Beginner's guide to travel blogging
The noughties saw the rise of the travel blogger - but only the savvy ones turned their globetrotting tales into success stories. Vicky Baker offers some start-up tips
The noughties were the decade when people stopped merely dreaming about being travel writers and got involved. By harnessing the trends of social networking and multimedia content, independent travellers have gone on to become some of the most inventive bloggers on the web. What's more, the ultra-savvy ones are turning their enthusiasm into an income.
In today's Guardian Travel, we profile some of the UK's most interesting digital nomads, who are using the net to travel the world and, in one case, making money from online work. Could blogging be the key to such opportunities?
"If you are really committed, then yes, you can make it, but it takes a lot of work," says Matt Kepnes, who has been travelling the world since 2005, runs NomadicMatt.com, and has written an eBook: How to Make Money with your Travel Blog. "There are ways for the small websites to make some money and pay for some of their travels. And I think that's what most people want: they don't want to make it a lifestyle but they would like some of their effort to be rewarded and be able to cover some of the costs of travelling."
There are also plenty more advantages to be had from blogging other than making money, such as building a relationship with a worldwide audience. And, as Craig Martin of indietravelpodcast.com points out, creating a popular travel site could provide "a good chance to land a book deal, launch various products or a location-independent business, or use it in your CV when searching for a job post-trip".
Here's our beginner's guide to travel blogging.
• Put content first and enjoy yourself: If you want to gain an online following, the primary aim has to be good content. Darren Cronian, the man behind ultra-successful Travel Rants blog and organiser of Travel BlogCamp (next one in Leeds this summer), says: "My tip would be to write about a topic that you are passionate about. Otherwise, you'll just feel pressurised and not enjoy it."
• Find a niche: Round-the-world travelogues are now as common as the old 'round robin' email. See if you can pick up on a new trend or become an authoritative guide on something people really want to know about.
• Be committed: If you're serious about building a following, you need to update your site regularly. Most bloggers aim to post least three times a week. If you know you're going to be in remote parts without internet acccess, a common trick is to write posts in advance and schedule them to be uploaded automatically.
Pick the right platform: Free blogging platforms include Blogger.com, Wordpress.com and TypePad.com. Most pro bloggers opt for Wordpress.org (as opposed wordpress.com), which necessitates paid-for hosting but allows much greater options for customisation. Don't forget to pick a domain name that is catchy and search-engine friendly.
• Have more than one site: Alongside their flagship blog, serious bloggers usually have a number of 'static' sites, which need few updates and are designed to rank highly in search engines and bring in more advertising opportunities.
• Do your research and make contacts: If you want to get serious, then get online and get reading. Get to know your fellow bloggers on online forums or networking sites such as Twitter. Share links, cross-promote, comment on other sites and you'll soon see your traffic rise. A good place to get in touch with others is Travel Blog Exchange, which also has a sub-forum for those looking to make a business out of blogging.
• Look beyond Adsense: The advertising revenue from Google Adsense alone can be depressing: so much work and just a couple of quid to show for it. Many bloggers instead aim for a mix of adverts and affiliates (putting adverts on your site for free and getting a percentage of any sales that come through it). Many also sell their own products, such as self-published eBooks in their specialist field. NB: be sure not to over-pack your site with ads or it will put your readers off and jeopardise your independence. Similarly, you should be transparent about sponsorship and deals.
Recommended blogs
nomadicmatt.com: Useful advice on budget round-the-world travel has brought Matt Kepnes lots of traffic and advertisers.
europealacarte.co.uk: Karen Bryan quit her day job last year to manage this popular European travel blog, which she started in 2006.
indietravelpodcast.com: Kiwi couple Craig and Linda Martin provide a good example of bloggers who have tapped into trends of multimedia blogging and social networking.
travel-rants.com: Darren Cronian found a successful niche by moving away from the glamourous side of travel and into consumer issues.
croatiatraveller.com: Run by ex-Lonely Planet writer Jeanne Oliver, this is not the most attractive of sites, but it's a money-maker based on the volume of need-to-know information.
• Vicky Baker is the author of Going local travel, a blog for travellers looking to break off track
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