Host Guidebook

[Casey1]

Hello!

I have a well detailed, physcial/tanglible, Guidebook in my home for guests, with everything from quirks of living there to how to check out and lists of my favourite restaurants/cafes.

What I'm wondering is, should I also add a digital-airbnb Guidebook to my hosting page?
Do many guests use these?
Also, does adding/building one help my search algorithm?

Thanks for your time!

- t

[Clare0]

Hi @Casey1, I too have developed an extensive Guidebook on my listing, but asking my most recent guest if they had looked at it the answer is no. 

But, I did make a hard copy guest book filled with menus from local restaurants, wineries, etc.  I think that's more helpful than Airbnb's Guidebook. One thing that would make the Guidebook more helpful is if they provided web links. 

As far as the search algorithms go, when you find out what's included, let me know!

[Julie-And-Dan0]

Good morning Clare,

Does anyone else believe that it would benefit us Hosts if our prospective guests could view our GuideBook before booking.

I've had that question asked of me and have no answer for them.

Thanks.

Julie

[Clare0]

HI @Julie-And-Dan0 when I look at a preview on my listing (presumably what a prospective guest would see prior to booking) I see all my guidebook icons.  You need to zoom out at least once for them to show up.  Try it and see if it works for you.

[Julie-And-Dan0]

Thanks so much Clare. I tried it and of course it worked. I'll pass it on when asked. I didn't even think to zoom out!

[Clare0]

@Julie-And-Dan0 to be honest I just tried it 'cause I got a reservation request from a fellow host who had to cancel after I pointed out to him that I was located 100's of miles from places he wanted to visit.  I wondered if by zooming out he could have seen the entire map of California and, voila ,there were the icons.  Learn something new every day!

[Manju0]

I just tried the technique of zooming out on the map in the "location" section of my listing, and it doesn't show any of the 30 places I've added to my guide book. I realise that much can change on the Airbnb website in a year. However, when I go to "edit guidebook" there is a hyperlink that says "where will this appear?". I click on that hyperlink and it says "We'll show this on your listing page..." I just can't seem to find it anywhere on my listing page...

[Elizabeth370]

i have no idea how guests find my guidebook, do you? it isn't in a search for help either.

[JJ7]

I think it would be tremendously useful for guests to see the guidebook before booking.  I put a lot effort into mine and it gives information like distance from my place to popular local spots.  Don't see the point of hiding it from guests before booking.  Or at least give hosts the option of putting it out there without a reservation.

[Johanne1]

Hi J.J.,

I did create my Guidebook and took a lot of time to make it as complete as possible, making multiple suggestions in each category. However, I was really disapointed to see that when you look at it on the site, there is no way for a guest to search by category such as restaurants for instance. Also, they are listed in the order that they were added which means that, since I have 30 options, people would have to scroll through all of them to find all the restaurant suggestions I have.

I have since created my own which I have put in a binder with tabs separating Food Scene from Sightseeing or Essentials, so guests can go to the section they want. I also categorized the type of restaurants, whether breakfast or upscale, French or Greek, etc. They are also a full letter page with pictures, a map from my place, showing distance and walking time (from Google), their phone number in case guests want to call to make a reservation as well as their web site, plus of course, my description and comments about the place. All my guests have raved about it and none of them had ever looked at the one on the site.

It would have been nice to be able to send it to guests after they had booked but it looks so awful when trying to print it or make a pdf that it would not be very useful. 

In the beginning I would ask my guests if they had looked at my guidebook in my listing and most of them did not even know what I was talking about, so I doubt very much that they would look at the Guidebook before booking . It's unfortunate because it is a great idea but, in my opinion, badly executed. 

[Eugen10]

Hi Johanne, we use HouseGuide to send guests our guidebook upfront on their mobile devices: https://www.houseguideapp.com

It's an alternative guidebook but so far guests have been really excited about it. Hope that helps!

[Geoffrey4]

Absolutely!  Share publicly so it can be seen during booking.

[Ernie0]

Hi Tristan, 

I created a guidebook over one year ago, including approximately 150 local favorites of mine. I tell my guests how to find it during the check-in process. I find it particulalry useful for those guests who need a lot of hand-holding and guidance, just steer them to self-guide using your guidebook! Many have been vocally apprciative. I was informed at the Airbnb Open that creating the guidebook will advance a listing's placement in the search algorithm; particularly a guidebook that includes sites using keywords associated with an area. Keywords that might be more frequently searched such as: The Golden Gate Bridge might be frequently for a San Francisco listing, therefore including the Golden Gate Bridge in your guidebook will increase your algorithm placement. 

Cheers, 
Ernie Thayer

[Tina1]

Host Guidebook (problems/alternatives)-

Has anyone else been having issues with the google map displays when they print the pdf of their guidebook ?    I've gotten tons of error messages instead of location maps (since I created mine last Sept)  & no response from Airbnb.  So, I finally gave up on Airbnb's Guidebook & looked for other options.   

In the past 24 hours, I recreated my Guidebook in an app called "Pearl".   It has FANTASTIC mobile features! 

From my cellphone, I can quickly & easily:

1.  Forward a specific neighborhood "pearl" to a guest/prospective guest when they ask me a question like "Are there any tennis courts in your neighborhood?"  Example:  https://app.pearlshare.com/pearls/169112-hamilton-recreation-center?
2. or I can send a "collection" of pearls, like this one I created for my Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood (Yes, I know, that isn't an Airbnb neithborhood in SF, yet!) - Example:  https://app.pearlshare.com/collections/2036-my-neighborhood-lower-pac-heights-sf-ca?

[Amir-Homayoon0]

I have a hard copy of all codes for Gate, Code for Pool room and tennis court, WIFI info,  direction ...etc.

I also have that on a template that I text to my guest right after they book my place and on the day they arrive at the airport so just in case they don't have access to it have it handy on their cell/tablet

Received many compliments for it and they even mentioned it in their review, sort of!