Could seasonal photography boost your bookings?

Covid-19 is having a massive effect on both domestic and international travel. On one hand, self-caterers benefit where more British people are vacationing in the UK. But further restrictions and changes to legislation have forced holiday makers to cancel or reschedule their plans. More than ever, it is increasingly difficult to predict buyer behaviour. It can be tough to attract bookings in a time of great uncertainty.  Accommodation owners are adapting to the ‘new normal’ and having to come up with more creative ways to attract bookings. Over the past few months we’ve posted a variety of blogs on how to gain more interest in your holiday rental properties. This week we will highlight photography. More specifically, seasonal photography.

It’s a simple but effective concept. You book a photographer to capture external images at key points in each of the four seasons. So in the spring they could feature daffodils or spring lambs. Perhaps in the summer you could request images of the local beach or park (or any other nearby attractions that guests love to visit). The winter photoshoot could capture some frosty landscapes, a Christmas wreath on the front door and maybe some fairy lights framing your holiday cottage. Then autumn shots can showcase nature’s colour palette at its best. Your photography company should be able to offer some ideas and flexibility in terms of what seasonal photoshoots can include.

What are the benefits of seasonal photoshoots?

1. Typically photos will depict your property on a perfect sunny day. Which is great! However, sunny photos aren’t the only way to sell your property. Seasonal pictures are a great way to show off the holiday experience you offer all year round.
2. It allows your guests to accurately build their expectations for their trip. By showing guests how your property looks (and the experience you offer) over multiple seasons, they can confidently book for key occasions. It will further add an element of desire to book for other seasons – “it was amazing in the summer but look how perfect everything is during the winter months too”.
3. You can update any platforms you advertise on seasonally to stand out from the rest. For instance, update your leading photo on Premier Cottages every 3 months with a seasonal photo. Leading with your high-quality seasonal shots will differentiate you from the rest and in turn boost your bookings. Right now there has been an increase in last minute bookings due to the uncertainty about travel restrictions; but in ‘normal’ times, aim to show how your property will look in 3-6 months time.
4. You’ll mainly use these photos on booking platforms and your website. However, you can derive further value from them where you can use them on social media, or any marketing effort really. For instance, blogs or emails.
5. Seasonal photoshoots are the best value for money. It’s more likely that photography companies will offer a discount when you book 4 shoots. So you get more for your money. It’s super useful if you update anything in your property within the year as well. Whilst the photographer is there they can quickly reshoot certain rooms inside if needed, keeping your visual marketing totally up to date.

What other things can I add to my photoshoots?

Photography is a worthwhile investment for your holiday rental business. If you are going to invest, you want to make sure you’re getting the most for your money. Seasonal photoshoots are a great way of doing this. Further, you can add-on certain other features to your ordinary photoshoot. Are there certain vistas you want to promote? Perhaps a stunning beach that you can’t quite see from your property, but will nonetheless make your property more attractive? Your photographer can capture local hotspots that sell the whole experience your property offers. This would likely require bespoke quotes from your photography supplier, but is well worth it. Having your local attractions shot to the same quality as your properties will really pay off on your website. Having one style is important, but having high quality photos that are yours to use is so invaluable in visual marketing.

Photographing local hotspots is an example of just one thing you can add-on. If you choose a specialist photographer, like the team we have at ACT Studios, the only limit is your imagination! Our talented team can create stunning visual marketing tools that will serve your business for years to come and boost your bookings.

How does it work?

Naturally we can’t speak for all photographers. We can, however, tell you exactly how seasonal photoshoots work at ACT Studios. The standard package would consist of 4 shoots. Each shoot would be completed approximately every 3 months. We would work with you to come up with a date for each shoot (either in advance, or at short notice if the weather doesn’t work in our favour.) Here’s a working example:

1. Shoot 1 – full interior and exterior photoshoot. Shot in December – particular focus on seasonal traits.
2. Shoot 2 – exterior photoshoot. Shot in March – particular focus on new born farm animals or spring blooms (where appropriate.)
3. Shoot 3 – exterior shot. Shot in June – particular focus on the perfect weather. We’ll show off your property in ideal conditions.
4. Shoot 4 – exterior shot. Shot in September – particular focus on the falling leaves and autumnal colours.

For this package we will typically charge: £1200. We are happy to quote for multiple properties and for any additional requirements (eg local photos or re-shooting any updated rooms/internal areas).
NB This price is based on a standard 1-3 bed property. All prices are exclusive of VAT and a petrol charge.

ACT Studios is the perfect choice for photographing your holiday rental properties. Not only do we have a vast amount of experience photographing properties, we truly care about our work. Our talented team take time to understand your business and what you are looking to achieve. Only once we know exactly what your business needs to thrive will we undertake the photoshoot. We know your industry inside and out. This is especially beneficial for you as you know your photography is in trusted hands.