Getting the photo sequencing right in your vacation rental listing is vital.
We've compiled some DOs & DON'Ts for when you decide to take this advice and reorder your listing photos!
But before we get on with that, we wanted to share something that has happened to us. Think about this:
You're going through a poorly sequenced bunch of photos.
While your mind is trying to create a narrative or a map of the property, you're thinking "I just saw a garden and then a kitchen and then the bathroom in the back".
You just don't know what you're looking at. You have lost the thread of "where is this place? How does the space work?"
The out-of-sequence listing photos messed with your thought process, and you can't figure out why you were on this listing at all.
Ready to reorder your photos? Here are some best practices.
The things of order matters, right? I mean, the order of things matters, right?
If the shower scene in Psycho came first, how scary would it be?
Unless you’re watching a Tarantino film, or Memento, you normally expect movies to proceed in chronological order.
Well, your listing photos should generally proceed in a logical order, too.
Some people will try to tell you that there is one logic for vacation rental photos to rule them all. We think there are at least 3 acceptable models, dependent upon your place, and to some degree, your preference.
Remember... Nobody knows your place like you do... Use it to your advantage! (and by the way, that's one of the reasons why you Shouldn't Hire a Real Estate Photographer for your Vacation Rental Listing).
1. The Tour
Sequence the photos almost like you’re running a filmstrip.
Start outside.
Proceed inside. Take a left.
Continue on a “walk-through” of the home, introducing the best photo for each area first, finishing with a few outdoor and neighborhood scenes at the end.
2. Hit them with your best shot
Who knows how many of your photos they’ll look through, so stack your best ones up front.
In this case, ‘best’ means your primary or most important rooms first (living room, kitchen) and secondary stuff at the end (hallways, bathrooms, etc.).
If you have detail shots of decor or amenities, keep them in their correct rooms. Having a picture of the patio barbecue between the master bedroom and a bathroom isn't a good idea.
3. Hybrid
Start with your best feature, but THEN proceed in logical fashion on a tour.
Maybe you have an awesome living room bay window.
Start with that shot and then proceed to the room adjacent to it, and so on.
Ideally, each photo gives a hint of what comes next.
The most important DON'Ts of photo sequencing.
1. Switching from indoor to outdoor photos repeatedly
We've seen so many listings that show photos all randomly mixed together... Driveway > Living Room > Garden > Bathroom > Neighborhood Snaps > Kitchen...
2. Jumping between spaces out of order
Photo of the kitchen, then of the living room, back to the kitchen with a different angle, bathroom, back to a different angle of the living room... You get the idea.
3. Misleading sequencing
There are listings out there that lead with a picture of the kitchen, followed by a photo of an en suite bathroom, then show open doors to the balcony and then.... a view of the beach...when in fact, the beach is a fifteen minute drive away and isn't visible from that balcony at all. Not nice.
Related: Top 5 Vacation Rental Photo Mistakes
You want your photo sequence to flow and give the viewer a good sense of how things relate to each other.
Random photos, especially isolated ones with no context, can induce confusion.
What’s the likelihood that confusion or frustration will lead to a booking?
Not. Good.
- Brian, Co-Creator, Overlooked 2 Overbooked
Not sure where to get started with your own listing?
We've gathered some basic but all too common listing photo mistakes below. These errors have been shown to alienate viewers so double-check you're not falling for any of them:
Where do you show tge extra amenties like wine cooler, fresh vases of flowers, etc
Hi Ginette! I recommend amenities and decor shots should follow the rooms they’re in. So I would begin with the grand view of a space, then move in closer. If you just cluster them near the end or sprinkle them throughout randomly, it can get really confusing for people trying to make sense of the space. And, you can use photo descriptions to explain where something is, if it isn’t immediately clear. For example if you have a closet for a washing machine, but it’s not obvious where it is from the photos, just add a note “Washing machine conveniently located by the back entrance”, something like that. Hope that helps!
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