How to Wow Renters With Pictures
With some potential residents basing their decision solely on images, here's how to make each one count.
Walking a potential renter through their future apartment or showing off a community’s amenities are great ways to turn leads into leases. But what about the future residents who can’t make it to the community before signing? Or those who simply don’t want to? As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
“Great images play a vital role on a multifamily community website as they serve as the primary visual representation of the community, typically the first impression,” Wendi Stallings, principal of Private Label International, told Multi-Housing News.
Images and online first impressions are an essential part of the leasing process and an extension of the property itself, she continued. And in the long run, its often the use of this type of media that helps to drive more traffic and convert leads to leases.
“High-quality photos have a profound impact on marketing effectiveness and business success,” Sarah Johnson, national director of marketing and brand strategy at Willow Bridge Property Co., said. “They increase engagement across digital platforms, improve conversion rates in marketing campaigns and help showcase each community’s unique brand.”
As more people move towards finding their homes through their computers instead of through tours, images become key for multifamily marketers. And shorter attention spans only further the need for these images to be compelling.
The importance of images by the numbers
Having great images online isn’t just a fun way to spruce up your website. Data shows just how important it is for conversion rates. According to a RentCafe.com study of more than 50,000 national listings, the topmost impactful way to increase the conversion rate of an ILS rental listing is to add images. Specifically, adding more than 20 photos exponentially increased conversion rates.
“A higher number of quality images not only captures more attention from prospects but also greatly increases the chances of conversion,” Veronica Grecu, senior creative writer and researcher at RentCafe.com, said. “Simply put, the more images a listing has, the more leads it attracts.”
Another study done by Brain Rules shows that people remember about 10 percent of the information they’ve heard three days after hearing it but recall up to 65 percent of the information when an image is used.
“The impact of great photos can be observed through increased engagement, leads and conversions on multifamily community websites,” Stallings explained. “High-quality images and compelling visual content are essential for attracting and retaining renters in today’s digital landscape.”
Kerri Robins, marketing manager at FirstService Residential Alberta, said that especially for renters from out of town, signing a lease sight-unseen is becoming a more frequent occurrence. For renters such as these, no photos mean no signed leases.
“Images are crucial to give prospects a first glimpse into their new home,” Robins noted. “An image can really make or break whether the prospect moves to the inquiry step and goes forward.”
Hiring the right photographer
So, what’s the first step in wowing renters with great images? The photographer, of course. And for Stallings, the best way to find the right professional for the job is through scouting out talent from similar properties in the surrounding area or local lifestyle magazines.
Once a list has been narrowed down for interviews, Stallings stated that the next step is to tour the photographer through the space as though they were a prospective resident themselves.
“Ask for a scouting shot to help determine the view they see for the space,” she said. “View their portfolio on their website looking for images you like within projects they have already taken photos of.”
It’s also important to be sure that the photographer’s style of the matches the community brand. “A moody style with warm light might pair better with a luxury urban high-rise, while brighter, cheerful photography might make sense at a suburban garden community,” Johnson explained. “It all depends on the needs of each property.”
And the prep for great images doesn’t end once the right photographer has been hired. Even with the most seasoned professional real estate photographer, most experts also recommend providing a shot list and accompanying them on shoot day.
“I want to make sure that the photographer knows exactly what it is that they’re going to be doing,” Robins said. Her shot list might include several images of the kitchen, some portrait and some landscape, with a couple zoomed out and others close in on the appliances. Then it might include a featured image of the coffee bar followed by a great shot of in-suite laundry. Next, it could include a pan out of the whole living room.
“The camera is just a tool,” Robins said. It’s the person behind it that makes the magic happen.
Capturing the right content
It’s important to showcase and photograph the elements of an apartment that renters most want to see. According to a RentCafe.com survey, the most influential photos potential renters look for are interior apartment images. Almost three quarters of respondents indicated that images of the inside of a unit are what they want to see most.
“Prospective renters prioritize seeing the interiors of an apartment when browsing property listings,” Grecu said. “They’re especially interested in the main living areas—the living room, kitchen and bedroom—where they’ll be spending most of their time because it’s important for them to be able to picture themselves actually living in those spaces.”
When it comes to a home’s interiors, Robins explained that it’s important to take photos that highlight the space in a way that residents can see themselves fitting into. “For example, when you feature in-suite laundry, you’re showcasing convenience and function,” she said.
Along with portraying functionality, it’s also important to demonstrate the beauty of the home. That’s why Robins and other experts almost always stage their units with clean, modern designs. A second bedroom might feature an office space with a simple desk chair and some art on the walls. For a living room, staging could be a couch, a coffee table and an end table credenza where a TV can go. Photos of the inside of a home need to create an emotional connection and foster an emotional bond for a prospective resident.
“Use imagery to craft a compelling story about the lifestyle awaiting renters in the apartment home,” Johnson said. “Showcase moments of everyday life within the apartment—cooking in the kitchen, lounging in the living room or enjoying the community amenities.”
And outside of the unit matters too. Some might even argue that it matters more. In a NMHC and Grace Hill 2024 Renter Preferences Survey, 54 percent of Willow Bridge residents said that the most valuable piece of digital content in their apartment search is property and amenity photography.
“The images that have the most impact on potential renters are those that offer a captivating and thorough visual portrayal of the lifestyle available within the community,” Johnson said.
Prospective residents are looking to see what a day at home might look like. This could include walking through the lobby, going to get mail, lounging outside, working out in the gym, utilizing a laundry facility and plugging in their hybrid vehicle. Anything that enhances a residents’ lifestyle should be showcased.
“These (amenity) images should vividly convey the community’s vibe and highlight the benefits of living there,” Grecu said. “Effective images significantly help prospects in deciding whether a community’s amenities align with their needs and preferences.”
It’s all in the details
A website’s photos not only have to showcase everything a prospective resident would want to see. They must also be top quality.
“A great apartment photo encompasses various elements such as composition, lighting, staging and post-processing,” Stallings said. “These elements come together to create a visually appealing image that effectively captures the essence of the community.”
It’s the details that matter the most. In a market that is saturated with listings and images, having high quality shots that showcase the best parts of a property can be the differentiating factor.
“Attention to minor details such as rug alignment, window treatment and pillow adjustments can set you apart,” Johnson noted. “Consistency in lighting, editing techniques, framing and composition principles ensures that all images uphold the same impeccable standard of quality and consistency in branding.”
Maintaining quality throughout all of a multifamily community’s images can craft an emotion for a potential resident. Johnson explained that whether a prospect is looking for a sense of coziness or contemporary sophistication, taking account for the smaller things can convey the right mood.
High-quality images are paramount, especially considering they might be a potential resident’s first impression. But it doesn’t end there. These photos can also lead to drive more online traffic, Grecu said. Sharp and enticing images are more likely to be shared on social media or clicked on, increasing visibility and leads.
Taking it a step further
Great images can absolutely make a difference in the journey of a perspective resident. But why stop there? Floorplans, virtual tours, videos and other types of content can help too.
Accompanying photography with a floorplan can help renters visualize the apartment layout. And for those who might sign unseen, a floorplan is crucial to ordering furniture and figuring out whether their bed can fit alongside their side tables. Image captions can help too.
“From a digital marketing perspective, images that have Alternative Text help improve a website’s Search Engine Optimization by allowing search engines to index images properly, enhancing the website’s visibility on the internet,” Grecu said.
Also consider featuring virtual tours on your website. The same RentCafe.com survey showed that 38 percent of respondents consider virtual tours of an individual floor plan to be important with another 45 percent responding that they extremely agree. When it comes to amenities, 31 percent think that virtual tours are very important.
“To impress renters with images, incorporating video content and leveraging social media can elevate visual storytelling,” Stallings said. “Video content offers a dynamic glimpse into the community’s atmosphere and lifestyle while social media extends reach and engagement.”
It is paramount to use media to tell the apartment story. From images to virtual tours to captions, each piece of content can help guide a prospect towards moving into their new home.
“Great photography guides and decides the prospective resident journey,” Johnson said. “If a community is successful in portraying strong images across their website and other marketing materials, boosted engagement, increased conversion rates and strong brand perception will follow.”
