Guidebook Types (Quick Summary)
BetterSTR offers two types of Guidebooks by default (See below)
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Property Guides – General property information (no names, dates, or private data). Best for public sharing.
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Reservation Guides – Unique, private links per booking. Includes guest name, check-in date, and security details like last 5 digits of phone numbers for smart lock use.
Why Google SEO Matters for Your Property Guides
By default, your property guides are private to protect guest data. But you can choose to make them discoverable by search engines to capture more potential guests searching online.
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In Property Settings (link), you’ll find the option “Enable Google Indexing.”
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When enabled, Google and other search engines can index your Property Guides.
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This creates new paths for direct bookings: travelers searching for stays in your area can discover your property guide directly through search results, bypassing OTAs and third-party platforms.
- Ensure you Restrict Sensitive Content Like PIN Codes or Lockbox Info to only show on Reservation/Mobile SMS guides
1. Property Guides (can be indexed)
Property Guides are guides that are tied to a property rather than a reservation.
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Content: No guest names, check-in times, or reservation details.
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Access: Links can be copied directly from the Property Guides page.
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Use Case: Ideal for public sharing—e.g., property overviews, general amenities, or directions, purchasing upsells, etc
2. Reservation Guides (are not indexed)
Reservation Guides are unique, private links generated for each booking.
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Content: Guest name, check-in date & time, and last 5 digits of the guest’s phone number (useful for smart locks).
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Access: Links are available from the Reservations page.
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Integration: These links are also pushed into many PMS systems via custom fields, codes, or shortcodes. This allows you to automatically include the personalized link in guest messages (e.g., check-in instructions sent 4 days before arrival).
Best Practices for SEO & Safety
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✅ Use Property Guides for SEO. These are safe to index since they don’t contain sensitive guest data.
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🔒 Restrict sensitive information (PIN codes, lockboxes, or door codes) to Reservation Guides or SMS/TXT delivery only. See: Restrict Sensitive Content Like PIN Codes or Lockbox Info.