Preferred app/software for creating guidebooks?

Question

What are people using these days to create guidebooks for your guests?

Stephen Solano · Answer

You can actually go right on Etsy and search "Airbnb Template" and  purchase professional Short Term Rental templates that work with Microsoft Word, Google Drive, etc.

There are all different designs by several different sellers roughly priced around $10. This is what I have used for my STR Unit and it worked great for me at a great price.

Hope this helps!

Account Closed · Answer

Apple iAuthor.

Cliff H. · Answer

@Mark Miles I use Apple Pages for the printed guestbook I put into sheet protectors and combine with local maps/guides, then the free platform-based guidebooks on AirBnB/HomeAway/others for the digital versions.

That said, one thing I’m sure Hostfully or others do that the platform-specific tools do not is track how much my guests are actually using the guidebooks, what recommendations they click into, and whether there’s opportunities for affiliate revenue/referrals with local businesses that we, as hosts, are continually sending guests over to.

Ironically, I can measure that now with the way that I build out the physical guidebook, but not with the built in native guidebooks off Air/HomeAway.

@John M. assuming Hostfully allows to measure click-throughs, have you found the data from guests to be helpful in guiding additional recommendations?

John McGonigal · Answer

@Mark Miles my wife and I use Hostfully for our two Branson condos and like it so far. For around $20 per month, you can create up to 5 electronic guidebooks. These are easy to set up and maintain and it allows the guests to review our information before checking in.

Luke Carl · Answer

Airbnb has a guidebook on your listing. It’s even called the guidebook. VRBO has “hospitality”

I fill these sections with our favorite places and I’m done.

I stand in a VR once that had a printed guidebook on the counter. The pages were ripped and some spilled on. I figure it only took one or two guests to get gross. So I’m all digital.

Paul Sandhu · Answer

I use Open Office to create one sheet of house instructions that are unique to each address.  I print it on construction paper and stick it on the front of the fridge.

People don't read it.  I still get asked "what's the wife password, what's the address, when is trash day"

John Underwood · Answer

I use word. I created a TOC, have sections, dropped in pictures and maps and can easily make updates and reprint a page or the entire book.

Preferred app/software for creating guidebooks?

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