Writing a travel blog sounds like fun doesn’t it? However, there’s a lot of people doing it so I can imagine many of you thinking “it’s such a saturated market, can I really turn it into my living?”. I’m here to tell you, Yes you can, and here’s my guide on how to start a travel blog yourself.
As with all industries there is room for everybody, just because a lot of people are doing something it doesn’t mean they’re all doing it well. Success only comes to those that commit, persist, and deliver what their audience want. So let’s get you started.
Why am I qualified to show you how to set up a Travel blog? I own a marketing agency and we have supported a large number of individuals and companies in setting up blogs for their businesses. I’m also a keen traveler as you may have noticed from the @OutlookGlobal Instagram account, so I know this niche very well.
This post promised to be a quick guide on how to start a travel blog, so I’ll get right to it. Follow these steps and you’ll have your blog up in no time.
What Can You Gain From Running a Travel Blog?
There are many benefits to starting a blog. The prime reason people start is to generate some revenue from their passion. This is definitely possible, but it will take some work.
The key word in that sentence was ‘passion’. You’re going to have to put in a lot of work before you can call it your full time career, so if it’s not something you’re passionate about there’s a good chance you’ll quit before you make bank. That goes for any buisness!
Some of the ways in which you can generate revenue are;
- Banner Ads
- Affiliate Ads
- Google Adsense
- Sponsored Content
- Free Travel
- Paid Travel
Is Travel Blogging The Dream You’ve Been Led To Believe?
It can be!
Now, I’m not a full-time travel blogger, I am a marketing agency owner who likes to write about marketing, advertising, and business on my Instagram and Facebook while traveling.
I’ve traveled to places like Milan, Paris, New York, Vancouver, Havana, Paris, Medellin, Panama City, Miami, Cancun, Guadalajara, Seoul & Mexico City, among many others, so you can see that travel is quite the passion of mine.
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I started this blog with the intention of sharing my travel experiences, but more importantly, provide some useful tips for those wanting to work while traveling. I can run my business from anywhere in the world, and I know there are many people who would also like to do this.
So although I don’t consider myself a travel blogger, I do incorporate all of the elements, and live that freedom of location lifestyle, so I want to share them with you and hope you can do the same.
Working remote is amazing! knowing that you can pack your bags at any moment and go to somewhere far away without having to ask for permission to have a break, and have zero negative impact on your income is what it’s all about for me.
How to Start a Travel Blog
Pick A Good Name For Your Brand. This is often the most difficult part for people, but try not to over think it. Outlook Global (the name of this blog), is as simple as ‘We’re sharing our outlook on travel around the globe”. There were other name options but when you find all of the social media handles taken, you need to get creative with your thinking.
Remember, you’ll likely use social media to promote your articles so make sure the @Handle is available before you purchase your domain name.
The reason I say “don’t over think it”. What did the words Facebook or Google mean to the world before they became Facebook and Google? Absolutely nothing!
If you said Google to somebody before 1998, people would have looked at you a little strange, now the word is the go-to term to search anything on the internet. See what i’m saying? The company made the word mean something. If you’re struggling to come up with something, don’t drive yourself crazy.
You do however want to keep it to your niche if you can, because strangers who don’t know about your brand will use certain terms to find travel pages. The closer you are to those terms, the better chance you have of being discovered.
Try To Narrow Your Focus For Better Success
It’s better to be considered an expert in one area than average in many. Now, I like to cover a lot of topics but that’s just me. My advice to others starting out would be to narrow your focus for better results.
Do you live on a tighter budget than others? Maybe you can show the world how to see the world on a shoe-string budget. Or maybe you’re blessed with unlimited funds and want to show the world the higher end of travel. Whatever your focus, stick to it and become an expert in that space, you’ll grow your audience better and stronger in a specific niche.
That said, keep the future in mind! When you grow, your income may allow you to step out of the budget travel world. Make sure you have everything in place that will allow you to transition smoothly and not alienate the audience you’ve developed. You can still advise on budget travel, even if you’re not doing it yourself.
Step Two: Set Up Your Domain and Hosting
A question I often get when meeting with someone who’s interested in blogging is, “why pay for hosting when there are free options?’. The quick answer is that it’s better for monetizing.
If you’re serious about making money from your travel blog, you need to have a self-hosted website. WordPress offer a free installation for you to use, you just need to purchase the hosting to keep it live on the internet. This is not expensive at all.
First step is to set-up your domain and hosting account. I recommend Bluehost.
Bluehost is the most trusted hosting service available and I can offer you a discount on their product. They’re very cheap and a perfect company to help you get your travel blog off the ground.
As a marketing agency owner, we create websites for people and companies. We’ve tried a lot of hosts over the years, Bluehost stand up against the biggest names in the business as far as i am concerned. Click the image below to grab yours, it comes with a free domain (Website name).
Perks of Starting a Blog with Bluehost
- Free Domain
- FREE SSL Included
- 1-Click WordPress Install (This takes a lot of work away from you)
- 24/7 Support
They also have a special intro offer and 30-day money-back guarantee
Setting up your WordPress
There will be some configuring with your hosting, but the people at Bluehost will be glad to assist you. Also, there are lots of video tutorials on Youtube and Google that can help you. Alternatively, if you’d like my team to set it up for you, send me a DM on Instagram @MrDavidSkilling and we can discuss your options.
Bluehost offer a one-click installation of Worldpress, locate this in the dashboard and follow the instructions. Save any information you are provided.
Whenever you enter into something new it can seem a little daunting, but fear not, WordPress is simple to understand if you just spend some time familiarizing yourself. Again, there are countless videos on Youtube and WordPress also have a huge forum for support.
Designing Your Blog
WordPress works on themes. Themes are essentially the design of your website and how it looks to the world. There are free options, and also paid premium options.
The free options are limited and the designs aren’t the most inspiring in my opinion, so you will want to upgrade at some point. Check out themes here at Themeforest. In the menu, go to Web Themes & Templates, then WordPress and have a look through.
Again, if this is all too much, my team will be happy to set this all up for you.
Install Plugins
Plugins are an important part of WordPress installations, they’re essentially apps that help protect, and provide great features to your blog.
Some essentials for me are
- Wordfence – Security
- Yoast SEO – Search Engine Optimization guide tool
- Monster Insights – Analysis of your website traffic
- Simple Author – Your details at the bottom of your blog posts
That will take care of your basic set up. Phew!
I hope you enjoyed my guide on how to start a travel blog, I know it’s a lot to take in if you’re completly new, but if you follow the steps, watch a few videos, and take your time, you’ll have a travel blog set up in no time.
Your job going forward will be to provide the world with travel content that you would want to read. I will create more posts to help you with everything else going forward.
Right now, your focus needs to be on getting the blog set up and ready.
