
- If you don’t feel confident with your own photography skills, consider hiring a professional. Our survey results reveal how important photos are in the booking process, so it will be worth it in the long run. You can get photographer recommendations from other nearby inns or real estate agents.
By Emily Starbuck Crone