Yes, I'm a headshot photographer but, to be honest, I do so much more photography than that.
Recently, I was hired to do a shoot for an Airbnb host in Marina. The client hired me to help the listing pop.
What I love about these kinds of shoots is that I'm helping a person with their side hustle—who doesn't like supporting someone with entrepreneurial spirit!
Airbnb Photography - Study Proves the Power of a Picture
Ahead of the shoot, I was doing some research and stumbled across this interesting article from Lemon One—a German real estate company (yes, it's German, but I think it's an English translation)—about Airbnb photography. It covered how color, composition, and a bunch of other photography techniques help with the performance of the listing.
But what caught my eye was a stat they quoted from a study called How Much Is an Image Worth? Airbnb Property Demand Estimation Leveraging Large Scale Image Analytics. The study found that optimizing images according to specific quality criteria resulted in approximately $4,141 in additional revenue for hosts on average, based on a generic Airbnb listing priced at $174 per day. These findings really resonated with me.
It's Not Just About the Clicks
I've always said that images—whether for Airbnb listings or personal branding—can seriously boost a business. Well, now some social sciences have backed the case (Thank you!).
Think about it. When you're scrolling through Airbnb, what catches your eye? Those crisp, well-lit photos that make you go, "Wow, I could see myself there!" That's the power of great photography at work.
Images Optimizing An Airbnb Side Hustle
So what happened to my client? Well, they were so pleased with the final product. I mean, let's give the client a round of applause for having such a cool space—terrific lighting and decor.
But taking the images, ensuring they help a potential guest say: "Yep, I can see myself here enjoying the space." That was me trying to get the best of what I see from the space, using the right angles, ensuring the colors are just right and making sure the important elements of the room stand out clearly from the background.
Ultimately, what I hope is that from street view, rather than science, I'm helping my client increase their conversion and boost sales. That's the bottom line.
Calling All Airbnb and Vrbo Hosts!
Are you an Airbnb or Vrbo host? I'd absolutely love to work with you! Let's team up and make sure your listing is booked solid every single week.
After all, why settle for occasional bookings when you could have the best space to rent for a vacation in Monterey County (or at least at the top of the search results)?
Ready to give your listing the spotlight it deserves?
Contact me, and let's chat about how my photography work can help your listing.