Great photos work wonders for attracting visitors to your vacation rental. But once you’ve got your selection of great shots, shuffling your photos so they’re in best order will make a huge improvement to your listing.

Here are our top five tips on how to order your photos to selecting the “killer” from the “filler.”

1. Your First Photo Should Be One Of Your Best

Your lead photo is the first picture travelers will see when they’re browsing the list of places to stay. It must work hard to encourage them to click on your listing. Choose a photo that immediately catches your attention – even test it with a few friends to see if they agree. Here are a few examples of some brilliant lead photos in the search results on Holiday Lettings:

The table laid ready for dinner with the pool in the background looks very inviting.

This lead photo shows the property’s proximity to the beach which is a great selling point.

The brightly colored table and well-lit room are attention grabbing in the search results.

Note: all of these photos have a central vanishing point (the trees behind the pool, the window on the chalet, the painting on the wall) which helps to draw the eye into the photo and make it stand out.

2. Remove Any “Filler” Photos

Once travelers have been attracted by your lead photo, it’s important that your other pictures in your gallery match up to it. Having lots of photos of your home is great, but make them all count: it’s better to have fewer photos that are all fantastic rather than lots of pictures that aren’t doing your home justice. Don’t feel obligated to take a picture of every room in the house. For example, if the bedrooms look very similar, spend time taking one fabulous bedroom photo rather than a picture of all of them.

3. Use Photo Editing Software To Lighten Up, Add Color

If possible, take your photos on a bright, sunny day so that travelers can see your home in its best light. However, if your photos turn out too dark, use some photo editing software to brighten them up a little and add color. This is what professional photographers do, so don’t feel like you’re cheating! Read more tips on taking professional looking photos.

4. Check Out The Competition & Consider Leading With A Different Type Of Photo

If everyone else has a picture of a pool, try an attractive interior photo instead. It will help your listing stand out from the rest in the search results.

5. Keep It Seasonal

When you’re trying to attract bookings for a particular time of year, be sure to bear in mind your lead photo. For example, if you want to entice travelers to book in the fall, a picture of your home surrounded by russet-colored trees and a crisp, blue sky might do the trick.