This video provides a step-by-step guide on creating five essential pages for a guest website using WordPress, the Rufus theme, and the Kubio editor. The purpose is to help hosts build a user-friendly and informative website to enhance the guest experience.
your guest guide starts here build your sites five essential pages i'm Jessica i've spent 20 years building systems for teams and companies and now I help hosts do the same if you've ever thought "There has got to be a better way to do this." You're right and we're going to build it together let's get into it we'll build these five pages step by step in WordPress using the Rufus theme and the Kubio editor starting with the welcome page we'll start by logging into WordPress and heading to the Kubio editor from the dashboard once we open the site it'll land us on the homepage where we'll begin making a few simple but powerful changes the first thing I like to do is remove any default sections we don't need you can always add more later but keeping things clean and minimal at the beginning makes the site feel more intentional and easier for guests to navigate next let's update the hero section at the top of the page this is your first impression so take a moment to make it shine i'm swapping out the background image with a bright welcoming photo of a home something that feels inviting and showcases your space in its best light natural daylight is your best friend here and a clean welcome post photo can go a long way toward making guests feel confident and excited about their stay now I'll quickly update the welcome banner text to something warm and friendly just a simple message to greet guests and set the tone below that I'm updating the two primary buttons to link to the home guide and about pages these are usually what guests are looking for first how things work and who's hosting them so it's helpful to make those front and center and finally we'll scroll down to update the body content with a warm welcome message this is your chance to speak directly to your guests share a little personality make them feel seen and set the tone for their experience keep it simple positive and guest focused even one thoughtful sentence can go a long way in creating connection and trust now let's create your arrival page this is where you'll give guests everything they need for a smooth check-in from directions to parking to how to get inside inside the Kubio editor we'll go to the left menu and open site content then choose pages from there click new page give it a name arrival and Kubio will generate the layout automatically using the templates included in your theme it's a super fast way to start with something clean and consistent next we'll update the header background i'm selecting the hero image section and opening the style tab in the left menu this is a great spot to swap in an image that reflects your location think a neighborhood street a scenic local view or even a recognizable city skyline it helps guests visually anchor where they're headed and gives your site a polished local feel now add a blank section below to build out the actual arrival content next let's create your home guide page this will eventually become your go-to space for sharing how-to information about the home Wi-Fi appliances quirks and more we'll go to site content then pages and click new page just like before I'm naming it home guide and Kubio will generate a simple layout using the themes built-in templates for now I'm adding a paragraph block and typing in coming soon that's because this page will eventually be powered by the blog feature inside WordPress allowing you to organize your tips and tutorials using categories we'll walk through that process in an upcoming video so for now we're just creating the placeholder to make sure guests can find it I'll add the home guide page to our site's main menu inside Kubio go to menus in the lefth hand panel select the primary menu and click to add a new item let's go ahead and create the departure page this is where you'll leave clear instructions for guests to check out smoothly and respectfully a quick shortcut here instead of starting from scratch I'm duplicating the arrival page in Kubio you can easily copy an existing page layout rename it departure and then update the content this keeps your design consistent and saves you time from there just swap in your departure checklist think linens trash thermostat settings and you're good to go let's wrap up with the final page your about page this is your opportunity to create a personal connection with your guests and show them the story behind the space i'm starting by adding a simple paragraph section and pasting in a short history of the home this kind of content does more than just fill space it builds trust when guests understand the love and care that's gone into your home they naturally treat it with more respect whether it's a renovation story or just a few personal touches you've added over the years it helps your space feel lived in but in the best way to give this section a little polish I'm adding a heading block above the paragraph and a divider for a subtle visual break then below that I'll insert a new section with a gallery element this is where you can showcase your space upload photos of the different rooms favorite features or outdoor areas these visuals help set expectations and spark excitement before your guests even arrive next I'll add a meet the owner section above the text I'm adding a two column layout then uploading a photo to each side even if you don't host in person showing your face builds trust it humanizes the experience and reminds guests there's a real person behind the property who cares a warm message here something simple and genuine goes a long way in setting the tone for their entire stay and that's it you've built the five essential pages every guest site needs welcome arrival departure home guide and about with just a few clicks your guest experience is already clearer smoother and more personal you did it five pages done and we're just getting started in the next videos I'll show you how to customize your content streamline your how-tos and turn your site into a powerful tool for digital hospitality