Why It Matters
Video backgrounds — turn your guidebook into a first impression.
Many digital guidebook tools give you a static photo and call it customization. SmoothStay supports full video backgrounds via YouTube or Vimeo, so the first thing your guests see can be the view from your terrace, the waves at sunset, or a slow pan through your living room.
It's the kind of touch that turns a guidebook into something guests screenshot and send to their friends. Hosts have told us it's the moment guests stop thinking "this is software" and start thinking "this host put real care into the experience."
Desktops autoplay automatically. On mobile, you can opt in to autoplay or let guests tap to play — your choice, since some guests are on mobile data and some aren't.
How it Works
1
Set the welcome message
Open any property's settings and write your welcome title and subtitle. Different properties get different messages — the beach house can sound casual, the boutique villa can sound polished. Both live under the same account.
2
Choose your background
Pick one of four options: a clean layout with no background, a single image, a 5-photo slideshow, or a video from YouTube or Vimeo. The video option is the one most hosts come back to once they try it.
3
Pin the articles guests need first
Inside any article, toggle *Pin to home section*. The article appears as a quick-access shortcut on the home screen, with its subcategory icon. For your highest-priority articles — usually wifi or directions — turn on *Wide shortcut display* so they stand out.
Pricing
The full custom home screen — video backgrounds, slideshows, multiple pinned articles, per-property customization — is included on every paid plan
How to Customize My Digital Guidebook's Home Screen?
Video backgrounds work best when they're short and ambient. A 10–30 second loop of the view, a slow pan through the property, or a sunset clip beats a fully edited promo video. Guests aren't watching it — they're feeling it.
Pin three or four articles, not ten. The home screen is for the things every guest needs in their first hour. Wifi. Directions. Welcome instructions. Beyond that, pinning more starts to defeat the purpose — guests will scroll.
Use the welcome subtitle for what's NOT obvious. Don't waste it on "we hope you enjoy your stay." Use it for something practical guests don't know yet — "Check-in instructions are below" or "Tap the Map tab for our local picks."
