Short answer: In Smoobu, open the booking engine’s Embed in website settings, choose either all properties (with a search) or a single property, copy the code, and paste it into a WordPress Custom HTML block. Use the all-properties form on your homepage or properties page and a single-property form on each property page, and write each property’s details as normal page text so it can rank.

Smoobu makes it easy to take direct bookings on an external website. Its booking engine can be embedded with a short piece of code, so you can keep Smoobu for your calendar, prices and channel sync, and use WordPress for a website that’s truly yours.

Step 1: Set up the booking engine in Smoobu

  • Make sure each property has prices configured. Properties without prices don’t appear in the booking form.
  • Check your payment settings and booking rules, since website bookings will follow them.

Step 2: Choose the right form

Smoobu gives you two versions of the embed:

  • All accommodations: guests see all your properties with a search. Best for the homepage or a “Properties” page.
  • A single property: shows only that property’s availability and price. Best for each property page.

Most sites with more than one property use both.

Step 3: Copy the embed code

In the booking engine settings, open the Embed in website tab, pick the form you want and copy the code. There are also options such as a transparent background and opening results in a new tab. Smoobu’s interface changes from time to time, so if the names differ slightly, look for the embed or website integration section of the booking tool.

Step 4: Add it to WordPress

  1. Edit the page in WordPress.
  2. Add a Custom HTML block where you want the booking form.
  3. Paste the Smoobu code and update the page.
  4. Preview on desktop and on a phone, then make a test booking.

Step 5: Build pages that rank

The booking form handles dates and payment. It doesn’t help you rank, because its content is loaded from Smoobu. Around it, add:

  • A heading with the property name and location.
  • A written description that isn’t copied from Airbnb.
  • Amenities as a normal list, and sections for location and house rules.
  • Photos with descriptive file names and alt text.
  • A few FAQs in the words guests use.
  • VacationRental schema with location, capacity and amenities.

Keeping the site fast

An embedded booking form adds extra loading. Place it where guests expect it, reserve space for it so the page doesn’t jump, and avoid loading it on pages that don’t need it, such as blog posts.

Moving from the Smoobu website builder

Smoobu includes a website builder. If you’re replacing it with WordPress, keep the old site live until the new one launches, then redirect or unpublish it so only one version appears in search. Smoobu also provides a hosted booking page, which is handy to link from emails and social profiles.

International guests

Many Smoobu hosts welcome guests from several countries. If you translate your website, use proper hreflang tags so each language version ranks in the right market.

Prefer to have it built for you? See my Smoobu website design service, or learn how to get recommended by AI search.