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Launch checklist for your short-term rental website

Everything you need to have ready before, during and after your site goes live, in order. Tick off each step as you go.

9 stages · 40+ checks · printable

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1. Domain and identity

The foundation: an address of your own, registered in your name, that guests can trust.

Register your own domain (.pt or .com)Short, easy to spell over the phone and linked to your property's name. Register it in your own name, not someone else's.
Make sure the domain is in your nameCheck that you are the registrant. That is what leaves you free to change provider whenever you want.
Set up a professional email address on the domainAn address like bookings@yourplace.pt inspires more trust than a Gmail account.
Choose the public name of your propertyUse the same name on your site, Booking, Airbnb and Google Business, so you're easier to find.

2. Photos and content

Photos sell the stay before any text does. If you can only improve one thing in your content, start with them.

Photo shoot in natural light, with the house tidyMorning or late afternoon, curtains open and no personal items in sight. A professional photographer usually pays off.
Photograph every room and the outsideBedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, balcony or garden, the view and the front of the house. Guests want to see everything.
Choose a strong cover photoThe first image decides whether a guest keeps looking. Pick the one that shows the house at its best.
Write an honest, complete descriptionHow many guests, how many bedrooms, what's included, the area and what's nearby, without exaggerating.
List the amenities you really have (Wi-Fi, air conditioning, parking…)Only what actually exists. An amenity that turns out not to be there leads to a bad review.

3. Booking engine

With a booking engine, guests pick their dates and request a booking without leaving your site. If the engine takes online payment (a channel manager's, for example), they pay there too.

Choose between a platform widget and a custom integrationA widget from Smoobu, Lodgify or similar is quick to set up; a custom integration gives you more control over the booking process.
Set seasonal prices and minimum staysHigh and low season, weekends, minimum number of nights. Set it all up before you open bookings.
Set up fees and extras (cleaning, tourist tax)Include them in the final price the guest sees, so there are no surprises at payment.
Test a booking from start to finishMake a test booking, just as a guest would: choose the dates, send the request (or pay, if the engine takes online payment) and check that everything reaches you.

4. Calendar sync (iCal)

This is what reduces the risk of double bookings when you sell on your site and on the OTAs at the same time.

Connect the site calendar to Booking via iCalImport Booking's iCal link into the site. If the site or booking engine also publishes a calendar (as a channel manager does), import it into Booking; if not, close the dates of each direct booking there yourself.
Connect the site calendar to Airbnb via iCalDo the same with Airbnb and any other channels you use.
Test that dates are blocked across channelsMake a test booking on one channel and check the date is blocked on the others before you rely on the sync.
Remember that iCal sync has a delayiCal updates at intervals, not instantly. For dates in high demand, leave a safety margin.

5. Payments

Decide how you get paid: arranged directly with the guest (bank transfer or MB WAY), or online if you use a booking engine with payments (a channel manager's, for example). Either way, the money should go straight into your own account.

Accept cards (domestic and international)Very useful for guests from abroad. With a booking engine that takes payments, it connects to your bank account through Stripe or IfThenPay.
Offer MB WAY and Multibanco referencesThese are the methods many Portuguese guests prefer, and they help more people complete their booking.
Set your payment policy (deposit or full amount)Charge everything when the guest books, or a deposit with the balance closer to the stay: decide and set it up.
Write your cancellation policyClear and visible before payment. It prevents disputes and gives guests confidence.

6. Legal: registration and data

Short-term rental (Alojamento Local) is a regulated activity in Portugal. Your site has to reflect what the law requires.

Have your AL registration and RNT numberRegistration with the Registo Nacional de Turismo (RNT) is mandatory to operate. The number must appear on your listing.
Show the RNT number on your sitePut it where guests can see it, in the footer or on the contact page. It's mandatory and builds trust.
Publish a privacy and cookie policyRequired under the GDPR as soon as you collect email addresses or booking details.
Get consent when collecting email addressesA clear consent box on the form, explaining what you'll do with the email address.

7. Local and technical SEO

A site only brings in bookings if people find it. SEO helps you appear when they search for accommodation in your area.

Write a unique title and description for each pageInclude the area and the type of property (e.g. "Holiday home in Viana do Castelo"). This is what appears on Google.
Make sure the site works well and loads fast on mobileMost searches happen on a phone. A slow site loses bookings and drops in Google's results.
Create content about the regionWhat to see, how to get there, why stay. It answers what guests search for and helps your site get found.
Submit the site to Google Search ConsoleSo Google indexes your pages and you can see how people find you.
Add SSL (the https padlock)Without it, the browser marks the site as "not secure" and the guest gives up.

8. Google Business and other channels

It's where many guests find you first, and the shortest route to your site and a direct booking.

Create or claim your Google Business ProfileIf your property qualifies, the profile is free and appears on Maps and in local search, with photos, opening hours and a link to your site.
Link your Google Business Profile to your siteAdd your website address to the profile, so people who find you on Google can book with you directly, with no OTA commission.
Keep your brand consistent on the OTAsThe same name and photos on Booking and Airbnb help people who look you up on Google trust your site.
Give guests a reason to book directA small discount or a little extra for direct bookings. Without the OTA's 10 to 25% (on a site built by us you pay no commission), you still come out ahead.

9. Before you hit publish

The final check. Five minutes here can save you from losing your first booking over a forgotten detail.

Test every link and the contact formClick everything. Check that the form really arrives in your inbox.
Check the site on a phone and on a computerOpen it on both and go through it as a guest would. Fix anything that looks wrong or gets cut off.
Check that your contact details are correctPhone, email, WhatsApp. One wrong number means a lost booking.
Proofread spelling and prices on every pageTypos and out-of-date prices damage your credibility from the first visit.
Make one last test booking, start to finishBook as a guest would (and pay, if the site takes online payment) and check that the request reaches you.

Tip: use your browser's Print option and choose "Save as PDF" to keep the checklist to hand, even offline.

With all of this done, your site is ready to take direct bookings at any time of day.

Want help with this list?

We build your site with booking requests by form and WhatsApp and an availability calendar that shows the dates already booked on Booking.com and Airbnb. If your property is eligible, we also set up your Google Maps listing.

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