Airbnb has over 5.6 million active listings worldwide, with more than 150 million people using the platform to book vacation stays. It has listings in over 200 countries and regions, and approximately 60% of Airbnb’s user base are millennials. Being an Airbnb host can be a unique way to reach your financial goals while also managing your own business. 

However, it can be challenging to create your listing or upgrade an existing one to the next level. So how do you make your property seem more appealing? With professional Airbnb photos. With a bit of time and effort, you will get the most out of your business and create an attractive listing for users. In this blog, you will learn about photography for Airbnb and how to go about hiring the right professional. Let’s get into it.

What is Airbnb?

Airbnb stands for air-bed and breakfast (as the founders initially started by renting out air mattresses on their floor!). It is a vacation rental company that operates an online marketplace for vacation rentals, homestays, lodging, and tourism activities. The platform is easily accessible to users via website and mobile app. 

Airbnb provides the opportunity for homeowners to list their accommodation on Airbnb as an outlet for rental income. It is the hosts’ responsibility to create listings and make them appealing to guests for either short or long-term stays.

Professional photos for Airbnb

Photos are one of the primary factors that drive bookings as they are the first thing that attracts potential guests to a listing, from a catalogue of hundreds or possibly thousands of competing options. The difference between a good photo and a great one could impact how many views your listing receives, how high it appears in search results and how many bookings you get. We’ll take you through the best tips to create memorable Airbnb photos to get your listing noticed.

Photos per listing

Airbnb allows hosts to upload 100 photos for each listing, with one image as the minimum requirement. While you have the option to upload up to 100, it doesn’t mean that it’s the best idea. More photos don’t necessarily improve your listing, especially if the images aren’t the greatest quality. It’s better to have fewer, high-quality images rather than tens of poorly taken photos. Ideally, each listing should consist of 20-30 images for the entire rental property. This amount allows you to showcase the unit, providing the user with a good idea of how it looks from all angles. 

While Airbnb has few regulations for photos, there are style guides provided. It is also recommended to have a width-to-length aspect ratio of 3:2 and a minimum resolution of 1024 x 683px. 

Taking the best photo

While it is possible to take photos yourself for an Airbnb listing, a professional will guarantee that your images look flawless. Lighting, angles, and quality can make a huge difference in your photos and either attract or deter a potential guest. However, a photographer will not turn the house from a mess into a spotless living space. It is your responsibility as the host to ensure the home is looking as clean and neat as possible before the photographer arrives. Here are some tips on how to get your property picture perfect:

1. Clean and prepare

The rental unit should always be spotless for photos and for when guests come to stay. It’s very unappealing for users to see clutter in a photo, so make sure to clean all the spaces before the photographer's arrival. This can be done by hiring a cleaning service, or you can choose to do it yourself. Either way, make sure to arrange the furniture neatly, pack away any dirty dishes, clean visible stains, and vacuum and mop the floors. As a final touch, add a few (not too many!) decorative ornaments to make your unit seem like a home.

2. Lighting

Great lighting is a key element to make any photo look more professional and appealing. Natural lighting can often enhance the depth, colours, and contrast of your unit. If you are shooting during the day, make sure to open any blinds so the natural sunlight can shine in. Turning on indoor lights will also help to eliminate any areas that may potentially have dark spots. Having sunny and excellent lighting will highlight the space and the cleanliness of the property.

3. Angles and details

The professional photographer will naturally see the very best angles of your rental unit and capture the best spots. Some good shots are panoramas of an entire room, angles from the ground up or from the ceiling down. It can also be beneficial to take photos of the surrounding area and popular spots around town to show guests what the neighbourhood offers. Ensure to capture the little details of your unit that can add character to the listing and boost your overall property. 

4. Equipment

A professional should have specialized real estate photography (and video) equipment, including a minimum of: 

• A wide-angle lens

• Wide aperture lens (for closeups)

• Flashes

• A good tripod to enable multi-bracketed shooting to provide the best exposures

• A steadicam or gimbal if shooting video

Enhance your Airbnb photo section

Once your photographer has passed the photos onto you, now is the time to upload them to Airbnb. There are a few ways you can spruce up your listing to get the most out of your new, attractive photos. Here are a few things you can do to level up your Airbnb photo section:

Organize into categories

Once you have the chosen photos you wish to upload, organize them to make sense of the unit’s layout. Place them in order, and group them by room and area. For example, if you have three photos of the house’s front hall, upload those first. Or, if you have six different living room photos, make sure they are grouped and can be seen one after the other (rather than spread out randomly throughout). Organizing the photos will give the user an idea of the layout in addition to each room. 

Highlight the best photos

After a photoshoot of your property and hundreds of photos later, there’s probably a few golden ones that stand out. Choose one photo from every room that is the most attractive and make sure they are uploaded first. You want to give the viewer something that will entice them to look further into your listing. These photos should be of impeccable quality, great lighting, and an inviting feel. Once you’ve uploaded them as the first photos for your listing, you can move on to uploading the rest (by category!). Listings usually go in order of the kitchen area, then living room, followed by bedrooms, bathrooms, and outdoor areas such as the backyard. Remember, try not to upload more than 30 photos for the entire listing. 

Caption

Captions that add value to the photo will be a great way to keep the user’s attention while they browse through your listing. Try to add a caption to every single photo that highlights a positive part of the property. Focus on focal points that add a unique dimension, such as a games room or private balcony. You could also describe the capabilities possible in each room, such as the kitchen appliances that can be used to cook great meals or an indoor theatre that is great for movie nights. Describing not just what the room is, but rather the benefits, will encourage the user to rent your unit. 

Finding a photographer

Having professional photos taken of your Airbnb property will not only make your unit look as good as possible but will justify charging a higher price. Guests are inclined to pay more for a beautiful location with excellent amenities and sparkly clean rooms rather than a dimly lit, messy place with minimal benefits. And yes, the same place could have either of these impressions. The difference? One version is cleaned prior and has professional images, while the other has neither. If you take pride in your property, more guests will want to book. 

To find the right photographer, you want to look for someone specializing in real estate and/or Airbnb photography. These people primarily take photos of properties and may also have a background in staging, photo editing, and marketing. Simply look online for local photographers who specialize in this area, check out their website or Instagram page to see their work, and reach out to them. If you like their style and they understand your objectives, you’ll be on your way to taking your Airbnb listing to the next level.

Takeaways

There are various benefits of hiring a professional photographer, such as capturing attractive crisp-looking photos that will guarantee more traffic towards your listing. Now that you know how to find a great photographer and the various ways to optimize your property for picture taking, you can dramatically enhance your Airbnb listing.

FAQs

How much does it cost to hire a professional photographer?

The cost of real estate and interior photography widely ranges based on a few factors. Many photographers have different equipment, such as cameras, lighting equipment, and editing skills. The quality of the photo will not be the same with each person, and you’ll need to decide what exactly you’re going for. If there is more production work involved or the property is larger, the cost will go up, most charge based on the square footage. For this reason, doing research on local photographers and working with them to decide what your needs are is the best way to go. 

Can I take my own photos for an Airbnb listing?

Photos for Airbnb can be taken on anything from a smartphone to a high-end camera. Of course, you can take pictures of the property yourself; however, it is highly beneficial, if not essential, to hire a professional. Professional Airbnb photos have been found to increase overall earnings and the average daily rate. The first booking might pay for the photos, yet every booking from that point on will earn you more than if you tried to cut the corner. If you want to get the most out of your Airbnb property, go with a professional.

What should I look for in a good photo?

Any good professional photographer will make sure your property looks as good as possible in photos. If you’re wondering how to narrow down the photos that have been taken, look for ones with the best natural lighting, most attractive angles, and the ones that show the best parts of the unit. Your photographer will make sure that elements such as image quality and angles will be perfect for showing off your place. 

Can I upload a video?

Not directly, you need to know a way to circumnavigate the platform. Airbnb only allows video uploads for “Experiences” hosts, if you’re running a local food tour or goat yoga rather than providing accommodation. However, as a video is arguably the best showcase of a property, it’s important to have one. There are various ways to show a video, the simplest is to upload it to your website or youtube and direct potential guests there within your listing.

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