📚 How to create an article

Articles hold everything your guests need to know: the Wi-Fi password, how the AC works, checkout steps, your favorite taco spot. Your guidebook shows them to guests, and your AI Concierge uses them to answer guest questions.

Two kinds of articles

Guidebook articles appear in your guidebook with a cover image, map, and full formatting. Your AI Concierge uses them too. Use them for anything guests should be able to browse, like arrival instructions, your house manual, or local recommendations.

AI data source only articles are hidden from guests. They're plain text, and your AI Concierge uses them to answer questions. Use them for FAQs and quick facts that guests ask about but don't need to browse, like pet policy details or where the extra towels are.

The parent category decides which kind you get, not the article.

How your content is organized

Category: a big topic, like "Restaurant recommendations."
Subcategory: a narrower group, like "Vegan and vegetarian."
Article: one entry, like a restaurant, an instruction, or a tip.

Guests move from category to subcategory to article, so put each article where a guest would look for it. If a category only needs one level, turn on Streamlined category view so guests skip the subcategory step.

Create an article visible to guests

Open Articles. In the sidebar, go to Guest Experience → Kowledge Base.
Click Add article. Use the button at the top right, or open a category and subcategory and click Add article at the bottom of its list. The second way puts the article in the right place from the start.
Name it and save. Use the words a guest would look for: "Wi-Fi," "Checkout steps," "Best tacos nearby." Click Save to open the editor.

The editor has four tabs: Content, Media cover, Map display, and Visibility.

Write the description (Content tab). Use the editor to write the answer or the steps. Two buttons help here:
- Data dictionary inserts property-specific details like the unit name or address. One article can then serve every property, and you don’t need a copy per unit.
- AI Assistant rewrites or polishes your text. It needs at least 40 characters to work with.
You can add images to the description, but write the key details as text too. Your AI Concierge reads text only, so a Wi-Fi password that only appears in a photo can’t be used to answer guests.
Add keywords (optional). Up to five words or phrases that help guests search and help your AI Concierge find the article. An article titled “Wi-Fi” could use “internet,” “password,” and “network.”
Add a button (optional). Link to a website, booking page, menu, or document, then enter the URL and pick a button label.
Add a cover (optional, Media cover tab). Upload a single image, build a slideshow, add a hosted video, or use dynamic images linked to the host or property address. For restaurants, shops, and attractions, click Import a place from Google on the Content tab to fill in the venue details automatically.
Check the map (optional, Map display tab). Choose the type of location to show on the map, if the article has one.
Review visibility. See below.

Visibility settings

Open the Visibility tab in the article editor.

Sharing and security

Active: On by default. Turn it off to hide the article everywhere: guests won’t see it and your AI Concierge won’t use it. Your content stays saved, so you can turn it back on anytime.
Restrict access: For sensitive details like door codes, lockbox codes, and directions. In reservation links, the article appears only from your lead time until checkout. It always appears in general share links and never in public guidebooks. See Overview of privacy and security for how each link type works.

Placement

Category and subcategory: Move the article to a different place in your guidebook.
Tag: Show the article only under one tag, or choose All to show it for every tag.
Restrict visibility to a property: Limit the article to one property. Leave it as Unrestricted to use it across all your properties.

Marketing settings

Hide from OTA guests: Turn this on for articles that promote direct bookings, collect emails for marketing, or ask for reviews on other platforms. In reservation links, the article is hidden from guests who booked through a channel you set as an OTA. General share links don’t check the booking channel, so set those links’ OTA compliance to Restricted before sending them to OTA guests.
Add sponsored label: If the article includes affiliate links or paid recommendations, turn this on so guests see a “Sponsored recommendation” label. You can add your own disclaimer, which appears at the bottom of the article. Sponsored articles are also hidden on OTA links.

Display settings

Large card format: Shows the article as a bigger card in lists. Works best for visual listings with a cover image, like restaurants or things to do.
Pin to home section: Adds the article to your guidebook’s home section as a quick-access shortcut.
Wide shortcut display: Makes the pinned shortcut wider on the home section.

Create AI data source only articles

In Guest Experience → Kowledge Base, create a new category.
Select AI data source only, then click Save.
Add subcategories and articles as usual. Every article in this category is AI data source only.

These articles have no cover media or map, and the editor is simpler. They don't appear in any guidebook link.

Write them the way guests ask. A title like "Can I bring my dog?" followed by a two-line answer works better than a long policy page.

To show one to guests, move it to a regular category. It will then appear in your guidebook like any other article, so add a cover image to make it stand out.

Tips for better articles

Put the answer in the first sentence. Guests read on their phones, and your AI Concierge gives better answers from direct statements.
One topic per article. "Pool" works better than "Pool, gym, and parking," both for guests scanning and for the AI finding the right answer.
Check imported and dynamic fields before you share. Google imports and Data dictionary values are only as accurate as their source.
Fix the article, not just the message. When a guest asks something your guidebook already covers, reread that article. It usually means the answer is buried.
Give edits a moment to reach the AI Concierge. It picks up your changes immediately the next time a guest opens the chat, or within 10 minutes if the chat is already open.

Need help?

Email us at hello@smoothstay.io. Feedback is always welcome.