Recently, the old adage ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’ received some validation from the science world. Studies have shown that the part of our brain responsible for processing images has more influence over decision-making than previously thought.
The speed at which our brains process images promotes strong impulses and emotions that, in addition to driving decisions and actions, have a lasting effect on our perception of the subject.
The hotel industry has always placed images at a high priority – it’s widely understood that images are key to fostering trust in your hotel’s ability to provide a desired experience. But it’s not simply having images that turns browsers into guests –it’s having the right images, shown at the right time, to the right people.
‘What are the ‘right’ images?’ you might ask. This varies based on your goals and the type of property you want to represent, but a few attributes remain essential:
- Accurate depictions of your room or service
- Hi-res image quality
- Clear, uncluttered environments
- Well-lit scenes
Oaky has made a key update to their guest platform that aims to increase the likelihood of hotel guests booking a deal by allowing customers to make the most out of these images. The image gallery feature was built with hotel guests in mind, to support their decision-making process, foster trust, and create more opportunities for let’s-book-it moments.
On top of deal personalisation towards each guest’s individual needs, each deal will now feature several photos of the upgrade or service offered. The aim of this feature is to trigger visually-driven wow! moments that make excitement grow with every additional picture.
Image galleries and up-selling
A simple, yet powerful way to enhance the guest experience, Oaky’s new image gallery allows guests to scroll through curated images showcasing different aspects of your offering.
“The guest experience team started developing the image gallery feature after receiving input from current and potential customers, who wanted more freedom in displaying their deals to their guests. We’re confident that with more photos per deal, guests will be able to make easier decisions and feel more secure in doing so.” – Pálma Tóth, Product Owner and CRO Specialist
In addition to showcasing key features of deals and services, Oaky envisages the Image Gallery to be particularly efficient in highlighting key selling points of room upgrades. Oaky has put together a handy Image Gallery Checklist that will help you to cover all bases when adding photography to your deal offering, room upgrades or listings in general.
