Photos for Listing Site

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Which Photo ?

Poll ended at Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:33 pm

Hidden behind trees. Secluded.
7
32%
Nice detail, but is it inspiring ?
2
9%
YAPS: Yet Another Pool Shot !
1
5%
Internal
0
No votes
Something Different
12
55%
 
Total votes: 22

e-richard
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Photos for Listing Site

Post by e-richard »

Since I'm asking for review/comments I thought this was a suitable place.

I'm struggling to decide on the optimal picture for the thumbnail view of our Villa on listing sites, particulalry when visitors get dozens to pick from.

Accepting that the thumbnail picture is at least as important as the mini description, and that I am far too close to the problem, I thought I'd try getting your views on which photo to use as the "main" picture. These are all resized down to proportions typical of search results on listing sites.

1 Image Conventional wisdom says an external shot, but we're hidden behind trees from all angles.

2 Image Maybe just a detail of the outside, but misses the scale of the place.

3 Image Yet another pool shot. Does this differentiate though ?

4 Image Resort to just an internal picture ?

5 Image Added by popular demand

Or give up on all of those and use a photo of the beach, landscape, sunset or something else.

If anyone has more ideas, and by all means review my website for other pictures, I'd be grateful for any gut reactions or pointers. I will be visiting again in a couple of weeks, so could take new pictures - but of what ?
Last edited by e-richard on Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

hi e-richard,

I had a look on your site and really like the 2nd photo down (after clicking on the house). It was the lawn area with the shadow of the palm tree leaves.
It looked cool and welcoming ..... and lawn I feel always looks more enticing than concrete or tiling (wish I had a lawn!) and is quite unusual.

I know most advise pool shots...but I was also thinking that if there were alot of thumbnails of pool shots - how would yours stand out?
So perhaps you could try a 'non' pool shot and see how it sits alongside your competitors?

Mouse
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One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Hi Richard!

Of the four, I definitely like number 2. It looks quirky and different and would definitely stand out for me.

I also agree with Mouse about the second photo on your website, but I'm not too sure how it would look as a thumbnail?

Maybe you could scale it down and show us?

Daisy xx
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Eileen2
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Post by Eileen2 »

As usual an unoriginal comment from me :oops: but I tend to agree with Mouse.

First of all I was going to vote for photo no.1, but would like to see the terrace and garden photo reduced in size to compare them. :roll: Yes I know e-richard I'm being a pain causing more work for you!

Eileen.x

Holiday Villa Rental in Arillas, Corfu,
Greece
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

I've voted for number one, but I do like the photo on your website (2nd one down on the villa page)
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

Well, how very interesting. Thanks to all of you so far.

I've added a reduced version of the "popular" shaded garden picture to the array at the top here. Haven't added it to the Poll (yet?)
Musetta
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Post by Musetta »

I think the seond one is very inviting :-)
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

Now you've added number 5 I've voted for that one, Richard.
Sawdays, as an example of a listing site, say specifically no pool photos.
I think there are too many pool photos now as thumbnails and one pool often looks very much like the other (unless it has your property in it too). People will use the pool, but they won't be living in it for 2 weeks, so a photo of the house is more important.
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

I originally voted for number 2, but if number 5 had been an option, I would have voted for that one instead....
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

NC: You are most welcome to change your mind. (And no sexist comment on that subject either !)

LV:
People will use the pool, but they won't be living in it for 2 weeks
Ha ha. You want to see some comments in my guestbook about how little else people do when on holiday there :roll:
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

PS e-richard,
I'm just redoing my website/blog, and I'm trying to rejig my interiors descriptions. I like the way you have laid out your blurb into "living space", "cooking/eating" and "sleeping/washing" etc, and I'd like to try to rearrange my text into similar groupings.

I'm not going to copy any of your actual text, but I'm presuming you will not mind me getting inspiration from your website?
Also - do you know much about the relative merits of using flickr and/or embedded wordpress photos? If so, could you take a look at a thread I just started in the Workshop section? I'd appreciate your advice if you have any.

I don't want to hijack your thread, so if you have any response to my questions, please could you reply on my other thread before I get accused of Thread Creep!

Thanx!

daisy xxx
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Eileen2
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Post by Eileen2 »

I vote for No.5. It's lush, it's green, it looks tropical...so unlike what most folks have at home. That photo would make me want to venture further than the listing page and into your website. :D

Eileenx

Holiday Villa Rental in Arillas, Corfu,
Greece
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

e-richard wrote:NC: You are most welcome to change your mind. (And no sexist comment on that subject either !)
No offence taken. I know that it is my prerogative to change my mind! :wink:
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Bellywobble
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Post by Bellywobble »

I like all of them and any one would have me clicking further!
When I'm looking for somewhere to stay, as long as I like the first picture, I will look further. It doesn't have to stand out or be different as long as I like it. For instance, if I see interior colours or styles that I don't like, I shudder and move on. I'm happy to look at any number of pool shots as its important to me to have a pool that I like the look of.
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Post by Nessie »

I voted for number one , it would make me look further at you web site
Nessie
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