This is the first part of a whitepaper by Brian Balduf, founder of VHT, Inc. It explains to brokers why, in the age of iPads and Pinterest, they are missing the boat if they are using MLS photos on their websites, instead of original, high-quality photography.

It's obvious from even a cursory glance at many real estate websites that the industry in general tends to overlook the importance of good photographs. Consumers don't. When even a used $50 coffee pot on e-Bay has stunning, striking photos, consumers expect that sites marketing the most expensive item they'll ever buy – a home – would have at least the same.

The problem stems from two factors. First, most property marketing has traditionally been targeted to other agents, not consumers (thanks to MLSs). And second, photography has been a part of selling real estate for such a long time, but because of the agent-to-agent nature of MLSs, the purpose was primarily documentation, not marketing.

The difference is huge. Documentation results in, "Yes it's a house," while marketing results in "Wow, what a house." As sellers now need to market directly to consumers, thanks to the Internet, they need to start thinking like consumers, or at least looking at real estate marketing like consumers. And the typical consumer's attitude is: if you want to get my attention – WOW me.

Nothing wows better than stunning, striking photography. When a consumer is getting to know your brand, the most visible reflection of your brand (and most likely to stick in their mind) is the quality of the photographs on your website and in your marketing materials.

So, VHT has created this essential guide to ensuring that your brokerage has the most stunning and striking images in your market and is visibly seen as far superior to your competitors. We've divided the guide into four main categories: 1) getting great photographs, 2) displaying great photographs, 3) managing your visual assets, 4) getting the most out of your visual assets.

Getting Great Photographs

It all starts with getting the right shots. If the original shots are not good, all the Photoshopping in the world isn't going to help. Real estate photography is unique because of all the different types of lighting that need to be dealt with (natural, fluorescent, incandescent, etc.). Great photos require the same elements that anything of quality requires: time, the proper equipment and skill. Achieving images that highlight a home's key selling points and mask unflattering features isn't easy. But when it's done correctly, it's the most powerful marketing tool around.

1. Use a professional. Okay, what other advice would you expect from a professional photography company? But, just as putting a FSBO sign in your yard doesn't make you a real estate agent, having a camera doesn't make you a photographer. Real estate photography involves much more than point and shoot. For the best results, rely on a professional, just as you're urging your clients to do. A recent VHT survey highlighted the impact that professional photography has on the perceived value of a property. High-quality photos increase consumers' perceived value of a home by nearly 13 percent. On a $500,000 home, this equates to an increase in perceived value of $60,000. There are a million other reasons to use a pro, but you can talk to our sales team about those.
2. Train your agents. Not every agent will use a professional, so it's well worth the impact on your brand to make sure they at least take good photographs. Again, the quality of your property photos is a reflection on the professionalism of your company, so why not make it great? Some companies, like VHT, offer simple real estate photography classes for free, or you can create your own. It's amazing how providing basic photography tips and some remedial training once in a while can make such a huge difference in the quality of your images. VHT's training program has proven that it's a very useful exercise to show agents examples of bad shots and common mistakes (awkward angles, too much ceiling/floor, crooked walls) alongside ideal property photos with an explanation of how to achieve them.
3. Create and enforce company standards. It's your name over the door and your brand value you're trying to build. It makes sense to set standards around that brand when it comes to visual marketing. Don't accept blurry, crooked or pixellated images. Build consistency on your site by telling your agents which type of shots you want for every property. Provide them with examples of how photographs of your listings are expected to look. Anything less should not be acceptable.

Other articles in this series:

• Part 2: Displaying Great Photographs
• Part 3: Managing and Getting the Most ROI from Your Visual Assets