How to Become a Travel Blogger and Make Money Doing It
How to Become a Travel Blogger and Make Money Doing It
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links or promo code, at no cost to you. For more information, see my disclosure here. Thanks!
The idea of being a travel blogger is appealing to many people. You get to travel the world and make money doing it. However, there's more to it than that.
If you do it right, though, travel blogging can not just cover three or four “working” vacations a year but even give you a decent living. True, not everyone is making several thousand dollars a month, but it's possible. So, how do you become a travel blogger and start making money?
Have a Valuable Blog
This is what comes first before anything else. Your blog has to be worth reading. A lot of travel blogs are mere diaries of past trips; these tend to only interest family and friends and occasionally be found by somebody doing very specific travel planning. You need to do more than that.
Do some research to find a niche that you are passionate about but is also sought after and underserved. Your blog should definitely have a feel to it. Some bloggers may specialize in a destination or type of travel. There are budget travel blogs, Caribbean blogs, horseback riding/dude ranch blogs, cruise blogs, etc. If you need some inspiration on getting started, I've created a free video tutorial that shows you how to build a professional travel blog.
Once you have some traffic, look at your comments for questions people have and write blog posts that answer those questions. Always include travel tips, even if the blog post is a “review” of your last trip. If you screw up, make use of it. Write a funny story and then explain what you should have done differently. “This is why you don't fly through Chicago in December,” for example.
Need some inspiration? Listen to my chat with pro travel blogger Aimee Slade from Type A Trips.
When you plan your trips, think about how you can create good stories for your readers. Look for unusual and offbeat excursions, for things that go off the beaten track. Sitting on the beach at an all-inclusive resort getting drunk may sound fun, but it isn't that interesting to your readers. Riding a mule across a 12,000-foot pass? Interesting. Spelunking in Asia? Interesting. Interesting trips will attract not just people looking for them but armchair travelers who want to enjoy your experience vicariously.
Make sure you know your topic. Don't pretend you went somewhere you didn't; somebody who has will read your blog, catch you and likely call you out.
Learn SEO
You need to know the basics of SEO. Keyword stuffing is not how you write a good blog post, but you need to develop an awareness of which keywords should be included to get your blog to show up in the searches you want it to. Make sure that you use a dynamic WordPress theme (affiliate link) so your blog looks good on all devices. You do need to use keywords, but you want to use long-tail keywords, phrases that people might search for.
Also, resist the temptation to use exact match keywords that are grammatically awkward. Those worked back in the day, but Google's AI can now perfectly understand “If you are looking for a great budget cruise to the wonderful island of Belize” as essentially the same thing as “budget cruise Belize.” It's worth looking into a keyword research tool, but free tools including the Google Search Console can be pretty helpful.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is generally easy to get into, and you should be doing it right from the start. Don't just go with one affiliate network, but rather find all the relevant ones. Hotel booking sites may have an affiliate program. So might your travel insurance. But you can think outside of that box. Recommending luggage? It might be worth checking out Amazon Affiliates. Groupon is another great possibility, as there are often Groupons for attractions and restaurants. Booking.com, Airbnb, and RentalCars.com all have affiliate programs. Try to stick to one affiliate site per product type, or it won't look genuine.
Make sure that you only promote products you use yourself, because your readers will probably notice if you are not actually enthusiastic, and then they will start seeing your blog as a “sales” blog. Also make sure to recommend cheaper stuff like clothing or luggage, not just entire trips.
Above are my affiliate earnings from one digital product in 2019.
Once you have built a presence, you can go one step further and do sponsored posts. Again, you want to choose products that you either have used yourself or want to. Make sure you disclose all sponsored posts. People will not be happy at all if they discover that what seemed like a genuine review of an experience was sponsored.
Social Media
If you want to become a travel blogger, then you need to be active on social media. The bare minimum is making sure that each new post is posted to Facebook and Twitter, but you should do more than that. Schedule posts at peak times. Early in the morning and mid-evening are awesome, although it can vary by network.
Instagram is vital for travel bloggers. The ability to snap a quick picture on your phone and post it to your followers while still on the trip (assuming you have cell service) is invaluable. Your followers will start anticipating the blog post they'll be getting later. Make sure to tag the location.
Posting an album of pictures to your Facebook page can also increase engagement. And don't forget videos, which you should post to Youtube and Facebook (separately. Facebook will reduce your reach if you use a third party sharing app).
This does mean that you should post selfies, and glam them up a little as appropriate. If your niche is backcountry camping, then you absolutely should post those candids where you have something in your hair, because your readers are going to be looking for evidence you do it for real.
Use Advertising
We've already talked about sponsored posts, but you should have ads on your blog as well. This means you don't want to use the free WordPress.com, which doesn't allow ads. That's a major reason why I use and recommend WordPress.org as my blogging platform. I know it can be confusing, but that's why I wrote a blog post explaining the difference between the two.
Either way, the best way to get started is to get your own site and domain. Major web providers do one-click WordPress installs these days, so you can pretty much pick anyone. However, Bluehost powered with WordPress.org is by far one of the best foundations for professional bloggers that want to monetize their site with ads.
Once you have you're blog up and running, it's time to monetize it. A popular option is Google Adsense. However, AdSense doesn't give much money at first, but you can start using it right away. Then as you build traffic to your blog, look into applying for more niche/boutique advertising networks, which often require minimum traffic but pay better and may allow you to be a lot more selective about the ads that appear on your site. Avoid annoying ads and anything with autoplay sound, as this will guarantee people keep their ad blocker enabled. (Autoplay sound is also potentially an ADA violation).
Many bloggers these days get more money from affiliate links because of the prevalence of ad blockers. Set up your blog, if possible, to make a polite request to disable the ad blocker, but keep it polite. A lot of people won't go near blogs that have obnoxious anti ad block code.
As Your Site Grows
All of these are things you should be doing from the start, but there are other ways to make money that start to open up as your site grows. These include:
- Guest posting on other travel blogs. This can be a great way for both blogs to get traffic. It's worth discussing a trade of posts. Make sure to choose blogs that are valuable to your audience.
- Paid press/media trips. As you develop a reputation, you may be able to get free trips (or even paid a stipend) in your niche. Resorts, hotels, and agencies may pay your way to go on a trip in return for an honest review. Always disclose if you were paid to go on the trip.
- Guest posting on major media outlets. This is the gold ring. Look for media outlets that publish travel features and look who is writing them. If it's another blogger, network with them, start sharing their articles, and then pitch them your idea. Eventually, you'll be able to pitch outlets directly.
You will also need a great WordPress theme. Gema is great for travel bloggers (affiliate link). If you are still not sure how to get started, start with my How to Start a Blog YouTube tutorial. Starting a travel blog can appear to just be a way to add to the fun of travel, but people make real money doing it. To find out more about how to become a travel blogger, contact me today.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links or promo code, at no cost to you. For more information, see my disclosure here. Thanks!
The idea of being a travel blogger is appealing to many people. You get to travel the world and make money doing it. However, there's more to it than that.
If you do it right, though, travel blogging can not just cover three or four “working” vacations a year but even give you a decent living. True, not everyone is making several thousand dollars a month, but it's possible. So, how do you become a travel blogger and start making money?
Have a Valuable Blog
This is what comes first before anything else. Your blog has to be worth reading. A lot of travel blogs are mere diaries of past trips; these tend to only interest family and friends and occasionally be found by somebody doing very specific travel planning. You need to do more than that.
Do some research to find a niche that you are passionate about but is also sought after and underserved. Your blog should definitely have a feel to it. Some bloggers may specialize in a destination or type of travel. There are budget travel blogs, Caribbean blogs, horseback riding/dude ranch blogs, cruise blogs, etc. If you need some inspiration on getting started, I've created a free video tutorial that shows you how to build a professional travel blog.
Once you have some traffic, look at your comments for questions people have and write blog posts that answer those questions. Always include travel tips, even if the blog post is a “review” of your last trip. If you screw up, make use of it. Write a funny story and then explain what you should have done differently. “This is why you don't fly through Chicago in December,” for example.
Need some inspiration? Listen to my chat with pro travel blogger Aimee Slade from Type A Trips.
When you plan your trips, think about how you can create good stories for your readers. Look for unusual and offbeat excursions, for things that go off the beaten track. Sitting on the beach at an all-inclusive resort getting drunk may sound fun, but it isn't that interesting to your readers. Riding a mule across a 12,000-foot pass? Interesting. Spelunking in Asia? Interesting. Interesting trips will attract not just people looking for them but armchair travelers who want to enjoy your experience vicariously.
Make sure you know your topic. Don't pretend you went somewhere you didn't; somebody who has will read your blog, catch you out and likely call you out.
Learn SEO
You need to know the basics of SEO. Keyword stuffing is not how you write a good blog post, but you need to develop an awareness of which keywords should be included to get your blog to show up in the searches you want it to. Make sure that you use a dynamic WordPress theme (affiliate link) so your blog looks good on all devices. You do need to use keywords, but you want to use long-tail keywords, phrases that people might search for.
Also, resist the temptation to use exact match keywords that are grammatically awkward. Those worked back in the day, but Google's AI can now perfectly understand “If you are looking for a great budget cruise to the wonderful island of Belize” as essentially the same thing as “budget cruise Belize.” It's worth looking into a keyword research tool, but free tools including the Google Search Console can be pretty helpful.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is generally easy to get into, and you should be doing it right from the start. Don't just go with one affiliate network, but rather find all the relevant ones. Hotel booking sites may have an affiliate program. So might your travel insurance. But you can think outside of that box. Recommending luggage? It might be worth checking out Amazon Affiliates. Groupon is another great possibility, as there are often Groupons for attractions and restaurants. Booking.com, Airbnb, and RentalCars.com all have affiliate programs. Try to stick to one affiliate site per product type, or it won't look genuine.
Make sure that you only promote products you use yourself, because your readers will probably notice if you are not actually enthusiastic, and then they will start seeing your blog as a “sales” blog. Also make sure to recommend cheaper stuff like clothing or luggage, not just entire trips.
Above are my affiliate earnings from one digital product in 2019.
Once you have built a presence, you can go one step further and do sponsored posts. Again, you want to choose products that you either have used yourself or want to. Make sure you disclose all sponsored posts. People will not be happy at all if they discover that what seemed like a genuine review of an experience was sponsored.
Social Media
If you want to become a travel blogger, then you need to be active on social media. The bare minimum is making sure that each new post is posted to Facebook and Twitter, but you should do more than that. Schedule posts at peak times. Early in the morning and mid-evening are awesome, although it can vary by network.
Instagram is vital for travel bloggers. The ability to snap a quick picture on your phone and post it to your followers while still on the trip (assuming you have cell service) is invaluable. Your followers will start anticipating the blog post they'll be getting later. Make sure to tag the location.
Posting an album of pictures to your Facebook page can also increase engagement. And don't forget videos, which you should post to Youtube and Facebook (separately. Facebook will reduce your reach if you use a third party sharing app).
This does mean that you should post selfies, and glam them up a little as appropriate. If your niche is backcountry camping, then you absolutely should post those candids where you have something in your hair, because your readers are going to be looking for evidence you do it for real.
Use Advertising
We've already talked about sponsored posts, but you should have ads on your blog as well. This means you don't want to use the free WordPress.com, which doesn't allow ads. That's a major reason why I use and recommend WordPress.org as my blogging platform. I know it can be confusing, but that's why I wrote a blog post explaining the difference between the two.
Either way, the best way to get started is to get your own site and domain. Major web providers do one-click WordPress installs these days, so you can pretty much pick anyone. However, Bluehost powered with WordPress.org is by far one of the best foundations for professional bloggers that want to monetize their site with ads.
Once you have you're blog up and running, it's time to monetize it. A popular option is Google Adsense. However, AdSense doesn't give much money at first, but you can start using it right away. Then as you build traffic to your blog, look into applying for more niche/boutique advertising networks, which often require minimum traffic but pay better and may allow you to be a lot more selective about the ads that appear on your site. Avoid annoying ads and anything with autoplay sound, as this will guarantee people keep their ad blocker enabled. (Autoplay sound is also potentially an ADA violation).
Many bloggers these days get more money from affiliate links because of the prevalence of ad blockers. Set up your blog, if possible, to make a polite request to disable the ad blocker, but keep it polite. A lot of people won't go near blogs that have obnoxious anti ad block code.
As Your Site Grows
All of these are things you should be doing from the start, but there are other ways to make money that start to open up as your site grows. These include:
- Guest posting on other travel blogs. This can be a great way for both blogs to get traffic. It's worth discussing a trade of posts. Make sure to choose blogs that are valuable to your audience.
- Paid press/media trips. As you develop a reputation, you may be able to get free trips (or even paid a stipend) in your niche. Resorts, hotels, and agencies may pay your way to go on a trip in return for an honest review. Always disclose if you were paid to go on the trip.
- Guest posting on major media outlets. This is the gold ring. Look for media outlets that publish travel features and look who is writing them. If it's another blogger, network with them, start sharing their articles, and then pitch them your idea. Eventually, you'll be able to pitch outlets directly.
You will also need a great WordPress theme. Gema is great for travel bloggers (affiliate link). If you are still not sure how to get started, start with my How to Start a Blog YouTube tutorial. Starting a travel blog can appear to just be a way to add to the fun of travel, but people make real money doing it. To find out more about how to become a travel blogger, contact me today.
Written by Ben Cummings
Cofounder of Sage Wave Media
Ben is a professional blogger who holds an MBA with a specialization in Entrepreneurship. He enjoys teaching, blogging, startups, a hoppy IPA, and college basketball. Whenever he's not blogging, you can find him cruising around sunny San Diego with his amazing family.
I want to start a travel blog, but I don't travel alot, infact I haven't been out of my country before, am just 21yrs old, how do I do this pls ?!
Hey, thanks for stopping by! You don't have to travel around the world to be a travel blogger. Try visiting local spots in your area and blogging about that. 🙂