The quality of your chalet photography has a direct impact on the success of your rental business. But without professional experience, understanding how to achieve the best results can feel overwhelming.
There are many factors to consider including home staging, angles, quality, choosing the best images and ordering them on your website, as well as photography for social media.
In this post, we explain the importance of visuals and the impact they have on your business, as well as how to capture and select excellent photographs of your property.
The importance of excellent chalet photography
First impressions count, and it’s no secret that people buy with their eyes. Therefore, excellent photography which captures your property at its best is integral to the success of your holiday rental business.
High-quality, well-staged images play an informative role in the booking process. Get it right, and you’ve created an attractive ‘shop window’ encouraging people to discover your website further. However, get it wrong and you risk deterring potential guests from the outset.
The benefits of successful photography on your rental business
Increased bookings and revenue
A minor investment can have a major effect on your bookings, revenue and your business reputation as a whole.
High-quality photographs support the price you charge for your property. Guests will pay higher prices if your photographs reflect a high-end, modern rental property.
Properties with OVO Network photography get 118% more views and sell 32% faster than properties with other imagery.
Homes with high-quality photos receive a 47% higher asking price per square foot
Redfin
Helps the decision-making
Photos act as valuable information on your website. In fact, 70% of website visitors want to view photography and/or video before they decide to book.
Guests should be able to immerse themselves in your property before they even arrive. Your photos should therefore accurately reflect your chalet and allow guests to feel as though they are standing in the rooms themselves. This is why OVO Network properties are photographed ‘factually’ as opposed to with a creative or artistic approach
Close-up photos of ornaments and creative angles may look pretty on your site, but they don’t provide the viewer with any information or value.
Aim to capture the chalet in its entirety and always highlight its best features (hot tub, swimming pool, games room, etc). This not only helps you secure bookings at peak times but in the off-season, too.
Buyers spend 60% of their time looking at listing photos, and only 20% on the listing description
Wall Street Journal
Improved trust
Another key factor to consider is the trust that you build between yourself and your guests. Home staging and photo processing are essential elements to your success, but your photos should always reflect reality.
What we mean by this is what guests see in the picture should be what they get.
It’s acceptable to use props such as food, drinks and plants to enhance the look of your property. Not only does this create a more ‘homely’ aesthetic, but it’s what sets your images apart from general real estate style photography. However, do not include equipment or features in your images that guests won’t be able to access on arrival, just for the sake of making it look impressive.
Finally, never attempt to “hide” permanent features that could be a deterrent – aim for full transparency. An honest approach will ensure expectations are met on arrival, avoiding unnecessary complaints further down the line.
All of this will help you attract loyal guests who trust you and your business and return for years to come.
90% of online buyers say that photo quality is the most important factor in an online sale
Boom photography
Versatility
Once you have your photos, not only will you be able to list them on your site but also for a wide range of marketing activities. Social media, newsletters, PR, physical marketing and online ads are some of the ways in which your photography can be utilised even further.
For example, we used the following image from Chalet Victorina, La Giettaz to create a billboard at the bottom of the Teleski du Laquais in La Clusaz…
How to take great photos of your rental property
Outstanding chalet photography depends on many factors, including:
- Home staging, furnishing and decor
- Angles
- Quality and resolution
- Lighting and the time of day
- Technical equipment
- Editing and processing
To discover all the top tips for chalet photography, read our full article here.
Due to the high level of competition, taking photos of your property without the right equipment and expertise will significantly compromise its quality. Therefore, the best way to achieve exceptional results is to work with a professional who understands all the technical requirements.
Selecting the best shots for your website
Selecting the best shots for your site can be challenging. At OVO Network, we tend to display between 20-25 interior photos online of our partner properties. We take a variety of images of the main living spaces, focusing on them individually and also taking “through shots” (where open-plan spaces are photographed as a whole).
We select a “hero image” for each property, which is the first image that is displayed on the site. This image should capture the essence of the chalet and showcase its main selling point.
We alternate the photography between winter and summer so that guests can see what the property will look like in both seasons. This includes the hero image, which in summer, will often be a swimming pool, hot tub or Nordic bath if the chalet offers one.
And of course, if the property has been refurbished or there have been any changes, we organise a photoshoot in order to keep the website up-to-date.
How to order photographs on your website
At OVO Network, our photography specialists follow a general order for displaying images on the property’s website:
- “Hero” shot
- Lounge
- Dining area
- The kitchen
- An exterior shot including a key feature such as a hot tub or swimming pool
- Primary bedroom
- Exterior shot of the opposite season
- We will then display all of the remaining interior shots starting with the lounge, dining, kitchen, and bedrooms with each of their corresponding bathrooms
Photography for social media
Make sure to capture photos for your social media channels too. Remember to keep the requirements of each platform in mind when capturing and sharing photos, and consider using photo editing tools to crop or resize your images as needed.
here are the ideal image sizes for the major social media platforms:
For Instagram, the ideal format is a square aspect ratio of 1:1, with a resolution of 1080 x 1080 pixels. However, the platform also supports vertical images with an aspect ratio of 4:5 (1080 x 1350 pixels) and horizontal images with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 (1080 x 566 pixels).
The optimal format for sharing images on Facebook is a landscape orientation with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 and a resolution of 1200 x 630 pixels. However, Facebook also supports square images (1:1) and portrait images (4:5).
The ideal format for Twitter is a landscape orientation with an aspect ratio of 2:1 and a resolution of 1024 x 512 pixels. However, Twitter supports a range of aspect ratios from 1.91:1 to 1:1, so square images also work well.
For LinkedIn, a landscape orientation with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 and a resolution of 1200 x 627 pixels is ideal. However, LinkedIn supports aspect ratios between 1.91:1 and 1:1, making square images suitable as well.
Vertical images work best on Pinterest, with an optimal aspect ratio of 2:3 (1000 x 1500 pixels). However, the platform also supports aspect ratios ranging from 1:3.5 to 3.5:1.
OVO Network chalet photography
At OVO Network, we provide a range of shoots including summer and winter, dusk shoots, new facilities, renovations and updates.
Our professional team handle everything including home staging, direction, videography and processing, so you don’t have to lift a finger.
OVO Network professional chalet photography is exclusively available to our owners. But if you own a chalet in the Alps and are looking for a professional rental solution, you can discover our offering and estimate your income by clicking here.
Alternatively, why not arrange a call directly with one of our specialists to discuss your project? Whether you’re thinking about buying or building a property, already have a chalet that you rent, or if you’re undertaking a renovation, we can advise on all aspects of creating a highly successful rental property in the Alps.
We hope you found this guide helpful. If you’d like to learn more, make sure to head over to our website to discover our solution or explore our owner archives which include a multitude of helpful guides.
If you found this article helpful, we think you’d also enjoy:
