Operational guide to creating a website that converts visitors into bookings

Optimize without worrying about technical SEO

"SEO" stands for "Search Engine Optimization"—in other words: the work needed to help "robots" understand what is written on your site.
With Lestis, you don't need to worry about the technical side; it is already handled by the platform. Your job is to focus on what excites your guests: content, photos, experience, and hospitality, naturally helping the robots that crawl your site daily understand what you offer.

Your only SEO task—which is more of a tip—is to ensure that every page you add contains <h1>, <h2>, <h3> tags, as these are what Google prioritizes during its crawls. On the homepage, it is highly recommended to have your main title as an <h1>. On other pages, the <h1> is automatically generated from the page title, so you don't need to insert it manually. The rule is: only one <h1> per page; you can have as many <h2> and <h3> tags as you like.

I can read your mind, you're thinking: But what are these h1, h2 tags?! Don't worry—in our editor, just go to "Format -> Blocks" and select Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.

Simple rule to remember: on custom pages, Heading 1 is already there, so start with Heading 2. On the homepage, start with Heading 1.

It is best to create pages with short, punchy titles. For maximum SEO benefits, continue using subheadings for each section. This helps robots perfectly understand how your content is structured.

The structure of your headings should be like a book's table of contents. Each Page is a Chapter of your book named after your business, for example:

Chapter 1: House Rules

• Chapter 1.1: Check-in & Check-out times
• Chapter 1.2: Pets
• Chapter 1.3: Prohibited activities

Chapter 2: Services Offered

• Chapter 2.1: Included Services
• Chapter 2.2: Services on request

Lestis works for you behind the scenes

• Meta-information management
• Schema markup to enhance your listing in search results
• Ready-to-use Calls to Action in key sections
• Modern, mobile-friendly templates optimized for conversions and readability

Our goal is to allow everyone to create an optimized, user-friendly, high-conversion website without specific technical skills or coding—where whoever enters -> books.

SEO-light tips everyone should apply

• Use clear, descriptive titles for every section (H1, H2, H3)
• Simple, readable URLs: e.g., /superior-suite-ostuni, or let our system generate them for you based on the page title

1. Templates: Choosing the right style for your property

Lestis provides several templates that represent different ways of communicating your property's value. Choose one based on your audience's expectations and your personal taste. In all templates, the "Hero" section is dominated by the booking engine—our main and only call to action. In the "Traditional" and "Onepage" templates, you can insert descriptive text under the hero before showing accommodation options. Some have a top navigation menu, while the "Minimal" template lets the images speak through a full-page video-style carousel, featuring only a logo and a hamburger menu to avoid distracting from the visuals.

2. How to Insert Content

Once you've chosen a template (which can be changed at any time under Property -> Appearance & Brand), it's important to add pages. The system suggests several: Contacts, Rules & Services, About Us, and the Home section if the template supports it.

To write your text, use the Lestis editor: it is a very intuitive "Word-like" tool where you can format text, add bolding, and insert links. It also allows you to insert html and scripts—useful for embedding Google Maps iFrames or review widgets. Just click the <> icon.

How to insert images

Property and unit images are uploaded directly to Lestis. For additional pages, use public URLs (Google Drive, Dropbox, Imgur). In the editor, click 🔗 and paste the link.

Make sure to describe images with descriptive "alt text" for both accessibility and SEO.

3. About Us: Build trust with authenticity

This page is all about building trust. Guests want to know who is hosting them: authenticity and transparency create empathy. Tell the story of your property, your family, or your team. Use a personal tone, brief anecdotes, and real photos.

Avoid generic phrases like "We are a welcoming property."

Effective example:

Add as many images as you feel necessary!

4. Rental Units and Descriptions

Every Property must contain rental units. Units can be the property itself (if rented as an entire apartment), individual rooms, or multiple apartments within the same building.

If you rent by the room, you can create an "Entire Property" unit. Availability in this case is linked: if one room is booked, the "entire property" option becomes unavailable, and vice versa.

Descriptions should be detailed and accurate but also persuasive. They appear on unit pages and in the booking summary right before payment.

Since listing cards have character limits, keep the most important info at the top. If you want to tell a full story for each unit, consider creating dedicated pages like "Our Rooms" or "Our Options."

During a search, units will be shown even if they don't have enough capacity for the entire group. This stimulates direct contact: sometimes a small arrangement or an extra bed can turn a "no" into a confirmed booking!
An alert will clearly inform guests that there isn't room for everyone in that specific unit.

Example names: “Pietra Viva Suite”, “Olive Tree Apartment”.

Recommended highlights: Supermarkets, points of interest, activities.

Short description example:

5. Managing Prices, Seasonality, and Discounts

Define your pricing policies in Property → Units → Prices & Date Blocks, Discounts & Promotions, followed by Additional Costs and Extra Guests.

I recommend performing quarterly or semi-annual market analyses. Optimized prices should consider nearby properties (same area or landmark) that perform well (full calendars), excluding those that are priced too high or too low.

Monitor seasonality, events, holidays, and concerts. Simply put: when demand goes up, your price should follow.

If your property is near a major tourist city but you cannot compete with their internal market, offer a small discount compared to similar listings. A tourist will think: "with what I save, I can rent a car."

On Lestis, you can manage pricing using various tools: "Prices & Blocks" for base rate adjustments, "Discounts & Promotions" for coupons or rules, and "Additional Costs" for cleaning fees or local taxes. "Extra Guests" handles surcharges for additional adults or children.

My advice: don't undersell your property. Aim for the best "price-to-value" ratio. This improves both guest satisfaction and your occupancy rate (booked nights per year).

6. Availability Synchronization (iCal)

For iCal synchronization, please refer to our dedicated article which covers the topic in full:

Sync Airbnb, Booking.com, and other OTAs with Lestis

Don't be intimidated—it's actually very simple! Just follow the article step-by-step to avoid errors.

7. Location and Interactive Map

A "Where we are" page is not mandatory but helps both guests and search engines. It's the perfect place for keywords related to your city, province, and local landmarks. This helps guests understand the location and helps Google show your site to the right people. Add photos with descriptive "alt text" and use H2/H3 headings as suggested in the SEO light section.

To integrate a map, use the Google Maps iFrame code. In your page editor, click the <> icon to open the HTML editor.

1) Google Maps → Search address → Share → Embed → Copy HTML.

2) Go to the Lestis page editor and paste the code at the end of your content.

8. "Local Perks" Page: Your Ace in the Hole

Everyone loves perks, right? This is your chance to network with local businesses and offer exclusive benefits to your guests. List partner discounts and local benefits to increase perceived value and boost positive reviews.

• “10% discount on boat tours with X Tours”
• “Free croissant after 5:00 PM at Central Bar”
• “15% off bike rentals”
• “Free access to the trekking trail 500m away”

9. Services, Rules, and FAQ

This page is essential to prevent issues before, during, and after a stay. Be crystal clear about what is offered for free and what carries a fee.

List all house rules, such as quiet hours, pet policies, or party bans.

Write a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) based on what guests ask most often. This saves you time and makes guests happier.

10. Photo Gallery

Lestis allows you to upload images for the overall property and for each individual rental unit.

Images are the first thing that catches a visitor's eye. Guests usually check photos immediately after verifying availability. It goes without saying: great photos are worth a thousand words, while poor photos can ruin all your other efforts.

Show all rooms using natural light. The best result is when a visitor feels 100% sure they understand the layout and the bedroom contents. Don't lose a booking because a guest isn't sure where the sofa bed is or can't see the bathroom.

Every image uploaded will be automatically optimized for the web for fast loading.