January 18 2013
This is the first part of a whitepaper by Brian Balduf, founder of VHT, Inc. It explains to brokers why, in the age of iPads and Pinterest, they are missing the boat if they are using MLS photos on their websites, instead of original, high-quality photography.
It's obvious from even a cursory glance at many real estate websites that the industry in general tends to overlook the importance of good photographs. Consumers don't. When even a used $50 coffee pot on e-Bay has stunning, striking photos, consumers expect that sites marketing the most expensive item they'll ever buy – a home – would have at least the same.
The problem stems from two factors. First, most property marketing has traditionally been targeted to other agents, not consumers (thanks to MLSs). And second, photography has been a part of selling real estate for such a long time, but because of the agent-to-agent nature of MLSs, the purpose was primarily documentation, not marketing.
The difference is huge. Documentation results in, "Yes it's a house," while marketing results in "Wow, what a house." As sellers now need to market directly to consumers, thanks to the Internet, they need to start thinking like consumers, or at least looking at real estate marketing like consumers. And the typical consumer's attitude is: if you want to get my attention – WOW me.
Nothing wows better than stunning, striking photography. When a consumer is getting to know your brand, the most visible reflection of your brand (and most likely to stick in their mind) is the quality of the photographs on your website and in your marketing materials.
So, VHT has created this essential guide to ensuring that your brokerage has the most stunning and striking images in your market and is visibly seen as far superior to your competitors. We've divided the guide into four main categories: 1) getting great photographs, 2) displaying great photographs, 3) managing your visual assets, 4) getting the most out of your visual assets.
It all starts with getting the right shots. If the original shots are not good, all the Photoshopping in the world isn't going to help. Real estate photography is unique because of all the different types of lighting that need to be dealt with (natural, fluorescent, incandescent, etc.). Great photos require the same elements that anything of quality requires: time, the proper equipment and skill. Achieving images that highlight a home's key selling points and mask unflattering features isn't easy. But when it's done correctly, it's the most powerful marketing tool around.