Travelling is considered to be a hobby for many. However, it is not always just about going on vacation once a year. There are many people who decide to place travelling as an integral part of their life. Letting everything go so as to travel around the world is what many people aspire to do, and there may come a time when this is more possible.
Older couples, for instance, are able to do this once their kids are old enough and start living on their own. Then there are also many young people who embark on a tour around the world so that they manage to make the most of their single status while it lasts.
This passion for travelling has also taken a new perspective thanks to the internet. Many avid travellers decide to start up a travel blog so as to share their experiences with others. A travel blog is also a way to keep a journal of the various trips you made and to keep your memories and experiences stored.
There are also some who monetize their travel blog, so you can effectively even earn some extra cash to finance your upcoming trips too!
Besides serving these purposes for the traveller himself/herself, a travel blog is a great way to help others learn about the places you visited. You will also be able to meet people who like travelling like you, or who would like to learn from you. Thus there is a myriad of benefits from starting a travel blog.
If you would like to give it a go but are not quite sure how to get started, read these guidelines and you are basically good to go!
1. Hosting for your blog.
The type of blog you would like to start is important. Take this into consideration as you need to choose the best hosting for it. There are sites such as WordPress.com which allow you to start a free blog quite easily. However, this may not be ideal if you intend to monetize the blog later on. The truth is that hosting is not as expensive as you might think. You can get good quality hosting at less than $10 a year while you are getting started, and at such a low price you would be able to benefit from a number of paid hosting benefits.
Later on, as you acquire more traffic, you can choose another hosting package or plan which will be higher priced but more worthwhile and suitable for your blog’s needs. The hosting will affect your blog’s user friendliness, how professional it looks, and how quickly it loads. These are just some of the key aspects which will help to retain visitors and entice them to visit often and to share it with others.
2. Pick a good blog name.
Your blog name is going to help you rank well and attract more visitors. It is also important to choose a short and memorable domain name so that your visitors can easily recall it and check it out often. A short name is also more shareable. It is also important to avoid numbers, hyphens or other symbols which might confuse visitors. It may help if you try to relate the name with what you would like to focus on in your blog.
3. Choose a professional theme
You want your blog to entice visitors as soon as they land on it. So make sure you aim at a professional looking theme which is also aesthetically pleasing. The layout of the blog is also important.
4. Filling up your blog with good quality content.
You will want to create a good About Page for starters. Explain what you intend to share on your blog in a way that will appeal to visitors and encourage them to check out regularly to read your blog posts.
Then, just start writing your blog posts! Your blog posts are evidently going to be about your trips, but they need to stand out. For instance, you can offer travel tips, helpful information about key locations, and other informative content which users are trying to look for. Many people check out travel blogs so as to get questions answered or doubts cleared. You should thus try to use the mindset of these prospective visitors so as to come up with content that will satisfy their needs.
You will be sharing highlights of your trips, as well as hotel reviews. Many avid travellers or people who are planning their trip will want to learn from people like you who know what it takes and have been there. So be relatable and helpful in your blog posts.
5. Visual aids
Despite the huge importance of written content, one can never hope to have a successful travel blog unless he also places importance on the visual aids. Thus you need to make sure that you upload photos as well as some videos which will be interesting and appealing to your visitors.
6. Social media
Nowadays one cannot forget about the importance of social media platforms. Posting on your travel blog often is very important, but you should also support it by posting on social media too.
So do sign up on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest and if possible use the same username, which should also be one that relates to your blog name. Make sure to put up social media buttons on your blog too as social sharing is very important!
7. Networking with other travel bloggers
It is nice to network with other travel bloggers so as to learn from them, gain more insight as well as get inspired. There is nothing wrong with this, but rather it is recommended that you become an active member of travel blogging online communities.
Travel blogging is very rewarding, enjoyable and fun, but it is also demanding. You should not take it lightly as there is a lot that can be gained from it, and the more you focus on it the more you rewarded you will feel about it.
Your blog posts should be interesting but useful at the same time. They need to give visitors and readers solutions, tips, assistance and advice. This is what most of your traffic will be looking for. So besides giving information about the location, hotel, cuisine, and key sites, you will also need to focus on fun things that one can do in that place, recommendations, and other tips which could prove very helpful for a prospective traveller.
It is also a good idea to make it fun. Enjoy writing your blog posts while reminiscing your trip, and this passion and enjoyment will be felt by your readers who will be more affected by your post. Some crazy travel stories, silly moments or fun filled adventures will surely be appreciated.
It is also important to note that success does not come overnight. Be patient and regular in your travel blog posts, and over time you will build more views, followers and traffic.
These travel blogs start up tips should help you kick-start your travel blog. Needless to say, it is important to post regularly and to retain good quality posts throughout! Good luck!