How to create a Google Business Profile and connect it to your Lestis Website (and Get More Direct Bookings)
Stop giving away 15% to 22% of your revenue. Turn Google Maps into your strongest direct channel and keep the profits that belong to you.
Why You Need to Be on Google Maps Today
If you list your property only on Airbnb or Booking.com, you are leaving a significant portion of your revenue on the table. Today, travelers are smart: they use Google Search and Google Maps to look for places to stay, typing in simple phrases like "vacation rentals in [City]".
By creating a free Google Business Profile, your property stops being just a random link on an OTA app and becomes a real local business on Google Maps. When you connect this profile to a Lestis website, guests can book directly with you, and you don’t pay a single cent in platform commissions.
How OTAs Eat Your Profits
Every time a guest books through a big platform, your profit margins take a hit. Between what they charge you and what they charge the guest, platforms take between 15% and 22% of the total price.
Let's look at the numbers objectively: On a $2,000 booking, up to $400 goes directly to the intermediary.
The "Google Maps" Advantage
Most people search for accommodations visually. They open Google Maps to check the neighborhood, see what's nearby, and look at photos.
But here is the real secret: when a guest finds a property they like on Airbnb, their very first instinct is to open Google and search for that property by name to see if a direct website offers a better rate. If you don't have an official Google Business Profile and a working website ready for them, they will only find OTA ads, and you will lose the direct booking.
Why Lestis and Google Work Perfectly Together
Google has very specific rules for business listings, and Lestis is built from scratch to follow them automatically, making your life much easier.
The Google Maps Rule: One Address, One Website
Whether you rent out a single villa, a couple of apartments, or three rooms in your own home, Google has a golden rule: you get exactly one business profile per physical address. You cannot create five different map profiles for five separate rooms inside the same building. If you try to do that, Google will block your account.
Lestis is designed exactly around this rule. One Lestis website corresponds to your physical location. Inside that single website, you can list just one property, two apartments, or as many individual rooms as you want. It keeps your business fully compliant with Google's rules so you don't get banned, while giving your guests a clean, single page where they can see everything you have available.
To see how this configuration compares to generic CMS setups, view our Side-by-Side PMS & Builder Comparison.
Google Reads Your Site Automatically
To rank well on Google Maps, your website needs to show search engines exactly what your prices and availability are. Lestis builds this specific code (called Schema data) into your website templates automatically. You don't need to know anything about programming. Google reads your Lestis site instantly, understands your rates, and rewards you with better visibility on the map.
Want additional easy organic tips? Explore our complete Lestis SEO Guide.
Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile for Vacation Rentals
Setting up your profile is simple. Just open Google Business Profile, log in with your normal Gmail account, and follow these steps:
Step 1: Use Your Real Brand Name
Type the name of your property exactly as it appears on your Lestis website. If your site says "Azure Coast Villas," use exactly that on Google. Do not invent a different name or add extra keywords.
Crucial Note: Why consistency matters: If your name is different across platforms, Google gets confused. This allows OTAs to easily hijack your search results and take a 15–25% commission on a guest who was already looking for you. If you need help reclaiming an old or hijacked profile, read our guide on how to Reclaim Your Google Business Profile.
Step 2: Set Your Location and Category
When you start, Google will ask for your business type. Choose the option to add a physical location that customers can visit—meaning yes, you want to add your property to Google Maps. Next, for the primary category, select "Holiday apartment rental" or "Holiday home" or your property category. Finally, type your exact physical address. Make sure it matches the address on your Lestis account perfectly.
Step 3: Add Your Lestis Link
In the "Website" field, paste your custom Lestis website link (like yourbrand.com or property-name.lestis.homes). This is the most important step: it creates the main button on Google Maps that lets guests bypass OTA fees and book directly with you.
Step 4: Add Your Best Photos
Upload the same high-quality, bright photos you use on your Lestis website. Seeing the exact same photos gives guests peace of mind that they are in the right place.
What to Do If Google Asks for Verification
Because there are many fake listings online, Google sometimes asks for proof that your business is real. This is usually a quick video verification.
Don't worry about it at all: just take your phone, start recording outside to show the street sign and your house number, unlock the door with your keys, and show the inside of the property. You are the real owner, so it takes less than a minute and proves to Google that you are a legitimate host.
Simple Tricks to Get More Traffic
Once your profile is live, you can do a few quick, non-technical things to show up higher in Google searches.
Put Your Map on Your Website
Go to Google Maps, find your property, click "Share," and copy the map code (iFrame). Paste this code into the "Location" page editor on your Lestis dashboard. This tells Google that your website and your physical location are definitely connected, which builds trust with the algorithm.
Create a Local Guide Page
People love local recommendations. Use Lestis to create a simple page called "Local Guide" or "Our Recommendations." List your favorite nearby restaurants, cafes, or beach spots. If you can negotiate a small discount for your guests with a local bike rental or boat tour, mention it here. Google likes websites that help users, and this helps your overall visibility.
Ask for Reviews Automatically
Reviews are the number one reason why one property shows up at the top of Google Maps and another doesn't. Inside your Google Business dashboard, copy your unique "Review Link." Send this link to your guests via message or email right after they check out, asking them for a quick 5-star review. More reviews equal more visibility, which means more direct bookings.
Keep Your Profile Alive with Quick Updates
Google likes active businesses. Every two weeks, log into your Google Business Profile and post a quick photo or update—like a nice sunset picture or a note about a local festival happening soon. Always add the native "Book" button to these updates and link it to your Lestis site so people can click and reserve immediately.
Real-World Results & Conclusion
Case Study: Reclaiming a Hidden Gem in Ostuni
The Problem: The property had an existing Google Business Profile, but the owner didn't fully control it. Instead, the profile was dominated by OTA links. Every time a potential guest searched for the specific name of this grotta on Google intending to book directly, third-party platforms intercepted the traffic and took a massive commission.
The Solution: The host took back control of their digital identity. They launched a simple direct booking website on Lestis and updated their Google Business Profile to link directly to their new site.
🚀 The Result:
Within the first 6 months of having the Lestis site online, the host received 6 direct bookings coming straight from Google. These were 6 reservations from guests who were already actively looking for that specific property by name. Without this setup, those bookings would have been 100% lost to the OTAs, forcing the owner to hand over hundreds of dollars in unnecessary commissions.
It's Your Business, Keep the Profits
Combining a great direct website with a well-optimized Google Business Profile gives you the practical certainty of being found whenever someone searches for your exact property name on Google. Even if the big platforms flood the page with paid, sponsored ads, your official Google Maps card will stand right there on the screen, showing your own direct website button where guests can click and book immediately.
Reclaim Your Direct Channel Immediately!
You don't need an agency or complex technical skills to stop renting your guests from third-party platforms.