‍Short-term rentals, also known as home sharing or peer-to-peer rentals, are properties that can be rented for a limited time period. These rentals are most commonly used for vacationers and other travelers who need a place to stay for a limited amount of time. But what exactly is the digital guidebook for short term rentals? It’s an online resource that provides information about specific locations and services. In this blog post, we’ll go over what you should know about digital guidebooks as a property manager, how to create one for your business, and examples of excellent ones from other businesses.

What You Should Know About Digital Guidebooks

A digital guidebook is an online resource that provides information about a specific rental and associated services with that rental. This includes information on the surrounding area, transportation, nearby attractions, activities, restaurants, price range, and other details that travelers need to know. While digital guidebooks are not new, they have become increasingly important for short-term rentals. This is because short term rentals are often booked through online platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway. With these platforms, the property manager gets in direct contact with the traveler and disposes of limited time to answer all questions they might have. Therefore, the traveler must rely solely on the information provided by the host, especially when it comes to checking in and using their newly rented place amenities. Additionally, as short-term rentals become more popular, the demand for guidebooks also increases. With more and more travelers choosing short-term rentals, the demand for guidebooks has been rising.

Why A Digital Guidebook is Important for Short Term Rentals

As mentioned, digital guidebooks are important for short-term rentals. This is because they provide the necessary information for travelers to accommodate as quickly and easily as possible to their new “home”. This information can help travelers use everything in their rental Airbnb without a hassle, and decide easier what they want to do while they’re there by browsing through Local Recommendations. The digital guidebook may include short videos of the property like check-in tutorials and how to use the home amenities (reset Internet router, use washer, etc), as well as local delivery apps which work best in the area.

Apart from providing information, digital guidebooks can also help travelers purchase goods and services from their rental, by browsing through the Digital Guidebook integrated “Digital Minibar”, a shop-like service that can include services like Late-Checkouts, Drinks and Snacks, rentals like electric bikes or canoes and even City Tours. This can help travelers enjoy the full experience of a destination in a safe way, even if it’s their first time staying in an area.

How to Create a Digital Guidebook for Your Business

If you operate a short-term rental business, it’s important to have a digital guidebook. It’s the first thing that travelers will see once they book your place. Therefore, it’s important that you have a high quality digital guidebook. A digital guidebook can be created with a just a smartphone and the right platform. If you want to create a high-quality digital guidebook, you’ll need to invest a significant amount of time the first time you create it and pay monthly the equivalent of a cup of coffee. There are a few different ways you can approach creating your digital guidebook. You can either create a full guide or just include relevant information that travelers need to know. You can also create a hybrid guidebook by mixing text with video elements.

Example of an Excellent Digital Guidebook for Short Term Rentals

There are many excellent examples of digital guidebooks for short term rentals. Many of these digital guidebooks are available online and can be accessed by any traveler. Here’s one example (created with Houseguide) to help inspire you as you create your digital guidebook:

https://houseguide.me/32223

Tips for Creating Your Own Guidebook for Short Term Rentals

Now that we’ve gone over what a digital guidebook is and some examples of excellent digital guidebooks, let’s talk about how to create your own digital guidebook. We’ve already covered some of the basics, but we’ll go into more detail below. Start with the basics – Before you even begin to create your digital guidebook, make sure you have the basics covered. This includes things like hours of operation, address, and phone number. It also includes details like payment methods, house rules policies, and any other important information.

After you’ve covered the basics, it’s time to begin including relevant information. This includes information about the surrounding area, nearby attractions, nearby restaurants, and activities in the area. It also includes information about things like WiFi availability, pet policies, and other details. Add visual elements – One way to make your digital guidebook super useful is by adding visual elements like videos. This can help make the information more interesting and easier to understand. Additionally, a digital guidebook that includes visual elements is often more engaging and appealing to readers.

Summing Up

A digital guidebook is a resource that provides vital information about specific locations and associated services. It is important for short term rentals because it helps travelers feel like home once they arrive to your place. As a host, you also avoid answering repetitive questions over and over again, saving valuable time. In addition, upselling services (Late Check-out, Bike Rental, City tour, Extra cleaning, etc) or goods (Drinks, Snacks, Food, etc) can considerably increase earnings per rental. Now that you know what a digital guidebook is and it is important to have one, you can create the perfect digital guidebook for your short term rental business.