IN THIS ARTICLE · 9 PARTS
Booking platforms bring guests, but they take a commission and keep the relationship. A good website lets guests book directly with you, and gives them reasons to do so.
Photos, photos, photos
Guests choose accommodation with their eyes. Show every room type, the bathroom, the view, the breakfast, the garden, the surroundings. Use professional or at least well-lit, real photos, and keep them current. More in what photos to use on your website. Large photos do not have to make a site slow: Google's guide to images on the web [1] explains how to serve them in the right size and format.
Rooms and prices
Give each room type its own section with size, beds, amenities, photos and the price or price range by season. Say clearly what is included (breakfast, parking, Wi-Fi) and what costs extra.
Direct booking
Options, from simplest:
- a booking request form with dates and number of guests
- a phone or messaging button
- an online booking engine connected to your availability
Give guests a reason to book directly: a better price, a small extra or more flexible conditions. See online bookings: when are they worth it?
Location and the area
Show a map, how to get there, parking and distances to the places guests care about. Write about what there is to do nearby: these pages bring in visitors from Google who are planning a trip. See why local SEO works.
Practical information
Check-in and check-out times, house rules, pets, children, cancellation conditions and payment methods. Answering these on the site saves you many messages.
Several languages
If you host foreign guests, offer at least English, and the languages of your most common guests. A good translation is better than an automatic one. Google recommends giving each language version its own address and telling Google about the versions with hreflang [2].
Reviews
Show reviews from guests and link to your profiles. Ask happy guests directly: how to get more Google reviews. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help a business's local ranking [3].
A guest house website earns direct bookings when the photos sell the stay and booking takes one minute.
Keep it fast and current
Old prices or rooms that no longer exist cost you bookings and trust. Fast, current and mobile-friendly is the baseline: 10 features every great website should have, and our monthly plan keeps it that way.
References
- web.dev (Google). "Learn Images." web.dev
- Google Search Central. "Tell Google about localized versions of your page." developers.google.com
- Google Business Profile Help. "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google." support.google.com
