6 ways to Create TripAdvisor-Friendly Photography

HelloBC.com business listings are pulled in to the site from TripAdvisor. Here are some considerations to ensure your TripAdvisor and HelloBC listing is at its best.

When prospective visitors are searching through TripAdvisor, they want to see ratings, customer reviews, and information about your business. Perhaps more importantly, they want to get a look at your business so they know what to expect if they do choose to visit.

TripAdvisor features several different photography options: Traveller photos (supplied by travellers), Management photos (supplied by you), and Professional photos (supplied by TripAdvisor photographers). While people love to see what past guests have uploaded, they also want the most accurate and up to date look at your business as possible. Management photos are a great way for you to give potential guests exactly what they are looking for.

Recent studies show that businesses with 30 or more photos have 41% more traveler engagement than those with 10 or fewer.

There are some tried, tested, and proven methods to using TripAdvisor Management photos to your advantage. Here are the 6 most effective ways to create and manage your TripAdvisor Management photos:

1. Plan your photos ahead of time

Rather than rummaging around in your folders for what is available, create a shot list of all of the possible images that will show the features that set your business apart from the rest. By creating a shot list, you make the most of your photographer’s time, and you end up with exactly the photos you need to put your best foot forward.

Tip: Update your TripAdvisor Primary Photo (the first image a traveller will see) with the season.

Tip: Due to privacy considerations, Destination BC cannot publish any photos on HelloBC business listings that include identifiable people’s faces. Photos of your property or business are more helpful to the traveller. Consider this when you are selecting images for your TripAdvisor listing.

Revelstoke Railway Museum does a nice job ensuring that key features of the museum are showcased through imagery.

2. Provide an accurate depiction of your product

What makes your business, service or product unique? Is it a signature dish, a property or building feature, or a cool experience? Consider what people love about your business and make sure it’s included in your listing. Include compelling captions that describe why your prospective guests should be excited about what they’re seeing.

TIP: In the Reviews section of your TripAdvisor listing, sort your reviews by key words mentioned by your guests. Look for what’s popular or has received positive reviews and include a photo.

Cassiar Cannery calls out the places and activities in image captions that make the property stand out for guests.

3. Shoot your photos with the best equipment you have available

That may be an iPhone or it may be a professional camera with a lighting kit. The higher quality the photo, the more attractive your page will be.

4. Consider lighting

• The best photos will take advantage of diffused, natural light whenever possible. Avoid times that are too bright or too dark – just after sunrise and just before sunset on clear days are ideal times to be taking photos.
• If you’re shooting indoors, look for flat, white light. Lighting that is too yellow or too direct (i.e. fluorescent lights) will hurt your photo quality.

5. Consider mobile

Remember, a high percentage of your visitors may be viewing your photos on their phones. Images may appear smaller and lose details on mobile.

6. Focus the most important part of your photo in the center

Use the rest of the photo to draw attention to it.

The vineyard row directs the eye to the lovely view a guest can expect at Cedar Creek Estate Winery.

Before you load your images onto TripAdvisor, here are some things to consider:

• A primary photo is the first image guests see when viewing your listing. Find a high-quality image that meets the following requirements:
  • Shows off the most remarkable part of your product
  • A landscape-oriented photo that’s at least 1200 pixels wide by 628 pixels tall. (TIP: For optimal display on HelloBC, your TripAdvisor images should be 2000 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall.)
  • It’s not a photo montage and does not include a watermark or text layered on top of the image

• Make sure that your photo files are in .jpg or .png format

• Do not submit images with borders, text and logos on them
• Be sure that your photos do not infringe on any copyright, trademark, or other legal property right

To upload your images to TripAdvisor:

• Log into the Management Center
• Under ‘Manage Listing’ in the top menu select ‘Photos’
• Click the ‘Add More Photos’ button in the top right
• Choose photos from your computer or drag and drop them right into the photo uploader
• Click the box authorizing that you are a representative of the business and that you have the rights to post the photo
• Click the ‘Upload’ button

Find additional TripAdvisor photo guidelines here.

For information on getting a tourism business listing on TripAdvisor or on HelloBC, click on the links provided.