Easy Steps to Start a Travel Blog that Will Give You a Profit

Wanderlust takes you places! If you have tasted it, you already know how magnificent it is to travel. You can also earn through this hobby if you are lucky and smart. You can make it your full-time profession as well, people are earning a lot by sharing their travel experiences worldwide. So why can’t you? The best part of this job is that you do not need a degree. It just requires a lot of passion and hard work towards your habit of wandering. Initially, you might have to invest a bit. But later on, when you become a full-fledged travel blogger, you might get sponsored trips, and you can earn through your blog as well. So, without much ado, let’s find out what it takes to create a blog that earns for you!

Everything You Need to Make a Profitable Blog

Five things will help your blog gain an audience and boost your passion for blogging. These are:

1. Web hosting service

It provides tools to create and maintain your site. This engine also helps to make your blog available to people across the globe. Companies that offer web hosting services are called web hosts.

2. Domain Name

If somebody asks you how to search your travel blog, you will have to tell them your domain name. So, it should be relatable, easy to remember, and quirky as well. It is what comes between www and .com.

3. Free version of WordPress

Please use the self-hosted WordPress, available on WordPress.org.

4. WordPress Theme

Your theme makes your blog look attractive to the readers, and it creates an ambience in your blog. Make sure to select a relatable yet vivacious theme.

5. Plugins

WordPress plugins let you add different features to your site without knowing how to code. Like you can add maps of the places.

Must-Have Tools For Travel Blogging

Not all who wander are lost! Some people make travel blogs to educate and inspire people to travel. But to create a successful blog post, you will need some essential tools to make your work easy. These are:

Powerful Camera: A travel blog looks alluring by all the pictures you upload on it. The images drive audiences to go and visit those spots. And good pictures come out of powerful cameras. So, investing in a good camera is an intelligent decision to take!
Laptop: A laptop is a core requirement. One which is lightweight has good battery life, has a backlit keyboard, and has an appropriate screen size will serve as an ideal laptop for travelling.
Power Backup: You might have observed that whenever we travel, most of the time, we are away from charging points. It will be a good idea to buy a high-capacity power bank that is always with you so that your phone and laptop never die! Charge the power bank throughout the night when you are in the hotel room.

Many other gears are helpful. But these three are basic to this field; don’t forget to carry them when you wander around next time!

Steps to Start a Travel Blog:

1. Choose a niche

Did you know that there are different travel blog niches? A niche is a specialised area where your blog will focus. You will have a good spot if you focus on a few specific places, and it lets the audience differentiate your content! The most popular travel blog niches are luxury travel, budget travel, solo travel, female travel, travel guidelines, remote travel, travelling for work, within-country blogging, city blogging, outdoor travel adventure, family travel, national parks, food-centric travel, backpacking, and road-tripping or #vanlife!

2. Choose a domain name

As Shakespeare said, “What’s in a name?” for travel blogging, everything lies in a name. Take it like this; your domain name is your brief introduction. It should be easy to remember, possibly short, and quirky! Keyword-based names are usually taken. Think outside the box. You can use your name as well or as a part of it.

3. Buy WordPress hosting and install it

Hosting ensures that your site gets loaded quickly and is always up for visitors. The best WordPress hosting service is SiteGround, and it is affordable. Secondly, it gives you a setup wizard to install WordPress. Thirdly, it makes domain name purchases look like a cakewalk. And lastly, fantastic support services. Next, you need to buy a startup plan and signup. And then your blog is good to go!

4. Choose a theme

Several free and premium themes will be available at your disposal. Pick one that suits your blog and looks attractive at the same time. To choose a theme, go to Appearance🡪Themes🡪Add New. Once you select a theme, instantaneously, your blog will look like a professional one.

5. Install plugins

The plugins will add some useful functionalities to your blog. Some most popular and essential plugins are: Caching plugins, SEO plugins, Social share button plugins, contact form plugins, security plugins, and Gutenberg block plugins. Some travel blog-specific plugins include:

Plugins for integrating social media like Facebook and Instagram
Nivo Slider for displaying beautiful full-width pictures.
NextGEN Gallery for sharing travel pictures in a gallery.
Map plugin to upload routes and places. You can also opt for the interactive world maps plugin.
Travelpayouts lets you add travel booking functionality to your blog.

6. Publish Content

Once you have set up the blog nicely, head-on to write engaging content, and it is the thing that will sell your blog. So, to write the blog, go to Posts, Add New in the dashboard and start off. The Add Media button lets you insert pictures, and the text editor lets you write and format the blog.

7. Build the audience

A few things in WordPress allow you to enhance your blog’s traffic. Add direct share buttons of various social media platforms on your blog. Research, learn, and imbibe SEO techniques in your blog. Moreover, you can ask for an email subscription option for your blog! These techniques will help you generate traffic.

7. Ways of earning through the blog

Below are a few ways by which you can earn money through your blog:

Google Adsense: Google puts ads relevant to your blog. Whenever there is a hit on the ad, you earn.
Affiliate Marketing: You can put affiliates for insurance, accommodation, web hosting, travel gear, etc., on your blog. Every hit on that link resulting in buying an affiliate product will let you earn a little commission.
Donation button: If your blog has some dedicated visitors, you can add a donate button.
Personalised consultancy: Give personalised travel advice to people looking for it and charge a fee in return.
Workshops: You can also be invited to take travel-related workshops. Accept such offers.
Sponsored posts: Write transparent posts promoting travel-related businesses on your blog.
Sponsored trips: Some private firms, brands, and tourism boards might ask you to visit their places and then write about them.

Challenges Faced by Travel Bloggers

Covid 19 travel restrictions were the most challenging scenario for travel lovers. But those restrictions are eased now. There are some significant challenges for travel bloggers. These are:

There is stiff competition in this field. People find this profession fun and rewarding. Hence it is a competitive industry.
It can be very tiresome if you pursue travel blogging along with a full-time job.
If your niche is solo travel, you might feel lonely sometimes, which might bring the thought of discontinuing. But if you have come this far, there is no way to leave it out of loneliness.
Every blogger’s journey is different. Don’t lose hope quickly if your blog is not progressing the way it should. Keep working hard. You will reach your goal.

Conclusion

If travelling is your passion, sharing your travel stories will enhance your love. How people react to your blog will boost your will to do more. Initially, you might face some challenges, but no challenge means no fun. Keep doing it judiciously, and you’ll definitely drive travel freak audiences to your blog. Keep uploading and keep inspiring people. Relish everything life has to offer! We hope our blog helps you to become a successful travel blogger!

FAQ

Is traveling important in life?

Yes, it is. It is the best form of learning a person can experience. It adds a new perspective to life. It also helps you build unique connections and experience different cultures, music, food, etc. Travel is known to keep some significant diseases at bay like stress, anxiety, and depression. Lastly, a person who loves wandering will never be bound by a comfort zone. So, they have ample opportunities to grow.