Folios: Group Your Properties Under One Domain

What is a Folio?

A Folio is a collection of properties displayed together on a single branded page. Folios make it easy to organise listings and present them under one professional, cohesive experience.

With Folios, you can:

• Group related properties (e.g. Beach Properties, Downtown Collection)

• Share a single URL that showcases multiple listings

• Apply one custom domain to an entire group of properties

• Give guests a polished, branded browsing experience

Creating a Folio

To create a new folio:

1. Navigate to Folios in the sidebar

2. Click Create Folio

3. Enter a name and optional description

4. Choose how properties are included:

   • All Active – Automatically includes all active properties

   • Specific – Manually select individual properties

   • By Tags – Include properties that share specific tags

5. Configure display options:

   • Card or List view

   • Show or hide the search bar

   • Optional header image

6. Click Create Folio

   Note:
   When a domain is added, we don't automatically reset all shortcodes for reservations already present; only new reservations are updated. This is by design, encase you domain is not yet active, or encase you did something wrong.

   • Make sure the folio works properly and you are happy with the result,

   • You can then go to the integrations page and refresh shortcodes or custom fields

    

    

    

Adding a Custom Domain to Your Folio

Once your folio is created, you can assign a custom domain to it.

1. Go to the Folios page

2. Find your folio

3. Click the globe icon or Add Domain 

4. You’ll then choose one of the following domain options.

   Note:
   When a domain is added, we don't automatically reset all shortcodes for reservations already present; only new reservations are updated. This is by design, encase you domain is not yet active, or encase you did something wrong.

   • Make sure the folio works properly and you are happy with the result,

   • You can then go to the integrations page and refresh shortcodes or custom fields

    

Option 1: Subdomain (Quickest Setup)

• Format: yourname.guidebook.cloud

• Cost: Included in your plan or a small annual fee

• Setup: Instant – no DNS changes required

• Example: beachrentals.guidebook.cloud

Best if you want a fast, no-technical-setup solution.

Option 2: Custom Domain

• Format: guides.yourdomain.com or yourdomain.com

• Cost: Annual fee (includes SSL certificate)

• Setup: Requires DNS configuration

• Example: stays.mycompany.com

Best for full brand control and consistency.

DNS Configuration for Custom Domains

Before registering a custom domain, you’ll need to configure DNS with your domain provider.

1. Log in to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)

2. Add a CNAME record:

   • Host / Name: Your chosen subdomain
     (e.g. guides for guides.yourdomain.com)

   • Value / Target: subdomain.betterstr.com

   • TTL: 3600 (or leave as default)

3. Wait for DNS propagation

   • Usually 5–30 minutes, up to 48 hours

4. Return to BetterSTR and register your domain

How Folio Domains Work with Guest Links

When a folio has a custom domain, all properties inside it automatically benefit from that domain.

URL Priority (Automatic)

When generating guest guidebook links, BetterSTR uses the following priority:

1. Property domain
   If the property has its own custom domain, it is always used first

2. Folio domain
   Used if the property does not have its own domain

3. Default domain
   Falls back to guidebook.cloud

Example Scenarios

Benefits of Using Folio Domains

• One domain for multiple properties
  Assign a domain once and apply it to every property in the folio

• Consistent branding
  Guests always see your branded domain in guidebook links

• No extra cost per property
  A single folio domain covers all included properties

• Integration-friendly
  Hospitable, OwnerRez, and other integrations automatically use the correct domain

Managing Folio Domains

Viewing Domain Status

On the Folios page, each folio displays its current domain status:

• No domain – Shows an Add Domain option

• Active domain – Displays the domain with a green indicator

• Pending – Domain is being verified

Removing a Domain

To remove a domain from a folio:

1. Click the settings/edit icon on the folio

2. Open Domain Settings

3. Click Remove Domain

Note:
When a domain is removed, properties in that folio will fall back to:

• Their own property domain (if set), or

• The default guidebook.cloud domain

Best Practices

• Use an “All Active” folio as your default
  Assign a custom domain to one folio that includes all active properties for consistent branding

• Combine with property-specific domains
  Property domains take priority; the folio domain acts as a fallback

• Use tag-based folios for regions
  Create folios for Beach, Mountain, or City properties with unique branding

• Choose professional folio names
  Folio names may appear on guest-facing pages

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a property be in multiple folios?
Yes. For domain usage, the first matching folio with an active domain is used.

What happens if I delete a folio with a domain?
Affected properties fall back to their own domain or guidebook.cloud.

Do I need a separate domain for each property?
No. A single folio domain can cover unlimited properties.

Will existing guest links break if I add a folio domain?
No. Existing links continue to work. New links will use the folio domain.

Can I use my main domain (e.g. mycompany.com)?
Yes, but we recommend a subdomain (e.g. guides.mycompany.com) to avoid conflicts with your main website.