sharing info with potential guests before they book / websites deleted from messages

[Karen3136]

Potential guests often ask us about restaurants / things to do in our community BEFORE they book. When I try to send them the link to the website of a specific business to answer their question (e.g., the website of the nearby kayak rental), AirBnB messages automatically redact the link. Similarly, we have a guestbook with this info but it is my understanding that people only see this after they book. When I try to send a link to the guidebook, that also gets automatically deleted.

We are new to hosting and would much appreciate any advice on how others have dealt with this problem.

[Brian2169]

@Karen3136 

You can send them the name of the business and they will have to Google it to get the website.

If they don't want to do that they will have to wait until after booking, which really isn't a big deal because they can cancel immediately without penalty anyway.

[Stacey58]

Agreed - send them the names and tell them they’ll need to Google it. I write, “sorry, Airbnb doesn’t allow hosts to send web links prior to booking”.

[Sarah977]

@Karen3136  Why knock yourself out to provide information about anything other than your listing to guests who haven't even committed to a booking yet? Just give the guests the name of the place and let them do the research. 

You aren't a free travel agent. Don't let guests waste your time.

[Ann72 · Accepted solution]

@Karen3136  But you can share your guidebook with unregistered guests.  Here's how:

Next to the text box in the message thread, hover your mouse over the icon farthest to the left:

You'll see this:

Click that and you'll see your guidebook.  Click the plus sign in the upper right corner and it will be shared.

This example was taken from someone who had not booked.  Also, you can only do this on the web, not on your phone.  Since guidebooks are public, I see no harm in sharing them.

@Brian2169 @Stacey58 @Sarah977 

[Karen3136]

@Ann72 Thank you so much!! I knew there must be a way to do this that I wasn't seeing. I'm very grateful that you took the time to do screen shots and everything. 

[Ann72]

You're very welcome @Karen3136.  It's a fairly new option and it took me a couple of tries!  And actually, to @Sarah977's point, I would not go to a great deal of trouble for someone who's fishing around and hasn't booked, but I don't mind clicking a couple of icons.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  "Also, you can only do this on the web, not on your phone."

I think that should read "on the desktop version, not on the app".

You can sign into Airbnb on the web browser on your phone. Just because you're using a phone doesn't mean you have to use the app.

[Ann72]

Yes, @Sarah977 - but if you can do it on the web on your phone, then you wouldn't be on your desktop.  So a better edit would merely say, "you can't do this on the app."

[Huma0]

@Karen3136 

@Ann72 's suggestion looks like the best method, but you should also see your guidebooks on your profile page, which the guest is able to see also.