I've said it before, and I'll say it again: those Web sites that are bringing in the business almost always have more than one photo of a listing. If your site has just one photo, you're losing money!

This fact was brought home to me again as I searched the Web for a waterfront home. I saw one that I liked based on the initial photo (the standard exterior shot of the front of the home, which you can barely see, since it was taken from a long distance away so as to get all the home in the photo). The description beside the photo included "4 BR, 2.5 BA, fireplace, 2 decks, 90' seawalled lakefront, deep water & a good view" plus other information. I clicked on the picture and was taken to.....a larger version of the same thumbnail photo.

Join me in thinking like a consumer for a minute. As a consumer, the exterior shot and the description have piqued my interest. Now I want to know more: Does it have a bedroom large enough for my home office? What does that room look like and can I see the water from that room? What does the kitchen look like? Are there cathedral ceilings? What does the master bedroom look like? What does the living room look like? What does the fireplace look like? What does the section of the lake where the home is located look like? Is the home on a cove or on the main lake? What's the boat dock look like? What does the "good view" look like?

Again, imagine yourself as a consumer looking at this site. Wouldn't these questions come to your mind?

Unfortunately, most agents who have Web sites still think of them as real estate magazines - they put in only one photo and add text. Further, they still suffer from "70's Thinking" - that the purpose of the "ad" is to give the consumer only some of the information so that they'll contact you to learn more..

Wrong. Today's Web visitor, frustrated by this lack of information, knows that he or she can simply leave that particular site and find another one that has better presentation of the homes. This is a major reason why "one photo" sites aren't pulling in the business that multiple photo and virtual tour sites do.

What would I do if the site I looked at were my site?

Here's my list:

• I'd have the thumbnail photo, of course, but I'd learn how to stitch together panoramic photos so that I could shoot the home from close up to better show the home.

• I'd have multiple photos of the home, showing each of the rooms or, better yet, I'd have one virtual tour of the home, showing the exterior and each of the rooms. Again, I'd have stitched panoramic photos in the tour, which would "pan" when shown, even 360 degrees.

• I'd have several exterior shots, especially one showing the boat dock and the lake. Why stop with the text, "good view," when I could show the view? Besides, it's probably the view that will sell the home, so I'd better feature it!

• Take a moment to look at the listings on your site as a consumer would, and see if they're in need of improvement.

Published: April 19, 2002

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