As customer acquisition costs continue to grow along with new ways to market to guests, it’s not always clear where hoteliers should be putting their money.
According to recent research from Fuel Travel and Flip.to, guests visit an average of 4.4 unique websites before booking a hotel. With guests bouncing from site to site during the research journey, what’s going to make them stop at you?
When asked what influences guests to book hotels, 87% say quality photography is key, according to the research. That’s where your marketing dollars should be focused. Lookers will never turn into bookers unless they first have something to look at. And they’ll never look unless that something catches their eye.
Here are four tips to help navigate you through the process of how to best budget for and use photography:
1. Hire a professional—and use your team
Good photography is akin to your hotel’s curb appeal. If guests drive by and see poor landscaping or a broken sign, they will form an opinion based on their first impression—and it won’t be a good one. That logic translates to photography, as it’s often the first of your product that guests will see.
Now is not the time to hire your cousin’s friend who shoots weddings on the weekends. While he might be a great hobbyist, a professional who understand how to photograph a hotel is critical. If you’ve spent US$100 million to develop a project, why would you only allocate US$5,000 to show it off to your potential customers?
Whether you retain the services of a third-party production team or manage production internally, proper planning is paramount to the success of your hotel’s photo shoot. Days before the shoot, a location scout can help determine the optimum shots, angles and staging of your hotel. Equally important is selecting what time of day to conduct the shoot, as lighting has an immense effect on the mood of the image. Finally, make sure everyone on property is aware of the photo shoot and its timeline. The front desk will need to know what rooms to block; maintenance must ensure landscaping is manicured; and housekeeping should take special care with bed presentation and have additional starched linens on hand.
When you have a team doing this legwork instead of the photographer with a high per-day cost, the return on investment is clear. You want to maximize the photographer’s time. Is her time better spent figuring out how to capture the perfect shot or actually capturing the perfect shot?
2. Tell your story
Say there are two luxury hotels in downtown Miami. One features a façade of the hotel on its website. The other features a photo of a beautiful couple, laughing and soaking in a hot tub, with the hotel’s façade in the background. Which one gets more bookings?
It’s a no-brainer. The hotel that tells the story wins the booking. If someone is looking for a romantic luxury experience, she’s going to book the hotel showing her that’s exactly what she will get.
That’s why it’s important to think about the types of images you want your photographer to capture. While there are photos you need for every website—the façade, the room types, the bathrooms—potential guests want to see what’s beyond that. For example, what’s the difference between a standard suite and a junior suite? Your website’s goal is to answer guests’ questions before they ask, and you can do that with photos.
Do you have a great rooftop bar? Do your guest bathrooms have large spa-style tubs? Those are stories guests want to hear—or in this case, see. So show them.
3. Don’t be afraid of stock photos
Stock photos can help tell the hotel’s story and are a good way to use lifestyle images without the hefty price tag that comes with hiring models. However, these photos will only be successful if they are in sync with your brand. You need to choose wisely, as today’s consumers can quickly spot an inauthentic photo. That is to say, if your gallery displays several mediocre property and guestroom shots with some stock photos thrown in, you’ll lose credibility with your customers. For on-property features, stick to abstract images that convey an emotion or vibe rather than a literal attribute.
Stock photos are great to use when you want to market the hotel’s destination, and you’ll find more leeway using them for this purpose. If your hotel is in a destination known for a certain type of food or drink, you can use a stock photo on your website or other marketing materials to help tell that story. If your hotel is kid-friendly, you can show pictures of families having fun. If guests can add on services or amenities at check-in, such as a bottle of champagne and a dozen roses, you can use a stock photo to help grab attention in your marketing.
It’s all about creating a healthy mix of hotel and stock photos to drive home your property’s story. If your website only shows property shots and room photos, it’s impossible for your guests to know the whole story and understand what type of experience they are booking.
4. Plan ahead
Especially when it comes to new hotel developments, planning for photo shoots can often be overlooked. For new-build hotels, make sure at least one of each room type can be photographed so that the marketing team can start selling your product as soon as possible.
The earlier this is done, the earlier websites can be launched and listings can be made. A good rule of thumb is to have photographs ready for marketing at least three to four months before opening. Yes, things might change and photos might need to be retaken after the project is completed—but if you don’t have visuals to show your potential guests now, no one will know about your product and you’ll open with lackluster occupancy.
Without quality photos, your website will not convert. If guests aren’t booking direct and they are still making their way to your property, someone else has a hand in your pocket. Now is the time to take stock of your hotel’s imagery so you can convert your lookers into bookers.
Contributed by Kris Altman, senior marketing manager, Charlestowne Hotels, Charleston, South Carolina