Word of mouth helps, and so do real estate agents, but, these days, most home searches start online. Whether youre buying or selling, its likely that one of the first things you do, before even reaching out to a realtor, is go on Zillow and scroll through whats available in your housing market. Online browsing allows you to see what you find appealing before you schlep to an open house or viewing in person. That being said, if youre selling your home, browsing listings may have made you realize that basic images of the rooms in your home simply dont cut it anymore when it comes to setting up an appealing online listing. Buyers crave more, and thankfully, theres the technology to give it to them. With so many listings available at buyers fingertips, a home needs to catch their eye before they decide they want to take the next step and tour it in person, Amanda Pendleton, Zillows home trends expert, tells House Beautiful. Judging a book by its cover is nothing new,curb appeal.Instead of trying to piece together a series of disjointed photos, virtual tours and interactive floor plans help buyers understand a homes flow and layout.In their research, Zillow found that buyers will pay more for homes, on average, if the listing comes with a complete media package. Homes sold through Zillow Showcase, an immersive, AI-powered listing experience, reportedly sell for two percent more than similar homes with regular listings. On average, that adds up to a $9,000 premium. The lesson: How you show your property is almost as important as what you're showing. You have to flaunt the right features if you want people to check out your home! Related StoriesZillow Showcase utilizes high-quality 3D home tours and interactive floor plans to immerse a potential buyer into the home without their ever having to set foot in it. Instead of trying to piece together a series of disjointed photos, virtual tours and interactive floor plans help buyers understand a homes flow and layout, Pendleton says. These property listings are more engaging, she adds, getting 81 percent more page views, 80 percent more saves, and 96 percent more shares on Zillow compared to similar nearby non-Showcase listings.Even without Zillow Showcase, there are things you can do as a homeowner to increase your screen appeal and, ideally, sell your house for more money. Here are seven expert tips on how to make your listing most appealing to potential buyers. Hire a Professional PhotographerPay attention to prospective realtors portfolios as youre researching agents, because theyll be the ones in charge of your homes photoshoot. If it looks like some of the realtors took the photos themselves, you might want to go with the agent who obviously hired a professional photographer for the job. Amateur imagery simply wont cut it. Ideally, the photographer your agent hires should be able to shoot content for a 3D home tour on top of regular photos for the listing. Itll make your home look so much more appealing, especially when many peoples first impressions will be online. Courtesy of ZillowProfessional photographers know the best angles and lighting to show off your homes desired features, such as the size or architectural details like the ceiling.Focus on the First Few PhotosThe first photos in your listing need to reel in potential buyers, so make sure theyre the best, and that they highlight your homes greatest features. Its tempting to put an exterior shot firstsimulating prospective buyers coming in through the front doorbut the exterior is only part of the home, and it doesnt reflect the interior where the buyers would actually live. Limit yourself to one exterior shot at the start, and make sure you put amazing interior shots directly after. Courtesy of ZillowAfter that first exterior shot, quickly transition to showing a variety of rooms, then get into the deep dives of each space. This way, prospective buyers can get quick glimpses of the kitchen, living room, and primary bedroom, for example, before seeing more detailed shots of these spaces later on. Did you know that kitchens sell homes? Research suggests a kitchen reno can recoup up to 60 to 75 percent of the money spent on the upgrade. Learn more about kitchen remodels in our Kitchen Intelligence guide.Think About the StagingYou have a couple of options when it comes to professionally staging your home. You can bring in a company or designer who will professionally stage your home with furniture that isnt yours in order to make it look better to a buyer, both in-person and online.Theres also the option of virtually staging it. This technique uses software to digitally add furniture to an empty space, helping potential buyers visualize the proportions of rooms in your home better than if they were simply using their imaginations with an empty space. Virtual staging tends to be more affordable than actual staging.In their research, Zillow found that buyers will pay more for homes, on average, if the listing comes with a complete media package.Related StoriesTheres a surprisingly fine line between too personal and not personal enough when it comes to your listing, especially in todays housing market. Look at the latest reports on buyers current tendencies, and youll find that people prefer homes with personalitybut that doesn't mean they want your familys faces plastered on every shelf and wall. Allow potential buyers to see themselves in your home by removing the decor that shows a bit too much of your personality. Decluttering your space is another traditional rule you should follow. Both in person and online, a home that has too much stuff in it can make a potential buyer feel overwhelmed. In your photos, open spaces are preferable.Courtesy of ZillowArtwork, for example, is extremely personal, but it adds just the right amount of character in a space for prospective buyers to visualize themselves living there. Other decor pieces, like the bedding, show that the home is lived in without feeling imposing.Switch Up Your LayoutWhile your homes current layout mightve worked best for your family, it may not translate well on camera. As with decluttering tip, you want your space to feel open. If photos of your living room show a closed-off, slightly crammed, or awkward space, then move that extra accent chair out to the garage for your photoshoot and rearrange the pieces to make the space feel larger. Virtualize Your HomeAs we mentioned earlier, a virtual tour of your home is an absolute must-have in a listing. A 3D feature like this better helps prospective buyers visualize walking through your home and lets them see the layout before stepping inside. Dont leave people guessing whether your living room is attached to your dining room.Share Your Listing!Sure, your realtor has access to multiple listing services and works with prospective home buyers, but utilizing your social media networks may have a positive effect too. Generate interest by sharing your listing to your various social media accounts, and you just might catch someones eye with all your new screen appeal.Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.