From design to content, there’s a lot to think about when planning to launch a travel blog. If you want to write about travel and make some money along the way, we're here to help you get started. Here are some great tips to get you started.
Is there a formula for writing a great travel post? Here are some of the top tips from successful travel bloggers who say they've got it all figured out.
- Work on innovative storytelling and make multimedia a big part of it.
- Never publish your first draft.
- Make a social media plan to publicize your posts.
- Join a network of popular travel bloggers.
- Only make deals with partners that are true to your objectives.
- Pick an attractive, memorable name for your blog.
- Choose a great-looking template for the site.
- Brush up your (Google) analytics skills.
- Choose a fast and reliable host for your multimedia heavy content.
These are the fundamentals of building a successful travel blog. But that’s just the beginning. If you’re interested in deeper insights into the world of travel writing, keep reading because we’ve got some good stuff for you today.
Table of Contents
How to Write a Travel Blog Post
One of the most important things about travel writing isn’t just to focus on the location. You might think that people want to know about exotic locations. You’re not wrong because they do. But you must also figure out who you’re writing for. Is it for people who simply enjoy reading about travel or are you guiding those who actually make those trips. There’s nothing wrong in writing for both but the clearer you are about your audience, the better your chances of success are.
There is no dearth of travel blogs on the internet. So, the first step is to make sure you stand out from the crowd. And one of the most obvious ways to do that, anyone will tell you, is through the theme of your website.
Interesting Travel Blog Topics
There are so many aspects to travel that it’s not at all difficult to find blog topics to entice readers. Here’s a sample of 10 topics that are applicable to any location in the world.
Packing: Solo travelers or families, a lot of them like to know whether they must go with carry-on or check-in baggage. All tips are greatly appreciated.
Travel Essentials: This can be general or specific to a particular location. But those who look up this stuff are likely to love organizing. So be specific.
Cheap Tickets and Accommodation: This is not an uncommon request and you can imagine why. Don’t hesitate to make a few calls and list prices.
Saving Money: Not everyone has the budget for luxury trips. But that shouldn’t stop them from traveling. Help them get there with expert advice.
Weekend Getaways: This one never fails because too many people are too busy and everyone needs a break. People consider weekend getaways more often than longer vacations.
Traveling With Kids: This one never gets old. Smart way to approach it would be to break it down based on the age group of the kids.
Safety Tips: Another good idea when it comes to certain parts of the world. You’ll need some personal experience or expert input but if you get it right, you will develop a loyal audience especially within the solo traveler community.
Travel Guides: The more specific you can get, the better. Also remember to offer unique contents. Anyone can do most-visited tourist places in a city but can everyone offer authentic local cuisine joints?
Food Guides: You will need to know about the place, their cuisine and what makes an eatery special. You also need to keep the vegetarians and the vegan in mind. That will earn you loyalty.
Best Travel Hacks: Not everyone can skillfully navigate foreign lands. That can be your specialty.
Trending Travel Blog Topics
This one often changes depending on the time of the year and location because some are summer spots, some are for the winter and a few are good throughout the year. But you can always cash in on a few topics, no matter when you write or publish them. It’s particularly helpful if you have paid partnerships and are expected to publish, let’s say in situations like a lockdown.
Destination posts are the most popular choice, of course. You can divide them based on the season and do listicles like, “best destinations for summer 2021” or “top-rated luxury stays in xxx city” or “hidden food gems in abc town”.
Then there are travel tips that also work throughout the year. This consists of lists like, “how to pack for a week-long trip to X city” or “best travel guides to Y town” or “a checklist for all abroad traveling”
You can also give insurance advice if you can get first-hand information about it. This includes subjects like, “medical assistance when you’re overseas” or “what to do if you’re robbed overseas”.
You can also do general travel tips like, “how not to litter while on the move” or “how to find cheap accommodations”.
These are all just basic outlines that have quite a few tangents if you’re willing to dive deep.
Blog Post Ideas for Travel Bloggers
There are a variety of different approaches you can take when thinking of what to blog post to write next.
As a traveler, one could be looking for anything from places to travel to, travel essentials, travel hacks, how to budget while traveling, travel ideas and a whole lot more.
There are endless blog post ideas, especially in the travel niche. Here are a handful of ideas to get your brain ticking:
Best Theme for a Travel Blog
There are two ways to define the word theme when it comes to designing a blog. Here, we are talking about both content and the look and feel of the website itself. Let’s dive deep into both.
Design
Every website that allows you to host blogs comes with a set of templates. These are pre-made which means you don’t have to write code to design the website.
You can just pick one from a selection and thankfully, you can customize the look. You can pick pre-made widgets and design your page accordingly.
For example, if your content is going to be picture heavy, you can include slideshows or pick a layout that amplifies pictures. And if you’re going to have more descriptive text, focus on readable fonts and background and foreground colors that are not distracting.
If you’re going to do a mix of text and multimedia, know that readers will be scrolling a lot. So, minimize clutter and make navigation easy.
You must also look at other popular travel blogs and keep yourself informed about the latest trends.
Content
Start by thinking about why you want to do this. Identify your tone. For example, do you want to be a commentator or a guide? These are not the only choices and your tone doesn’t have to be the same throughout. But some level of consistency is good.
It keeps your audience loyal. Pay attention to the different types of storytelling and see what you can incorporate with the tools at your disposal. With every post, ask yourself what makes it unique. Offer perspective, talk about local food, think underrated tourist spots, do budgeting. And don’t forget search engine optimization.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Start a Travel Blog
The first technical step is to start by picking a host. There are a lot of places from WordPress to LiveJournal that will host your blog for free.
But if you want to do it professionally, consider buying a domain name. Keep SEO in mind. The first creative step is to think of a unique way to present your content.
How to Name Your Travel Blog
For starters, keep the name simple and relatable. Don’t try to be overly clever but also don’t pick something that is overused. Then, your website will just get lost.
Spell it correctly and don’t use numbers or symbols. Ideally, you must have the same name for your social media handles. So, make sure it is available. A good way to do that is to use your name and some popular travel keywords.
How to Make Money with a Travel Blog
This is a bigger conversation but, to begin with, make sure your blog has something to pitch for potential paid partnerships. Affiliate marketing is another way to make some cash. Allow banner ads and be open to selling your photographs to stock photo websites. If you’re making videos too, definitely monetize them by starting a YouTube channel or creating content for established travel blogs or hospitality partners (such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, activity spots, etc.).