Architecture

Better Hotel Photography will benefit your ranking on Hotel Booking Sites

There was an article recently in the Wall Street Journal discussing the importance of good hotel photography, reviews and viewer experience leading to higher rankings on hotel booking sites. I have discussed this before on our website and other blog posts, but the illustration provided by the Wall street Journal further drives home the fact that hotel photography matters.

The Wall Street Journals article How Booking sites influence which hotels you pick details how conversion rates, unanswered reviews, higher commissions and a better user experience including better hotel photography, all contribute to a higher ranking on hotel booking sites.

So what is a hotel owner, hotel chain or hotel management company to do? They have to improve the customers online experience. To do so, a hotel’s listing needs to open quickly with good quality photographs. In addition the photographs should both document the space and sell the experience. Images need to be of the proper size and quality to both open quickly while maintaining detail. The image titles and tags can also be important, for other online search engine results, therefore spanning many platforms.

How do Hotel Booking Sites Rank Hotels

The article highlights comments of, Expedia Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi:  “Mr. Khosrowshahi says it uses three main signals in personalizing search results. They are consumer behavior, such as what consumers are clicking on and what they are buying, intent signals, such as searching for rooms that accommodate children, and customer ratings from surveys sent after checkout.”  A hotel has little that they can do about comments left by a consumer, other than to respond. However, they do have control over keeping a viewers attention. Therefor it is the role of the professional hotel photographers to drive viewers to explore the hotel further on the hotel booking site. This will result in a better consumer/user experience when information is easily accessible with good hotel photographs documenting the space.

The Article goes on to comment: “Expedia has a system where hotel owners and managers can log in and look at results for their hotels and see why they’re pushed higher or lower in rankings and what they can do to get listed higher. One example, Mr. Khosrowshahi says, is pushing hotels to improve the pixel counts and quality of pictures of their properties. Expedia’s research shows that better resolution in pictures leads to more conversion. Priceline, too, scores each hotel’s content and advises hotel managers on how to improve.”

A Professional Hotel Photographer makes a difference

The following photographs display both a suite and an ensuite of the Courtyard by Marriott in south Calgary. These were photographed recently for the hotels website and booking sites. Notice the soothing lighting, good composition, clean aesthetics and display quality. These images have been optimized for the web in size quality and colour profile and include tags and titles that help in search. Additionally these images are there to help viewers that want to see more. Keeping the viewer engaged, with a good experience is the goal of good hotel photography. This will help lead to higher conversions as viewers become more invested in the hotel property and what it has to offer.

A good hotel photographer will help demonstrate and highlight the positive aspects of the hotel. They know what the selling features are, when photography should take place and what creates the best lighting conditions. They should also be able to help you to best optimize images for website and social media.

For more information please contact us HERE.

A portion of the article can be found on Yahoo Finance.

Artistic Impressions Photography

Artistic Impressions has been a leader in architectural and interior photography since 1996.  We started out as commercial architectural photographers for interior designers, architects and builders. Later we expanded our services to include work for hotel and hospitality clients.  Our hotel and hospitality clients include many major branded hotels such as Hilton, Holiday Inn and Marriott.  Smaller boutique hotels and hotel management companies are apart of our growing list of clients.  And finally, we guarantee and provide a customer focused photography experience.

Artistic Impressions, a Marriott preferred photographer. Now welcoming all Starwood properties to contact the studio for great rates and a superior service.