by Don George
The writers I know who manage to make a living off of it are constantly taking freelance gigs, snapping photos, doing research, and conducting interviews. But honestly, I feel like that falls into the freelance journalist category, and not blogging. And even after all that, they definitely don’t make a huge amount.
The online travel writing community has helped me immeasurably – especially in the early days of my blog, when I was trying to get traffic to my site. I was fortunate enough to write a few guest posts and be interviewed by some reputable sites. I’d say that Twitter is predominantly how I interact with most people I know in the travel world. Honestly, though, they’re a lot more hardcore than I am. They’re the free-spirited adventurous friend; I’m the nerdy homebody.
I’ve written about a lot of difficult personal experiences, and the blog has helped me exorcise a lot of demons. I’ve had readers reach out to me with some of the kindest, most supportive emails anyone could hope to get. And I’ve met some incredible people, and had some wonderful experiences that couldn’t have happened otherwise. It has led to some wonderful professional opportunities – including, of course, the publication of my book, which has been a lifelong goal of mine. It has, without hyperbole, changed my life in incredible ways, and I’m so grateful.
Setting up your blog
Domain name and hosting
One of your first tasks will also be one of your hardest: choosing a name for your blog. Here are some tips that might help:
• Choose something that reflects yourself, your travel style and your blog’s philosophy – something brandable and unique.
• Consider trying to include keywords in your name – we’ll talk more about keywords later, but basically they’re the words that, when typed into search, will direct someone to your site. If you can find the magic name that combines your unique branded self with a keyword, you’re almost there.
• Avoid hyphens, numbers and difficult spellings.
• Make sure that no one else owns the name you decide on. It’s easy to search for copyrighted and trademarked names; in the USA search copyright.gov and uspto.gov.
• It’s also worth checking whether your name is available as a handle on the social media sites you’ll want to use: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. (though it’s not the end of the world if you need to use a slightly modified version on these platforms).
There are some domain name generators online that, although the names they suggest will usually be too spammy-sounding for you to use, may send you off in some fruitfully random directions.
Your site will be hosted on a shared server (a large server that hosts many sites). There are hundreds of companies out there offering ‘unlimited’ deals for low prices – be aware that not all these companies have great reputations. Some of the big, popular names are bluehost, DreamHost, GoDaddy, HostGator and SiteGround. Do some research, read some unbiased reviews (be aware that hosting companies do a ton of affiliate marketing – see here), and choose the one that best meets your needs. Expect to pay US$5–10 a month.
As a beginning blogger, shared hosting will be perfectly adequate for your needs; if you hit the jackpot, acquire millions of followers and need more server space you’ll need to upgrade.
Blogs that hit the mark
With countless travel blogs online and new ones starting up every day, it would be foolhardy to provide a list of our current favorites. If you want a good overview of the most popular or buzzing blogs out there today, sites like Fathom (fathomaway.com), the Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) and The Expeditioner (www.theexpeditioner.com) publish annual ‘best blogs’ lists – they’re a good place to start.
But here are some examples of successful bloggers who have carved out a very clear niche in the crowded ecosystem of travel blogs.
www.nerdseyeview.com – A portfolio site with a focus on great writing; meet the blogger Pam Mendel here–here
triphackr.com – The focus is squarely on the practical – how to get the best value from your travel dollar
theplanetd.com – Adventure travel with a healthy dose of inspiration and the benefits of traveling as a couple – Dave and Deb’s personalities are front and center
www.nomadicmatt.com – One of the first budget travel blogs out there and still going strong; meet Matt here
www.ytravelblog.com – One of the most popular family travel blogs, out there since 2010
www.everywhereist.com – A great example of a blog that uses humor to differentiate; meet blogger Geraldine here–here
mrsoaroundtheworld.com – A well established blog in the luxury space, focusing on personal tips and great photography
expertvagabond.com – Adventure crossed with travel photography, two niches that are made to go together; learn more here–here
Blogging platform and set-up
WordPress is the most popular platform for bloggers. It’s free to set up, easy to use (once you’ve mastered the basics), gives you lots of options for tools and design, and there’s lots of support available. Depending on which version of WordPress you use, you can have total control over your blog’s content and how you monetize it.
WordPress.com vs Wordpress.org
At WordPress.com, you can create a site very easily, which is then hosted on the WordPress server. It’s free, but you pay to upgrade different elements of it (for example, Your WordPress.com blog comes with a URL that goes like this: yourtravelblog.wordpress.com – if you want the URL yourtravelblog.com, you’ll need to upgrade). Your choice of designs is restricted, and there are limitations on monetization channels (for example, you can’t use affiliate links). You also can’t use custom plug-ins, and if you want to get serious with your blog, that’s a serious drawback.
At WordPress.org, you download free software to create your blog, over which you have complete control. You organize and pay for your own domain and hosting (although many shared hosting services have deals with WordPress to make this straightforward). The software is open source, meaning there are thousands of developers creating templates, plug-ins and tools to which you have (paid) access. It’s a fully-fledged CMS (content management system), which gives you flexibility and control over content, but also means it’s more complicated than other solutions.
Your choice here comes down to how serious you are about this business of blogging. If you fall into category 1 or 2 here, WordPress.com is probably going to meet your needs. If you’re in category 3, you should start with WordPress.org.
Writer’s tip: Help is out there
Things can get a bit technical at this stage of the game, but don’t worry – there are loads of great resources online to walk you through every step of the way. Most of them work on a ‘freemium’ model – there’s plenty of content that’s free to access, and if you want to take it to the next level you can buy a course or ebook to really enhance your skills. To get through the early stages of your blog set-up, you don’t need to go any further than clicking on these sites:
ProBlogger.net One of the most respected blogging resources out there. Tons of invaluable free info, and the courses come highly recommended.
smartblogger.com All the free advice you need to get things off the ground, backed up with courses for the more advanced blogger
breakintotravelwriting.com Loads of articles and podcasts on all aspects of travel blogging
For more recommendations on good online resources to help you get your head around blogging, see chapter 7.
Some other options
There are loads of other options out there and we encourage you to do your research before you make a choice. Be aware that, as you are soon to learn, one of the way bloggers earn money is to recommend things, and blogging platforms and other services spend millions on this type of marketing. Look for unbiased recommendations, speak to other bloggers and make an informed choice; see chapter 7 for our recommended resources.
If you’re looking to build a portfolio site, Contently offers a free, simple portfoli
o platform. Medium, somewhere between platform and publisher, also works well as a portfolio builder, with its own established community giving you an instant audience. The writing interface is very easy to use, and there are no set-up costs; although you’re within the Medium ecosystem, you can have your own URL. If you want to dip a toe in the water of writing online, it’s a good place to start.
Google’s Blogger is also free, easy to use and great for beginners. It’s a simple blogging platform, which means your design choices are limited, as are your options for expanding what your blog does – if you get beyond ‘beginner’ stage, you may find it limiting. On the plus side, you can connect your Blogger account to your Google Adsense and Analytics accounts for seamless tracking – handy if you go pro.
For bloggers with a focus on images or video as well as words, Tumblr is free, with a minimal interface – great if you just want to get in and start blogging. Like Blogger, your options for tailoring the experience are limited – if you want to go further with your blog you may find yourself hobbled.
Squarespace, Weebly and Drupal are more advanced platforms to consider if you think your needs will go beyond the blog into a website with more complex features.
Designing your blog
The good news is that you don’t need to know anything about coding to set up a blog. While most serious bloggers will end up getting their hands dirty with HTML at some point, when you’re starting out all the hard work will generally by done behind the scenes with whatever platform you choose.
One of the reasons most bloggers build their blogs using WordPress is the huge variety of designs to choose from. This is achieved with the use of ‘themes’ – ready-made templates that allow you to do a little customization to create a blog that has just the look you want. The big question you’ll hit here is: should you choose a free or a premium theme?
There are plenty of free themes built into WordPress, and if you can find one that meets all your needs, it’s worth considering using one of them. These ‘official’ themes go through a screening process and are generally compatible with a lot more plug-ins than premium themes. Be aware, however, that there is generally no dedicated support for them.
Many bloggers recommend using a premium theme. There are hundreds of WordPress theme stores out there, offering thousands of creative designs – you should be able to find something that does exactly what you want. Choosing a premium theme will not only give you more chance of having a blog with a unique look that makes it stand out, but it will also usually be higher quality, have dedicated support, advanced functionality and better security than a free theme. However, themes can be expensive, and make sure you check whether the price is a one-time-only cost, or whether there is a monthly or annual licensing fee as well.
As with everything: do your research, read the experiences and advice of other bloggers (while recognizing that some of them may be paid to make certain recommendations), and keep in mind your blog’s purpose and potential profitability when you make your selection. Choose a reputable theme store, read reviews, and go with someone with a track record for excellence and a healthy business.
Writing your blog
Your blog will reflect you. Your passions, interests and ambitions will direct the kinds of things you write about. With this book in your hands, you’re already off to a great start – you’re a writer, or at least on the way to becoming one. As any blogger will tell you: not all bloggers can actually write!
In chapter 2, you did a set of exercises to help you learn to write a great travel story. While your blog might be an excellent way for you to practice getting words on the page/screen, writing that kind of story is probably not something you can do every time you want to post a blog. Blog posts are a different kind of writing – more journal-style, less polished, with a different set of rules and conventions.
If you’re not already doing it, start reading lots of other blogs. Not just travel blogs, but all kinds of blogs. Think about what works and what doesn’t appeal to you. Make a wishlist of the kinds of things you’d like your blog to do, ‘borrow’ ideas that you can tweak for your own blog, note down the things that inspire you. Just like any kind of writing, the best thing you can do to develop your own skills is to read and absorb what others have written before you.
A blogger’s view: Matthew Karsten
Matt Karsten packed up his life in 2010, bought a plane ticket to Guatemala for a one-year trip, and never stopped travelling. His blog, expertvagabond.com, is full of fantastic travel tips and advice on how to become a successful travel blogger.
It was during my second year of blogging that I began earning regular income from the site, and by the end of my second year I was earning enough to live on, as long as I lived in budget-friendly places like Southeast Asia or Central America. I’ve now been doing this for six years, and earn six figures annually.
When I first started, I didn’t understand the importance of SEO. Or writing engaging headlines. Or encouraging conversation in the comments section. Or networking with other bloggers. It’s been something I’ve learned with the help of books, tutorials, and websites. I always try to stay up to date on the techniques for increasing the reach of my content and growing my audience. But educating yourself about these topics takes a major time commitment, and it’s not always fun.
It’s been a constant game of trial and error to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. I’m still adjusting the mix even today. In the beginning I’d try anything because I was desperate. These days, I prioritize income streams that are consistent, large, and that don’t annoy readers too much. Affiliate income is a favorite part of my strategy. Once your articles receive steady traffic, the income from these links is pretty steady too. It’s a long-term strategy that takes time to grow.
So-called ‘influencer’ marketing projects have become a big source of income too. These are when a nation’s tourism board or a large international brand (car company, airline, etc.) invites me to highlight a destination or product through a mixture of blog posts, social media coverage, photography, and maybe video too.
Understanding the business side of blogging, and SEO, is incredibly important if you want to make a living from your blog. You could be the best writer ever, but if someone can’t find your article when they type the topic into Google search, they won’t be using your affiliate links either.
If you post high-quality content on a consistent basis, your blog’s traffic will grow quicker. I think the key is building up a solid foundation of good content. Once you have that base, you don’t have to worry as much about posting every week. I try to post two to four articles per month.
It’s often the online travel community who is most active in commenting on, linking to, or sharing your content. We exchange tips and ideas with each other, so the whole industry can grow. I regularly attend travel conferences, participate in online forums, and share the content of other travel bloggers on my social media channels. I learn from others in the community all the time.
See what’s out there now, and work to produce writing that fills the gaps. Make your writing more entertaining and more useful than what others have done. Focus on quality over quantity. Answer common questions. Figure out how to give readers what they’re looking for, and they’ll come back for more. Don’t underestimate the importance of learning to market yourself and your writing. The writing part is only half the work!
The best thing that’s happened to me due to my travel blog is gaining complete freedom and independence over my life. I can work when I want to work, travel when I want to travel, and have an excellent outlet for my creativity. I’ve invested a lot of time, sweat, and money, with no guarantee of success, but it’s work that I absolutely love so I was willing to take the risks. I’m now able to pursue my passions with no restrictions, and share them with the world. A dream come true.
How often and how long?
The million-dollar questions of blog writing – how often to post, and how
long should those posts be? ‘How long?’ is relatively easy – it’s generally accepted that longer posts do better. But what is ‘longer’? It depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Short posts (300 words) generally get more comments, longer posts (1000–1500 words) get more social media shares, and long posts (2000 words and over) will do better with Google search results.
If you aim for 800–1200 words as a general standard then you’re hitting a good middle ground. Of course, the length should always be a function of the story you’re telling or the message you’re trying to get across.
Similarly, how often you post will depend on what you want to say and what you’re trying to achieve with your blog. In the early days, if you want to grow your traffic quickly, you might want to post more often to build up a core of content to attract search results and readers. Most successful bloggers say that in the long run, two to three times a week is optimum, that once a week can be perfectly fine if your posts are longer and useful, and that every day is too much (unless, of course, your blog is called dailytravelupdates.com). Once you’ve established a routine, keep it consistent – both readers and search engines respond well to regular, fresh content.
Your blog’s content
Only you can decide what you want to blog about – what you want to share with the world. Some travel blogs are amusing, some are full of useful information, some are inspirational. The best are a mixture of all three. What matters is consistently creating posts that are engaging, informative, and unique enough to build an audience and keep them coming back.
How to write killer headlines
It’s sad but statistically true that 80 per cent of people will read your headline, and only 20 per cent will read the whole post. That headline is your one chance to grab attention and keep people reading. Click-bait headlines have become an internet cliché – be aware of how you’re pitching your blog, who your audience is and how your headline style portrays your blog’s personality. Keep it real.