What’s most important to guests when evaluating a vacation rental listing, especially a lakefront vacation property? Why do photos matter as much as they do, and how can you balance the art and science of attracting guests to your listing?
Professional Photography
Working with a Professional
We’ll spend some extra time on photography because it is so important. The visual medium is powerful, and as they say, a picture paints a thousand words. You want those thousand words to attract audiences to rent your cottage, so they’d better be good!
Hiring a professional photographer who specializes in short-term vacation rentals is a must. He or she will know what photos should be taken, how to stage your property, and the times of day and lighting that make for an excellent photoshoot.
When looking for a photographer, some style themselves as vacation rental photographers while others brand themselves as doing Airbnb photos. You can find photographers with expertise in this area by searching online or approaching a fellow host for a referral in the same area as your cottage whose listing photos inspire you.
You might wonder if hiring a photographer who shoots for real estate would be just as well. In short, it is a different style of photography because these photographers have different goals. Where a real estate photographer is concerned with the size and scope of a home to help sell a property (which may be furnished differently by the buyer), a vacation rental photographer is focused on helping you envision yourself in that very environment, making memories in the space as it is.
Some photographers are part of larger firms that can help with other branding and marketing activities for your vacation rental business beyond compelling photos. If you take your own photos, understand that for your listing to be competitive, your camera and photography skills must be on par with professional photographers.
I’ve read commentary from hosts relaying that the photos of their place do not do it justice. Is this because of the photography, or is the property simply difficult to photograph in a classical sense? I will leave that to you to decide!
Developing a Shot List
Like a wedding photography session, your cottage photo session should be strategic, with a shot list highlighting key rooms, amenities, and views.
This is a golden opportunity to draw guests into the dreaminess, coziness, and, most importantly, suitableness of your cottage for their family and friends on vacation. There should be photos of family spaces and each bedroom, a focus on dining areas (both indoor and outdoor), amenities, and ample snapshots of lakeside living.
If you rent your cottage all year round, coordinate photoshoots for different times of the year and create albums on your computer, making it easy to swap out photos with the turn of the season to customize your stays. If you are working with a vacation rental photographer, he or she can guide you through this process and provide suggestions for staging.
Leave room for some artsy photos as well as functional ones to highlight your experiential stay. For instance, a close-up of freshly washed and folded bathing towels exudes comfort, the sun setting over the lake adds a touch of romance, and an action shot of a canoe dipping its oar contributes a dash of excitement.
Curating Your Photos
While photography, in general, plays a pivotal role in your listing’s marketability, the first five photos featured on your listing set the tone for what staying at your place is like. Think of the photos you include on your listing as storytelling painting a picture for your guests about what you offer, what they can look forward to, and why they should stay at your cottage or cabin.
When deciding which photos to include in your top five, the first photo should feature a group space (think a living room or dining room) or an amenity (sauna, outdoor pizza oven, firepit, etc.).
Captivating Description
How do you describe your vacation rental? While word counts are abundant on a listing, you must focus on getting the most important information out in the first paragraph. The first couple of sentences will grab the reader’s attention and help determine if they want to read more! When creating a cottage description, you need to know your audience.
If you cater to families with young children, write in such a way that families of school-age children know your vacation rental experience was made just for them. Use keywords like ‘family,’ ‘children,’ ‘kids,’ ‘family-friendly,’ and so on. Help parents and grandparents appreciate why your space is perfect for booking a family vacation with the kids.
Do you have a toy room? Is your cottage equipped with various age-appropriate games, activities, and books? Is your rental safe for children aged two and under and fitted with helpful amenities, including a highchair, bibs, plates, cutlery for little ones, a pack-n-play (playpen), and a crib? Do you have a Diaper Genie for dirty diapers? Go all out describing what you offer, as doing so will ease the minds of prospective guests.
Emphasis on Waterfront Location
Photos
Waterfront vacation rentals are prime real estate! If you have a lakehouse, capitalize on your proximity to the lake to attract families wanting to stay and play on the water. When prioritizing photos, highlight images depicting life on and near the water.
Some ideas for photos featuring your location include a shot of the water from your yard, shots from your dock or boathouse, and any floating equipment you have on your property. The same applies to pools, hot tubs, and water features.
Proximity to the Water
If you’re not on the lake but are within a short walk or drive, make sure visitors to your listing know just how close or far away from the water you are. Simply saying you have a lakefront property isn’t enough, as shorelines and access to water will be unique to your space.
Some people look for vacations where they can see the water but do not intend to go in the water. Others want to book rentals where they are steps away from the water and can dip their toes in from a comfy spot. When discussing shorelines, here are just four examples:
- Sandy beach (white or yellow sandy beach)
- Sandy beach with stones (largely sand, interspersed with pebbles and rocks)
- Rocky shoreline (like in Muskoka on the Canadian Shield)
- Cliffside (no water access, just beautiful to look at from a distance or with care)
Water-based Amenities
Most families are looking for experiences on the water when booking a vacation rental. These interests may range from swimming to kayaking to water volleyball! While listing all applicable amenities on your property is important, be sure to go into detail about those amenities on or near the water.
If you have standup paddleboards (SUPs), mention those and kayaks, canoes, or floaties. Just a friendly reminder that if you have amenities for use out on the water, you need to also offer life jackets in various sizes to accommodate the maximum number of guests per stay you allow to rent your property.
Appealing Title for Humans and Search
The title of your listing is what feeds the search engines. It is the headline for your listing, both for human eyes and search engines. The art of writing a great title for your lakeside vacation rental also takes into account some science.
When shaping the title, remember that you only have so many characters. Crafting a short, pithy description of your listing maximizes your character count without compromising on readability. For instance, Airbnb limits you to 40 characters for a title and now excludes the use of emojis.
As much as you want to write for search engines, keyword stuffing is ugly and doesn’t always work to your advantage! Similarly, be careful with using tools like ChatGPT to generate descriptions of your property. If you have mastered ChaptGPT, this may not be an issue for you, but if you’re new to the technology, learn what a ‘prompt’ is and how to use the tool so that the output doesn’t sound robotic or generic.
You want the description to be as authentic as possible, so if you opt to use AI to create a summary for your vacation rental, be sure to do it well and remove any telltale signs of AI from your ‘final draft’ before putting your ‘good copy’ on your listing online.
Personable Host Bio
One way a guest feels welcomed even before they step foot in your cottage is by reading the gracious host bio on your listing. Areas of your bio of particular interest include your name, a friendly photo of the host (you!), and a little bit about yourself.
The host bio is an opportunity to share why you love hosting and the kind of host you are. For hosts who like to greet guests upon arrival, the bio is an essential vehicle for conveying the personal touch you offer and setting the tone for the level of service and attentiveness guests can expect from you or your co-host.
When uploading a photo of yourself, choose one that is recent, in good lighting, and, if possible, on your vacation rental property. In your photo, smile and look directly at the camera. People do business with people they like, so be as genuine and approachable as possible. If you have a mom-and-pop vacation rental, some couples include a photo of themselves to welcome guests, which is a lovely choice.
Want some ideas on what you could do in your host photo? Some hosts include pictures of themselves on their dock, fishing, sitting on an Adirondack or Muskoka chair, or at the front door.
