We’ve all heard the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words.” This is especially true for modern marketing websites, Google My Business Listings, and social media.
In this article, we will:
Using high-quality photographs and videos on your self-storage website, Google Business Profile, and social media offers numerous benefits. Without good photos, no amount of self storage marketing will convince tenants to rent at your facility!
Approximately 60% of Google users say local search results with good images capture their attention and push them toward a decision.
Besides helping to drive visitors to your site, photos and videos also keep visitors on your website longer—increasing the chance that they will click on the call to action button
The use of photos delights your existing tenants—reinforcing their decision to use your facility when they use your website to pay their bill.
Photos and videos also provide your management team with a tool to showcase what makes your facility special and unique.
Photos can also be used in operations. Don’t hesitate to place photos and videos throughout your office to show potential and current tenants your various amenities. For example, StoragePug client Rocky Hill Storage uses drone footage to show new tenants where their parking space is located or what building their unit is in.
Why are first impressions so important? Check out a recent Gabfocus Spotlight, where CallPotential founder, Phil Murphy, breaks down how you make your first impression count.
According to Google, businesses that use photos in their Google My Business listing receive 42% more requests for driving directions to their location. Google My Business listings with photos also get 35% more clicks through to their websites than businesses without photos.
A BrightLocal Google My Business Insights study indicated that customer engagement increases with the number of photos used in a Google My Business listing.
In other words, the more photos that were used in a Google My Business listing, the more website visits, direction requests, and phone calls were received. Customer engagement increases dramatically when the number of photos goes over 100.
Google My Business lets you post photos of your exterior, interior, staff, and products (e.g., dollies, moving truck, boxes, and other ancillary products). Businesses can also upload a logo and cover photo. You can also encourage your customers to share their own photos.
To help meet the goal of 101+ photos on your Google My Business listing, try adding at least one photo each week. Another way to meet this goal is to use multiple photos for each feature. For example, if you’re showcasing your facility’s moving truck, photograph the truck from various angles and show the interior and exterior.
Want to learn more about Google My Business? We talk all about it in our Gabfocus Session, Maximize Your Online Exposure. Watch it On Demand for free!
First and foremost, the photographs and videos you use must be high-quality. Simply having photos is not enough. Make sure they are good photos. Bad photos (e.g., blurry, poorly lit) will be as harmful as good photos are helpful.
Obtaining high-quality photos may mean investing in the services of a professional photographer or videographer. If you need help, StoragePug has a database of recommended videographers and photographers across the country. We can refer you to them to help you get great shots of your business, whether you’re interested in drone/video footage, still shots, or both.
When planning which photos to take, remember that your goal is to highlight what makes your facility great and different from your competitors. Before taking photos, make sure you have a comprehensive list of all the features and amenities you want to highlight. And, as mentioned earlier, be sure to shoot each from multiple angles.
Another factor to consider is that people love looking at photos with people in them. Customers are more likely to feel comfortable when they see smiling faces in the photos. Whenever possible, include your staff members in the photos.
People also love dogs. If you’re able to feature a dog in any of the photos, it is a great idea to do so.
Finally, be sure to do any necessary preparation before the photoshoot to ensure that your facility is shown in the best light. This might mean refreshing your landscaping, touching up paint, washing the moving truck, and so forth.
To get you started, here is a list of amenities and features to photograph at your facility.
Seeing how other self-storage facilities have incorporated photos and videos into their websites will provide inspiration and ideas about what you can do at your facility. Below is a partial list of StoragePug clients who have successfully incorporated high-quality photography and videography into their websites.
Eugene Safe Storage (Eugene, OR) – includes photos of team membersIncorporating high-quality photos and videos into your website, Google My Business Listing, and social media posts is a proven way to help grow your self-storage facility.
StoragePug is dedicated to helping you successfully capture the magic of photography and videography. As mentioned previously, we keep a database of recommended photographers and videographers from across the country. In addition, we can help with placing photos on your Google My Business listing.
StoragePug also offers a plethora of e-books, blog posts, workshops, and videos on demand to help you with all aspects of marketing your self-storage facility. For example, check out this blog post entitled “Drone Photography: Outshine Your Self-Storage Competitors.”
Or, check out our Free Resources section. Now, go make your website awesome!
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StoragePug is a modern marketing company for self storage. We create intelligent marketing websites that allow you to rent units & take payments through your facilities' website.
