Should You Use People in Your Airbnb Photos (or Not)? The Psychology Behind What Guests See.

Ever wondered if photos without people perform better — or if you need models to make your space feel more relatable?

Some hosts think adding people to their photos makes a space feel warm and inviting.

But psychology shows the opposite.

When guests look at your photos, their brain isn’t just looking — it’s rehearsing.

Just as a professional athlete imagines themselves running the race, guests are unconsciously testing:
Would I feel like myself here? Would I relax here? Would this match who I am?

When a photo shows someone else already in the space, their brain registers it as occupied.

That interrupts the mental rehearsal — the very process that lets guests imagine themselves there.

They’re no longer picturing their morning coffee.
They’re watching someone else’s.

But if they are viewing ‘Unoccupied Vignettes’ — a steaming coffee on a small table, a towel casually draped, a window slightly open — allow the guest to insert themselves into the scene.

*Photo by Sam Smith

So when it comes to the psychology of bookings, it’s not about adding people for aesthetics — it’s about understanding the emotional triggers each image is designed to activate in the guest’s mind.

There’s actually a lot of science and psychology behind what makes a guest feel “this is the one.”

I share more of these behind-the-scenes booking psychology insights in my email letters if you’d like to keep exploring www.turnlookersintobookers/newsletter