Many of us dream of travelling the world for a living. Well, with patience, planning and a little bit of investment in resources, you can actually turn this dream into a reality with a travel blog. With more and more people eager to explore the world, the demand for useful and reader-friendly travel content has increased over the past few years, making it the perfect time to branch out as a travel blogger. Here’s how you can get started –
1. Identify A Unique Need.
There are many travel bloggers. So, what is going to be your USP? Identify a particular market of travellers that is not being catered to and reach out to them with your content to build a loyal following. Or, think of an innovative way to present your content that no one else has done thus far to stand out. At the end of the day, your blog is your product. Pick an area that isn’t over-saturated and dominate it!
2. Invest In Your Brand
Do not try to cut costs in the beginning and start on the wrong foot. Remember, first impression really is the last impression when it comes to building a brand. So, save up some money and invest in a proper logo, website and images. It will start paying off almost immediately. There are many online resources that make this accessible. For logos, digital marketing and creatives, you can start with services like fiverr.com – where you can get services from freelancers at USD 5-15 for specific projects.
3. Purchase An Actual Domain Name.
Instead of opting for a free blog, which sends out a message to brands that you aren’t even ready to invest in your own self, make it a point to purchase a domain name. Cross-check if your domain name with social media handle availability to maintain consistency and easy recall value. Once you’ve purchased a domain name, you’ll also need to purchase hosting space and build a reader-friendly site {there are lots of free WordPress templates you can use to get started}.
4. Plan. And, Plan Some More.
Travel blogging is a huge commitment and takes a lot of dedication. From deciding on a name and creating a logo to designing a Website, building social media pages and designing promotional campaigns, there’s a lot to plan besides the actual writing, photography and travel components. Plan out at least two months worth of content, for both your blog and social media portals, in advance so you don’t get stuck midway once your blog is out there in the open {especially if you are already working full time somewhere else}. Remember, consistency is the key. Set a schedule well in advance and stick to it. Rookie Tip – pre-schedule your posts!
5. Be Honest With Your Readers.
Although you may want to accept the very first paid blog post offer you receive from a brand, remember that readers can sniff dishonesty. It is best to either indicate which posts are sponsored transparently, or to be balanced in your reviews of brands you have tied-up with which also have flaws that need to be addressed to readers. Don’t cheat your readers, or they won’t come back.
6. Build A Subscriber List
Maintain a list of subscribers so you can reach out to them with monthly emailers and giveaways. As time goes by and your database expands, you can create various packages for brands you wish to pitch to based on these stats. Incentivize the traffic that comes to your website to sign-up by providing good quality free content such as guides, useful tips etc
7. Invest Smartly
Invest in a good photography/ videography set up like a DSLR or a GoPro because most of your travel-related blog posts and social media content is going to be visual in nature if you want to engage your readers fully. Also invest in small paid promotional campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to push your content out and to build followers steadily. Rookie Tip – Pay attention to analytics on your blog and social media handles to see how each promotional campaign is really performing.
8. Don’t Be Hasty
Do not expect your travel blog to generate income for you overnight, or for every tourism board to contact you for free vacations. Brands pay attention to consistency, track-record and stats, so give yourself at least 6 months before you expect generating any basic revenue stream.
9. Build a Network
More than anything else, building a network among fellow travel bloggers, media houses, brands, travel agencies et al is what will start giving you opportunities to grow in this field. Start attending events & workshops, signing up for other travel bloggers newsletters, follow and comment on social media handles as well and you will soon start getting noticed.
10. Travel More and Travel Well
As you travel more and more, focus on developing your style of travel – be it a budget backpacker, a luxury tourist, a photojournalist, architecture aficionado etc. You will need to go the extra mile whenever you are travelling to explore and observe a place beyond the beaten path, so that you have to offer something more than the obvious. As a travel blogger, you need to be a jack of all but certainly a master of one. That is what will become your brand eventually and attract loyal followers.
Bon Voyage !