One of the most time-consuming parts of building a tour website is getting the photos right. This guide will help you make sure your images work for you.
Photos That Help You Sell
The goal of the text, videos, and photos on your site and social media is simple: to help you sell more tours. High-quality photos are key. The best ones are sharp, well-lit, and show people enjoying themselves in beautiful locations.
Weather makes a huge difference. A photo taken on a sunny day instantly looks more appealing than one taken on a cloudy day. The best light usually comes in the early morning or late afternoon, when the sun is low and the colors are warm.
Getting Photos Right for Your Site
On websites, photos generally fall into two categories: in-content images and hero images. In-content images appear in tour descriptions, on your About page, and in photo galleries. These should highlight people having fun and give potential customers a sense of what your tours are really like.
Hero images, on the other hand, are the large banner photos at the top of a page. These need to grab attention immediately. A professional photo here can make all the difference. Just as you wouldn’t expect an online store to use casual phone snapshots of products, your tour website needs polished images to make your tours shine.
Professional photos are an investment that pays off. Even if you spend around $1000, it only takes a few bookings to cover that cost.
What We Need
Hero images work best in landscape format. The current dimensions we use are 1440px wide and 600px high. That means tightly cropped or vertical photos usually won’t work, because parts of the image will need to be cut off.
Whenever possible, provide the largest versions of your photos. We’ll take care of resizing them as needed.
If You Don’t Have Professional Photos
Not every company can hire a photographer for every tour, but there are still good options:
Take your own. If you have a DSLR camera and are willing to learn some photography basics, you can capture usable shots. Phone cameras have improved a lot, but for website hero images, a DSLR is still the safer choice.
- Ask your guests. Many travelers bring quality cameras with them. Reaching out to past guests for photos can give you authentic, real-tour images that work great on your site.
- Work with an aspiring photographer. You may find someone locally who wants to build their portfolio. Their rates are usually lower than seasoned professionals, but you’ll still get strong results.
- Use stock photos. If budget or time is tight, stock images are a solid option. Just avoid anything that looks overly staged or artificial. Free resources like Pexels, Freepik, Pixabay are good starting points.
When using stock photos, stick to your own website, social media, and marketing materials. You usually won’t have the rights to share or resell them elsewhere, such as passing them on to third parties.
One More Thing: Consistency
A final tip is to keep your photos consistent. Using a mix of styles, lighting, or filters can make your website feel unpolished. Aim for a cohesive look across your hero images, in-content photos, and social media. When your photos match in tone and quality, your brand looks more professional and trustworthy, which helps build confidence in your tours.
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