Choosing great images to help sell your hotel online

It’s half way through February and most of us are starting to dream about any kind of holiday once this lock-down is over……..we need something to look forward too. Even if it can’t be a holiday abroad, or anything abroad, there’s nothing to stop us all planning for a wonderful staycation – after all the UK is a gorgeous country when you get to explore it properly.

So, that means, if you’re a hotel or destination, it pays to make sure your shop front is well and truly top notch, because it looks like most of your guests are visiting your website now, whilst they’re stuck at home, before they come and see you in the real world.

And it’s not just the younger ones shopping online

Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just the younger generation shopping via their laptop, smart phone or tablet. Just recently I spoke to a lovely couple, in their late 60s and, when they found out I was a photographer, we got talking about online images. They told me that they love to go on holidays, abroad and in the UK, but found that they often couldn’t see the hotel rooms properly on the websites. They reported that often there were nice photos of food and close up ‘arty’ shots, but actually they just wanted to see the kind of room they were looking to book. Practical, clear and inspiring photos were needed whilst they couldn’t visit in person. 

Think like Amazon

This all makes sense, right? You wouldn’t buy a dress or shirt online if you couldn’t see it? Well that’s how people are approaching all their choices these days, from hotels and restaurants to the spa experience and afternoon tea they’re looking to book for the time when freedom returns. Customers want to look online, and they’re shopping around first. So, your online presentation appeals to all ages, perhaps for different reasons sometimes, but the results are the same – conversion from first click to sale.


It’s about building trust

So, if a hotel wants to build trust in their potential customers, their best bet is to tell the truth through quality photos. If the rooms are small, but decorated smartly and the price reflects the size, don’t hide it, show lovely flattering, yet realistic pictures and let the buyer decide. Don’t risk disappointment by trying to show the room as larger than it is through a super wide-angle lens or, worse still, only showing your larger rooms on the website and then get a bad Google review. If you have a good product, capture it well and let the customer make the decision if it’s suitable for their needs.

Show your Super Hero

Whilst it’s important to show your actual rooms clearly online – that’s exactly what people are paying for when booking your hotel, after all; don’t forget the ‘hero images’. These key shots will often help convert your browser to a sale. You know how it is, when your surfing through Bookings.com, looking at a Travelzoo offer or simply seeing an ad pop up on Google, the place with the most enticing and clear photos stand out and act as click-bate, grabbing your attention. So, get a great photo of your fabulous swimming pool, Art Deco restaurant or cosy bar and make that the headline shot.

Tell the whole story

However, don’t be fooled into thinking just because you’ve replaced your dark, poorly lit room shots with a professional one and a swimming pool splattered across your home page, that you’re done. Customers these days want the whole story. They want an experience, which can easily be demonstrated to them by storytelling images. Friends laughing at the bar facilities, families playing on the beach nearby and couples enjoying a romantic dinner in the hotel restaurant. Do you sell delicious burgers or fine dining? Show them a picture of your mouth-watering dish. Do you have great concierge services? Show them a photo of a family buying theatre tickets or the doorman helping a customer out of a taxi. 

Pictures tell the full story of your hotel and allow potential customers to ‘step inside’ your world and tempt them to visit for real when the time comes.

If you want to find out how you can get fabulous photos to enhance your business online, get in touch via email: hello@susannahfields.co.uk to book a free consultation call and discuss how to show off your best side.