Why guests aren't booking your direct website (and how to fix it)
Most direct booking websites lose guests because they aren't built for mobile, don't make it obvious how to book, or don't build trust quickly.
Jonas Baum, Interim Head of Customer Experience at Smoobu, says hosts should put a clear "Book Now" button at the top of the page, answer seven key guest questions on a single page, and copy the booking flow guests already know from Airbnb and Booking.com.
On Built to Book, from Host Planet and Smoobu, he explains how. Catch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Why do guests leave direct booking websites without booking?
Guests don't book websites. They book brands they trust. In the few seconds a guest spends deciding, your site either looks like a professional operation or like a risky stranger on the internet. If it's the second, they go straight back to Airbnb.
According to Jonas, the most common problem is the most basic one: mobile. Most guests browse and book on their phones, yet many hosts build and check their website on a laptop and never look at it on a phone.
"They should build on their phone, or even build in mobile mode, and consider desktop as secondary," he says. Slow-loading sites also rank lower in search results.
The seven questions every direct booking website must answer
Jonas uses a simple framework. Your website should answer these seven questions on one page:
What should I do now? Show a big "Book Now" button or date picker at the top of the page.
What's the offer? Use a clear headline that says what you offer and who it's for.
Is this for me? Your headline and main image should tell the right guest they're in the right place.
Can I trust it? Use secure, familiar design, and a professional look.
Who's already booked? Show reviews and testimonials from past guests.
What's the catch? Be clear about pricing and any discounts.
Who can help me? Make it easy to get in touch.
The first three must be answered before the guest scrolls. "If you get a good answer for these first three questions, you lift the probability of people booking by at least 80%," Jonas says.
What does "brand" mean for a small holiday let?
A brand isn't just a logo or colour scheme. Jonas defines it as "the sum of all touch points" a guest has with you. The purpose of a brand is to make the guest's decision easy.
To build one:
Talk to your guests. Find out who they are, why they booked and what they loved.
Define who you're for. Couples, families, walkers, or contractors each need a different message.
Be consistent. "If you're getting bored of your own branding, that's the perfect sign you're doing things right."
How do you make a direct booking website trustworthy?
"Don't reinvent the wheel," says Jonas. Guests trust what they already know, so use a template from a website builder like Smoobu's. Templates are already optimised for search engines and follow the layout guests are used to.
Keep the checkout simple:
Offer as many payment methods as possible
Ask for as little information as possible
Always have an SSL certificate, so guests don't see a "not secure" warning
How can AI help hosts build a direct booking website?
Jonas recommends paying for a proper AI plan, such as Claude or ChatGPT, and using it as a consultant:
Ask it to browse your website as a guest and suggest how to make booking faster
Ask it to ask you questions first so its advice fits your property
Use projects so it remembers your brand across conversations
Ask it which questions your guests are likely to have, then answer them on your site
Jonas also says answer engine optimisation (AEO) matters more than ever, because guests are starting to ask AI chatbots to find rentals. Answer real guest questions in plain language, such as "Is the pool gated for young children?"
How do you turn OTA guests into direct bookers?
Airbnb and Booking.com don't want you to have your guests' contact details. Jonas's tips:
Greet guests in person where possible
Use online check-in to collect emails and phone numbers (following GDPR rules)
Leave a handwritten note with a QR code linking to your guest guide and a sign-up form
Offer a reason to come back, such as 10% off their next stay
Try WhatsApp, which gets opened and read far more often than email
Do professional photos really matter?
"Insanely important," says Jonas. Photos help guests decide quickly whether a property is right for them. Invest in a professional photographer. The difference isn't the camera, it's knowing which angles to use and what to leave out. His pet hate is the empty wine bottle on a bare table.
Your 30-day direct booking plan
Weeks 1-2: Talk to guests and understand why they book with you.
Feed what you learn into AI to shape your brand, website structure and copy.
Build on a template from your PMS's website builder.
Keep improving. Direct booking is a long game.
Built to Book is brought to you by Host Planet and Smoobu. Get 20% off any Smoobu plan with code HOSTPLANET20. Click here for details.
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