General Help and Questions

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Our OwnerRez Hosted Websites are already optimized for discovery and indexing by the major search engines, such as Google. This can be expected to take time, but there are commonly available tools that can assist in that process, such as Google Webmaster Tools.

We have not found any commercially-available SEO services to provide any useful value, but, if you do desire to engage such a service, they generally want to place entries in the HEAD area of your website. This is accessible on the Head tab under the Theme & Layout button in your Hosted Website settings.

It is not normally possible to compete in the search engines against the vast advertising power of vacation rental listing channels such as Vrbo and Airbnb - your website normally builds repeat business from guests who first find you via the channels, and then book directly for later visits. Ordinarily, you will rarely if ever have guests who find you via a simple Google search.

However, we have had some clients find success in the search engines in smaller markets, through creating unique and relevant local content on a Custom page on their Hosted Website. This might be a regularly-updated calendar of local events; an index of local attractions with links out to their own websites and links back to your site from theirs; reviews of local restaurants; or many other possible ideas. Google places a high value on this.

thank you

You can configure property-specific contact information under Settings > Theming: https://app.ownerrez.com/settings/theming

We normally charge a flat rate for our property regardless of occupancy, but will change it to a two-person rate with extra-person fees for some portion of the year.  I set up a season to do that.   But I haven't figured out an elegant way to manage this with a single contract other than to send another contract later like the pet contract mentioned in the Help articles.

After MUCH head-scratching, I've figured out how to send one contract for the flat-rate seasons and a different one for the extra-fee seasons.  My process is one email for each category of seasons, with the {BULEASE}?a=1234567 (set to the right contract) instead of the {BUFIXUP}, and I use html to make that into a nice clickable link instead of forcing the guest to copy and paste.   Then I have two triggers, each set up with the right emails and seasons and contract.

Three questions on this, mostly for the OR programmers:

1) Is the portion where the guests fill out the custom fields always presented to them when the {BULEASE} field is used?

2) Other than my making mistakes when I set this up, is there something here that I've missed that could mess this up?  

3) Is there a way to do this for the direct bookings?  We have our own website (WordPress) and I use the OR booking widget.

I hear that some hosts are getting traffic to their ownerrez hosted direct booking site from organic searches on google. Does anyone know how to get their site to show up on google? I don’t mean top of the page or anything, I just mean show up anywhere on google if searching for generic terms like “Tucson vacation homes”. 

Any news on getting this feature added?  I'm encountering the same issue.

Curious to know if I set a triggered email based on record having certain tags, does it need to have ALL of the tags I outline (AND) or will it work if any of the tags are present (OR)?

Specifically, we rate our guests from 1 to 3 in five areas: Overall, Communication, Attitude, Cleanliness, and Difficulty. If they are rated a 3 in ALL areas AND has no violations or damage, I want to send message A. If they are rated "overall" rated a 2 AND are rated a 2 OR a 3 in any other area, AND have no violations or damage, I want to send message B. 

It would be awfully nice if there were a more complex trigger option where we can specify all the typical has this AND this AND this OR this. 

It would also be great if we could test a trigger to ensure it's working the way we anticipate before pushing it live—ensuring something doesn't go awry.

We have 3 properties listed for the account holder, but 1 property should have different contact information than the other 2 (owner contact email, phone, etc). how can i configure OR to use different contact information for messages about that 1 property?

Hi Ken

Just revisiting this old issue. I have been through the support doc (https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/channel-management-api-integrations-property-field-quirks) and have fixed everything I can find on there. However there are still many that I cannot get to change. I will send a message to support.

Pool/hot tub without a gate or lock

Nearby lake, river, other body of water

Climbing or play structure

Heights without rails or protection

Potentially dangerous animal

Security cameras/audio recording devices

Must climb stairs

Potential for noise

Pet(s) live on property

No parking on property

Some spaces are shared

Amenity limitations

Weapons on property

Yep, the profile photo requirement is not an option that Airbnb allows to be set via API, so you must set it on the Airbnb side.

Once set, you should be able to switch back to Everything mode.

Switching to Limited sync mode will allow you to make that change, however this will also affect the overall syncing between OwnerRez and Airbnb. 

Limited - only rates, surcharges/discounts, tax settings, availability and pricing rules (not booking rules, but including minimum-stay rules) and availability will sync between Airbnb and OwnerRez for this property. Property content and cancellation policies will not be synced. Anything related to a booking (bookings, messages, special offers, quotes, reviews), etc. will also be synced.

Everything - all property content, rates, rules, availability, quotes, bookings and reviews (and anything else that can be synced) will be synced between Airbnb and OwnerRez for this property.  This is the recommended option.

Found it!

Had to change the mapping to limited and then i could do it!

Hi All

On Airbnb you can request whether a guest has a profile photo before they can use instant book. It cannot be changed on Airbnb as it is controlled by OR

I've been into the API settings (Booking Mode) and changed things there however I cannot get it to de-select this option on Airbnb.

Any suggestions please?

is There a reason that I should not integrate to all chanels possible through ownerrez? I am new to this, but once I get set up with one, should I just start adding? Or will this coplicate things? 

Once Vrbo's messaging API goes live (sometime in the next century...), I would like three things:

-email ingest into OR (as this post discusses)

-a native (not a PWA) app that supports push alerts

-a unified inbox for channel messaging, SMS, and emails to/from guests

That would make the messaging system worthwhile (and I'd then strongly look into paying for SMS through OR!).

Not really, but, most likely sometime mid next year.

That’s very good to hear Rex! Man that would make the process for my guests so much smoother than the current method I use. Is there an ETA for it?

BlueMtnCabins the feature does not exist. What you’re describing is a time based trigger. I do not want a time based trigger I want an event based trigger. 

I am not collecting the security deposit months in advance. I am collecting the security deposit 2 days in advance. However the guest can complete the security deposit information months in advance, and when they do I want them to receive the door code immediately. This feature currently does not exist with ownerrez. 

At present, OwnerRez does not provide email inbox services.  So, while we can send email messages on your behalf, we cannot receive them like a normal email inbox interface. This may be a feature that is added in the future, but for now you do need to check your email using the email client program of your choice.

I have a hosted site with OR and my domain name is through GoDaddy that includes an email address(Outlook).  I have that vanity email linked in OR which allows me to go into a booking and send an individual email to that guest and automated/triggered emails are sent from the vanity email address).  When a guest replies to any of those emails they do not show up in OR....I can go into a booking and see the outgoing emails but I can't see the replies from the guest or reply to their reply(I don't think I even get an alert email from OR that someone replied).  It would be very helpful to have all communication in one central location versus having to log into a vanity Outlook account.....Or maybe I am missing something?  

Yes!  This is a fairly common configuration, and will work exactly as you've described.

can you have 2 stripe accounts (depositing into 2 different banks) and set it up so that 1 property uses #1 stripe account and deposits into bank account A, and another property uses #2 stripe account for 2nd property which deposits into bank account B?

Is there a way to download the list of portal access users?  Trying to make a list on Mailchimp of owners and people to whom they have given access to their account 

Rather simple. You need to enable the trigger condition that "security deposit is on file". Also, I am puzzled why your sec dep is months in advance. It is usually reserved 2-3 days prior to arrival. In any case, you can set trigger conditions as follows. 

I currently use Beyond Pricing > OwnerRez > Airbnb

Right now I'm using Beyond Pricing to set discounts for:

• Duration of Stay (ex: 10% discount for 7+ days)
• Last Minute Bookings (ex: 20% off if reservation starts tomorrow)

So BP does all the math and pushes these discounts through in the form of a final rate. However, Airbnb also allows me to set discounts, and I'm wondering if I should manage my discounts within Airbnb instead? That way, Airbnb can acknowledge there is a specific % off promotion and hopefully provide a bump in visibility, rather than just seeing a lower price without any discounts.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this! I've searched and searched but don't really see people talking about this...

This is not currently an option, but it is part of the plans for the Messaging redesign that is coming up. Our developers are looking to expand the Trigger scheduling system to include a handful of additional options including Security Deposit completion.

My use case is this. I want a message sent to the guest informing them of the door code but I only want it sent after they have completed the security deposit. I do not want it to be time based (like two days prior to checkin) because that means someone could book three months in advance, complete their deposit requirement, and maybe a week beforehand they send me a message asking what the checkin instructions are. I think it’s a waste of time dealing with questions like that so the checkin instructions should be sent to the guest immediately upon them completing the security deposit. I also don’t want time based because that doesn’t work for same day bookings. 

Ownerez could fix this issue by allowing there to be an event based trigger upon scheduling the security deposit. If it can be done for the rental  agreement I’m not sure why it can’t be done for the security deposit.  

You are correct that Airbnb collects all guest payments themselves, so, you do not have to have your own payment processor if you are only using Airbnb.

However, we do offer the option to take direct security deposit holds for Airbnb guests:

https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/security-deposit-holds#airbnb

And, in order to use that function, yes, you would have to have your own payment processor configured in your OwnerRez account.  But this is up to you.

This response is udder BS. The customers are telling OwnerRez what would make the software better and more valuable and the dismissive response should be embarrassing to this company. There is a valid reason why ppl want and expect this feature. Every software (whether for short term or long term rentals) that I have ever used has had this basic function. OwnerRez just seems obstinate and indignant to the thought of this needing to change and appears to devalue our time and efforts by not addressing this. You might want to start paying attention to the ppl who pay to keep you afloat.

Gaslighting your customers into believing that you are graciously allowing them to access historical data for their properties as a "courtesy" is a bad look and could be an example of the indignant indifference directed towards us users.

Lastly, as far as I can tell from all the comments, NO ONE IS ASKING FOR THE PROPERTIES TO FULLY FUNCTIONAL AT NO COST! You would be right to expect ppl to pay for such benefit but that is not what we want! Having easy access to data is totally different from asking to have all the benefits of a fully functional listing for free. Equivocating the two is your mistake.

BTW. IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO GET FULL SERVICES FOR FREE, JUST USE THE WORK AROUND THAT THEY PROVIDE HERE. LEAVE THE PROPERTIES SET TO ACTIVE EVERYDAY AND JUST CHANGE IT TO DISABLED ON THE BILLING DATE AND YOU WONT BE CHARGED FOR THE MONTH. AHHH! THIS WORK AROUND HAS TRULY BECOME A "COURTESY" NOW HASN'T IT?

Thanks Ken! 

I've setup a 2% discount for etransfers and will see how many take advantage of that.