How to Take the Best Boatsetter Boat Listing Photos
Last Updated on September 30, 2022 by Boatsetter Team
In the age of Instagram, it should come as no surprise that people have become more drawn to visual content. For many, pictures take them to places they have only imagined. They help make foreign people, places, and experiences real.
For Boatsetter owners, this means that a few great photos of your boat might just be all a renter needs to see to help them make the decision to book!
To give our Owners more support on our platform, we’ve created Boatsetter’s very own photo guidelines.
Here is the latest advice from our team of experts for maximizing the potential of your boat rental listing images:
- Understand the photo requirements for each boat listing
- Find THE perfect shot—a.k.a. Your featured image
- Include a variety of shots
- Showcase your boat’s top features and uniqueness
Haven’t Listed Your Boat for Rent on Boatsetter Yet? Get Started in Less Than 15 Minutes
1. Understand the photo requirements when listing your boat
Welcome aboard if this is your first time joining us; if you’re just updating your listing, welcome back! Get prepared to:
- Upload 4 pictures minimum
- Landscape orientation is ideal (meaning—take the shot with your phone horizontally)
- 960px width display
- File format: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP
- Keep in mind that the max file size is 245 MB.
2. Find THE perfect shot—a.k.a. Your featured image
Your featured image is, without a doubt, one of the most important parts of your listing—besides your title (or headline). Renters love to see photos of the boat because it helps them visualize themselves onboard. Needless to say, having the right featured image will make you a very happy Boatsetter Boat Owner (if ya know what we mean — Cha-ching!)
We’ve created this checklist to help you find the perfect shot for your featured image.
Take a high quality picture
Most smartphones nowadays have cameras capable of taking award-winning pictures. Use the tools at your fingertips to take your Boat Rental Listing photo. If you don’t have the latest smartphone, call up your good ole pal that has one and ask them if they could help you by lending you their phone camera for a few shots!
Pro Tip:To preserve the quality of your photos when you are transferring between devices (for example, if you are using a friend’s phone camera to take your photos), use email or Airdrop to send the photos to the device you will use for uploading. Do not have them just send the photos as a text message. Email and Airdrop preserve your quality photos, whereas text messages cannot.
Make sure your picture contains the whole boat
People want to see what kind of boat you’ve got. Not just half of the boat. Not most of it with the tip of the bow missing. Not just the stern. Not of your crew having a good time on the boat. Renters want a full shot of your whole boat. Preferable from a variety of different angles.
Use the daylight
Boats were meant to bask in the natural sunlight. It’s how they look best. Make sure there’s a moderate amount of sunlight.
Pro Tip: Avoid using flash. The most ideal time to take your pictures is sometime after dawn, before dusk, or at noon.
3. Include a variety of shots
After your cover image, you’re going to get a few more shots:
- Make sure you take shots at different angles. It’s kind of like giving them a small tour of your boat from all sides.
- Add a picture of you and your crew doing something fun. This could be a shot of someone cannon-balling into the water or floating on a lilly pad attached to your boat.
The goal is to give renters enough to imagine their amazing time on your boat.
Pro Tip: If your boat has an inside, make sure to capture the interior. For interior shots, make sure the boat is clean and avoid extreme close-ups and extreme distance shots.
4. Showcase your boat’s top features and uniqueness
Maybe it’s a shot of someone using an Add-on that’s offered with your listing—what’s an add-on, you ask? Find out here. Maybe it’s a custom renovation you made, a precious new addition you’re proud of. Whatever it is you feel makes your boat one of a kind, take a shot of it then mention it in the description box below.
Not only will this help you to fill up the description character count, but it will also give renters a reason to remember your boat during their search.
Pro Tip: Avoid using ‘portrait mode’! It doesn’t transfer well to your listing and can cause your photos to look blurry.
Looking for additional guides on how to maximize your success as a Boatsetter owner? Visit our Owner Resources Hub, and be sure to read:
- 3 Local Marketing Strategies to Advertise Your Boatsetter Rentals
- How to Create a Great Day on the Water for Your Renters
- How to Get More Boatsetter Bookings
Keep up with the latest tips and advice from our experts by reading other Boatsetter Owner Tips.
Boatsetter is a unique boat-sharing platform that gives everyone — whether you own a boat or you’re just renting — the chance to experience life on the water. You can list a boat, book a boat, or make money as a captain.
Let your boat pay for itself. List, rent, earn — Only at Boatsetter.
Boatsetter empowers people to explore with confidence by showing them a world of possibility on the water. Rent a boat, list your boat, or become a Boatsetter captain today.
