Introduction

Best Photos for Raw Land Listings (Aerial Drone Strategy) is a practical playbook to capture land the way serious buyers evaluate it. Done right, your photo set answers key questions in seconds: “How do I get there? What’s the slope? Where’s the water? What’s around it?”

1) Why this works

• Clarity closes: Buyers decide fast when access, slope, and water are obvious.
• Orientation reduces questions: North-up overviews and labeled landmarks cut DM friction.
• Trust through transparency: Overlay disclaimers and consistent angles reduce surprises at showings.

2) Pre-Shoot Checklist (Permits, Data, Safety)

• Confirm permission to enter; note gates, codes, and neighbors.
• Check airspace & weather; plan within legal limits (e.g., 400 ft AGL in U.S. unless otherwise authorized).
• Gather data: parcel GIS, topo, floodplain, GPS pins for corners/approach.
• Bring PPE, spare batteries, cones/signage if roadside.

3) Gear & Settings

4) Flight Plan & Orientation

• Wind: Fly upwind first while batteries are fullest.
• Sun: Golden hour for depth; midday for map clarity.
• Orientation: Keep north at the top on maps/overlays for consistency.

5) Shot List: Drone + Ground Angles

6) Boundary-Safe Overlays & Maps

• Use assessor/GIS to draw approximate masks; include source + “buyer to verify.”
• Export a clean north-up map tile with scale bar and labeled roads.
• Create a simple “How to access” image: highway → county road → gate pin.

Text overlay example: “Approx. boundary — not a survey. Source: County GIS {month/year}.”

7) Composition for Scale & Slope

• Include a known object (truck, gate, person) for scale in ground shots.
• Fly along contour lines to reveal slope; avoid flat, straight-down frames only.
• Keep horizons level; center the subject area for clarity.

8) Lighting & Season Timing

• Leaf-off: Better to see ground, creeks, and rock outcrops.
• Leaf-on: Great for privacy, shade, and “park-like” vibes.
• After rain: Creeks/ponds show well—fly safely and avoid saturated ground hazards.

9) Editing Workflow & File Naming

{County}_{City}_{Road}_{Acreage}_{Seq}.jpg
Example: Humphreys_Waverly_BearHollow_15ac_01.jpg

10) Export Sizes for Marketplaces & Social

11) Caption Templates & Disclaimers

Marketplace/Listing Lead-In

Best Photos for Raw Land Listings (Aerial Drone Strategy) in action:
{ACRES} acres • {CITY}/{COUNTY} • {ACCESS TYPE}
Creek, gentle slope, mixed hardwoods. Comment "MAP" for GIS & walk-through video.
(Approximate boundaries shown—buyer to verify.)

Overlay Disclaimer (short)

Approximate boundary from public GIS (not a survey). Buyer to verify.

12) A/B Testing Your Cover Photo

1. Test top-down boundary mask vs. angled terrain hero.
2. Hold caption constant; swap only the first image.
3. Pick winner by click-to-message + save rate after 24–48h.

13) Accessibility, Alt Text & SEO

• Alt text pattern: “North-up drone overview, approx. boundary, {city} {acres} ac.”
• Use structured filenames and captions with county/road names.
• Include driving directions in copy and a pinned map link on your page.

UTM idea: utm_source=marketplace&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=raw_land_{county}

14) KPIs & Dashboard

Gallery Save Rate
Click-to-Message (CTM)
Map Link Clicks
Showing Requests / Lot Walks
Offer Rate & Days on Market

15) 30–60–90 Day Rollout Plan

Days 1–30 (Foundation)

1. Create your 18-shot checklist and overlay template with disclaimer.
2. Shoot three properties; publish consistent galleries.
3. Document KPIs and buyer questions.

Days 31–60 (Momentum)

1. Add 360 panos on high points; produce a 45–60s highlight reel.
2. Standardize file naming and export presets.
3. Begin A/B testing cover photos.

Days 61–90 (Scale)

1. Create city/county landing pages with best sets.
2. Build a simple GIS “request map” lead magnet.
3. Iterate based on CTM + walk request rates.

16) Troubleshooting & Optimization