How would you describe your blog? Is it a personal journal or a travel guide? Or maybe both?
Travel blogs are becoming increasingly popular. They allow travelers to share their experiences and connect with other travelers around the globe. If you want to start a travel blog, here are some things to consider.
A travel blog is a great way to document your travels. Whether you’re traveling solo or with friends, a travel blog allows you to share your stories and photos with the world. You can also use a travel blog as an opportunity to make money. Many bloggers have become successful by monetizing their sites through advertising and affiliate marketing.
A good travel blog should be interesting and useful. It doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. The most important thing is that readers will enjoy reading it.
You don’t necessarily need any special skills or experience to create a travel blog. All you need is a computer, internet connection, and creativity.
What is travel Blog?
A travel blog (also known as a travelogue) is a website where users post travel-related content such as travel tips, reviews of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more.
The term “travel blog” was coined in 1996 when Jeff Jarvis wrote his first travel blog about his trip to New York City. Since then, there has been a huge growth in the number of travel blogs on the web. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, nearly half of all American adults now read a blog at least once per month.
The purpose of a travel blog is to provide information for people who are planning to visit different places or just curious about new destinations. A travel blog can help people find out what they can do while visiting certain locations. It can also serve as a resource for those looking for inspiration or ideas on how to spend their time during vacation.
There are many types of travel blogs:
1. Personal travel blogs – These are written by individuals who plan trips. They may include details about their destination, itinerary, hotel accommodations, restaurant recommendations, and so forth.
2. Destination-based travel blogs – These are focused on specific cities or countries. For example, this type of blog might focus on the best places to eat, stay, shop, etc., in Paris.
3. Travel guides – These are similar to personal travel blogs but they usually cover multiple destinations. For example, a travel guide could cover a variety of destinations including Rome, London, and Paris.
4. News & opinion travel blogs – These blogs are often used to publish news articles, editorials, and opinions about various topics related to travel.
Why start a travel blog?
Travel blogging can be very rewarding. There are several reasons why someone would want to start a travel blogger. Some of these reasons include:
Sharing your experiences with others
This is probably one of the main reasons why people start travel blogs. By sharing your experiences with others, you can encourage them to visit new destinations or discover hidden gems.
Making extra income
Travel blogs can be a source of additional income for bloggers. Some bloggers earn money from advertisements and affiliate programs. Others sell merchandise like T-shirts, mugs, and other items.
Being an influencer
If you have enough followers, you can become an influential person online. You can use this influence to promote products or services that you believe in.
Building relationships
Travel blogs allow you to connect with people across the world. Through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and more, you can build connections with people around the globe.
Helping others
Another reason why people start travel blogs is because they want to make a difference in the lives of others. They want to share their knowledge and experience with others.
What you will be doing as a travel blogger
As a travel blogger, you will be writing about your travels. This means that you should write about everything that you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and feel while traveling. Your goal is to keep your readers up to date with the latest happenings in your destination.
You will need to take lots of photos, videos, and audio files. If you don’t already know how to take good pictures, you should learn before starting a travel blog. You can get started with some free photo editing software such as Photoshop Elements or GIMP.
You will also need to create content that will attract visitors to your site. Therefore, you will need to develop unique and interesting ways to describe your trip.
Some tips for creating quality content
When it comes to creating quality content, there are two things that you should consider:
Be yourself
Your travel blog needs to reflect your personality. If you’re not comfortable being honest about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, then your travel blog won’t be authentic.
Write what interests you
If you love to write, then you should try to write about topics that interest you. However, if you don’t enjoy writing, then you shouldn’t force yourself to do so. Instead, focus on finding topics that intrigue you.
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor has over 50 million users who post reviews of hotels, restaurants, attractions, activities, events, shopping, and more. Users can read reviews by other travelers or rate their own experiences.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet features articles written by experts. These articles cover various topics including culture, history, food, outdoor recreation, and local customs.
How to Create a Travel Blog
Choose a name for your travel Blog
Think about what kind of content you want to include in your travel blog. Do you want to write about destinations or people? Would you like to post reviews on hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc.?
Once you know what type of content you want to feature in your travel blog, choose a unique name that reflects this. For example, if you plan to focus on food, you could call your site “The Foodie’s Guide to…”. If you plan to review places, you could call your website “The Ultimate Traveler’s Guide to …”.
Create a domain name for your travel blog
A domain name is a web address that shows up when someone types an email address into his/her browser. It’s important to have a memorable domain name.
There are many websites where you can buy domains for cheap. Remember that buying a domain name doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll receive traffic from search engines. So, you might want to invest in a premium domain name rather than one that costs less money.
Get Hosting For Your Blog
Hosting is when someone else takes care of your computer so It isn’t as confusing as it sounds! Websites usually “rent” space on the internet. A place where you can store all your blog‘s data, files, photos, and posts so that people around the globe can easily access them when they type in your blog’s domain name.
It’s not expensive at all. BlueHost is a good choice for new travel blogs. There are many different web hosts out there, but Bluehost is very affordable and makes setting up a new blog super easy.
Install WordPress Software
After purchasing BlueHost, the next step is installing WordPress. This is what I’ve used. All the top travel blogs use this as well (because it’s the most popular blogging platform). Even professional websites like The New York Times, BBC, TechCrunch, and Disney are on WordPress. My personal preference is for WordPress.com because it’s free and easy to use. Bluehost makes it very easy to create an online presence for your business. And best of all, it’s free It’s free!
If you’re serious about travel blogging, then you should get a self-hosted WordPress account rather than a free one. So, you can have your very own website URL instead of one ending in “wordpress.com”. With WordPress, you’ll have full control of your content, ads, themes, and plugins. Which is a must if you plan to be a successful travel blogger.
Finally, having a hosted WordPress account allows you to access Google Analytics, which is super useful for travel bloggers. If I didn’t track my website data with this tool, I would not be able to have partnerships and collaborations with tourist boards and brands
Without further ado, let’s get started by setting up WordPress for your travel blogging site.
Find a theme for your travel blog
Now, we need to find a theme for our travel blog. There are thousands of themes available on the internet. But only a few will work for us. We don’t want something too complicated or flashy. We just want a simple design that looks great.
I recommend using a template called “Luxury”. Luxury has been downloaded over 1 million times and has received rave reviews from users.
Download Luxury Theme
The last thing you need to do before starting your travel blog is to install WordPress. You can download WordPress directly from their website. However, if you already have a hosting account, you can always log into your hosting dashboard and click on “installation”.
Create a logo for your travel blog
Creating a logo for your travel site is important. It helps you brand yourself and set yourself apart from other travel bloggers. Most of the time, the first impression visitors make on your website is through your logo.
So, create a logo for your travel website. Here are some tips:
1. Use a minimalistic style.
2. Keep it clean. No unnecessary text or images.
3. Make sure it stands out from the crowd.
4. Include your company name.
5. Don’t forget the colors.
6. Be original and creative.
7. Remember to keep it small.
Install WordPress plugins for travel blog
Once you have installed WordPress, you’re ready to start building your travel blog. Now, we need to install some essential plugins so your travel blog runs smoothly. These plugins will help you manage your social media accounts, automatically update posts when published, and more.
Installing Plugins
Plugins are little programs that allow you to add extra features to your website. For example, they can automate tasks such as scheduling posts, creating custom pages, and much more. To install these plugins, go to the plugin section of your WordPress dashboard. Then type in the search bar “travel” or “blogging”. Scroll down until you see the plugins you want. Click on Install now.
After installing the plugins, you’ll be prompted to activate them. Activate means that the plugins are now active and working. Once activated, you won’t have to worry about activating them again.
Craft Your Online Persona
Your online persona is what people see when they visit your travel blog. This includes your profile picture, cover photo, bio, header image, etc.
If you’re new to blogging, you may feel like you don’t know how to craft an attractive online presence. That’s okay! Just follow these steps:
1. Create a beautiful profile picture.
The first thing you need to do is download the free app, which will help you create your own custom avatar and upload it for use on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
Once you have created a new account, you’ll be prompted to select an image from within the app. Choose one that fits with the theme of your blog or website (e.g., if you’re using WordPress as your platform, choose a photo that represents your brand).
2. Add a background image.
Next, add a background image to your profile page. If you don’t have any photos of your family or friends, then you can always take a stock photo from Google Images.
To find a suitable image, just type in keywords related to your travel destination. Alternatively, you can also browse through Flickr and Instagram for inspiration.
You can also use this opportunity to include a relevant quote or motivational message.
3. Write a compelling biography.
Now, write a brief biography about yourself. You can include all the information you wish to share about yourself, including where you’ve traveled, why you love traveling, and anything else that might interest readers.
Make sure to include links to any previous blogs or articles written by you. This way, visitors who land on your site will get a glimpse into your personality.
4. Update your cover photo.
Finally, update your cover photo. The best option would be to use a high-resolution version of your profile pic. However, this isn’t possible for everyone. So, if you don’t already have a good quality photo of yourself, you can either opt for a professional headshot or take a selfie.
5. Set up your email address.
Now, set up a personal email address for yourself. It should reflect your name, e.g.,
6. Complete your About page.
Complete your About page. Include details about yourself and your travel experiences. In addition, make sure to link out to any other websites or blogs you’ve previously written.
7. Complete your Contact Us page.
Add contact form to your website so that users can send you messages directly via email. Make sure to include your phone number, mailing address, and email address so that people can reach you easily.
8. Use Social Media Accounts.
Social media accounts are another great way to promote your blog. Once you have completed step 3 above, you’ll want to log in to each of your social media accounts and post updates about your travel adventures.
These 8 steps should take you less than 60 minutes. If you want to learn more about crafting an attractive online persona, check out my free guide here.
Writing Your First Blog Posts
The next step is to start writing your posts.
As mentioned earlier, I recommend starting off with a few short stories that highlight some of your most memorable trips. These stories could be based around the places you visited or the food you ate. Whatever inspires you.
When writing these posts, try to keep them under 500 words. Remember, you’re aiming to attract casual travelers who may not have much time to spend reading long-form content.
If you’re struggling to come up with ideas for your first few posts, consider incorporating one of the following:
1. Guest Posting
Guest posting is a great way to earn backlinks to your own site. All you need to do is submit guest posts to relevant blogs and ask bloggers to publish it on their sites.
2. Interviews
If you know someone who has recently returned home after visiting a particular place, you can conduct an interview with him/her. Ask questions like “What was the best part of your trip? Why did you choose to visit this location?”
3. Photo Essays
Photo essays allow you to showcase beautiful images from a certain destination. They often work well as standalone pieces because they give the reader something new to look at every single day.
You can also combine photos with text to create a story. For instance, you could write a travel article about the history behind a famous landmark. Then, you can add a few stunning photos to tell the story.
4. Reviews
Reviews are a great way to share your thoughts on a specific place. You can write reviews about restaurants, hotels, attractions, etc.
Here’s an example review: “I stayed at Hotel X during my recent trip to Y city. This hotel had everything I needed – including breakfast!”
5. Lists
Lists are another popular type of content. You can create lists of things to see, places to eat, places to stay, etc.
For example, you could list the top 10 must-see attractions in Rome, Italy; or the best hotels in New York City.
6. Infographics
Infographics are visually appealing ways to present information. Here’s an example:
7. Q&A Sessions
Q & A sessions are similar to interviews. However, instead of asking someone about themselves, you ask them about a topic related to traveling. For example, you could ask a local what he thinks about the best beaches in Thailand.
Once again, you can use these types of posts to build links back to your website.
8. How To Guides
How to guides are great resources for beginners who want to learn how to achieve a certain skill. For example, if you want to learn how to cook Thai food, you can read a how to guide on how to make Pad Thai.
This type of content is especially useful for people looking to monetize their blogs. As mentioned before, affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to make money online. If you’re interested in earning passive income through affiliate marketing, check out this post by Wealthy Affiliate University.
9. Vlogs
Vlogs (short for video blogs) are videos uploaded to YouTube. The key difference between vlogs and regular blog posts is that vlogs usually include more personalization than a typical blog post.
10. Quizzes
Quizzes are fun and easy to create. Just pick a category (i.e., music, movies, books, TV shows, sports, games, etc.) then ask users to answer multiple choice questions.
11. Podcasts
Podcasts are audio recordings made available over the internet. Users can listen to podcasts while commuting, exercising, cooking, cleaning, etc.
12. Slide Shows
Slide shows are a visual representation of text. They’re typically used to promote webinars or presentations.
Network With Other Bloggers
Once you start getting traffic to your site, it will be time to network with other bloggers. Many of them may have similar interests and would enjoy reading your content.
When you reach out to fellow bloggers, don’t just send them an email saying “Hi”. Instead, offer to help them improve their own sites. For example, if one blogger has written a lot of articles about hiking but none of them were very successful, you could suggest writing some guest posts for him/her.
You could also recommend an article from your site that they might find interesting. In exchange, you’ll get backlinks to your site.
Start Making Money With Your Blog!
If you’ve been following along in my course, you now know all of the steps necessary to start making money with your travel blog.
I’m sure you have many ideas of your own about what you’d like to write about. I encourage you to keep brainstorming.
The most important thing is to remember that starting a travel blog isn’t as difficult as it seems. So go ahead, give yourself permission to dream big!
How Much Money Can You Make From A Travel Blog?
So, let’s say you decide to launch a travel blog and you spend $50 per month hosting costs. That means that after 12 months, you’ll have spent $600 and earned $1,800.
What does that mean? Well, assuming that you average 1,000 visitors per day, which is fairly common, you’ll earn around $2 per visitor.
Now, there are a few things that affect the amount you actually make:
Number of Visitors Per Day
More visitors higher earnings
Average Pageviews Per Visitor
Higher pageviews higher earnings
Length Of Time To Earn Income
Longer higher earnings
Amount Of Content You Produce
More higher earnings
These factors should give you a pretty good idea about how much money you can expect to make with your travel blog. But keep in mind that these numbers only apply to those who focus primarily on blogging.
If you plan to do any kind of paid advertising, such as sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, or product reviews, the amount you can make will vary significantly.
In addition, if you want to monetize your blog by selling products, you’ll need to factor in additional expenses. These include things like shipping fees, taxes, and commissions.
To learn more about how much money you could potentially make with a travel blog, check out this list of 52 ways to make money online.
Conclusion
Starting a travel blog is easier than you think. It doesn’t require a huge investment of time or money. And once you get started, you’ll quickly see results.
We’re always happy to answer questions and provide support to anyone who wants to take the next step towards becoming a professional blogger.
0 Comments