If you are reading this, chances are you love to travel. Locally, nationally, or even trekking through the Sahara, travel can be a rewarding experience. Travel brings you to new countries, expands your life, and provides you with new, unique experiences and activities. When you share your love of travel through an internet blog, you can save your memories forever, share your experiences with friends, family, and strangers, and potentially find a second source of income (some hotels, restaurants, and stores will ask for reviews or ask you to place affinity links on your page). Check out the following ideas to make money blogging.
Travel comes in a variety of ways, and not always through the methodical planning of your annual vacations. Sometimes, you find yourself out of town for getaway weddings. This is travel. Take advantage of this opportunity to blog about your travel and share your experience! Take high-quality photos of the venue – and the surrounding area. Outline any hidden gems you find in the neighbourhood. A great brunch spot? Photograph it and include a review in your blog. Impressed with the flowers or desserts? Visit the bakery and shopping area where the dress was purchased and take pictures of the quaint town or adorable boutique. Ensure that your blog includes personalized stories and clear descriptions of your trip. People planning their own weddings, celebrations, or out of town weekends may find your reviews and photos helpful in their own planning.
Some vacations are planned for months – such as trips out of the country. A fun travel experience in Europe may include trips on railways and trains. Spend time in your blog outlining the process of travel – how to buy tickets, what to take, how to read the schedule, and train etiquette. Readers who have never been can find these tips and tricks from a seasoned traveller comforting as they plan their own vacations.
Pictures taken out a train window can highlight the scenic railroads and the fauna of a new place. Connecting to blog readers by linking your experience to fun movies or books (hello “Murder on the Orient Express”) can increase your viewership and spur exciting about a pending vacation.
Travel in the United States can be a fun base for blogging. Take readers on an adventure to all 50 states. Plan one thing to photograph in each state that is the same (for example, the “Welcome to ____” sign). Highlight key historical facts in your blog, places of interest, and unique local traditions. Your blog readers will love your fun touch and unique theme.
Making your travel blog visually appealing is important to supporting viewership. Branding is a huge part of who your blog is, just as it is to any brand. These companies pay a lot of money for branding services, so you should at least be putting a lot of emphasis on the look and feel of your blog. You want people to be familiar with how your blog looks, and they may even come across your site without intending to. If your branding is effective they will recognise your site immediately, without even looking at logos or the URL. Photos are also important and you need to make sure that they not only look good, have a high resolution, but also that they are unique to the location. Many churches or buildings look the same, what makes THIS one unique and interesting to your reader? You also want to ensure that you are updating your blog regularly with many locations and insights. You may take a long visit to a European destination several posts – rather than one post for the entire trip. You could dedicate blog entries to “local trips” where you visit places in your own community that are unique hidden gems, obscure and fun, or have a specific clientele.
