Guidebook Essentials

⏲ Short on time but want to be sure you’re not missing anything crucial from your guide? Run through this checklist of the top 10 essentials.

Want a quick overview instead of reading step by step?

🎥 Watch the Quick Start video for a walkthrough on how to complete your Guidebook Essentials.

Or scroll down to follow the full written guide below. 👇

1. Add your guide contact details 📧

Ensure guests can easily reach you by adding your contact information.

• Go to the Settings page > Branding tab
• Click Edit on the Guide Contact details

Learn more: How to update the contact details displayed to your guests/users

2. Add your cover photo 🖼️

Make a great first impression with a captivating cover photo.

• Go to Guides page > select your guide > click Guide details tab > click Edit Desktop Photo

Image requirements:

• Format: JPG or PNG
• Orientation: Landscape
• Minimum width: 1920 pixels
• Note: The photo will be automatically resized for mobile, but you can upload a separate portrait image if preferred.

Learn more: How to set the Cover Photo

3. Check your home pin 🏠

Ensure the map pin accurately reflects your property's location.

• From the Guide Details tab > click Edit on Guide/property address & location
• Click Adjust pin location
• Drag the pin with your cursor if it needs to be moved.

Learn more: How to adjust the map pin of your guide address

4. Get familiar with your Guide Template 💡

Quickly locate specific words or phrases within your guide using the Content Hub > Search tool.

• Navigate to the Content Hub
• Click Search Content to open the search bar
• Type a word or phrase you want to find, then click Search
• Matching results will appear in a list
• Click: On any result to jump straight to that section in Content Hub

Learn more: Using search in Content Hub

5. Add arrival instructions 🔑

Help guests enjoy a smooth, stress-free check-in by adding clear arrival details.

• Navigate to Content Hub > Content
• Add your instructions under the Arrival Information category

6. Add the WiFi details 📶

Make life easy for your guests by sharing your WiFi info, it's the #1 thing they look for.

• Navigate to the WiFi / Internet Details category
• Click the category and subcategory to expand them.
• On the right-hand side of the WiFi / Internet Details topic, click the three dots (︙) to edit the topic
• Once updated, scroll down to Save the changes.

7. Add info about your place 📺

Help guests feel at home by sharing important details about your accommodation.

• Navigate to the About the Accommodation category in the Content Hub
• Adjust existing Subcategories and Topics or add your own as needed
• Add practical info like amenities in the house, and how things work

Learn more: How to update Categories, Subcategories and Topics

8. Add Google Places to your map 📍 

Touch Stay integrates with Google Maps so you can easily add local recommendations, like restaurants, shops, and attractions, to your guidebook map.

• Navigate to the Content Hub
• Expand the category and subcategory where you want to add a Google Place (most commonly, this is the Local Area Guide category)
• Click Add topic and select Google Place from the dropdown

Learn more: How to add a Google Place

9. Add your photos to your guide 📷

• Click on any default topic image in your guide template
• Choose to upload a photo from your device or paste a link to an image you’ve found online

Learn more: How to add images to your guide

10. Delete template content you don’t need 🗑

Your guide template comes pre-filled with example categories, subcategories, and topics to help you get started.

• You can remove anything that’s not relevant by clicking the three dots (︙) next to a section and choosing Delete

⚠️ Just a heads-up: Once something is deleted, it can’t be restored.

So double-check you don’t need it before removing it, there’s no undo button.

Are you a perfectionist?

Don’t worry about getting everything right straight away. Just focus on the basics for now, you can always come back to edit and improve your guide later.

That’s the beauty of a digital guidebook: you can update content instantly, anytime you like, and your guests will always see the latest version automatically.

Need some inspiration?

Check out our example guides for ideas and inspiration, but remember, you don’t need to create a masterpiece from day one!

Get the essentials in place, start sharing your guide with guests, and build on it over time. As you add more detail, you'll likely find you’re answering fewer questions, too. 😊