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Get paid to travel – become a travel blogger

Could you build a successful career as a travel blogger? This expert guide could help you on your way…

Becoming a travel blogger seems like a great idea in theory, but as you get the ball rolling the process can get increasingly overwhelming. To be full time and make a living from your travel blog, it’s not quite as simple as just throwing up a few posts and having a Twitter account or Facebook page. Being successful in blogging takes a lot of strategy and good business sense, as well as talent for telling stories and presenting them in a way that inspires people to see the world. From finding your niche to website design, social media tips, and knowing your audience inside and out, this guide is designed to take you from the beginning stages right up to how to make money from your blog, with advice from some of the most successful travel bloggers in the industry.

1. Start with your passion

Consider what you enjoy about travelling – people, food, wildlife, history – and make that the central theme of your blog. Passion is at the root of great writing, and making that shine through in your blog will keep readers interested. Sticking to what you love will keep your enthusiasm and motivation up, too. Remember, you don’t have to cover everything about travel on your blog. If you don’t go to museums when you’re travelling, don’t bother writing about them; if you love camping but hate hostels, stick to camping advice. You don’t need to catch everyone in your net – do what you love to speak to the people who love it too.

2. Experiment

You might not have a blog topic that you want to fully commit to right away – and that’s fine! In these first stages, the most important thing is that you’re writing something. Don’t be afraid to experiment and play around with different ideas. Write often and about a range of different things – what you find the most enjoyable will quickly make itself known. “Finding your niche sounds really complicated, but it’s really just about finding your passion and distinctive voice, and then pursuing that relentlessly,” says Bret from Green Global Travel . “It’s OK if you don’t find it right away, or if the path meanders a bit along the way. It’s more about following your instincts, trusting your gut, ignoring all of the noise that says ‘successful bloggers have to do this or that’, and blazing your own trail. “It takes time, energy, experimentation, passion, patience and persistence to build a brand you truly believe in. But once you do, it makes all of the other elements that make up the business of blogging fall into place a lot more easily and organically.” Bret and Mary from Green Global Travel are some of the industry’s most influential voices on the topic of deciding a focus for your blog, having spoken and written about blog branding many times.

3. Put some thought into your design

First impressions are key – and this philosophy also applies to websites. Creating a strong design for your blog – one that’s easy to navigate and understand – is important as this is one of your first chances to hook in a reader. And this is the travel industry: visuals are key. Travel bloggers Charli and Ben from Wanderlusters have put a huge amount of work into their own blog design, giving them plenty of top tips to share… “A unique and engaging design can set you apart from the wealth of new travel blogs vying for a place in the industry. Stand out from the crowd with a distinctive logo or cutting-edge blog theme, publish engaging photography and video within your posts, and construct a concise and navigable menu to catalogue your content. “Make it easy for your readers to interact with your articles by activating a social sharing plug-in and commenting system if they’re not already implemented within your chosen theme. And put together a captivating ‘About Me’ page to grab your readers’ attention and inspire them to follow your adventures.”

4. Identify your audience

Knowing exactly who you want to speak to will help guide your every blogging move – from the kind of stories you’re writing and which social networks you’re most active on, to which brands you partner with in the future. Having the reader in the forefront of your mind is an effective way to stay focused. I’ve personally found a lot of success in having a specific idea of my audience for my own blog, Gotta Keep Movin’ . My first piece of advice would be to start by asking yourself a lot of questions: How old are my audience? Are they mostly male or female? What kinds of things interest them when they travel? How do they behave on the web – do they like long stories or quick posts? What other travel publications do they enjoy reading? Try to answer questions like these as precisely as you can, and create an ideal reader profile. Use this profile to guide your content, blog design, social media strategy… everything. Your reader should be the first thing you consider when making any decision for your blog.

5. Don’t get bogged down in the technical stuff

As you become more experienced with blogging, you’ll start to hear words like ‘Google page rank’, ‘affiliate marketing’, and ‘SEO’ (search engine optimisation). Running your own website is quite technical behind the scenes, and that can be overwhelming for beginner bloggers. It’s tempting to try to learn it all, but getting too deep in all the technicalities will draw your attention away from your writing and readers and towards Google slavery instead – not a place you want to be. Stay focused on publishing outstanding travel content, but reserve just a small chunk of your blogging time to learn the tricks of the trade. Moz’s Beginners Guide to SEO is a strong starting point – work through it bit-by-bit and begin to implement the strategies into your work.

6. Social media

Social media is the means by which you get your content out there, so setting up social profiles once you have a few posts up is key. Dave and Deb of The Planet D were among the very first travel bloggers in the industry, having started their blog in 2008. The adventurous duo have since won awards for their inspiring website, and worked hard to build a huge social media following. “To start building your following, concentrate on quality and consistency”, says Deb. “Don’t get caught up in quick ways to build followers, but be patient and let your audience grow organically and naturally. It takes a lot of dedication to get your work noticed on social media: interact with influencers and brands, and consistently share quality information with them. Over time, they will begin to notice your work. “Post daily on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, tweet regularly, and join Twitter chats to meet new people and followers. Post on social media a little bit each day, using scheduling tools like Buffer, Tweetdeak, or Hootsuite to help make it easier. Use insight tools like Commun.it and ManageFlitter (Twitter), Iconosquare (Instagram) and Facebook analytics to learn more about your followers and when they’re online. But don’t rely on tools entirely – listen to your readers and try new things for yourself, too. “Most of all, have fun with it! Write and share the things you love, and your readers will feel that energy. People want to be inspired – so inspire them.”

7. Be knowledgable and research

One of the most aggravating travel blogging myths is that because it’s a less established form of ‘new media’ and can include a personal perspective, the quality of the content doesn’t need to be as polished as a newspaper or magazine. With that outlook, you may as well send the world of blogging down the toilet and flush it away forever. Quality needs to be a top priority, and as the industry is becoming more crowded, it’s needed more than ever to make you stand out. Take the time to research the subject you’re writing about – look at it like a reporter or journalist would (because you are one, remember?) Be informed and authoritative to attract readers and potential industry partners who trust you as a source of travel information. Assume your readers’ intelligence and come up to their level with engaging, useful, and creative posts.

8. Work with the suitable brands

Once you’ve got the ball rolling and built an audience, you can start thinking about working with other travel brands. Successful partnerships rely on pitching to brands that share your values and travel style, so you have to be strategic about who you choose to work with (instead of taking anything you can get!) Becki Enright has been a consumer brands PR consultant for 13 years, and is also a British Travel Press award-winning blogger for her site Borders of Adventure . Having working in both worlds, Becki has developed expert knowledge in working for and with travel brands. “A professional blog is a media outlet – treat it as such,” Becki explains. “Don’t chase after a brand for a quick freebies, but instead formulate a campaign idea and mutual relationship that has longevity. Make sure your pitch includes a solid overview of how your blog aligns with the client, and that your idea is on-point with the key messages of the destination or product, i.e. don’t pitch for luxury brand if you write about budget travel. “Do your research and know that brand in its entirety: browse their website and social accounts, find previous campaigns, and familiarise yourself with their product – show this knowledge in your pitch. Golden rule: the blog and brand should complement each other, and offer mutual benefit to a shared audience.”

9. Monetise your blog

The big question on everyone’s lips: ‘How can I make money from my blog?’ Money won’t come quickly, in huge amounts, or without doing any of all of the above, but it will come if you’ve taken the steps to create an engaged, loyal audience. There are a number of ways you can leverage that audience in order to make you some cash – affiliates, brand partnerships, freelance writing work, consultancy, creating your own products… to name a few – and the most successful monetisation techniques will always keep that audience in mind. Full-time adventurers Dan and Audrey of Uncornered Market have worked hard over the years to build their blogging brand, allowing them to live off the opportunities their website has lead them to. “We look at monetisation strategically and holistically: monetise not only your blog, but your platform, your brand”, the pair explain. “Take a look at your strengths and consider ways to turn those into income generation opportunities – publish an ebook on a subject where you’ve got expertise, pursue freelance writing opportunities that fit with your brand so you can use your blog as a portfolio, or pitch partnerships and ambassadorships with travel brands that complement your blog and are a good match with the interests of your audience. “With brand ambassadorships be sure that there is a strong alignment in values between your blog and the company as these are long-term and deep relationships (We’ve been part of the Wanderers in Residence brand ambassador program with G Adventures for almost five years). Assemble a strong media kit for approaching brands, including not only your numbers (blog traffic, social media statistics, newsletter subscribers), but also your niche/story angles and the products you offer.”

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How to Become a Travel Blogger

Last updated: July 21, 2022 . Written by Laurence Norah - 74 Comments

I’ve been a travel blogger professionally since 2010. I’m often asked what that’s like, how to become a travel blogger, how I started my own travel blog, how we got our travel blogs to where they are today and how we make money as travel bloggers. After all, we travel for a living. It’s the dream, right?

Of course, like any dream, it takes a lot of hard work, frustration, mistakes, and learning. However, it is possible to build a business and generate a full time living as a travel blogger.

In today’s post I want to share some of my observations on what travel blogging is all about, and of course, how to become a travel blogger. I’m also going to answer a number of questions about travel blogging.

Table of Contents:

What is a Travel Blogger?

Sadly, the Oxford English Dictionary is a little light on the description as to what a travel blogger is. However, if we break it down into its constituent parts, it’s someone who has a “blog”, or online journal, largely focused on sharing the story of their travels.

Being a professional travel blogger in my mind means two things. One, it means this is something that generates an income. Two, it means that you are in this for the long term, and can be expected to deliver a professional level of service to both your readers and any clients that you might have.

There are all sorts of ways to generate an income, and there are hugely varying opinions as to what a travel blogger *is*, varying from a journalism approach, through to writing more personal stories and tales.

In my mind, if you have your own website that you regularly update with articles about travel, then you have a travel blog. If it’s generating you an income, and you hold yourself to defined standards of conduct and ethical behaviour, then you are a professional travel blogger. Beyond that, we move into semantics, and before we know it we’ll be arguing about the difference between a traveller and tourist.

how to become a travel blogger

Let’s not do that, and instead look at my detailed guide to how to become a travel blogger.

Here are some tips on becoming a travel blogger, based on my years actually doing it.

1. Find your passion

If you’re going to be doing something that isn’t going to be generating a tremendous return for at least the first year or two then you need to be doing something that you enjoy.

I’m going to be honest, most blogs on the internet don’t survive very long, with the average life of a blog being something silly like a week, and one post. Travel blogs are no different, and making a full time living from a travel blog can take a long time.

This is often because people aren’t writing about what they are passionate about. If you’re passionate about something, you will find the time to do it, whatever your schedule, and your passion will come across in the content you create, meaning it will be engaging and interesting to your potential audience.

Travel blogging has a whole range of niches, from food, to budget, to luxury, to adventure, to family and more. We focus on independent travel and photography on this site, because that’s where our passion lies. Find something you love doing, that you would keep doing even for zero reward, and build your blog around that.

One more reality check – if you don’t like travel, writing, photography, self-management, the regular feeling that no-one cares, as well as hard work for little immediate reward, then travel blogging might not be for you. Starting out as a travel blogger can be tough, with new blogs popping up every day, and there is no such thing as overnight success.

2. Pick your Blog Name

Picking your blog name is a key part of setting yourself up, and you want to make sure you get it right from the beginning.

I will freely admit that when I set this blog up in 2010, I did not spend a lot of time on this – the name just popped into my head, it was available, and off I went without a care in the world.

Jess on the other hand spent at least a week thinking about her blog name and brand when she started Independent Travel Cats in 2013.

I would definitely advise taking Jess’s approach rather than mine!

The important things to consider are for the name to match your brand and goals, so it’s instantly clear from your site name what your blog is about. You also want to try to stand out from the crowd, and avoid anything that will age badly, like having a year, date or other number in the name of your blog.

Having a memorable name that people won’t forget will help, and I’d also advise against any kind of hyphenated name as people nearly always forget that there’s a hyphen and will type it in wrong.

It’s also important to make sure that the name you choose is both available, and will fit on social media. For example, Finding the Universe is 18 characters, which is longer than the 15 character limit on Twitter. So you’ll either want to pick a name that’s easy to abbreviate, or will fit on all the networks you want to use!

You can check if your preferred name is available on all the social media networks using this tool .

3. Set up Your Blog

Once you have picked your domain name, you’re going to want to actually set up your blog!

There are a number of different options for doing this, from using a free platform through to going what is known as “self-hosted”.

Our advice is to start down the self-hosted route straight away, using the most popular blogging platform in the world – WordPress.

Self hosted means that rather than having your blog sitting somewhere like yourblogname.blogger.com, with a company like Google in charge of the backend of your site, you have it sitting on a server somewhere with the name yourblogname.com, and you have control over the site.

Whilst this might sound complicated and difficult, there are lots of companies out there who will help you do everything from registering your domain to getting your site up and running. These are also usually great value for money as you start out.

Our recommended host for beginning bloggers is Bluehost .

Jess started out with Bluehost, and used them for a number of years before she outgrew what they could offer.

Bluehost offer a great deal on packages for startup bloggers , including hosting, a domain name, 24/7 support, free SSL and a money back guarantee if you aren’t happy. Jess found them to be perfect for her needs when she was starting out.

Check them out and sign up here  – you even get a special discount by using our link , so the price is $2.95 a month instead of $3.95.

travel blogger career

Once you become more established, you might find yourself outgrowing Bluehost. This usually happens at around the 10,000 – 20,000 visitor a month mark, although will vary depending on your blog.

We have tried a number of different WordPress hosts, and they all have good points and bad points.

We currently host our blog on Cloudways , which offers a great balance of performance and price. As your site starts to grow beyond that 10 – 20,000 visitor point, Cloudways is the host we would recommend. We’ve written a detailed Cloudways review to help you decide if it’s right for you.

You can also save 10% on your first three months with our exclusive Cloudways discount code , which is TRAVELCATS .

Two other options that we can recommend, which offer a good balance of price, performance and service, are Liquid Web and Big Scoots . However, if you are just starting out these will likely be more than you need.

I actually started this blog on Blogger, the free blogging platform from Google. Whilst Blogger does let you have a custom domain name, it is very restrictive in terms of what you can do from a design and SEO point of view, making it a lot harder for your site to reach its full potential.

I’ve written a whole post on why that was a mistake, and why I should have started on WordPress from the beginning. I had to migrate my blog from Blogger to WordPress to truly reach its potential.

Definitely my advice when starting out is to start with a self-hosted WordPress solution – in the long run this will work out to be a lot easier for everything from SEO to customisation.

We have a whole guide to  how to start a travel blog which has lots more information to help you out. We also have a guide to choosing a WordPress host which has many tips and suggestions on what to look for.

4. Write regularly, and well

Now, I am far from an expert in grammar, but I do my best, and Jessica and I work together on the posts to try and catch any glaring errors. Getting the basics right is important if you’re going to be seen as a trusted expert on your subject.

It’s also important to write regularly, or at least, consistently. There is no hard and fast rule as to how often to post, or even how long your posts should be – you need to come up with something that works for you. But you do need to keep at it, and you do need to be consistent if you want to build up an audience.

My personal suggestion would be not to overstretch yourself and commit to posting every day, but also keep it to at least a post a fortnight. You’ll find the most successful travel blogs tend to have a schedule that has content coming out one to eight times a month, although there are naturally exceptions to that rule.

5. It’s all about the content

To be successful, you need to be putting out high quality content that answers the questions your readers have. As you get into blogging, and read advice on building an audience, you will hear people talking about things like search engine optimisation (SEO), using social media networks to drive traffic, and all sorts of tips and tricks for getting people to your site.

All these things have a place, but the most important thing you can do in order to be successful is to ensure that your content is the best it can be, every time you post something, to any network. Don’t just throw something up to meet some schedule you’ve invented. Make it your best, every time.

Keep putting out high quality content, and your audience will find you, they will grow, and they will keep coming back.

No-one is going to keep coming back to a site that has poor content. From your photos to your writing to your video – whatever content you share, always make it your best. No exceptions.

6. Define your goals

One great way to keep yourself on target and turn your blog from a hobby into a business is to set out a series of goals that you can track. The only person you are in competition with is you, and setting goals will ensure that you know you are doing well against your targets.

These goals will vary depending on your focus, but I’d advise setting goals around things like visitor traffic, social media statistics, income, mentions on other publications, and so on.

Make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based ( SMART !) for best results, and check back on yourself every few months to be sure you are on track and review accordingly.

7. Establish your niche / expertise

It is easier to be successful if you have a specific area of expertise that your blog focuses on, that over time results in you being the go-to place for certain things.

I will admit that we are not the best in terms of practicing what we preach on this one – we focus on our photography content as our niche, but pretty photography isn’t really niche in that way that luxury travel or adventure travel is. Oops.

8. Know your weaknesses

Not everyone is great at everything. You might be a whizz at writing and social media, but terrible at website design or time management. Figure out your strengths, and identify your weaknesses.

There are people out there who are good at the things you aren’t, and you can hire them to handle those things for you.

9. Pick your social media platforms

There are a lot of social media platforms, with a new one seeming to start every day. A trap that many seem to fall into is seeing social media as a way to drive traffic to a blog.

This is of course possible, but in my opinion, every social media platform should be seen as a place to reach a different audience, rather than a funnel. A funnel is only of value if you have something to sell at the other end. Raw traffic numbers mean very little without a reason for them.

Here are the five social media platforms I give the most weight to, in order of my personal preference. Social media can be overwhelming, and you can find yourself spread out, trying to cover too many bases, and not achieving what you want.

I’d advise picking at least three from the list and excelling on them.

  • Facebook. Facebook is the most important social media platform, simply because it is where everyone is.I apply what I call the “Mum” test to these platforms – i.e., does my mum use them? The answer for the rest of the platforms on this list is no, which indicates to me that however important we might think they are, the rest of the world probably doesn’t care that much.Facebook is fantastic for reaching a wide audience, provides you with more data about that audience and how you are performing than any other social network, and for some reason, gets a terrible rap from some users about how awful it is as a result.My tip for Facebook is the same as anywhere else – if you’re not getting results, take a good hard look at your content, and ensure it is top notch.
  • Instagram. As a photographer, I find Instagram to be a wonderful network. Focused on images, it can be used to share what’s going on in the world around you, or to tell stories from your adventures, both past and present. There’s an excellent guide from Photoshelter for using Instagram as a photographer , which you might find useful.
  • Youtube . If you do video, you have to be on Youtube. It has a huge audience, gives you plenty of data on that audience, and even lets you monetize your content.  A no-brainer.
  • Pinterest. Pinterest is one of the top drivers of traffic after Google, and is definitely a good place to focus your energies. It’s a very visual platform, where great photos shine.
  • Twitter. I hold my hands up – Twitter is not my favourite social network. It’s a great tool for conversation and customer service, and is beloved by brands. I find it’s wonderful for asking airlines about late flights, or seeing what my favourite celebrity had for dinner, but as a travel blogger, I’m not a huge fan. Jodi from Legal Nomads is however, and you can see her tips for Twitter here .

Finally, another trap that many fall into is pushing the same content out onto all the platforms. This isn’t the best way to go about social media, and will not give solid results. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, and you should work to those.

Further reading: Liz from Young Adventuress has written a great post on how not to suck at social media, and another friend, Jodi of Legal Nomads, has this excellent piece on being awesome on all sorts of social media channels.

10. Build a mailing list

Advice I wish I had followed from the start! If you look at the most successful bloggers out there, they tend to focus on two things – a great website with awesome content, and a mailing list of subscribers. Why? Because these are two things that you as a blogger can control.

Social media platforms are all well and good, but the reality is you have no control over them. One day, you could wake up to find they’ve switched the algorithm around, and suddenly no-one is seeing your content any more.

A blog is different. It’s your castle, and no-one is going to be changing the rules on you. A mailing list is the same thing. A reader letting you e-mail them directly is a hugely powerful example of their trust in you, and it’s a great channel to directly contact people. It’s also a good way to sell products, down the line.

The best mailing list service I’ve found so far is Mailerlite. These guys are free up to your first 1,000 subscribers, and are the only service I found which come with an autoresponder system on the free tier. Sign up here.

11. Just start already!

When I started blogging, I ran a series of articles on this blog where I interviewed some of the most popular travel bloggers in the world, and asked them for their tips on how to run a successful travel blog. This was actually a fairly selfish endeavour, as I wanted to learn as much as possible, and asking the experts seemed like a good way to do that. You can check out that series here .

Overwhelmingly, when asked if there was anything they wish they had done differently with their blogs when starting out, these experts all expressed the opinion that they wished they had started earlier.

You can plan something forever – but the only way to make something succeed is to try.

how to become a travel blogger

How to get traffic to your travel blog and be noticed!

So you’ve written a few posts, you’ve shared some tweets and you have a Facebook page . And your mum has e-mailed you to say how nice it all looks. Other than that, tumbleweed.

Welcome to blogging. You can spend hours on your content, push it out into the cosmos, and then sadly watch as the entire world happily ignores you, instead choosing to watch endless cat videos on YouTube.

Here are some things you can do about that.

1. Learn some SEO techniques

The most important thing you can do for your blog is to create great content. I think I mentioned that already, but it bears repeating. Great content will be discovered, and people will share it. It’s also important to write on topics that you know a lot about, as expertise is valued, and which answers questions people are likely to be asking.

There are also some simple techniques you can use to ensure your posts are found and indexed by search engines, meaning that people will actually find your content if they’re looking for it.

SEO is a complex beast, and there’s a lot of misinformation out there – largely because the way that search engines actually work is a closely guarded secret.

My tip would be to write your posts well, make them easy for human readers to read through with plenty of paragraph breaks, clear heading titles, and links to other relevant content.

Then, ensure your site is registered with places like Google Search Console , where you will get feedback as to areas you can improve, and of course track your stats with Google Analytics , so you can see where your traffic is coming from.

For further reading, check out the official Google Webmaster blog , and the Moz Blog , both of which have a wealth of useful information, from meta data best practice through to optimising for mobile devices.

2. Become part of the travel blogging community

There is a huge blogging community out there, and a lot of support and advice that you can tap into, often for free, sometimes for money.

There are Facebook groups specifically set up to talk about travel blogging , or running your blog as a business . Some are focused on newer bloggers , others on more targeted topics like photography .

All of them have many members who will chime in on questions and dispense advice. My advice for anyone looking for free advice in a group like the above is threefold:

  • One – read the rules of any group you join. Breaking the rules with your first post is bound to annoy other community members and is unlikely to result in you getting the answers you need.
  • Two – take on board all the advice you are given, but don’t take anything as gospel. What works for one, might not work for another, so try and get a number of opinions and figure out what applies best to you. There is no one right way to do anything.
  • Three – try and give back as much as you can. If you join a group and see an opportunity to help someone out, go for it. Over time, you might even become recognised as an expert in a particular field, and before you know it, you’ll be able to sell your services to other interested parties.

There are other communities as well, including content sharing groups on Triberr , and those which come as part of association membership or conference attendance, which are tackled a little further down.

3. Get known for something

One way to get noticed is to get known as being an expert at something. If you’re looking for a budget travel expert, most people would instantly think of Matt Kepnes, the blogger behind Nomadic Matt . Couples Luxury Travel? Independent Travel Cats . Fixing broken blogs ? Chris Richardson. Story telling ? Mike Sowden.

Carving out a name for yourself as an expert in an area, either through regular participation in groups like those previously mentioned, or by specifically targeting it on your blog or social media channels, will over time result in you being the go-to person for quotes, articles and commentary on related activity.

4. Invest in your product

A travel blog is a business, and like any business, you have to spend money to make money.

This could be anything from hiring someone to design you a professional looking website, to a social media manager, to someone to help out with your personal branding, to something as simple as getting business cards printed.

In addition, don’t underestimate the importance of learning. There are a number of courses you can take to help you take your blogging and content creation to the next level. I’d recommend m y Travel Photography Course . Sorry, this is a shameless plug! I truly believe that having great images on a blog make it stand out, and investing in your photography skill is critical to succeeding. I wrote this course to share everything I know about photography, and am incredibly proud of it. Ok, no more self-promotion, I promise.

There are countless resources and options out there that will let you improve both your personal knowledge, and the product you are offering. Just check around first to be sure that you aren’t paying for information that you might be able to pick up for free.

5. Write guest posts

One excellent way to get your name known is to write posts for other sites. This is a particularly good way to get yourself known as an expert in a topic. I, for example, have written a number of guest posts for other sites on the subject of travel photography, and it’s a topic I have spoken about at various conferences.

Whilst guest posting has had a black mark over it of late due to Google penalising folks for poor quality attempts at building links in order to improve their search engine results (see sponsored posts below), it is still a good way to reach a new audience if you find the right blogs to post on.

When reaching out to a fellow blogger, ensure that they accept guest posts, and approach them politely with your pitch. Don’t fire off a generic pitch e-mail to hundreds of bloggers and expect a positive response – offer something of value tailored to their audience, and you are likely to get a more favourable response.

6. Attend conferences and travel shows

A great option for upping your game and getting noticed is to attend a conference or event. There are two distinct types of event to consider:

Travel Blogging Conferences:

Travel blogging conferences are aimed specifically at travel bloggers, and feature workshops and training experiences to help you improve your skillset in all the relevant fields, from content creation through to social media management and working with brands. They also offer opportunities for networking and meeting with brands.

The best travel conference currently available in my mind is  TBEX (North America and Europe).

TBEX happens a few times a year, usually at least once in Europe and once in North America, and sometimes somewhere else as well.

It attracts a great many travel bloggers and brands, and offers networking opportunities and learning at the various workshops.

I’ve spoken at TBEX am happy to recommend it to those starting out in blogging.

There are a number of other travel blogging conferences, with some, such as the Social Travel Summit , offering smaller, more specialised or more advanced topics, for when you want to take it to the next level. But as a starting point, I can highly recommend TBEX.

For tips on visiting a travel blogging conference, see our detailed guide to attending a travel blogging conference .

Travel Trade Shows

Travel Trade Shows are enormous events, usually held once a year, and unlike travel blogging conferences, they are focused on the entire travel industry, with representatives from travel brands around the world in attendance.

They are fantastic opportunities for networking and getting your brand in front of the travel industry. Some simple tips for getting the most out of these events:

  • Dress appropriately – these are business events.
  • Plan your schedule in advance, and schedule meetings with the people you really want to meet beforehand.
  • Take plenty of business cards, and know what your pitch is going to be, as well as the value you offer.
  • Be polite, don’t be pushy, but be clear about what you want and what you can offer.

The best idea is to attend a travel show that is relevant to either your home location or your audience location. For example, for Germany or Europe based bloggers, I’d recommend ITB Berlin. For UK based bloggers like us,  WTM London is a good event.

Dos and Don’ts of Travel Blogging

So that was how to get noticed. I figured, based on my experiences, that you might like a list of dos and don’ts for travel blogging. In no particular order:

Don’t judge yourself by the success of others

This is a really easy trap to fall into, particularly as you are likely going to be spending a fair amount of time on social media.

The only person you should be measuring your success against is yourself and the goals you have set yourself. There will always be those who are doing better, and those who are doing worse – it’s called life.

The problem with social media is that people tend to share the more positive things, and as you participate in the travel blogging community more and more, and start to make friends, your social feeds might start to fill with success stories from those you follow.

Don’t ever let these things get you down. You might feel left out, or passed over, or that someone less deserving than you has got something that you should have got.

The truth is: everyone has worked hard to get where they are. The best thing you can do is be pleased for them, and try to learn from what they have achieved. Then, get on with doing your own thing.

Success will come, but it is never overnight, and despite what it may look like on social media, always comes after hard work.

Do be professional

The word Professional is used in this blog post for a reason. If you want to be taken seriously as a travel blogger, content creator, influencer or whatever you choose to call yourself, then you need to behave in a professional manner.

If you commit to doing something – do it.

If you don’t feel that something is right for you or your audience – don’t do it.

If you turn up to do work for a client, remember that it *is* work. You are not on holiday, you are not a celebrity – you are there to fulfil a function, and are part of a larger effort to meet a goal. It’s not rocket science, but it is important.

Don’t abuse the trust of your readers

A travel blogger is nothing without an audience – that’s you out there, right now, reading this.

You trust that what Jessica and I write on this blog is based on our opinion and personal experience, rather than marketing dollars. Sure, we work with companies from time to time. We might get paid to take trips, or share products with you.

But the bottom line is that you have to trust that we are only sharing our honest opinion with you. If something isn’t right for us, or we don’t feel it’s right for you, then we turn it down. And we always disclose any arrangement where we have received some form of compensation.

If you don’t trust that, then we are essentially of no value to you, and a travel blogger with no audience is of no value to anyone.

Do set out a code of ethics for yourself

Speaking of trust, a good idea is to set out a personal code of ethics, and stick to it. This might be things like promising to deliver within a certain timeframe, or always to make it clear up front when something is paid for, rather than hidden on a disclosure page somewhere.

Whatever your personal code of ethics for your blog might be, and whether you choose to share it with your readers, setting one out up front may help protect you from making poor short-term decisions that affect the longer-term viability of your blog.

You can see our code of ethics here .

Don’t believe the hype

This one is much like professionalism.

When you have been on a hosted trip or two, you will notice that you are likely treated very well. You’ll be put up in nice hotels, fed gorgeous food, and taken on spectacular adventures.

You might start to believe that you are special, that you are an important person, that you deserve five star treatment.

Of course the destinations and people you work with will want to show you a great time, because if you have a great time, then you are more likely to write good things about where you’ve been. And let’s be honest – it’s not hard to write great things when your job is based around travel.

Sometimes, though, things will not go to plan. The wi-fi might not work. The plane might be late. The activity might not be available.

This is not the point at which to throw a giant hissy fit on Twitter and demand that your bowl of brown M&Ms be brought to you Right This Instant Or Else.

Things go wrong, you have to deal with it, and tackle it as a professional. Sure, if the service is terrible and the attraction awful, then you owe it to your readers to share that. Honesty and integrity are vitally important. But behaving like a spoilt brat when everyone is doing their best will do your profession a disservice, and won’t do your personal reputation in the travel industry any favours either.

Do keep at it

Think of some big names in Travel Blogging. Want to know what makes them stand out above all else? It’s easy. They’ve likely been going for longer than anyone else.

Like anything, building a name for yourself and acquiring a reputation takes time and effort. The longer you go at something, the more likely you are to succeed. It might take one, two, three, or even more years for you to start getting where you want to be.

Don’t give up. The most successful blogs have been at this for a long time, and you’ve got a fair bit of catch up to play.

Do get your own domain name and get a decent website design

If you want to be taken seriously, you need a nice-looking website, and your own domain name.

MyTravelBlog.Blogspot.com isn’t going to cut it I’m afraid – you’ll look like a hobbyist.

Like everything – there are exceptions to the rule , but generally, getting your own domain name and a nice website design will help you immeasurably.

Do keep learning

No matter how much you know, there is always something new to learn, and new people to learn it from. Thankfully, the internet is full of advice, tips and courses on how to do things, from mastering YouTube to photo editing, much of which is free.

Beyond that there are conferences, groups, classes, communities, talks, books – you name it, someone is likely doing it.

If you want to learn, and however you do that best, there will be an option out there for you.

how to become a travel blogger

How to Make Money as a Travel Blogger

Ah, the perennial question! How do you make money from a travel blog? The answer isn’t entirely simple, and usually involves a number of factors, depending on your site and your personal skillset.

However, the good news is that making money as a travel blogger is certainly possible, and I’m now going to share some of the various options you have for generating an income off your travel blog, with the end goal of going full time.

1. Banner advertising

You see the ads in this post? Those are paid for ad placements, one of the most common ways of monetizing a website.

Banner advertising rates tend to be linked to traffic, so when you’re starting out you won’t be able to charge very much. Programs like Google Adwords are likely a good place as any to get started.

Currently we partner with Mediavine for display adverts on the site, which generates a good income. They require you to achieve  a minimum number of sessions per month to qualify.

2. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a system where you recommend a product, and if someone buys that product, you get a commission. This works for all sorts of products, from hotel rooms through to goods sold on Amazon.

The best results are for blog posts which are full of information, where the visitor is in a purchasing sort of mood, having run a search for something specific in Google for example.

So say someone is wondering about what gear to take to the Galapagos , or what to pack as a digital nomad – they are looking for answers, and might then want to purchase directly based on your recommendation.

Unless you spend a lot of time optimising posts to rank highly in search results though, affiliate programs aren’t likely to generate a huge income, but it all adds up, and some bloggers do have tremendous success with these programs.

Take a look at sites like Booking.com and  Amazon , for affiliate programs that might work for you.

A good option is to sign up with a site like TravelPayouts , where you’ll find a range of travel focused affiliate programs you can work with.

3. Product placement / partnerships

A popular area for travel bloggers to generate an income is to partner with a brand and promote it to their audience. This can be in the form of posts on site talking about the product / brand, sharing content to social media related to the brand, and so on.

As with all partnerships that involve money, it’s important to disclose this to your readers up front – a legal requirement in many countries.

These partnerships are also generally only effective when partnering with brands or products that are relevant to your blogs audience – a budget travel blog for example likely wouldn’t offer much of value to a private jet charter service.

See the resources section below for some ideas on where and how to connect with brands.

4. Sponsored posts

Another way to generate income is to run sponsored posts, or what is sometimes referred to as “native advertising”. This comes in two forms, and can be content written by a third party or by the blogger to be hosted on the blog.

The first type of sponsored post takes the form of a blog post, just like any other, which aims to reach your audience, with the goal of raising awareness of a brand or product.

The second type of sponsored post has nothing to do with your audience, and is a way of gaming Google in order to improve the ranking of specific search queries in Google’s results.

Accepting money for posts which aim to manipulate search engine results is specifically against Google’s webmaster guidelines, and if caught, the offending blog runs the risk of being penalised by Google, and in a worst case scenario, being removed from Google’s results entirely.

You can see those guidlelines outlined here , as well as some suggestions for best practice. It’s up to you what you do with your site, of course, but we don’t accept any sponsored posts or link buys in this site as we deem the risk is far to great – the short-term rewards are significantly outweighed by the long-term risk.

5. Product creation

Finally, and this is a way to create money both on and off-site, some bloggers have created products based on their areas of expertise, which they sell to their readers.

These can be virtual products like eBooks, online courses, or apps, or physical products like clothing or printed books. If you’re creative and have a great idea, you might find your audience will love it too!

6. Content creation on other sites

If you’re running a blog, chances are you have a decent idea on how to create good content, be that video, photography or text. These services can be of tremendous value to brands, who are always on the lookout for good content for their social media streams or blogs.

If you can set yourself up as a freelance content creator in one or more of these areas, using your blog as your virtual “CV”, then you could start to generate a decent income.

7. Social media leverage and training

Most bloggers, over time, start to become pretty adept at social media. This blog’s Facebook page , for example, has a highly engaged following of over a million fans. That sort of following is of tremendous interest to brands, for two reasons:

  • You can share relevant content to your audience
  • You can advise brands as to how to improve their own social media presence, based on your experience running your social media accounts

Both of the above offer opportunities for revenue generation.

8. Speaking

As previously mentioned, I have spoken at a number of conferences and events, including TravelCon, TBEX, TDB Italy and the Arabian Travel Market, a travel trade show in Dubai.

If speaking publicly is something you are interested in, it is something you can turn into a fee-earner , given sufficient experience and expertise in a subject.

9. Travel advice and tours

Finally, some travel bloggers offer advice to their readers in the form of helping them to arrange travel itineraries. Wandering Earl for example offers full tours, helping travellers to experience the places that they have visited, know and love.

10. User supported

Some travel bloggers and content creators have a user supported model. This uses platforms like Patreon whereby readers and members of the community can pay a small amount each month to support their favourite creators.

This can work very well if you have a personality driven blog, where readers follow you because they like you specifically. It’s less likely to be successful on an informational blog, where readers find you via a search result, read that one post, and head off.

See this guide to whether a Patreon might be right for you.

how to become a travel blogger

Getting Paid as a Travel Blogger

Once you have figured out a means of generating an income, you will need to figure out how to actually get paid. This can be more challenging than you first think, because you are likely going to be generating revenue from multiple streams across multiple currencies.

Whilst many might suggest a service like PayPal, I find that the fees for both receiving funds and the poor currency conversion rate make it less appealing, and an option I’ll only use if I have no other choice.

Instead, I recommend and use Wise . They let me create actual bank accounts in a range of currencies around the world, and receive funds via direct bank transfer (supported by most affiliate programs, ad networks and businesses). You can create both a personal and business account and I have used them for years with no issue. You can sign up here .

Resources for becoming a travel blogger

Whew. That was a lot of information. To top it all off, I just want to include some other posts from some great bloggers, as well as some resources and communities that you should consider joining if you want to take your blog to the next level.

Advice from other travel bloggers

  • Jess has put together a detailed guide to How to Set Up a Travel Blog , from a more technical viewpoint
  • Liz from Young Adventuress How not to suck at social media
  • Kate of Adventurous Kate has a guide to whether a Patreon might work for you
  • I also interviewed nearly 30 leading travel bloggers on this site for their advice on travel blogging. Find those interviews here .

Miscellaneous

  • Tips on Twitter success from Jodi of Legal Nomads
  • A guide to migrating from Blogger to WordPress I put together following my own experience doing this
  • Our guide to starting a travel blog
  • We have a detailed review of Cloudways as a WordPress host to help you decide if it’s the right host for you
  • Our guide to picking the best WordPress host for your new blog

And that is it for my tips on how to become a travel blogger! Sold on the idea? Head on over to my Essential Packing List for Digital Nomads so you know what gear to pack for your journey!

Finally, please note that some of the links in this post generate a small affiliate income to me if you use them, at no cost to you. I’ve listed every resource I find useful though, regardless of whether or not there is an affiliate earning.

Everything you need to know about how to become a travel blogger, from making money, to do's and don'ts, to getting started, to social media.

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There are 74 comments on this post

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Luiz Antonio Duarte Ferreira says

12th September 2024 at 9:53 am

This article is a fantastic guide for aspiring travel professionals! It offers practical tips and insights on building a successful career in the travel industry. Highly recommend for anyone passionate about travel!

Laurence Norah says

12th September 2024 at 8:17 pm

Thanks Luiz 🙂

sruthi says

29th April 2024 at 7:14 am

thanks for sharing

2nd May 2024 at 12:44 pm

My pleasure Sruthi, glad you found the guide useful 🙂

14th December 2023 at 6:55 am

Thanks for sharing this helpful guide about starting as a travel blogger! The steps and stories you shared are inspiring. It’s great to know that if you love travel and work hard, you can make a job out of it. The advice you gave can help new bloggers, reminding them to be themselves, keep learning, and not give up. It’s a fantastic guide for anyone dreaming of starting their blog!

14th December 2023 at 1:55 pm

Thanks very much Sarah!

23rd September 2023 at 10:05 am

Hi, Becoming a travel blogger is a dream for many, and this guide breaks it down step by step. It’s inspiring to see how passion can turn into a fulfilling career. Thanks for sharing!

23rd September 2023 at 1:07 pm

Thanks Lucas, glad to be able to help!

ROHIT PATLE says

24th February 2023 at 4:18 pm

Traveling is not just about exploring new places, it’s about discovering yourself in the process. It opens your mind to new cultures, languages, and ways of life, and teaches you to appreciate the beauty in diversity

25th February 2023 at 6:06 am

This is true Rohit, thank you for sharing 🙂

19th June 2022 at 8:43 am

You gave many great tips. IMO passion is definitely the most “important” skill whatever you do. Thank you for sharing. 🙂

19th June 2022 at 9:56 am

My pleasure Jack, thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂

Rajveer Singh says

20th May 2022 at 1:30 pm

Hey Laurence it was a great blog you clearly explained everything in detailed and in an easy way which is best for a beginner who just started or want to start travel blogging. Want to read more blogs and need guidance in other stream. So please post a new article soon.

20th May 2022 at 1:35 pm

Hi Rajveer,

Thanks for your comment! Is there anything in particular you are interested in learning about? I don’t write a lot of articles about travel blogging, but I have written a few, like how to choose a WordPress host , which I published quite recently. But if there is something you are particularly interested in, or if you have a question, I am happy to help!

Jejey Daga says

13th January 2022 at 8:05 am

Excellent information. I still have so much to learn. We are working on putting out more information and learning the correct way to do. Thank you for your help.

13th January 2022 at 12:51 pm

My pleasure, I’m glad you found this guide useful 🙂

10th November 2021 at 7:17 am

Thank you very much . Very nice information & very helpful. Congratulations on your success!

10th November 2021 at 10:22 am

Thanks Babak!

Reliablerider says

13th September 2021 at 10:51 am

Thanks for sharing this great info with us. Really inspiring blog.

13th September 2021 at 11:05 am

Jenifer S says

27th August 2021 at 2:36 am

Awesome blog. I enjoyed reading your articles. This is truly a great read for me. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work!

29th August 2021 at 8:37 am

Thanks Jenifer!

Shreya says

14th August 2021 at 3:43 pm

Can I pursue travel blogging while getting an Academic degree or with a day job? Would love to hear back.

15th August 2021 at 1:39 pm

You absolutely can do travel blogging whilst having a day job or getting a degree. Many travel bloggers have a full time day job as well, it’s more than possible to do both, and especially with the inconsistency of earning from a blog, it is a good option.

Best of luck!

24th August 2021 at 11:28 am

6th July 2021 at 7:15 pm

Do you have to buy a domain name and if so, can i like buy it from go-daddy then use a different platform for my page?

6th July 2021 at 8:49 pm

So you don’t absolutely have to buy a domain name if you want to try out a free blogging service like blogspot or WordPress.com. However your url would then be yourblog.blogspot.com instead of yourblog.com. In the long term a domain name is definitely a good idea, but if you’re just testing the water it’s not a necessity!

To answer the second part of the question, yes, you can buy your domain name from anywhere, be that go daddy, name cheap, Google domains etc. Many blog hosting services will include a domain name as a bonus. Some may give the impression you have to buy the domain name as part of the service but that’s definitely not the case.

Good luck with the new blog and let me know if you have any more questions!

21st May 2021 at 6:31 am

Hey Laurence it was a great blog you explained everything in quite detailed and in an easy way which is best for a beginner who just started or want to start travell blogging.

21st May 2021 at 1:05 pm

Thanks very much Amit 🙂

Muskan says

4th November 2020 at 11:09 am

Thnk you for this great article ☺️ I want to become a traveller and this article very helpful ☺️

6th November 2020 at 1:35 pm

My pleasure Muskan – best of luck with your travel blog!

18th September 2020 at 1:30 pm

Good Article and informative. Newbie blogger will be inspired from your article. Good work!

18th September 2020 at 2:21 pm

Thanks very much 🙂

James Weinstein says

9th September 2020 at 10:35 am

Hey Laurence Norah Your information is very useful and it help me a lot. You told the right thing which need a traveler or any person because who travel first time in aboard they have to know about the place , environment, where the stay and many things. You highlight this kinds of things in your article that much better for traveler. I also know many information from your article. After this pandemic situation we travel again. Thanks a lot for your kind information.

9th September 2020 at 12:02 pm

Thanks James, much appreciated!

13th August 2020 at 4:29 pm

Travel blogging is something for me is passion plus money enjoying time

13th August 2020 at 5:25 pm

Good luck 😀

RAHUL Deo says

5th August 2020 at 6:51 am

great insight on how to start a travel blog. would like to know more from you.

5th August 2020 at 11:26 am

Thanks Rahul. If you have specific questions I am happy to help.

The Pahadi Traveller says

2nd August 2020 at 5:32 pm

Hi , Amazing and really inspiring article . Such articles motives and helps to peruse our dreams . Keep up the good work . Thank you .

2nd August 2020 at 9:04 pm

Thanks very much!

8th July 2020 at 10:27 am

Hi, thank you for great article. It´s great to be travel nomad 🙂

8th July 2020 at 12:25 pm

It sure is! Thanks for your comment 🙂

goinsee says

16th June 2020 at 5:38 am

Great tips, I’m just starting my blog. Your share helps me a lot. Thanks

16th June 2020 at 10:55 am

My pleasure – good luck!

Nathanael Nunag says

28th May 2020 at 11:09 am

Thank you for the advice!

28th May 2020 at 3:39 pm

Gail O says

18th December 2019 at 5:49 pm

Great post! Thank you so much for sharing!

19th December 2019 at 11:02 am

My pleasure Gail!

8th November 2019 at 8:13 am

Thank you for your post, advice and tips. It was an excellent read – with more to come in your archive. One question – where do you find the time for all the reading?

8th November 2019 at 9:07 am

Thanks very much 🙂 It’s always important to have a balance between work and everything else, and while that can be tricky when self employed, it’s something we strive for! For reading specifically, there’s always time for that!

Olivia Slate says

9th August 2019 at 8:10 pm

This is a long comment – sorry!

Firstly, this post has been extremely helpful for us. It is full of so much content I was actually struggling to find elsewhere! Myself and my partner, Aron, met each other a year and a half ago in Australia and continued to travel together for the whole year and a half through Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, South East Asia and we have now settled in Switzerland (where my partner is from) to save up for our next trip at the end of the year.

My question is, we obviously have heaps of experiences and hints, tips and information from our 16 month trip, but we did not blog our trip. Where shall I start? Do I backtrack to 16 months ago or start a fresh from our next trip?

It’s such a hard one because we have so many experiences and amazing photos, but I just wish we started to blog from the beginning – as my experience was content writing in my past jobs in the UK! It was our first time travelling long-term and meeting each other was all new so blogging just didn’t fit at the time!

Any help would be hugely appreciated!

10th August 2019 at 9:57 pm

Thanks for your comment and I’m delighted to have been able to help. So I actually was in a very similar situation to you – I travelled through Australia for a year and then started my blog. I started off chronicling some of the things I had done in Australia, and as I was travelling in New Zealand when I started it, I also wrote about that. Now we blog about all kinds of places, and it’s entirely non chronological.

To be honest, there’s no right answer. I think you should definitely cover some of your previous experiences, but it depends if you want your blog to be something chronological, or not. Most readers though will not read it chronologically, they will come looking for specific information and won’t start at the beginning. So my suggestion would be just to write what you want and when. Of course, it’s up to you 😉

Best of luck, and let me know if I can help any more!

Taru Gupta says

3rd August 2019 at 10:25 pm

Thanks for sharing all these tips! I am doing research of things to know before starting a travelling blog. This is my 3rd time in two days reading this post. I find it incredibly helpful and gave me a good starting to everything to consider before hand. I really appreciate it. Keep up the good work 🙂

4th August 2019 at 9:12 am

Our pleasure Taru – good luck with your blog!

Priya Singh says

17th May 2019 at 8:07 am

Marvelous work!. Blog is brilliantly written and provides all necessary information I really like this site. Thanks for sharing this useful post.

17th May 2019 at 9:06 am

My pleasure Priya, thanks for your comment 🙂

Shanese says

10th April 2019 at 12:47 am

This is a great post but it didn’t answer one question I have. How did you get your start with being able to be a travel blogger aside from setting up the blog? Did you just go somewhere in the world and document your experience?

10th April 2019 at 2:14 pm

Hi Shanese!

So everyone’s approach is different and I don’t think there’s a one size fits all approach. For me, I saved up from a number of years working and went travelling in Australia. I actually travelled for a year before I started the blog, and it was just a hobby, not something I expected to take full time.

However, many bloggers have success by writing about local travel experiences as well, so you certainly don’t need to quit a job and set off on a big trip to be successful. My wife for example started her blog writing about some of the larger trips she took whilst working, and then mixed that in with local experiences that she took on weekends and so on.

Now we do this full time and travel 3 – 6 months in the year to get content 🙂

Hope this helps!

Tony Turley says

6th February 2019 at 8:07 pm

Thanks for the tips. I used your Bluehost link to set up my first WordPress blog. It’s still rather spartan at only 3 posts so far, and site stats indicate I haven’t received much traffic yet. I’m still working on tweaking the layout.

I’m a long time photographer, and my specialty has been day trips of up to around a 4 hour drive from our home within the state of West Virginia. I have thousands of images from numerous hiking and biking outings, and I’m using the blog to share some of those adventures. I’ve spent almost 32 years working in aviation safety with the US government, and I’m planning to retire this Autumn and use the extra time to pursue blogging on a more serious level. I’ll hit 60 in a few weeks, so I’m rather late to the blogging world, but I want to eventually turn my blogging efforts into a side income to supplement my retirement. Lots to do before that, though.

6th February 2019 at 8:10 pm

Thanks for sharing 🙂 Sounds like you have a lot of content to share, which is always a good place to start from. Blogging is definitely a long-term game, especially when it comes to making an income, but if you stick with it you can definitely do just that 🙂 I wouldn’t worry too much about stats as you get started, just focus on creating some great content and learning what you enjoy sharing.

Timothy Gagnon says

11th December 2018 at 1:21 pm

Really helpful tips here! I like how you mentioned the negative side to travel blogging too. Awesome post!

11th December 2018 at 1:23 pm

My pleasure Timothy, I’m pleased you found it useful! And certainly, travel blogging is like everything else – there are upsides and downsides to consider 😀

Annisa Hasan says

21st November 2018 at 11:02 am

One more question I wanna ask. A friend of mine asked me “Why should I read your blog when I can find all the information on the company’s website?” How do I answer that?

Thanks Annisa

21st November 2018 at 11:08 am

Well, it depends on what you are writing about, but there are a few reasons. First, a blog is more personable than a company website. Second, you should definitely be adding value beyond what can be found on the website, that really answer questions that people might not know they have. For example, if you’re writing about an attraction, maybe there are some other nearby attractions that are also worth visiting that you can recommend. Maybe there are nearby hotels or better ways to reach the attraction that you can talk about.

Basically, it’s all about sharing your real world experience and advice, and having your readers trust your voice. We visit every place we write about in detail, and only use our own photos. We also often revisit a place multiple times. That way we know we are able to share the most accurate and up to date information we can 🙂

21st November 2018 at 12:34 pm

Thanks Laurence, that answered my question

Annisa says

20th November 2018 at 3:07 pm

Hi, these are really helpful tips for a starter. One question. I’ve researched a lot of travel bogs out there and even looked at popular keyword to get to the top of google search through SEO, I’ve seen many and I meany many GOOD quality contents online, how do I compete with that? I understand that I have to update all the time and schedule contents from a calendar but how do I get people to come to read my blog and not theirs?

20th November 2018 at 3:22 pm

Thanks! To be honest, this is not an easy question to answer – it takes a while. The answer is that you need to build a range of authoritative content on a specific topic. Rather than trying to compete with existing high ranking content, the better option is to research what topics are not well served by existing websites, and seeing if you can rank for those. Once you start to rank for some of those topics, you can look to expanding your coverage.

It’s a long game, especially for SEO and getting Google to rank you, and there are no quick wins unfortunately!

Hope this helps

20th November 2018 at 5:03 pm

Yes it did thank you Laurence

roshani says

4th July 2018 at 9:44 am

thanks for sharing all excellent tips,this is most important information for travel blogs.

4th July 2018 at 9:45 am

My pleasure 🙂

Isabella says

30th December 2016 at 12:39 pm

Oh my! this is a whole lot of extremely valuable tips! thank you so much…

Laurence says

30th December 2016 at 3:37 pm

My pleasure – thanks for reading!

16th April 2016 at 7:42 am

Thank you for all the wonderful information, this may be the most information for us novice travel bloggers that I’ve come across to in one place!

How To Become a Travel Blogger (and Get Paid)

In addition to being a fun hobby, traveling can also be a profitable activity. In this article, we will share a step-by-step guide on how to become a travel blogger. You will also learn how to earn on your blog with Travelpayouts , and we will also reveal other methods to get paid and answer the most frequent questions, such as how much money you need to become a travel blogger, how much you can earn on your travel blog, and more.

travel blogger career

Who Can Become a Travel Blogger?

If you look at existing travel bloggers, you will find a variety of people among them, including solo travelers, married couples with children, retired people, young people, and even children.

There is no single portrait of exactly what a travel blogger looks like, but there are a number of personal characteristics that are desirable to have in order to become a successful travel blogger.

Love to Travel

It is hard to find a person who does not like to travel. If you don’t like traveling, then you are unlikely to become a successful travel blogger. However, since you are already looking for guides on how to become a travel blogger , most likely you already have a love for this topic.

While blogging, you have to share your experiences, inspire people to travel, and delve into the details. Therefore, for a successful start, it is important that you love to travel as well.

Technical Skills

Starting a travel blog is not rocket science. Below, you will find a detailed plan to become a blogger. If you’re able to work with any apps, such as Microsoft Word, then you’ll be able to get to grips with the intricacies of blogging on a technical level as well.

Complex technical solutions, such as automated emails for your subscribers, can always be entrusted to specialists; however, to start and run a blog, you probably will not need to hire anyone.

Clarity 

Blogging is about content, you have to share information with your audience. This can be in any format, such as text, photos, or even a video or podcast.

It will be great if you know how to correctly and clearly express your thoughts in any format. If not, no problem. Among bloggers, there are few real journalists, but there are many ordinary people who blog in their own styles and communicate with the audience in their own ways. Clarity is the most important factor for making your audience comfortable with your content. Moreover, writing skills can always be improved, especially since there are many courses, such as:

  • Copywriting Masterclass
  • Blogging – Blog Copywriting
  • Copywriting For Beginners

Being persistent and achieving what you set out to do is an important quality in any endeavor, including blogging. Although, with our step-by-step guide on how to become a travel blogger and earn money from blogging, you can go faster than if you started from scratch. You need to be willing to work and be persistent.

Many bloggers do not receive income for their work at first and, only with an increase in traffic, do they start earning. With that said, some of them earn even five figures per month.

Katarina

Step-By-Step Free Guide on How to Become a Travel Blogger and Get Paid

You can become a travel blogger in less than a day. However, launching a travel blog is only the beginning. There is plenty of work to develop a blog and generate a high income. Below, you will find a free, step-by-step guide on how to start a travel blog and get paid.

1. Choose the Format of Your Future Blog

You need a platform on which you will share content and attract your audience. This could be:

  • A standalone travel blog website, such as travelbybrit.com, theworldtravelguy.com, okeventures.com, etc.
  • Blogs on various blogging platforms, such as Medium.com
  • A social media account
  • A YouTube channel

Posting on someone else’s website, such as Medium, may sound simpler than the other options; however, there are big risks and limitations. Since you do not control the third-party website, you would have limited opportunities in terms of earnings (most often, you cannot embed ads).

Social media platforms are a great addition to standalone travel blogs. However, establishing a YouTube channel is usually a time-consuming project that requires a different approach.

The first option (your own website) is the most popular for starting a blog . Thus, we will examine the process of becoming a travel blogger based on this approach. With that said, even this option has various approaches. You basically have two options for launching a website:

  • Create a website on a free platform, such as Blogpost
  • Create a standalone website on your own domain, such as travelblog.com

The first option is temporary for most bloggers (it is almost impossible to find a successful blog that kept their website on free platforms), since such solutions significantly limit one’s technical capabilities and earning opportunities.

Creating a standalone website is the correct strategic approach. You will be in control of the site, so you would be able to choose the way you post content, the way you earn on your travel blog, etc.

2. Website Creation

To launch a travel blog you will need:

  • Domain – the name by which you can be found on the Internet
  • Hosting – a computer on which your site will be located, from where it will be accessible to users around the world
  • Content management system – the technical part of your blog, which will make it possible to manage your site
  • Website design – how your website will look

Let’s explore each point in more detail.

You need to find a free domain (spoiler: most words are taken, so you likely will need to invent your own name to find an available domain) and buy it. Usually, a domain can be purchased for a one-year period, and then each year, you will extend your registration. All this can be done at any of the following sites:

  • And many others (just use Google to find the most suitable option for you)

There is one most popular domain zone (.com) and many others, such as .net, .info, or even .travel and .blog. In the .com zone, it is difficult to find an available name. In the others, it is a bit easier. However, in pursuit of a beautiful name, check the popular domain zone anyway so that you don’t run into problems in the future. 

Cost: $10-15 per year for the domain in the .com zone and 0-200$ for most other domain zones.

Many domain registrars offer to buy hosting right away. This is a good solution, but there are many hosting companies. Thus, you can buy a domain and hosting in different places. Here is a short list of some hosting providers:

  • A2Hosting.com
  • Scalahosting.com

Most hosting providers allow you to upgrade your plan in the future. During, in the beginning, the initial fees will be enough for you and you should not buy an expensive plan. In the future, when you have a lot of traffic on your travel blog, you can expand your hosting.

Cost: $50-100 per year

Content Management System

A content management system (CMS) is a program on the server. For you, it is more like a visual interface, like Microsoft Word, in which you can interact with your travel blog as an administrator. You can learn more about CMSs in this video:

The most popular travel blog management system is WordPress. If you do not have specific requirements, then don’t even bother looking at the alternatives and immediately select this option.

Some hosting companies are able to install the CMS for you, but you can definitely do it yourself. Here is the official manual .

WordPress is so popular and suits many travel bloggers, as its functions can be extended. For example, to install an SSL certificate, you can use a special plugin, as well as work with photos, SEO, etc.

Cost: from $0

After installing WordPress on your hosting platform, your travel blog will already be available to users, but it will look like this:

An example of a travel blog without content and design

This is a free standard template that all WordPress blogs are starting. However, there are dozens of free pre-made designs. All you have to do is install them from your blog’s admin panel:

An example of free themes for a travel blog

There are also many paid professional ready-made designs that you can buy (for example, on ThemeForest ).

You don’t have to invest in a paid design and logo right away, as your design doesn’t have that much of an impact at the initial stage. Thus, you can start a blog with zero costs and upgrade it in the future.

3. Content Creation

If you’ve already reached this step, we congratulate you! Your blog is live and available to your audience! The first two stages were preparatory. Now, the constant work of creating content for your blog begins.

You need to prepare your first piece of content. To do this, explore topics that you think will be interesting to your audience. Creating a table of contents, writing an article, checking it for plagiarism, and more come after. The number one step is determining what your future audience will be searching for.

If you focus only on your own interests, you risk having low organic traffic. It is important to write about what is interesting to you and your audience at the same time. You can literally check how many people are looking for this or that search query and prepare material for it. How to do this is discussed in more detail in the free Travelpayouts course from the eminent travel blogger Sharon Gourlay .

When preparing your content, try to provide the most complete and detailed responses to user requests. Also, demonstrate your expertise. Even in the initial stages, this will help you gain the trust of the search engines that will generate traffic for you.

Google and other search engines will, in most cases, be your main sources of traffic, so it will be very useful to take their requirements into account when creating content. You can learn more in various courses, such as:

  • Best of SEO: #1 SEO Training & Content Marketing Course
  • Content Writing & Copy Writing For SEO and Sales

You can also attract additional traffic to your website from social networks. To do this, you have to first create social networks, and then publish posts about new articles on your blog.

Content creation is indeed a lengthy process. You may not have much per article at the very beginning, but for good traffic volume, you will probably need a lot of articles that can drive a decent amount of traffic.

To speed up the process, you can also hire authors (spending about $0.10 per word on average). However, hiring someone to write for your blog is most common in the later stages, once you have already figured out what kind of content you need to create.

Google is potentially your main source of traffic, and Google in 2024 values ​​expert content. To prepare such content for your blog, you have to travel and dive into your topics.

There are bloggers who prepare posts based on someone else’s content. Such articles are difficult to make more useful than existing content and, therefore, are more difficult to promote on Google. In addition, you will also have problems with photos, since you cannot take someone else’s photos without permission or you will have to buy them on sites like Shutterstock. Therefore, traveling for yourself is an integral part of running most travel blogs.

You do not have to go to the other side of the country or even leave your hometown (unless you want to). Study the demand of the audience in your city or nearby locations. It is likely that you can create content about something near you. For example, if you live in Virginia, you can create content about your surroundings (for example, Virginia’s national parks are in huge demand):

Virginia national parks search query example (SEMrush)

An alternative to travelling for yourself could be hiring copywriters and travelers who will share their stories on your pages, but this, as we noted earlier, is a different approach and requires investment.

How to Get Paid As a Travel Blogger?

Being a travel blogger is not only fun and beneficial to the travel community, it is also a source of solid income. It’s a paid hobby! That’s great, isn’t it? Not all travel bloggers earn five figures monthly, but you can easily get $1,000 to $2,000 a month in a short time after starting your blog. Below, you will find the most popular ways to get paid as a travel blogger. 

Affiliate Marketing

To get traffic from search engines, your content must be useful to your audience. Affiliate marketing can make it even more useful, while earning you more money. It works like this:

  • You recommend a service from a specific brand in your articles, such as a hotel on Booking.com or a tour on GetYourGuide.
  • Your audience buys services based on your recommendation (clicking links in your article to proceed to the specific travel brands’ websites).
  • You receive a commission for the sale. Brands share their income with you as thanks for recommending travelers to book a service on their platform. 

The travel services price for your audience is exactly the same as without your recommendation. So, they are not overpaying or losing anything, just getting good recommendations. Brands will be more willing to share sales revenue if they see your channel is a great source of customers for them.

You can earn up to 40% of the cost of services from affiliate marketing, but usually, brands share up to 10%. Here are some examples:

All of the listed brands and dozens of others are available on the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform . More than 350,000 successful travel bloggers have already joined the platform and you also can join as well to access links that allow you to recommend the services of your audio room:

Join the Travelpayouts partnership platform

Streamline your travel blog's financial success.

You can connect your travel blog to travel affiliate programs literally from the first day of your website’s existence. Some brands accept only blogs with traffic, but there are many that work without moderation. Nevertheless, traffic on your site is important for earning money.

Since you will be earning revenue from sales, that revenue will start coming in once your articles have traffic. However, you can also place affiliate tools right away, so that, in the future, you don’t have to return to integrate links into existing articles.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular options for those who want to become travel bloggers and make money. To figure out how to become a successful travel blogger and make money with Travelpayouts, join a free course .

Contextual Advertising

In addition to earning on the recommendations of travel services to your audience, you can earn on advertising by completing the following steps:

  • Join an advertising network, such as Ezoic or Google Ads
  • Place the ad code on your website
  • The ad network shows ads inside your articles
  • When your audience clicks on an ad, you earn per-click revenue

This method is not related to the sale of services and goods. It doesn’t matter if the person who clicked on the ad ended up buying what was offered to him/her. Since the advertiser risks much more in this case than in affiliate marketing (where you receive income for sales), the income per click is much lower. Moreover, many modern ad blockers (such as Ad Blocker Plugins for Google Chrome) prevent such ads from displaying.

Some travel bloggers can combine this method with affiliate marketing to earn even more. For example, by placing contextual advertising on pages where you do not offer (and could not offer) any services directly from brands for a commission.

Freelancing

If you are an active traveler, then you can make money as an author. Having your own travel blog will be a great portfolio and you can even make some decent money by writing for someone else. 

You can place an offer on your blog that you are open to creating content, as well as participating in specialized copywriting groups on Facebook. You can also offer your services on Fiverr, Upwork, or other freelancing platforms.

Example of travel writers on Fiverr

On average, you can earn about $0.10 per word in English.

Guest Posting

Your travel blog is interesting to other site owners in terms of SEO. In some cases, people may be willing to buy links on your site, especially if your blog has a high DA rating .

The guest post or link price depends on the authority of your blog as well as how many external links it already has. A regular blog may earn a few hundred dollars per link, while a more reputable and popular blog can earn over $1,000 per link.

This is an attractive method, but unlike affiliate marketing and advertising, it is a one-time thing. In addition, you need to create new content for new links (usually people are not ready to buy from posts that already have a link, and previous buyers will not think it is fair if you sell an extra link next to theirs).

In addition, selling links can negatively affect your organic traffic, as paid placements are sometimes viewed negatively by Google. This is often considered a manipulation of the rules of the search engine. Therefore, you should not abuse this method to earn money, and perhaps you should not use this method at all.

Is It Possible to Become a Travel Blogger and Live Off the Income From Your Blog?

Becoming a travel blogger is not as difficult as becoming a successful travel blogger who earns money from blogging. However, there is a lot of evidence that this goal is quite possible to achieve. Here are the stories of just a few bloggers:

  • Travelbybrit.com
  • Theworldtravelguy.com
  • TheLithuanianAbroad.com
  • Oceanwideexplorers.com
  • Twooutliers.com

Among successful bloggers, there are completely different people, many of whom started in the 2020s. This debunks the myth that it was necessary to start earlier. The only correct answer is that, if you start now, you can also become a travel blogger and earn money through Travelpayouts and other means.

Even though there is a lot of work to put in, and reaching five figures per month can take a long time if you are a newbie, traveling the world and making money on it is definitely possible. 

Although the idea of ​​becoming a travel blogger is very attractive to most people, even after our step-by-step guide, you may still have questions. So, we answered some the most common questions here.

How much money do I need to start?

You can start a travel blog for $0. Above, we mentioned some costs, but you can start for free. For example, social media platforms are excellent places to share and earn money on your travel experiences. You can also start a blog on your own domain for less than $100.

Even though successful travel bloggers usually travel a lot to create new content, you can start where you are now. This is the first location that you can speak about as an expert. By creating content yourself, you will not have to deal with the additional costs of hiring authors.

Is it necessary to travel to become a successful travel blogger?

Each person lives in their own area and you can become an expert of this location. Of course, the potential of various places is different. You can study the tourist demand before starting a blog, including through Google Trends .

Example of audience interest to travel in California 

If you can’t share stories about the place you are right now, you can also choose not to travel and create content about your past travels. In addition, you can invite authors to prepare quality content for you.

If you can travel (even on a budget), it will dramatically expand the topics you can write about. 

Some bloggers talk about places they have never been and prepare content based on the stories of others. These bloggers mostly approach blogging as a job and are more likely webmasters than bloggers. This approach also allows you to produce a lot of content, but there is a high chance that Google will not give preference to your content and you will not attract much traffic, since Google and real people prefer an expert creating unique content.

How much can I earn from a travel blog?

Having a travel blog does not guarantee that you will earn money. You have to find your audience since traffic on your blog is necessary in order for you to earn via most monetization methods, such as affiliate marketing or contextual ads.

There is no cap on earnings. As mentioned earlier, some bloggers earn five figures per month. To calculate your estimated revenue, you can use the average revenue per 1,000 impressions ($30-50 for US traffic). You can predict your estimated traffic based on the search volume of search queries you are creating content for.

If you have any questions about how to become a travel blogger and start making money on your blog, write your suggestions in the comments and we will be glad to help.

Andrey Novoselov

CLIMB

What Does a Travel Blogger Do?

Find out what a Travel Blogger does, how to get this job, salary information, and what it takes to succeed as a Travel Blogger.

travel blogger career

Embarking on a journey as a Travel Blogger involves weaving narratives around various destinations, cultures, and experiences to inspire and inform a diverse audience. This role transcends mere storytelling; it encompasses the art of capturing the essence of travel through engaging content, photography, and social media engagement. By sharing personal insights, practical tips, and immersive stories, a Travel Blogger not only fuels wanderlust but also serves as a guide, helping readers navigate the complexities of travel planning and decision-making. Through their explorations and reflections, they contribute to a global conversation about travel, offering a window into the world’s myriad landscapes, traditions, and communities.

Travel Blogger Job Duties

  • Research and plan travel itineraries to diverse destinations, ensuring a mix of popular and off-the-beaten-path locations.
  • Create engaging content, including blog posts, videos, and social media updates, documenting travel experiences and providing travel tips.
  • Photograph landscapes, cultural events, and local cuisine to visually complement written content and social media posts.
  • Network with tourism boards, travel agencies, and local businesses to arrange travel logistics and secure partnerships or sponsorships.
  • Review accommodations, restaurants, and attractions, providing honest opinions and recommendations to the audience.
  • Analyze website and social media analytics to understand audience preferences and adjust content strategy accordingly.
  • Manage the blog’s technical aspects, including website design, SEO optimization, and troubleshooting issues to ensure a smooth user experience.
  • Organize and lead group travel experiences or tours for followers, handling logistics, itineraries, and on-trip content creation.

Travel Blogger Salary & Outlook

Factors affecting a Travel Blogger’s salary include audience size, engagement rate, content quality, niche specialization, monetization strategies (affiliate marketing, sponsored content, product sales), brand partnerships, and experience level. Diversified income streams, such as ebooks or online courses, also significantly impact earnings. Social media presence and SEO skills are crucial.

  • Median Annual Salary: $80,325 ($38.62/hour)
  • Top 10% Annual Salary: $162,000 ($77.88/hour)

The employment of travel bloggers is expected to grow faster than average over the next decade.

This growth is driven by an increasing demand for authentic travel experiences among consumers, who seek personalized and immersive content. Travel bloggers fulfill this need by providing unique insights, destination guides, and visual storytelling, making them invaluable to tourism industries and digital marketing strategies.

Travel Blogger Job Requirements

Education: A Travel Blogger typically has diverse educational backgrounds, with many having some college coursework, often in journalism, communications, or marketing. High school diploma holders succeed by leveraging strong writing and storytelling skills. Those with bachelor’s or associate degrees may have majored in English, creative writing, or digital media, enhancing their content creation and SEO knowledge. Education in photography or videography is also beneficial for creating compelling visual content.

Experience: Travel bloggers often start with varied levels of experience, ranging from beginners to those with up to a year of dabbling in the field. Key experience areas include writing, photography, and digital marketing, with a strong emphasis on storytelling and audience engagement. On-the-job learning is common, as bloggers continuously adapt to new trends and platforms. Many also benefit from informal training programs or workshops focused on SEO, social media strategies, and content creation to enhance their skills and grow their online presence. Networking with fellow bloggers and attending travel-related events can also provide valuable insights and opportunities for growth in this dynamic field.

Certifications & Licenses: No specific certifications or licenses are typically required for the job of a Travel Blogger.

Travel Blogger Skills

SEO Optimization: To rank highly on search engine results pages, incorporating relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and tags is necessary. For travel bloggers, keeping abreast of the latest algorithm changes and trends in travel search queries ensures their blog posts attract both globe-trotters and casual vacationers.

Photography: Through their lenses, travel bloggers capture the essence of destinations, transforming fleeting moments into timeless narratives. This skill not only enhances the visual appeal of their content but also connects the viewer’s imagination to the reality of far-flung locales.

Video Editing: By turning raw footage into visually compelling stories, travel bloggers create engaging narratives that captivate audiences and inspire wanderlust. This skill boosts viewer engagement and retention, making it a crucial part of their digital storytelling toolkit.

Social Media Engagement: Engaging content that resonates with followers, coupled with active interaction through comments, shares, and direct messages, expands a travel blogger’s reach and influence. This interaction fosters a loyal community and elevates the blogger’s brand, increasing its attractiveness to potential collaborators and sponsors.

Storytelling: Travel bloggers craft captivating narratives that transport readers to distant lands, cultures, and experiences. Their ability to weave the fabric of their adventures into engaging, relatable stories establishes a loyal following eager for the next journey.

Destination Research: By exploring the cultural, historical, and social nuances of destinations, travel bloggers offer stories that resonate deeply with their audience, providing insights beyond typical tourist experiences. This approach not only enriches the content but also positions the blogger as a trusted source of travel wisdom.

Travel Blogger Work Environment

Travel bloggers often find themselves in a dynamic work environment, where the world serves as their office. This means their physical setting changes frequently, from bustling city cafes to tranquil beachfronts, depending on their current destination. The essential tools of their trade include a reliable laptop, camera equipment, and a strong internet connection, allowing them to document and share their experiences in real-time.

Work hours for travel bloggers are far from the conventional 9-to-5, offering a high degree of flexibility. They may find themselves working odd hours to catch the perfect sunrise for a shoot or to meet deadlines across different time zones. Despite the lack of a strict dress code, the need to adapt to various cultural norms and climates influences their attire.

The nature of their job requires a significant amount of travel, making interaction with diverse cultures and communities a routine part of their work. This exposure not only enriches their personal experiences but also enhances the content they create, making it more engaging for their audience. However, this constant mobility demands a strong emphasis on work-life balance to prevent burnout.

In essence, the work environment of a travel blogger is characterized by its variability, autonomy, and the continuous opportunity for personal and professional growth through the exploration of new places and cultures.

Advancement Prospects

Travel blogging offers diverse advancement prospects, primarily through audience growth, monetization strategies, and niche specialization. Successful bloggers often expand into related fields such as freelance writing, travel photography, and social media influencing, leveraging their established platforms and audiences.

To accomplish these advancements, a travel blogger should consistently produce high-quality, engaging content that resonates with their target audience. Specializing in a niche within travel blogging, such as eco-tourism or luxury travel, can help in standing out and attracting dedicated followers. Monetization strategies, including affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and product sales, are crucial for financial sustainability and growth.

Expanding into visual content by mastering travel photography and videography can significantly enhance a blog’s appeal, opening doors to partnerships with travel agencies, tourism boards, and brands. Engaging with the audience through social media and email newsletters helps in building a loyal community, further fueling growth and opportunities.

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The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog

How to Be a Professional Travel Blogger – 12 Steps to Financial Freedom

Written By: The Planet D

Digital Nomads

Updated On: February 9, 2024

“How do I become a travel blogger? ” That’s a question we get a lot. People that run their own business in the real world work 18 hours a day to achieve success, and so do people who run successful travel blogs. We put in long hours every day. Luckily, we love what we do.

Our long hours at the computer and all the time spent traveling for several months of the year, doing research on the destination, and taking countless photographs…well, that’s fun for us.

Table of Contents

Do You Want to be a Travel Blogger?

Many travel bloggers decide to start a blog because they want to leave the rat race  and that is fine. I understand wanting to give up your career or take a break to travel the world. Many people are quite happy to take a year off, write about their experience, and then go back to their jobs.

Becoming a Professional Travel Blogger is Hard Work

But if you decide to become a professional travel blogger because you think it will be easy to make money , and that you will get away from the long hours and stress of business, you better think again. Travel blogging is hard work. But the hard work is worth it!

how to be a travel blogger

We travel blog because we love everything about it. Besides the travel and being together, we love writing, taking photographs, and making videos. Dave and I were willing to put everything we had into turning our dreams into a reality.

When we had setbacks or failures, we were willing to re-evaluate our situation, make the changes that needed to be made, and start again.

Questions to Ask Before you Become a Travel Blogger

Before you begin to think of being a professional travel blogger, ask yourself a few questions. 

Are you only in it for the money?

Making money as a travel blogger is secondary. Creating good content, giving our readers information, entertaining our followers, and being authentic are all first and foremost. When you focus on the right things, the money will come.

We have made a mid-six-figure income for several years as travel bloggers and financial freedom is within reach. Had we focused on that at the beginning of our professional travel blogger careers, I don’t think we would be where we are today.

Are you willing to make a solid plan and stick to it? 

travel-blogger

Dave and I went into this business with a plan. We didn’t have the fantasy that it was going to be a permanent vacation, and we didn’t think that we’d suddenly be working a 4-hour work week .

To us, being a travel blogger was a career change, not a career break . We work hard, we have a plan, we are passionate about what we do, and we are willing to adapt when things don’t work out.

If you want to be a travel blogger, you’ll definitely want to read  How to Start a Travel Blog in 11 Easy Steps

Are You Willing to Put in the Time to Make your Travel Blog a Success?

It takes years for any business to succeed and being a travel blogger is no different. You most likely won’t be an overnight success as a travel blogger and you will have to work hard to meet your goals, perhaps for a couple of years, before you even start to see a payoff.

But, if travel and blogging are things that you are passionate about, you will have the time of your life getting there.

As  professional travel bloggers  we often hear these comments: “Wow, you have a great life!” “What do you mean work, you never work!” “You travel around the world having adventures and fun.” “It must be awesome to just travel all the time!” “You’re living the dream!”

And that is true! We are living the dream, but we worked hard to get here and we love every minute of it. If we can do it, you can too!

Are You Willing to Think of Your Travel Blog as a Business? 

travel blogger career

That is the first question that you want to ask yourself. Do you want to be travel blogger for fun, or do you want to be in this business? If you just want to write about your experiences on the road for friends and family, no worries.

But, if you want to make money with your travel blog in the future, you need to start thinking of Travel Blogging as a business. Have a plan of where you want to be in a few years and be prepared to re-evaluate when necessary.

Are you willing to photograph and share everything?

Even the most mundane things like taking a photo of yourself working at the airport can help to tell the story. You need to take photographs of everything that you do in your travels.

Sometimes you won’t feel like it and would prefer to just sit and listen on a tour, but if you want to share the experience on your blog, you will have to make sure to take photographs of anything that could be relevant.

Are you willing to have your life on display?

travel blogger and social media

Since we started out as travel bloggers, the business has changed a lot. At first we only had to focus on creating content for ThePlanetD blog.

Now we have to share our daily experiences social media sites that seem to change yearly. SnapChat has come and gone, Google Plus lasted for as long as a blink and now there’s TikTok and Instagram Stories, Facebook Live and so much more.

We have to constantly show people what we are doing in the moment. It’s a lot more work now. We still make the bulk of our money off of Travel Blogging and will never give up being travel bloggers. But to be a success you have to have your hand in everything.

A travel blog is the only content we truly own and control, but being a travel social media influencer is just as important.

We now have two jobs and every detail of our life is online. You need to decide if you want people peeking into your life on a daily basis.

And you will need thick skin. The Internet has evolved from a supportive loving place to a world of bot comments and nastiness. Sometimes you are gong to hear things you don’t like.

Are you ready to take notes on everything while being completely immersed in the history and culture?

Writing about your experience is not enough as a professional travel blogger.You need to learn about the history and significance of the place that you are visiting.

You need to find out about the important details, like how much it costs, how to get there, and what you will see. Heck, you need to tell your readers how to get there and what to do once they reach the destination. You can’t just float through a tour or a destination as an observer. You need to be an active participant.

You need to know about the destination and its people. You want to give your readers the best experience possible and being informed is a big part of that.

Will you put in the hours after a long day of adventures to upload photos, write a post, and edit videos?

professional travel blogging on the road

I know, you’d rather be out drinking at the bar or turning in early after a busy day trekking , surfing , or paddling. But as a travel blogger, you need to spend your evenings sorting through your footage, writing drafts for a blog post, and organizing and tagging your photos.

There is a lot of work to be done each day and all those notes that you took while sightseeing now need to be edited and put into an enticing and interesting article for your readers to read.

Are you willing to go to see a sight or take part in an activity even if you don’t feel like it?

travel-blogging-beach

You’ve been travelling for a long time and you are burnt out . You really just want to sit on a beach, watch a movie stay as far away from your computer as possible. When you are starting a business, you can’t just up and leave it because you are tired.

The same can be said when you are starting out as a travel blogger. You need to keep working, especially in the early stages when you are building your audience.

People want to read new content and you need to network and publicize yourself. So even if you are relaxing at the beach for a week or so, you need to be prepared to keep working.

Dave and I are 10 years into our travel blogging careers but it has only been the past year two years that we’ve actually stopped to smell the roses. We are ONLY now in a place where we can say, “No, I don’t feel like getting up at 4:00 am for that sunrise.”

But during the building years, we never missed a sunrise, sunset, or moment. We worked every waking moment. It was working hard that allowed us to save money for our retirement. You can do it too! But, only if you work hard.

Can you Really Change your Lifestyle?

Going-Broke

You have just quit your high-paying job to live the dream of being a travel blogger. Travel is expensive and it will take at least a year before you start to make a name for yourself and start to make money.

Money goes fast between flights, hotels, and sightseeing, and you are going to spend more than you make for the first couple of years. Before the money starts to roll in, you will be on a tight budget.

Are you willing to give up your designer clothes and expensive dinners? This is a very real question that you need to ask yourself. How much are you willing to give up to achieve your dreams?

Do you have the funds to last while you build your business?

how to be a travel blogger

I know the beautiful photos on Instagram make it look like everyone is staying in luxury hotels, but life doesn’t work that way. You don’t get those luxury jobs until you have a following and name for yourself.

Not everyone gets free travel instantly. Dave and I didn’t get our first free trip until nearly two years of traveling on our own dime. We had to use our savings to pay for our own travel.

During our first year as travel bloggers, Dave and I stayed in $6 guest houses in India that were disgusting. But, by stretching our dollar, we could document things like India’s most exciting festival.

Having a savings and sticking to a budget allowed us to travel through the continent for 5 months while we built our readership and social media following. By saving money and staying, putting aside our pride and need to stay in luxury, we built theplanetd to one of the largest travel blogs on the Internet.

Are you willing to answer comments from fans and followers who have questions about travel?

full-in-box

There is a lot more to being a travel blogger than just putting up a post. You will have to respond to comments, answer emails, talk to sponsors and  advertisers , and answer questions from your fans and fellow travel bloggers.

The behind the scenes work of a travel blog takes up more time than writing a blog post or putting up a photograph; especially as you grow bigger. Comments accumulate and emails come in from readers, advertisers, tourism boards, and brands.

PR companies contact you about going on press trips and attending media lunches and you can find yourself answering a hundred emails each day. You can’t ignore these emails. You need to be polite and answer every one of them.

Even if you don’t plan on working with certain companies, you still need to send a reply thanking them for contacting you. And most importantly, make sure you don’t ignore your social media interactions. It is important to remain professional and stay on top of things.

Can you make an editorial schedule and stick to it?

calendar-editorial

At first, it was fun writing a blog post every couple of days, but now it is cutting into your travel time. It suddenly doesn’t seem so easy when you have to write a post while you’d rather be sleeping on a lounge chair. However, you need to be consistent and decide if you really want to write on a regular basis.

Your readers will start to look forward to your posts and count on reading them when they expect them. If you suddenly don’t post for a few days or weeks, you will lose many readers. Even if you decide to only write once a week when you first start out, that is fine. Just be sure to stick to that schedule whatever you decide.

Are you willing to adapt?

adapt

Many people don’t want to compromise or change if things aren’t working out. If nobody is coming to your blog, stop complaining and start rethinking your business plan. Instead of whining about what everyone else is doing, start looking into trying new things.

Many people argue that they have integrity and write from the soul. They refuse to change because that is who they are. There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing from the soul and keeping your voice, but if nobody is coming to your blog you need to think about what you are doing wrong and why people aren’t connecting with you.

You can adapt while still keeping your core values and writing style. You may need to experiment with ways to connect with your audience. If you are not willing to shift your plan, you will have a difficult time in succeeding.

How We Adapted to Become Travel Bloggers

travel-segment-ctv-news-express

Before deciding on a career as travel bloggers, Dave and I wanted to have a TV Show. We thought it would be an amazing way to pursue our dreams of traveling full time.

When we didn’t succeed in our original goal, we looked into ways to raise our profile so that maybe one day someone would approach us to be on television. We worked hard at creating the blog and we changed and adapted over the years.

We didn’t change who we are and we stayed true to our core values, but we tried different things and made little changes to try to connect more with our readers and develop relationships with our peers.

Because we were willing to adapt, we were eventually approached by a TV station to do a weekly segment. If we hadn’t changed and adapted our plan in the beginning, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Do you have what it takes to promote yourself?

the social dave and deb

My mom gave me the best advice when I was worried that we shared too much of our good news. She said “If you don’t promote yourself, who will?” Travel Companies, PR Agencies and Tourist Boards need to know about all the great stuff that you are doing.

The more you are doing, the more you should let them know. So, make announcements about where else you can be found on the web or who else you are writing for. Tell people when you are being interviewed or when you have won an award.

These are all things that are attractive to companies, and they will want to hire you or sponsor you.

Actors have a publicist doing this job for them, but you most likely don’t have enough money to hire a publicist so you need to be your own media machine. Being humble is nice, but it won’t get you a pay check.

So, do you still want to be a travel blogger?

Here are some links to check out to help get you started.

For Photography we highly recommend –  Photographing the World  by Elia Locardi in partnership with F-Stoppers

  • How to Travel the World – The Ultimate Travel Resource
  • 21 Ways to Get Paid to Travel
  • Our best travel tips from years on the road
  • How to Be a Professional Travel Blogger – 12 Steps to Financial Freedom
  • Discover Your Passion – How to Find Your Path to Success
  • Travel Resources
  • How to Make Money Blogging
  • 7 Common Travel Mistakes First Time Travelers Make
  • 14 Ways to Promote Your Travel Blog – Tips to Finding Traffic
  • How to Brand Yourself and Build Engagement on Facebook
  • How to Do a Presentation for The Travel Industry

How to be a professional travel blogger

Have you had success with travel blogging? What have you done to make your blogging career a success? We’d love to hear.

Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Book Your Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner. We have used them for years and have found that they have the best flight deals.

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor.

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

  • Safety Wing - Occasional Travelers.
  • Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Book Your Activities: Looking for walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more? Then we recommend Get Your Guide.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

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About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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174 thoughts on “How to Be a Professional Travel Blogger – 12 Steps to Financial Freedom”

Great article, it’s not all about the glamour! I’m just starting out myself and see the hard work setting up a blog whilst working full time, running a separate business and with 3 kids!

But the ends justifies the means. I have a lot of experience travelling (65 countries), I’m just doing this backwards and writing about it after I have done it all.

well said that making money sholud be our seconadary goal. Giving good and authentic information should be our first priority that will automatically complete our second priority. Thanks for sharing these points.

I’ve been blogging for almost six months now & have focused solely on creating good content and slowly trying to build a social media presence and a better domain authority. Now it’s all about building my audience so I can monetise my hobby in the future. You guys have so much useful information online to help me realise that dream! Thanks for another amazing blog post.

Jamie Boucher | Bristolian Abroad

Thank you on a detailed impressive guide! Saved your post for the future ?

I m not a super seasoned blogger, but I m definitely a voracious travel blog *reader* and I do think #8 (writing about yourself) is more of a grey area on Matt s list. Many of the travel blogs I follow are a bit more like diaries than guides. They certainly offer lots of practical travel tips to this or that destination, but it s the blogger s personal anecdotes and honesty that draws people in to begin with. Creating that magnetic personality is very difficult to do, but it has undeniably worked for some.

Awesome tips for all newbies to start a travel blog as a business. Your post is a good read to know what one needs to sacrifice to become a successful travel blogger. The kind of hard work that you and your husband put in to make people read your blogs is something to learn from and never forget for the rest of the life.

GREAT ARTICLE!!! You guys are amazing, my husband and I just started a travel blog and we are seeing how much hard work this really takes!! your article was clear and straight to the point, I will share it with my husband!

You guys are so inspiring to us! Thank you for all of this valuable information for blogging newbies like us. It’s success stories like yours that motivate us to keep pushing through on this crazy journey we’re on to hopefully one day become full time travel bloggers like you!

Wow, this is really so spot on. I just moved to blogging full time and I understand this all so well. So inspiring!

this is so inspiring bcuz you really share your experience. i’ve been wanting to become a travel blogger but i’m not sure where to start, but i guess that was just me finding excuses. i will think about it again and come up with a new plan. thank you.

I think your passion about travel is so exotic. Thank you for sharing this in depth information with us.

An exciting job to be a travel blogger, although very tired and sacrificed at first. Very interesting article for those who did not know what life is like for people who travel and write about it.

This is great advice – and very honest too! Thank you very much!

I really like your writing style, good info, thanks for posting :D. “Let every man mind his own business.” by Miguel de Cervantes.

Hi guys! I absolutely love this post. As someone who aspires to be a travel blogger, the reality of how hard it is and how much work is required in order to become successful. I’d like to think I’m down for the challenge that will inevitably come my way, but I have to say it seems so nice that you’re able to do this together! While I’ll be a solo traveler, at least for the time being, the idea of having a partner or friend along for the ride sounds great. Working on blog posts on the beach doesn’t sound too shabby either!

http://alainawritesitall.weebly.com/blog1

Thank you Alaina, we feel very fortunate to be able to do this together. I admire the solo travelers and bloggers out there, but I am not sure I would have their strength to do it. Dave and I have had each other to lean on, to pick up the slack when one of us is off, sick or tired and we are there to motivate each other. It can be done as a solo traveler, I have many friends that are a huge success and they do it on their own. You can do it too! And yes, working on the beach is pretty amazing

Superb Tips.

Wonderful post great information there I love to these ideas for travel blogging

Would love to have your feedback on our site Travel Jaunts. Would like to know where we should focus on to become as professional and as successful as can be.

Thank you so much for this post. This is definitively a wake-up call for me and just the kind of thing I needed to read this morning. You both are such an inspiration.

Thanks for this article. I will also like to mention that it can always be hard when you find yourself in school and starting out to initiate a long credit score. There are many scholars who are merely trying to pull through and have a lengthy or beneficial credit history can be a difficult thing to have.

Great tips! These are very helpful for me in my initial stages of blogging. Thanks a lot!

Really Appreciate this update, can I set it up so I get an email when you write a fresh post?

Above all tips you shared totally changed my mind and thankyou so much for sharing….

I’m new to blogging and found this post really helpful! please check my latest blog post on a tour of Los Angeles -http://earthsmagicalplaces.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/beverly-hills-90210-tour-of-stars.html

This is wonderful advice, thank you! I just started my travel/style blog and am working really hard to get it attention and deliver great content every week!

Great advice! It’s always such a struggle to keep going when results are slow to come. The internet is highly competitive for sure. Any additional advice you would give to a regional or place specific blog? I write about Alaska and just wondered about your thoughts on content. Thanks and as always love your blog and the pictures.

Thanks Janet, having a regional blog is a great way to build a niche. You are the expert. I think it’s similar to running a regular travel blog, you just have to keep consistent, interact, focus on solid content. Be the expert. Give insider tips that nobody else would know.

This is such great advice! We just started our travel blog 2 months ago and are super pleased with it so far! But there is a massive jump from hobby to business! This is so useful will be bookmarking this 🙂

Good luck with your blog. It takes time, but if you really put work into it and give it time to develop a niche, strong content and a network you will succeed. All the best for 2017!

Thank you for sharing this! As aspiring travel bloggers, it’s always incredibly helpful to see the ways in which successful bloggers have gotten where they are. And it’s definitely easy to forget just how much work is involved in getting to the next level and beyond. You’re definitely helping keep us motivated to shoot for the top, so thank you!

Glad we can keep you motivated Brian. Best of luck to you and if you keep at it, success will happen. A lot of successful blogs simply happen over time. IF you keep putting out good informative content, someone is bound to notice and all it takes is one break to take off. All the best to you!

Wow, this is a spot on post. It really asks all the right questions to get a realistic view of travel blogging professionally. Thanks

Wow, thanks for the info!

Great site you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics talked about here? I’d really love to be a part of community where I can get responses from other experienced people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks a lot!|

You guys are so inspiring. 2014 is the year of my editorial scheduling!!

Excellent Nicola, you are going to find that it helps a lot.

Blogging for a while now and couldn’t agree more with your tips in this post! It’s no easy job that’s for sure.

Yes, this is my way. I’m ready for all of this steps in my life. Why not? When the thing which gives you a pleasure makes a money for you?

Blogging is the same hard work like a real business. I was a CEO and owner of 3 LTD’s. I was a booking agent, event manager (In my own company), I was a promoter for the “Big” pop stars. And I found myself in “travel blogging”.

Nothing was changed – it’s the same business with the same problems. But there is only 1 difference! – YOU ARE FREE!

Looking closely at this segment. Great article. I am a Canadian travel photographer presently in Sintra, Portugal.

Hi great post!! we are a family of three (7 yo daughter)travelling and volunteering around the world. We have a website/blog, but is hard work to keep update, and your suggestions make sense. We started as just fun/record for family and friends, but now we would like to change it and get some sponsors/money to keep on travelling and helping. Thanks for the reality check 😉 we’ll keep trying.

I just started a blog six months ago. Mainly for my own fun in order to store my travel experiences. But slowly you learn from reader’s comments that they start to value a particular aspect of your experiences. In my case is is traveling with (smaller) children. These posts get the most attention. So don’t worry if in the start-up of your blog, you find it difficult to find your own focus or expertise. It will grow upon you gradually.

Ah, I feel like a mind shift is coming after reading this. We LOVE travel, adventure and exposing the kids to as much of the world as we can! We are taking a “career break” because that was easier for everyone to digest. The hidden agenda is “how do we do this forever?”. So, I love the comment “…a career change, not a career break”. I haven’t been treating our blog as a business. I need to come up with a plan!

I’m so glad that we could help make things a little more clear. It’s true, I love the idea of a career break, but many people want a complete change. Once you start treating your blog as a business, things really do start to happen.

Great articles. In this one I said yes to all of the questions. My deal is that, I am a traveler, and I will be whether my blog fails or not. I’m completely dedicated to it and have plenty of stories since ive already been on the road 2 years before starting the blog. I literally bought the domain name using the wifi in my hostel in Estonia haha. So my biggest hurdles are that I am building this thing while on the road and also that I have no money for anything but a free theme on WP. But after a while hopefully I’ll get it all sorted, since I have so much good advice to get me going. Everyone look out for http://www.truenomads.com !

Good luck Justin. Great name that you bought on the wifi too! We started with a free WP theme as well. It’s all about taking baby steps and building as you go.

This is great. Recently, i have been interested in blogging and this blog has been the best so far for me with rich content and travel advice. I have just started a travel blog at http://www.traveltoeastafrica.com and world like to follow the route that you followed. Some advice, comments and guidance on this road. You are not alone Dave n Deb, the world is behind you. Happy new year 2013

Good luck with your blog Elly and let us know if you need any help or advice.

Wow, excellent post. Very helpful! Thanks for sending it over. We know all too well the feeling of just wanting to lie on a beach when there are articles to be written! It takes some serious will power to actually do it. At home, if you run a business, it’s a more integral part of your lifestyle where you are used to waking up, going to work and coming home. Travel is so spontaneous that forcing yourself to sit and write isn’t always easy. This article gives aspiring bloggers a lot to think about. It seems like you’ve covered a lot of points that I haven’t seen covered on other websites. Great job guys and thank-you!

Hi Dave & Deb, appreciate a lot of your advice. I am newbie of travel blogger and this article really provide me a lot of knowledge, once again, thanks!!!

Glad we could help Ken. Good luck with the blogging and we’ll see you on Twitter and Facebook!

I have to confess, I read every word of your post and now I want to send it to all of my friends who have no idea what I could possibly be doing with all of my “free time” now that I’m not in an office – ha! Seriously though, I’m feel like we’re on the right track after reading this. Thanks for all of the advice and support you give to others trying to make this a full time business.

You know the way people are always banging on about inspiring articles, well this is one of them. It’s given me a bit of a pazzazz to get on with my work day.

I’ve only had my site live for six months, and it’s doing pretty well, but I’ve been planning it for years. And years. Everything I’ve done to this point is to get where I am now.

I changed careers, started working in publishing, moved to online from print, worked on other sites/blogs, absorbed everything, sucked it up. Now I’m in the position I can work solely on my own site, and I’m excited.

I agree, too, about looking at it as a business, something I think too many people ignore, even though they’d like to make money from it somehow. Any new business needs countless hours invested in it to succeed, and money, I think.

I just wish there were a few more hours in the day to get everything done that I want to get done!

I am very excited for you Linda. It is a great feeling to work for yourself and be able to put 100% into your passion. We also agree about the hours. It’s funny, nearly every successful business person I read about states that they function on 5 hours a night of sleep. It is being excited about your job that makes getting up easy. When you are looking forward to the day, it’s easy to get out of bed:)

Hi Deb n Dave,

I came across this post just tonight, via Caz’s blog. Timeless advice! I’m happy to report, that after reading your advice, and giving it some good thought, I’m certain I have what it takes to give this “career path” a damn good shot.

This post, and the comments, represents all that is great about the world of travel blogging – the opportunity for newbies like myself, to learn from the big-names in the world of online travel.

Thanks for taking the time to help out the little guys, karma coming your way!

YOMADIC.COM : Travel the World, Travel Long Term

Hey Deb & Dave,

Brilliant post and inspirational. The answer to all your question you posed is YES!

My wife and I are heading overseas in 2013 and I have decided to blog about the whole process ( http://stephendcook.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html ) from leaving work ( http://stephendcook.blogspot.com/2011/12/leaving-teaching.html ) to selling our house and possessions, planning etc. It is likely that I will be working in teaching while Laura does more blogging and photography (she won the Guardian travel photographer of the year!) http://www.lauracookphotography.net .

Currently I am enjoying reflecting on my previous travels

http://stephendcook.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-love-of-travelling-part-1.html http://stephendcook.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-travelling-changes-you-my-love-of.html http://stephendcook.blogspot.com/2011/12/that-was-year-that-was-2011-sierra.html

and the latest one looks at Olympic stadiums I have visited over the years.

As I say, you are an inspiration and I look forward to reading more.

If you would ever like a guest blog, we would both be excited to do that.

All the best

Thanks Stephen, your excitement is contagious. Good luck with your future and thank you for stopping by. We are happy to receive guest posts anytime. Send us an email through our contact form and we’ll email you back. Cheers!

You bring up some good points, but the best point is that it takes awhile. Don’t expect to be financially successful overnight. Travel writing & blogging is very rewarding but not always financially rewarding. Hang onto your regular job until you know that your writing/blogging will support you.

You are so right, it does take a while. It is funny, once the good things start to happen, you are totally ready for them because it takes such a long time to establish yourself. Each year is a stepping stone and it all seems to happen in the right order. Nothing too rushed, I don’t know if we would have been able to handle instant success. You need time to prepare for the work load.

Hey great article! Love the interviews too, you two are seem very comfortable in front of a camera which isn’t easy to do. Good luck with all your ambitions!

Thanks Jeremy, we do enjoy talking so that camera is definitely our medium ;-) We can go on and on:) We appreciate the feedback! Cheers.

Hello D & D, the comments section is full of rich content and I don’t really have anything to add more. This is a great post and clearly explains that being “full-time” blogger requires intensive involvement and hardwork just like another profession would require. I am glad this is just my hobby, lol!

PS: I like the new header, much simpler and clear.

Thanks Priyank, we appreciate the feedback on the header. We’re working on integrating it into everything. The media package is next. We’ve made the change on facebook, but have to put it into twitter too.

This is a great article on the commitment one needs to make a travel blog successful.

Thanks Ted. We find that it takes a lot of commitment, but we also have an amazing time as well. When we travel, we set everything up in advance and we can really enjoy the experience.

I LOVE your motivation — wanting your own TV show. I think that’s fantastic, and I think it’s only a matter of time. Now, I wonder if you can write a post about how to become a part-time pro blogger? Because it is a bit tricky to do all the things you’re supposed to do with a little one running around, hell bent on causing mischief. What things would you continue to do — and what would you dump — if you had the same goal but only half the time?

That is an excellent question. I think that I wouldn’t dump anything, I would just ease up on all of it. I think that to be a part time blogger you need to do all of the above as well. However, you don’t have to be as strict. You will still want to take photographs and know a bit about the destination. But you don’t have to do as much research and can write more about your personal story and you don’t have to take photographs of very detail of the trip. You should have an editorial schedule, but you only have to post once a week as opposed to every day. You definitely don’t have to go as hard on promoting yourself, however it is always nice to share accomplishments and times when you are recognized by your peers. And you don’t really have to think about the business side of things, but you will still want to promote and network because you don’t want to only write for yourself, you do want people to read about your trips. So I guess I will answer that all of the points are important, but you don’t have to let them take up all your time. You can relax. If you don’t want to sightsee you don’t have to, if you don’t feel like writing, you don’t have to. You can be more relaxed and you can definitely travel without having to think about how it will be a blog post. I hope this answer makes sense.:)

One day I hope James and I at OurOyster will be big enough that we can work maybe just part time – full time job + full time travel + full time blogging is EXHAUSTING…. but its awesome too. (well maybe not the full time job part)

Great post! I think that a lot of the folks who are just starting out would do well to read this.

Ditto! I HATE when people say, “So when are you going to get a real job?” Uh, hello? I work just as hard as anyone, and likely for much less cash. Gotta love beating the status quo! I’m nowhere near as organized as you guys are though. 😉

I don’t know if we’re organized I have a long to do list that I keep adding to and losing. Between all my google docs, stickies and note pads I am not sure where the work is. I am sure that I am probably missing some interviews that I should have answered, the stars and “markeds as unread” emails in my inbox is overflowing. But it definitely helps having two people at work. You do work hard girl and it is fun having people think that you get to play for a living at least a little bit isn’t it? "-)

Wow, this post is brilliant and should be mandatory reading for every fledgling travel blogger. I’ve had a blog for almost 2 years but it’s only this year that I’ve realized that it’s more than just writing. Even then, after reading this post, I realize that I’m still making lots of mistakes!

Dave and Deb, thanks for this. After writing about travel for a couple of years and maintaining a couple of different blogs for two years, I sat here reading this and nodding my head in agreement. Yes, this is very hard work but it is a lot of fun!

I can’t even begin to tell you all the things I have learned through this. Not just about travel blogging but about myself. I’ve made mistakes, gone in the wrong direction, and am still learning stuff every single day. One of the things you mentioned is something I am really starting to understand now – take photographs of EVERYTHING!

I work a full time job, have 2 kids, and have to balance travel and all the stuff I do with my site. I am exhausted nearly every day. I know this is hard work. Honestly, one of the BIGGEST lessons I have learned lately is hitting me really hard and changing my focus – it’s not about you! That may be hard to really grasp when you are starting out but doing this long enough, you will figure it out.

That’s also changed my perspective on the travel blog community as well. I used to get jealous of other bloggers success and was worried about my own stats and traffic and wanted a piece of the pie. Now I absolutely love reading other people’s stuff (I don’t have nearly enough time though) and helping other bloggers where I can. It’s an attitude thing where I finally think I “get it.”

I could write so much more about this but I will close with this. Just recently I started a new project – most exciting thing I’ve done in travel. While I was in Seattle, I was going non stop all weekend doing research, getting stories, doing reviews, covering events, doing videos (holy crap those take a long time!), and taking photos. When I was done at the end of a whirlwind 56 hours I was exhausted. However, I was so happy about my work and all that I did that weekend I almost cried. I think that sums things up pretty well.

Hi Jeremy! I can hear the excitement in your words as I read this. It is awesome to see other people that are just as happy and excited as we are about this business. You raise a great point, we all make mistakes and we all have learned a thing or two, but the important thing is that we keep going and take what we have learned to make positive changes. Good luck with everything and all the best to you.

Hi Jeremy, can you explain me how a blogger get money out of his blog? Thanks a lot!

The Planet D is a top referral source for our own travel blog and location independence site, so I feel compelled to make a best effort contribution to this discussion.

I hope this comment adds value and offers fresh perspective to both beginning and pro travel bloggers about how the business of travel blogging could evolve into a more sustainable way to make a living online while traveling.

I came into the world of pro travel blogging via a nearly decade-long career in building businesses both online and off.

So when my wife, Heather, and I launched our own site in this space, I reviewed over 2,000 travel blogs (focusing on the top tier) with the help of a research assistant.

What I discovered through that research and through discussions with pro travel bloggers, is that travel bloggers could benefit from making 5 key enhancements to their business models:

1. Outsource more – For as little as $100/month a travel blogger can begin hiring technical ninjas to handle the low-leverage aspects of their business. It’s so cheap to hire help today that no pro travel blogger should ever spend time signing in to WordPress and uploading, categorizing, or tagging anything. Even some aspects of destination research can be inexpensively outsourced. I suspect that this important change could reduce a pro travel blogger’s total working hours by at least 30% or more and allow them to boost the quality of their content substantially.

2. Learn how to use email marketing like a pro – Travel bloggers seem to favor RSS and social media. I get that, but there is no measure of value with these tools and they are w-a-y overrated in my opinion. Travel bloggers can give and receive more value and build a much more intimate relationship with their readers “behind the scenes” via an email list segmented by specific interest and loaded with premium content.

3. Build the Tribe-side of your business – I noticed some pro travel bloggers underestimate the power of their niche celebrity status. They seem to forget that they have achieved a lifestyle that’s the equivalent of landing on Mars to the average human being.

Pro travel bloggers have fans and followers that would love to learn from them in a more “inner circle” type environment like a forum, coaching program, or membership. If more pro travel bloggers leveraged this aspect of their business, they would no longer have to be at the mercy of advertisers and sponsors to sustain their businesses. Additionally, adding these levels of relationship to a pro travel blogging business could easily double or triple income.

4. Become a media buyer, not just a media seller – One of the most important skills an online entrepreneur can have is knowing how to buy online advertising. If done right, thousands of new, targeted eye-balls can be purchased for pennies. This in turn would help travel bloggers attract better sponsors and sell more advertising to better, more relevant advertisers.

5. Sell digital and physical products – The Tribe members and fans of pro travel bloggers (me included) would gladly pay a premium for niche guidebooks for certain destinations and other such offerings. Travel bloggers can sell these as eBooks on their site or as Amazon Kindle books, which are incredibly easy to create and publish.

These 5 key enhancements, I believe, could make travel blogging a more sustainable online business, and fund more travel dreams for more aspiring travel bloggers.

I love this! I want the successful travel bloggers of the world to get more and more recognition. You guys work so hard! In addition to just being in awe over the adventures I admire on your site so much, the time you spend making personal connections with little ‘ol fans like me, and your amazing photography… This post really struck a cord with me. I am just not a full-time travel blogger! I never will be. Some people just don’t understand that. I get so embarrassed promoting myself for one, so I know I can only go so far. But here is so much more. Thank you so much for putting it all out there!! I have my career, and you have yours. Thank you so much for being such a strong leader!

Hi Abby, thanks for the comment. You are lucky because you also have a great career outside of travel blogging that you love. We definitely know that blogging isn’t for everyone. It’s definitely hard work.

You are so right, travel blogging is all but easy. Of course if you want many readers you absolutely have to give something that is not easy to find just googling some words. I love updating my blog, but I don’t hide that sometimes is very difficult, especially when I’m traveling and can’t find wifi anywhere 🙂

So true it can be difficult when you can’t find an Internet connection. A good way to deal with wifi when traveling is to schedule posts and some social media. It takes the stress away for sure.

Interesting and helpful post. Can I just say, as a professional travel editor of over ten years, it’s bad grammar to say “as people that…” should be “as people who” Watch your grammar, editors are watching 😉

Thanks for the heads up. Cheers. Can I ask where you are a travel editor? I didn’t see a website attached to your name and it’s great to hear from editors, we appreciate you stopping by.

For some reason reading this I was picturing Debbie Allen saying, “You want fame? Well fame costs…and right here is where you start paying!”

Great post guys! I don’t think mnay of my friends (and none of my family) realize how much work goes into blogging. It’s definitely a hard-working low-paying gig, but worth every single second of it… 🙂

Ha! I can totally hear her saying that. She said it perfectly and it relates to every business, Fame, Writing, Blogging, Big Business…it’s all hard work.

Very useful post, D&D. Blogging certainly certainly requires loads of work and dedication. I seem to spend much more time on it than on my day-job and it pays a pittance (or rather, a fraction of a pittance) in comparison. Some of it is almost painful (the selling-bit), but fortunately the most important part (the writing) is pure joy. If only one didn’t have to sleep…

Agreed Sophie, If only we didn’t have to sleep, life would be much easier.

Readers? We’re supposed to have readers?

Dang, I knew I was missing something.

Shhh. Please don’t tell the wife-person that this is supposed to be a business.

She just thinks it is something I am doing to get out of working on her list of honey-do projects.

Haha, Yep, I’m afraid so :-)

Hey guys! This is the first time I read your blog and it inspires me a lot! I’m a travel consultant and from a couple of months I’ve been blogging ( http://traveltik.blogspot.com/ ) but only in Italian; I’m thinking about doing it in English too but I don’t know how to reach the readers. What is important, (and that sometimes I miss) is the imagination, the allows you to write interesting post! How long did it take to have a good position in the travel blogger world? thanks and have fun, Claudia

Hi Claudia, Good luck with the blogging. I think that it took us about a year until we started to become well known. We worked very hard at it and if you look through our advice section, we have a lot of tips on finding an audience, building an audience and promoting your blog. It is a long process, but totally do-able. Cheers

I had to laugh when I read the part about taking photos of everything, too! I take photos of signs (as a way to take notes many times) and anything else that I think will be useful, or that just catches my eye. I’m often writing the story in my head as I take photos, so I have a good idea of exactly what I might need when I sit down to write, too. Sticking to a schedule is good advice, too. One of the first things I did when I started blogging more than three years ago was to determine a core schedule (the days I would always post each week), although I’ll add a story or two on different days as time or events permit.

That is awesome Dominique! You have a Bloggers mind. That is a very good point that you make. There is nothing wrong with adding to your schedule once in a while. The problem comes when you don’t post for a while. But adding an extra post here and there when you have the time will do nothing but add to your readers. As long as you have your core days consistent, you can then add special articles to extra days. Thanks for the advice!

Hey guys! Thanks for sharing! I have been blogging since 2007 but I am also another one of those who can’t give up the full time job yet! (Or unwilling to, either way ;-)) You are an inspiration!

Great tips! You’ve touched on a lot of what I know I need to work on over the next couple of years. And btw, I think you guys would do great with a travel show of your own. 😉

This is a great guide for anybody aspiring to do this as career as opposed to just a hobby. I plan to be in this position (where travel is my career) within a few years and I know I have a lot of work to do in order to get there – time to roll up my sleeves and get at it 🙂

Hi Samuel, You’ve been doing well already, I see you making it a career for sure. I think that it is great that you have a goal and know that the time will come in a few years. Planning is key instead of jumping in blindly. At least that is how we see things:)

Thanks Deb.

Your advice has come at the right time for me. I’ve finally given my blog a focus (Portugal) and am trying to stick to a schedule for posting.

I’ve been dreaming about taking the plunge and really trying to make a living out of travel writing so it’s extremely useful to have the reality laid out like this. And inspiring 🙂

I’ll look out for more of your tips…

Hi Julie, Good luck and all the best with your Portugal blog. It is a great thing to have a focus and be an authority on one place.I can’t wait how to see how it goes for you!

Last year when I left the successful freelance writing business I’d spent 25 years building in order to travel fulltime, I knew two things: 1. a blog was a way to finally write what I wanted without the soul-deadening, time-consuming, and largely dead-end submission process, and thus, 2. while I want to build a successful blog and even make some money at it, I DON’t want to make it a business for the very reasons you describe. It’s every bit as much work as I already put into a career, and I don’t have the fire in the belly to do it again. I love writing for my blog (www.wanderingnotlost.org), but I don’t want the travel to become a job. I’ve spent enough time in front of a computer.

That said, I still need to make some money and writing is the only way I know to do it. So–tis a quandary, but overall a good one.

Thanks for a thoughtful post. You obviously hit a nerve.

Very good points Kate. You have clearly already thought about the questions that we asked above. Everyone has to decide why they want to blog and we understand completely that many people don’t want to turn their travel blog and travels a job. Most people go on a year trip to take a break from stresses of work and life, not to step right back into another stress. You have to really love this business to put everything into it, because as we stated above, it’s definitely not a permanent vacation.

Yes some excellent advice there. I work as a travel writer for a portion of my time and I adore it, but other people definitely think it is more glamourous than it can often be! Sometimes, I spend my whole time on a trip putting on a ‘business head’ because I have so many meetings with tourist boards, PRs etc – so it’s not quite like ‘going on holiday’ and being able to relax. Very much enjoyed reading this post – thanks.

I know exactly how you feel. The entire trip is thinking and networking. It’s fun, but exhausting. Home is more relaxing for us these days:)

Great piece! Travel blogging really is hard work. This is a terrific article that I plan to refer people to that think that blogging is quick and easy.

Thanks Liz, I had been thinking about this post for a little bit. It is difficult to explain to people what we are doing. We don’t have to leave the house to go to work, we “play” on facebook and twitter, we browse articles and never seem to leave our computer screens. For anyone looking on, it doesn’t look like much of a job, especially when they also see us traveling the world as well. Wow, after writing this sentence, I even think it doesn’t look like that hard of work! ;-)

Thanks so much for this article. I am just starting out and pieces like this have a lot of great advice some of which I can already relate too. Keep it coming! 🙂

Glad that you can relate, stop by every monday, we’re going to keep doing pieces like this. Thanks for stopping by and for leaving a note, we really appreciate it.

I think this is great advice for any business. It takes time, dedication and LOTs of work! I’m really bad about taking the mundane photos and taking video on our trips. Thankfully Scott is good at doing that. I usually come back from a trip and realize I should have taken photos of certain parts of the trip, but instead I was just lost in the moment and missed the opportunity. I’m also extremely guilty of not wanting to work on the blog while we are traveling, but I think that is because we have day jobs and multiple side projects, so we need to force ourselves to take a breather every once in a while. You guys are extremely inspiring and keep up the great work!!

Hi Christy, it sounds like the two of you work together well as a team. I am not the photographer of this blog, but I find that I take all the mundane photos while Dave takes the gorgeous shots. It works well. I don’t have to have great talent to shoot off shots of us sitting in the airport or of a quick snapshot of the room. I know exactly how you feel, it’s tough to take them, but I have in the past been burned by not taking the photos of the little things. Now I snap away and it feels so good to be able to add a shot when I need it. The next thing to learn is to make graphics so that I can use my own cool ones as well. So much to do with so little time eh? ;-) Glad to know that you force yourself to take a breather, it is important to keep your sanity that way.

Anyone who reads this blog can tell how much work you guys put into it. You deserve the success you’ve had, a just reward for your life’s passion.

Thanks Erik, that is super nice of you to say.

I love you two. Your honesty. Your willingness to share. Your ability to inspire. While I am not sure what I want from my career at this point, this was a good read and very eye-opening. As always, thank you for doing what you do. x

Thanks for the kind words. Good luck with your decision on what you want from your travel blogging career. The sky is the limit.

Great post and one that has confirmed a long list of different things I’ve been discovering since taking the plunge as full time traveller and in spirit a full time blogger (remote freelancing in the “proper job” is still necessary to pay the travel bills). It is important to plan, is incredibly important to engage with readers and other bloggers but I do still think that most important is enjoying it. I happen to love blogging on the beach or answering emails in an airport lounge so as you and most of the wise folk commenting have said. – the love you have for it will go along way… Or at least I hope so!!

Thanks again and keep chasing your TV Show dream!!

Super Bird! You stated it perfectly…All businesses are hard work so you have to enjoy it! Like you, we enjoy answering emails and blogging on the beach as well. It is thrilling to see something exciting pop up in the in box or to have people enjoy a post and want to leave a comment. Answering comments at the end of the day is one of my favourite parts of travel blogging. I love how all people have a voice in the blogging world.

As a journalist, I make a living by writing all day long, not always about staff I enjoy though. My travel blog is still my break but I really admire you guys for taking chances and working hard to turn your dreams into a reality. I pay my respects! A few months ago, I start the English version of my blog (the main one is in Greek) and I have to work harder than I would in my native language. Reading your post is very inspiring to me.

Thanks Penny That is amazing that you are writing a blog in two languages. Congratulations, what an accomplishment.

Love the article. The hardest thing for me is the self promotion bit. I feel like a jerk sometimes being that guy… by the way, have you seen all the hot chicks and cool place on my site?

Thanks Gareth, I agree, the self promotion can feel a little strange at times but look at how it works! As soon as you mentioned the hot chicks and cool places on your site I had to head over to take a look. Well done:)

Hahaha, remember my post last year about travel bloggers needing a holiday. It started with a similar sentence as your opening. Many people choose to see the romantic side of travel blogging and don’t realise the amount of work & dedication that goes into it.

It is soooo rewarding though to be able to do your own thing, building a career based on something we’re passionate about.

Great post and congrats on the TV gig! Awesome stuff! 🙂

Cheers & big hugs, Keith

I totally remember your post about needing a holiday. I remember that I followed in your footsteps a few weeks later to take a break. We were talking on this last press trip we were on about how we are going to take a small vacation very soon. Only our vacation is going to be about renting movies, cooking dinner and going for walks in the conservation area near my parents place. It’s going to be amazing to just chill out.

I used to get irritated when I heard of other travel bloggers ‘taking a vacation’ while they traveled but that was before we got serious. Honestly, it is so exhausting and NO ONE understands! All your friends & family don’t want to hear how tired you are that you work for what seems like weeks and months on end. Is it fun and awesome? – yes. Is it exhausting? – definitely. I often remind myself how lucky I am that I love what I do. If you have passion for it and stay consistent, like you said, you can turn it into a full time job. I think the tough part is actually adding the travel to the mix! hahaha 🙂 Great post as always guys!!

That is a great attitude Bethany, we all have to remind ourselves how lucky we are or else we can easily become jaded and forget to take a look at the beauty around us. It is exhausting at times for sure, but like you said, as well, We love what we do too.

When I was freaking out over putting money into redesigning my blog, my mom asked “if you won’t invest in you, why should anybody else?” Always a good reminder that we need to fully believe in what we do before anyone else will! You two are super inspirational and your success is surely a result of hard work and passion 🙂

Moms give the best advice don’t they? Your mom is so right. We tell ourselves that too when we have to shell out some money for the important stuff. I am sure that your redesign will pay off ten fold. Cheers!

I loved reading this today! Just what I needed to hear. My family and friends have noticed my constant use of camera and smartphone to document everything, so I’m glad to know I’m on the right track. Gerard – I am glad to hear you say that 90% of the work is outside of the actual blog post – that sounds about right. Looking forward to reading more, and sharing more once we start our RTW trip next year.

Great Job Paige, you are already on your way to blogging successfully. You’re definitely on the right track. You’ll be happy to have the portfolio to choose from when you are writing a post. There is nothing worse than having the perfect article and not being able to find the photos to go with it. Good luck with the planning of your Round the World trip, we look forward to following along!

Brilliant as always! I wish I could print this post out and hand it to everyone I encounter along the way haha.

Enjoyed this post guys. I think its important to highlight “the other side” of travel blogging. I’ve tried communicating this to friends and family who only see the reward, the free trip or the end result. What many do not understand is the behind the scenes work that goes into building an online brand. I would say that 90% of my work is outside of the actual blog post (ie. the social media activity, the emails, the photos, the web development, the follow up, etc, etc). After the initial novelty and sexiness fades, its still a job that requires hard work to be successful… the perks are just a heck of a lot better! 😉

You’ve got it. Most of the work is outside of the actual blog post. The rest of the stuff is the hard part. It’s really important to love what your doing no matter what career path you decide to take because you’ll be putting in a lot of hours. But like you said, the perks are awesome:)

Great post. I think the hardest thing for me will be to sticking to a schedule while on the road given that my GF & I want to enjoy our RTW more as a vacation. But we also don’t take our blog lightly and want to make it great. Hopefully 1 post a week is good enough.

I should also note that the last title “How have you had succes” is missing an s. 🙂

Hi Gerard, that is the question you have to ask yourself for sure. If you want to enjoy your RTW and treat it like a vacation, you definitely don’t want start blogging as a profession. Do what feels right for you and if 1 post a week is all you can handle right now, than that is great and right. You don’t want to end up resenting either your travels or your blog, you want to enjoy the two of them together. Good luck with everything.

Interesting and inspiring advice here. I’ve only started blogging properly for a few months and am hoping, eventually, to monetise it enough to support my travels. It is a steep learning curve. I’ve only just figured out how to use Twitter properly, for example. But it is helpful to read blogposts like this to gain some inspiration and direction. Just discovered Stumbled Upon as well 🙂

That is great Alison, it sounds like you are on the right track. Don’t worry it takes time, when we started with both Twitter and StumbleUpon we were completely confused and wondered how it could possibly work for us. But soon it all comes together. Good luck with the new blog, we look forward to seeing it grow!

I think you really highlight all the important points in the life of a full-time blogger in this post. Everything you’re going to want to be successful in life at is going to be hard work at some point. Of course, there are the great times as well (travel) and writing for me is a great creative outlet as is my photography. This article for me came at a great time, you two don’t even realize how inspirational you are to others who are also trying to live their dreams and make a career out of this lifestyle. Thank you for always being an inspiration and for writing articles like this! I am sharing 🙂

Hi Mica, thank you so much for the kind words. That means a lot to us as well. It is a struggle for all of us and to have the support of our peers and to be able to help others out is important to us. A strong community can do great things together. I am happy to hear that you love writing and photography as much as traveling. That is exactly how we feel. Travel Blogging is truly a fulfilling career.

🙂 Awesome post today!

Thanks Melanie! I am trying to figure out how to incorporate all the advice that you gave us into the next one. I definitely want to talk about how you inspired us too! Coming soon… 🙂

I had to laugh when I read your section on picture taking. If I had a nickel for every time I interrupted my “moment” in order to whip out a camera. It’s tough to find balance, but I usually err on the side of documentation. I figure if it means something to me, I’ll want to share it with my readers at some point. Thanks for sharing and letting me see I’m not the only one.

You said it Jenna. Sometimes you just want to sit and enjoy the moment and then right in the middle of it, you realize “Wow, I have to get a shot of this!” We are a lot like you, we usually document the moment too. It’s hard to let a spectacular moment slip by.

Amen, sistah and bruddah! 🙂

I love your observation that for you, travel blogging was “a career change, not a career break”. Indeed!

I’ve found in the last five years of my own travel blogging experience, I got to times where I felt I’d traded one rat race in for another. Between volunteering in trade for accommodation (which keeps my costs low), and the hours put in at my laptop, I was “working” up to 60 hours/week! That ain’t no holiday, thankyouverymuch.

But what we have the luxury of, which many people don’t, is the ability to design our lives and lifestyles. When I grew tired of the above “work” regime, I changed my accommodation preferences, opting to volunteer fewer hours. I’m currently house-sitting on the Caribbean island of Grenada for 3 months, with very little obligations on my time. It’s perfect for me; allowing all the time I wish to work on my laptop, with oodles of time left over for relaxation, reading, and exploration.

As travel bloggers, the true gift we are given is the ability to “work” from anywhere. And it’s “work”, to be sure. But it’s pretty good work at that, if you’re willing to go the hard yards. 🙂

Hi Nora, I so remember talking with you this summer about moving from one rat race to another. It was such a great night. I think that you hit the nail on the head, we all have to work hard to succeed, but as travel bloggers we can change our situation unlike so many other businesses. We are house sitting for my parents while they are in Florida and it is giving us a chance to catch up as well and we can actually watch TV and enjoy our day as well. We can set our own hours and move on whenever we wish. It is an amazing and flexible job. If you have discipline, you can really enjoy life and work hard at the same time which I know that you are doing too. You have made it all look so easy and we have admired you and what you have accomplished from the start.

Aw….thanks! I think we can take a few pages from each others’ books. And it seems that we’re both hurtling towards blossoming television careers too! Wow – how exciting… Keep up the great work with CTV! You two are great.

Thanks Nora! I know eh, when you talked about your show last summer I was so excited for you and hoped that one day we’d have the opportunity too. We are striving to get the full on adventure show in the future that you already have! Hopefully our paths will cross again. Keep on inspiring all of us. We all need someone to look up to and we’ve always been a big fan of yours!

thanks for sharing your story.. and i agree with what you’ve said… travel blogging eats a lot of time but for those who really enjoy travelling and writing about their experiences, its a great career 🙂

Yay, well said. I think you have to love both aspects of blogging. The travel is only part of it, the other is the writing and photography and yes, we even love the social media and networking. We get a rush when things go right. And when things go wrong, we never think about quitting, we just think about how we have to fix the problem to move forward.

Thanks for the advice. As someone who is new to the world of blogging it is really helpful to see how much work goes into running a blog full-time.

Glad we could shed some light on it Emily. Hopefully it will help you to make some decisions early in your blogging career to avoid many pitfalls that people go through. We were just talking with someone from a travel company the other day and they put it perfectly…Many travel bloggers are playing catch up trying to change their thinking into how to run a business instead of how to run a travel blog.

Thanks Kristen, I hope that it helped to inspire you today in whatever you may be up to! Cheers.

I agree with Brett – and that computer cartoon is brilliant!

Ha, Isn’t that totally the way we all feel first thing in the morning when checking email. It’s completely overwhelming some days.

Sorry… I don’t get it. Are you really working hard? I thought you were just writing a few articles & add some photos. Hahaha… Just kidding of course! You do a great job!

Yes, when starting a business, what a blog could be, you’ll work much more than in a “regular” job. OK, there are people who work in a “regular” job just as much… Maybe they should start blogging? Hahaha

Every business is tough to start. I’m always saying “If it would be easy, everybody would do it.”. Stay patient & have lots of fun, as passion drives you to work like crazy, without letting it feel like work. 🙂

Great post!

Well said Melvin. Yes, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. You have been doing an amazing job and make it look so easy. Ah, that’s the key…work hard, but make it look effortless ;-)

Such an eye-opening and candid look into the industry and your lives. Thanks so much for being real. I love the fact travel is something you love, work your butts off, and regardless of all the challenges–you still put all your passion into it. Very inspiring to everyone, regardless of what they do.

Thank you Vitra. I think that is the key to life, knowing what you want and going for it. For years I would always say to Dave “If I just knew what I wanted to do, I know I could succeed at it” Before we started travel blogging, I always felt that something was missing. Now we feel completely fulfilled and we never thought that would happen in our lives. So, we’re living proof that it can.

You’ve hit the nail on the head. I’m going to use this article to send to a few people who still don’t quite “get it” as to why we spend hours on our “hobby.” It takes an incredible amount of dedication and time to be successful as a travel blogger. Thanks for such a positive and affirming post.

Glad we could help Sherry, It does help to have a carbon copy (err, mass email) to give to the people telling you how easy it is eh? 🙂

Excellent, excellent, EXCELLENT story! So many people do seem to think that the life of a writer or blogger is easy, because it seems so glamorous in comparison to a 9 to 5 office job. Everyone who thinks they want to do it full time should read this so they’ll understand how much hard work goes into it.

Hi Bret, Glad you liked it. While it’s not easy, it is amazing and sometimes even glamorous. When we get to stay at 5 star resorts and eat in fine dining restaurants, we think about what kind of dream we are living in. But then again, we rarely get to sit down and just “be” when we are staying at any of these resorts. We are always on and working. But still, we get to do some of the coolest things in life and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Being very new to the field ( http://www.travelandphototoday.com ), I found your article thought provoking and informative. I have already discovered the work involved, to a degree, and must admit that the idea of doing it full time seems a bit overwhelming. But as you imply, if you love it then you have to do it. Keep up the great work – and always enjoy it!

Thanks Bruce. You’re a step ahead of the curve already by discovering early that it is hard work. Many people coast for a year or so and wonder why their readership isn’t growing. If you want it to be a business you gotta put in the work which you have already discovered. All the best and good luck with everything.

What a GREAT read Deb. After attending the World Travel Market last week I had a severe ‘wobbly’ about whether or not I could ‘cut it’ in the business side of things but you helped to assure me that whilst, yet, it is about being in business, you don’t have to sacrifice your passion and personality to do it – THANK YOU!

Toni, that makes me very happy. I am glad that we could assure you that you Can Do It! One thing I am not a fan of when attending some conferences is everyone telling you that you can’t. Some presentations want to dwell on how difficult it is to succeed. Sure, we all know it’s difficult, but we attend conferences to be given the tools that we need to succeed. What we choose to do with them is up to us. If we’re passionate and dedicated, there is a good chance that it will all work out.

What a great, honest, and insightful article! I can completely agree with everything you wrote. As I have moved my travel blog from words to film, I can attest that it is an awful lot of work – but the greatest job ever! Keep up the good work!

Glad that you are loving it Wolfmaan and congratulations on putting your travels into film. That is our dream.

Great advice, I love how you have presented the truth. It is bloody hard work and to be successful you have to want it bad. you have to eat, sleep and breathe your blog. There really are no excuses. We have had so many life changing events since we started our blog, which could have easily led us down the path of quitting, but for us this is what we love so we will never quit on it and we will put in the hours we need to build that platform and our dream

We’ve realized that we were ready to get to the next level but we just did not have the skills needed to promote and sell ourselves. We have taken on an agent to do that for us and she is amazing. The best decision we made, yet completely scary!

You guys are such an inspiration to so many. Can’t wait to meet for a beer one day.

Hi Caz, I love the way you describe it…eat, sleep and breathe your blog and yes, want it bad! Every day we are so excited to come up with new ideas. We had a press trip to Jamaica this past week and talking with everyone on the bus was the highlight of our day. The ideas floating around were astounding. Now I have to get my head in order and get down to business. It really is an exciting time to be working in this business…that is if you love it as much as we do and I know you and Craig do as well. Cheers and we’ll definitely have a beer one day soon!

There’s far too much hype about “make money travel blogging”; as you’ve illustrated it takes a lot of dedication, perseverance and effort to build up a successful commercial blog.

Agreed Karen. People are focusing on the wrong things when it comes to travel blogging in our opinion. Like every business, you have to focus on a quality product first before the money starts rolling in.

This is wonderful food for thought! I’ve only had my blog up and running for a year and don’t really know yet what direction I will want to go with it – I initially saw it more as a means to an end to help get me in somewhere else in the travel industry. But, I actually answered positively to most of your questions and I have found I absolutely love writing and keeping up with it on my “career break” trip so far. You’ve given me stuff to think about. 🙂

Hi Katie, that is awesome! I think that many of us used our blog for a means to an end for other things. Blogs give businesses a voice. I don’t think that any blogger strictly runs a travel blog and does nothing else… be it public speaking, running tours, hosting travel shows or running conferences. A blog helps to raise your profile enough to do whatever you want in the Travel industry. If you want to lead photography camps or cycling trips etc, having a successful blog gives you the platform to promote and the personality to entice people to come along with you for the trip of a lifetime. If you want to be a travel writer for traditional media, the blog gives you the opportunity to show off your work, the possibilities are endless and that is what is so exciting. It sounds like you have the right frame of mind, you love travel first and want to be a part of the business no matter what and in any capacity. I think that’s important.

Great advice as always. Would love to be in your shoes but they are mighty big to fill. Looking forward to seeing where our blog takes us, unfortunately I don’t have the guts (yet) to throw my real job in and tackle this as a full-time profession. Maybe if we had some revenue coming in it would be a different story. Cheers Cole

Good luck Cole. That is wise not to give up everything until you are ready. It could be disastrous to leave your job without a solid plan.

21 U.S. Travel Bloggers Worth Following

21 u.s. travel bloggers everyone with wanderlust should be following.

Travel Blogger

If being a travel blogger sounds like a dream job — well, it kind of is. Writers across America spend their days exploring fantastic sights in dozens of exotic countries, documenting what they experience and making a living as they go.

But that doesn’t mean the job is easy. Most professional travelers have made impressive sacrifices to follow their dreams, whether it's by selling all of their belongings, living in small apartments with several roommates, or just living very simply. Superb travel blogging also takes a unique knack for making extraordinary travel experiences resonate with the masses.

Here, we’ve rounded up some of the most engaging and inspirational travel bloggers across the U.S. And yes, a little bit of jealousy is OK.

A Dangerous Business

Amanda of the Dangerous Business blog

The blogger behind A Dangerous Business is Amanda, who decided in high school that she wanted to travel. An avid Lord of the Rings fan, she was determined to visit New Zealand and spent two weeks there in 2005. She has since been to over 50 countries on six continents.

With the hopes of traveling more, Amanda started A Dangerous Business in 2010, but isn't a full-time traveler. She enjoys the comforts of home — and her beloved cat — far too much. Instead, she created the blog as a hobby and a way to combat boredom at work. In 2015, after earning her Master's degree in Tourism Management, she went full-time as a blogger.

The goal of A Dangerous Business is to help people find ways to fit travel into their lives. Amanda works with global brands and destinations to create bucket-list-style travel trips, and has been featured on The Huffington Post and USA Today Travel .

Follow Amanda on her adventures by visiting her on Facebook and Instagram .

The Everywhereist

Geraldine DeRuiter Photo

An author and public speaker, Geraldine DeRuiter runs the award-winning blog, The Everywhereist .  

While her focus is primarily on travel-related topics, she does occasionally delve into content related to dessert and feminism. And she has an apparent fondness for Jeff Goldblum.

The Seattle blogger has been featured in Forbes , The Independent and The Huffington Post . TIME Magazine also called her work “clever,” while The New York Times described her as "dark and hilarious."

These assessments are evident when you explore The Everywherist, which showcases Geraldine's dry wit. Check out her Facebook page and Instagram page to keep up with her shenanigans.

The Blonde Abroad

The Blonde Abroad

The award-winning travel and lifestyle blog, The Blonde Abroad , is run by California native Kiersten Rich. She left her job in corporate finance to become a world traveler, and has now been to over 50 countries.

Through her blog, Kiersten hopes to inspire people to live a life they love and not settle for anything less. The Blonde Abroad is a multi-level business that allows Kiersten to earn an income through various streams of revenue. She offers social media and marketing consulting, content creation and blog mentorship retreats, and takes all-expenses-paid press trips to produce content for brands.

You can catch all of Kiersten's adventures on Instagram , where she does weekly Q&A stories on travel, work and personal topics.

Adventurous Kate

Adventurous Kate

Kate McCulley travels the world for a living and documents her adventures on her blog, Adventurous Kate . It all started in 2010 when she quit her job in online marketing to travel to southeast Asia for six months. Those six months turned into five years and she's now traveled across more than 65 countries.

Adventurous Kate started on that trip to southeast Asia, when Kate began building up her freelance work portfolio while developing her blog. In 2016, she moved to New York City, revamped her blog and downsized her travel, so she's only away from home about 25 percent of the time.

You can keep up with Kate on social media by following her on Facebook , YouTube and Twitter .

Land Lopers

A self-described former cubicle dweller, Matt Long is the man behind the LandLopers blog. His passion for travel led him to start the blog, but he doesn't backpack around the world. He lives in a house in the suburbs with his three dogs and has found a way to make travel his profession. The blog name comes from the word "landloper," which is a wanderer or vagabond.

LandLopers is a reflection of Matt's experiences, and provides information on many travel-related topics. He strives to make travel more fun and accessible by sharing tips on how to experience the best destinations around the world.

Follow Matt on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook .

Lee Abbamonte

Lee Abbamonte

A Wall Street veteran, Lee Abbamonte worked in energy and wealth management for eight years after earning his undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing from the University of Maryland at College Park, and his MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Lee is now a multimedia travel personality, brand ambassador and entrepreneur.

He's also the youngest person to visit every country in the world, plus the North and South Poles. His goal is to visit all 325 countries and unique destinations in the world via the Travelers Century Club list. He has been featured in or on a wide array of media outlets, including Fox News, ESPN, CNN, Sports Illustrated , the Washington Post and Conde Nast Traveler.

Lee documents his travels on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .

Sending Postcards

Sending Postcards Couple

The travel blog Sending Postcards is a labor of love between a married couple. While they don't disclose their names, they do share their story. After their wedding, the duo left Canada to travel the world together. The blog was essentially a way to document their extended honeymoon.

The two spent a year traveling around Africa, Europe and the U.S., living in Montreal for a few years before settling in San Francisco, which they currently call home. As they travel to various destinations, many right in and around California, they share their adventures on Sending Postcards.

Hippie in Heels

Hippie in Heels

Rachel Jones grew up in a small town in Ohio, where she lived with her brother and parents. When she got to college, she spent two summers backpacking in Europe and a month in Uganda. She went on to graduate with honors as a nurse. After 11 months as a cardiac care nurse in Charlotte, N.C., Rachel realized that a life in the "real world" wasn't for her. And so, she decided to retire from nursing and follow her heart.

She chose Goa, India, where she could ride a camel and climb a mountain, as her next home. It's where she's spent the last five years and where she currently documents her life on her travel blog, Hippie in Heels . She basically lives out of a backpack and survives on street food. While she's barely getting by financially, the trade off is worth it because she's been to 30 countries and counting. And she met the love of her life in India.

Follow Rachel and her Indian adventures on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

Pause the Moment

Pause for the Moment

In 2008, the day after his 24th birthday, Ryan headed to Dublin, Ireland for his first solo backpacking trip through Europe. The three-month experience was life changing, and in 2010, Ryan quit his job. He then set off on a trip around the world that was supposed to last six months to a year. His passion for the sun, the sea and adventure wouldn't let him stop there, and he's been on the road for seven years.

Now he's a digital influencer and travel blogger who has spent the last three years in Playa del Carmen, sometimes visiting Greece during the hot summer months. His blog, Pause the Moment , features travel guides and resources for destinations all across the world. In 2017, he started running small group tours to Egypt, which he plans to continue in October 2018.

Catch Ryan on his Facebook page and on Twitter .

Camels & Chocolate

Camels & Chocolate

A Nashville-based freelance writer and fitness buff, Kristin Luna runs the Camels & Chocolate blog. She was a college tennis player and marathoner, and she loves to travel with her husband. And while she's all about diving, hiking and skiing, she's not a nomad. She has simply mastered the art of balancing career with family and traveling.

Most of her freelance work involves influencer campaigns where she partners with brands and destinations to create original content. She also consults with small businesses on marketing and media strategy. And while she currently lives in Nashville, her blog has been around since 2007, so it's full of helpful and interesting information on tourist locations all over the world. Kristin has appeared in multiple media publications, including Redbook magazine, Glamour magazine, Marie Claire and National Geographic .

Camels & Chocolate has a social presence on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

Just Chasing Rabbits

Just Chasing Rabbits

Mississippi couple Mark and Jennifer Campbell share their travel stories on their blog, Just Chasing Rabbits . The self-proclaimed "young at heart" duo has been traveling together since 2004, when they went to New Orleans on their honeymoon.

Mark and Jennifer travel with a sense of curiosity, always on the lookout for unusual and amazing sites. They hope to inspire their readers to take everyday moments and turn them into unforgettable adventures.

In addition to giving readers an inside look at their travels, Just Chasing Rabbits also has an online shop full of cool travel-related products personally selected by Mark and Jennifer.

Keep up with the two lovebirds on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

My Itchy Travel Feet

My Itchy Travel Feet

A travel guide for baby boomers, My Itchy Travel Feet is the work of Donna L. Hull, the blog's chief navigator, and Alan Hull, the site's photographer. The Montana couple has been documenting their travels since 2008, covering both domestic and international destinations.

They have travel guides for a variety of places all across the world, and also have tips and ideas for themed trips like bucket list trips, cruises, romantic getaways and national park adventures. With Donna's preference for luxury and Alan's rugged sense of adventure, My Itchy Travel Feet has something for every baby boomer (and beyond) to enjoy.

Follow the couple on their travel journeys via YouTube , Instagram and Facebook .

Be My Travel Muse

Be My Travel Muse

Since 2012, southern California resident Kristin Addis has been a solo globetrotter. After working as an investment banker in Newport Beach, she got burned out and decided to make a big change. She sold her belongings — everything except a carry-on bag — and has since experienced amazing global adventures.

She's hitchhiked across China, taken a 35-day safari to Africa and spent two months hiking in Patagonia. She even became a Buddhist nun for 10 days. Her blog focuses on solo travel and outdoor adventures like hiking, camping and scuba diving.

New content is posted on Be My Travel Muse every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, offering readers ways to make the most of their travels. Kristin shares packing lists, country cost guides and exercise tips for novice and expert travelers from all around the world.

See where Kristin's next adventure will be by following her on Instagram , YouTube and Facebook .

Local Adventurer

Esther from Local Adventurer

Each year, travel bloggers Esther and Jacob of Local Adventurer move to a new city. The Atlanta natives decided on a year in each spot because it's enough time to discover amazing spots in each new place, without being too permanent. After moving across the country and realizing that they hadn't gotten to know their hometown as well as they should have, they decided to get out and explore.

Esther and Jacob travel full-time but focus on local destinations. They seek to find adventure in everyday life, seeing the world through a childlike lens that highlights the beauty in even the most mundane things.

My Beautiful Adventures

Andi Perullo de Ledesma

Chinese medicine doctor and travel photojournalist Andrea (Andi) Perullo de Ledesma is a Charlotte, N.C., resident and blogger who runs My Beautiful Adventures . She's a native southerner but has lived in seven states and been to over 50 countries on six continents.

She claims to live a very dichotomous life because she struggles with wanting to capture the world on film through travel and focusing on her experience practicing Chinese medicine, which she considers her true calling.

Andi's love affair with travel can be credited to her intrigue of diverse cultures, roads not traveled and life-changing experiences. During her time traveling the world, she met an Argentinean man, Lucas, who she married in Buenos Aires after five years of a long-distance relationship.

In 2015, Andi had a son, Joaquin, whom she calls her "most beautiful adventure yet."

Follow along as she travels the world on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

Hole in the Donut

Barbara Weibel

No, Hole in the Donut is not a food blog. But it might awaken your appetite...for travel.

Barbara Weibel is the owner/editor of Hole in the Donut, which she started in 2007. While working in various industries like marketing, advertising, real estate and public relations, Barbara was merely earning an income, but never felt passionate about what she did. She envied people who loved their jobs.

That's when she left her job and spent six months traveling solo around the world. She had no plans other than to go wherever the wind blew her. She documented all of her travels and blogged about the different places she visited. In 2009, she decided to become a full-time traveler.

Hole in the Donut is where Barbara shares her adventures in interesting countries. She features stories about the people she meets, the wild encounters she has and the spiritual lessons that she learns along the way.

Stay in the loop with Barbara's travels by following her on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and YouTube .

Jessie on a Journey

Jessica Festa

Started in 2011 by Jessica (Jessie) Festa, Jessie On A Journey is an award-winning solo female and offbeat travel blog. Jessie was born and raised in New York, where she is a certified sightseeing guide.

She grew up traveling, taking North American road trips and Caribbean cruises. While studying at the State University at Albany in New York, Jessie had several opportunities to travel. She taught English in Thailand, backpacked solo across Europe, studied in Australia and hiked through China.

After college, her 9 to 5 job wouldn't allow her time to travel and Jessie realized that she had to spend her life doing something she loved, not something she was "supposed" to do. Now she runs her blog, offering readers tips on solo travel, as well as blog advice and resources for others who want to start a travel blog.

Hook up with Jessie on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook .

Travel Mama

Travelmamas.com

Moms who like to travel will find common ground with Colleen Lanin, the founder/editor-in-chief of Travel Mama . Colleen is an award-winning author with a Master's degree in Business Administration. She's also a member of the Society of American Travel Writers. She was invited to the White House as one of the 100 most influential travel bloggers for a summit on study abroad.

Colleen's stories have been featured in Parenting Magazine , the Chicago Tribune, Working Mother Magazine and the Orlando Sentinel . She has lived in California, Minnesota and southern France, as well as Arizona, where she currently resides. She shares her life with her husband, two children and a rescue pup.

Check out Colleen and Travel Mama on the Travel Mamas Facebook page and on Twitter .

Solo Traveler

Solo Traveler

Janice Waugh started Solo Traveler in 2009. When she became a widow and am empty nester, a love of travel fed her inspiration. Her personal musings quickly became public and now Solo Traveler is a community where people who love travel share tips, tricks and support one another.

The Solo Traveler publishes posts that highlight the benefits of solo travel and how to do it well. Weekly features cover solo travel destinations and photos provided by readers. The blog has a Facebook page with over 230,000 followers, as well as a Pinterest page loaded with more tips, tricks and solo travel ideas.

Tourist 2 Townie

Tourist 2 Townie

Gareth Leonard, a former Marketing Director, has a passion for slow, meaningful travel, which he shares on his blog, Tourist 2 Townie . After spending six years working to make other people's dreams come true, he decided to drop everything and follow his own path.

In 2009, he bought a one-way ticket to Buenos Aires and left his comfortable life behind.

Now he documents all of his adventures in Argentina, as well as other destinations around the world. He gives recommendations on the best places to see, the coolest things to do and his favorite places to eat. Check out Gareth on YouTube , Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

37+ Best Travel Blogs and Bloggers [to Follow] in 2024

  • Last updated on October 9, 2024
  • Author: Georgi Todorov

Are you looking for some inspiration for your next trip? Here’s a list of the best travel blogs and bloggers to follow in 2024.

When it comes to finding travel resources, the hottest new travel tip , or detailed destination guides, travel blogs are a treasure chest of knowledge for those who seek adventure.

Nowadays, there are thousands of travel blogs to pick from, covering everything from budget travel to luxury travel, solo travel to family travel.

We’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best travel blogs to follow in 2024, to help you find the travel advice you need.

Table of Contents

What are the main destinations in times of pandemics.

After multiple lockdowns and social distancing, it’s clear that many are desperate to travel again.

One only has to glance at social media to see that the ordinary traveler and influencers alike are taking the plunge and navigating traveling, despite the difficulties of COVID-19 related restrictions.

However, across the globe, the impact of the pandemic differs wildly.

While some destinations are welcoming tourists with open arms, others remain on high alert.

We’ve put together a list of the main travel destinations, taking into account factors such as quarantine, curfews, and tests.

  • Madeira : A great place to visit for its beautiful landscapes, Madeira is one of the safest destinations to visit during the pandemic.
  • Malta : With a temperate climate throughout the winter months, Malta is worth a visit all year round. They are also a country with one of the lowest numbers of severe COVID-19 cases in Europe.
  • The Azores : Throughout the pandemic, The Azores have been one of the safest destinations to visit. With many outdoor activities, visitors won’t struggle to follow social distancing practices.
  • Costa Rica : Costa Rica has managed to maintain one of the lowest COVID-19 fatality rates in South America.

Best Travel Blogs and Bloggers to Follow in 2024

Whether you’re planning your next big trip, or just looking for some inspiration, we’ve put together a list of the best travel blogs to follow in 2024.

Collectively, our top picks provide valuable information and guidance for every type of travel imaginable.

Nomadic Matt – Best Budget Travel Blog

This is Nomadic Matt travel blog.

Growing up, Matthew Kepnes wasn’t a big traveler.

In fact, he didn’t take a trip overseas until he was 23.

This first trip took him to Costa Rica, where his experience opened his eyes to the possibilities of travel.

In 2006 he quit his cubicle job and embarked on a worldwide adventure.

His website helps the budget-minded traveler by providing tips and advice on cheaper ways to travel.

This website has been featured on major media sites such as The New York Times, National Geographic, and Lonely Planet.

From guidance for finding cheap airfare, to articles detailing ways to save for a trip, Nomadic Matt offers invaluable information from seasoned travelers.

Website: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/

Instagram: @nomadicmatt

The Travel Episodes – ​​Best Travel Stories Blogs

This is The Travel Episodes travel blog.

A project started by the blogger, graphic designer, and traveler, Johannes Kalus, The Travel Episodes is a website that publishes travel stories and travelogues from authors across the globe .

A self-confessed “scroll telling” site, users scroll through the stories, which are composed of a mixture of words, videos, and images.

Episodes feature stunning photography, and immersive storytelling, offering an innovative approach to travel blogging.

Website: www.travelepisodes.com

Instagram: @travelepisodes

Wandering Earl – Best Long Term Travel Blogs

This is Wandering Earl travel blog.

A favorite travel blog amongst bloggers themselves, Wandering Earl documents the adventures of Derek Earl Baron, a certified travel veteran.

In 1999 Derek left the US for a 3-month post-graduation trip around Southeast Asia, and he hasn’t been home since.

With over 20 years of experience, Derek has worked, volunteered, lived, and traveled across the globe.

In 2012 he started a tour company called Wandering Earl Tours.

This company offers guided trips to small groups, supporting small businesses along the way while providing authentic experiences through connecting tourists with locals.

His website, Wandering Earl, provides readers with insights on leading a life of long-term travel, as well as ways to make money while on the move.

Website: https://www.wanderingearl.com/

Instagram: @wanderingearl

Against The Compass – Best Adventure Travel Blog

This is Against The Compass travel blog.

Against The Compass was created by Spanish Joan Torres, who created this alternative travel blog to inspire others to visit destinations that are off the beaten track.

His mission is to break stereotypes, by documenting his exciting adventure travel moments in countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

This is one of the best travel blogs for intrepid traveler who is seeking an adventure outside of their comfort zone.

Website: www.againstthecompass.com

Instagram: @againstthecompass

Expert Vagabond – Best Digital Nomad Blog

This is Expert Vagabond travel blog.

Travel blogger, the photographer, and digital nomad, Matthew Karsten, otherwise known as the Expert Vagabond, share a whole range of travel-related expertise for those seeking an adventure-filled life .

With over 10-years of traveling behind him, Matthew aims to inspire individuals with his photography and travel videos, while also offering practical advice on nomadic life.

He helps others to become location independent workers, with how-to guides on subjects such as working from home productively or becoming a virtual assistant.

Website: www.expertvagabond.com

Instagram: @expertvagabond

The Blonde Abroad – Best Female Travel Blog

This is The Blonde Abroad travel blog.

In the summer of 2011, Kiersten Rich took a hiatus from her career in corporate wealth management to spend three months traveling through Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bali, and New Zealand.

As soon as she came home, she immediately began to plan another long trip: she was hooked.

A decade later, she is an established name in the solo female travel blogging community.

Kiersten now has a six-member all-female team who help to run her business, which has various revenue streams such as digital content creation, social media marketing, and all-female travel tours.

She is a firm believer in empowering women to travel both independently or with other, like-minded females.

In addition to providing tips and tricks on everything from budget travel to luxury travel, she provides lifestyle content on topics such as style, beauty, and skincare.

Website: theblondeabroad.com

Instagram: @theblondeabroad

Legal Nomads – Most Empowering Travel Blog

This is Legal Nomads travel blog.

Ex-lawyer Jodi Ettenburg left her law job in 2008 to fulfill her dream of riding on the Trans-Siberian Trains and visiting Mongolia.

She started the Legal Nomads blog as a way to document her adventures, for friends, family, and former clients.

As a celiac, food was central to her travels, as she had to seek out food that wouldn’t make her sick.

Through doing so, she hoped to empower others with chronic illnesses to explore the world around them.

Her website has been featured by news outlets such as CNN, BBC, and The Guardian, and she has won a myriad of travel journalism rewards.

In 2017, a routine spinal tap led to a spinal CSF leak.

Around this time, she was also diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Disorder.

Now mostly bed-bound, the theme of her blog has made a shift, focusing on subjects such as grief and loss.

For Jodi, the most important thing is working on her mental mindset.

Website: legalnomads.com

Instagram: @legalnomads

Bucketlistly Travel Blog – Best Travel Photography Blog

This is Bucketlistly travel blog.

Born and raised in Thailand, Pete R began his journey as a solo traveler in 2012.

He funded his travels by working as a freelance UI designer, before beginning the BucketListly Blog.

Pete’s main aim with his blog is to help ease the stress of travel planning for others, by providing travel guides and comprehensive travel itineraries.

However, the real star of his work is the incredible photographs he’s taken, in different destinations across the planet.

Whether it’s wildlife or a beautiful landscape, Pete certainly has an eye for beauty.

Website: www.bucketlistly.blog

Instagram: @peachananr

The Poor Traveler – Best Travel Blog for Rookie Travelers

This is The Poor Traveler travel blog.

Despite the name, this blog isn’t a blog for those looking for budget traveler tips .

In fact, the poor traveler refers to those who are unfortunate or unlucky, such as ‘​​the newbies, the first-timers, the lost and confused’.

The blog was created by travelers Yoshke and Vins, who wanted to document their misadventures.

Yoshke has since won three Philippine Blog Awards, and they have added two extra people to their team.

They aim to provide free travel tips and tricks so that others can avoid making the same mistakes that they did.

Website: www.thepoortraveler.net

Instagram: @thepoortraveler

Life Part II – Best Travel Blogs For Post-Retirement Travel

This is Life Part 2 travel blog.

In 2011, Jonathan Look took early retirement to travel the world .

He started the blog to prove to other “baby-boomers” that the world is open to those who are adventurous and curious.

Together with his partner Sarah, they traveled extensively, documenting their adventures on the blog.

It was with deep sadness that Sarah announced the passing of Jonathan, at their home in Isla, Malta, on 12 March 2021.

Sarah intends to continue to travel in his memory, writing about it along the way.

Website: www.lifepart2andbeyond.com

Instagram: @lifepartii

Hey Nadine – Best Female Travel Vlogger

This is Hey Nadine travel blog.

With over 495K subscribers on YouTube, Nadine Sykora documents her travels in a fun-loving, comical way, on both her YouTube and Instagram .

She has featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, Forbes, and CNN.

Her videos feature many travel hacks, such as 15 Rookie Camping Mistakes, and cover her adventures to destinations such as Kilimanjaro and the Bahamas.

She recently gave birth to a baby boy, so viewers can expect plenty of exciting new adventures as she and her partner embark on a new chapter in their lives.

Website: www.heynadine.com

Instagram: @heynadine

View from the Wing – Best Travel Blog for Airline Savings

This is View From The Wing travel blog.

On his website, Video from the Wing, travel expert Gary Leff blogs about air miles and points.

Here you can find blog posts detailing starter’s tips for collection miles and points, as well as information regarding different airline flyer programs.

Website: www.viewfromthewing.com

Instagram: @garyleff

Oneika the Traveller – Most Authentic Travel Blog

This is Oneika The Traveller travel blog.

Emmy-nominated TV host and Oneika Raymond is the author of the award-winning blog Oneika the Traveller.

She documents her adventures on Instagram, on her blog, and on her YouTube channel.

Oneika uses her platform to address broader issues, such as traveling as a black person.

She isn’t one to shy away from political topics, dedicating a post to explaining the reasons why she discusses politics on her travel blog.

While she is paid to visit and talk about destinations, she remains transparent and honest in her descriptions of places, and won’t accept freebies that don’t align with her brand.

Website: http://www.oneikathetraveller.com/

Instagram: @oneikatraveller

Never Ending Footsteps – Best Travel Blog For Anxiety Sufferers

This is Never Ending Footsteps travel blog.

Laura Juliff always knew she had the travel bug.

Even as a child, she remembers daydreaming of foreign lands and unfamiliar cultures.

In 2011, after years of saving, she boarded a flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia, waving goodbye to her family and friends.

By the time she was 6 months into her trip, she was making $2,000 a month from the travel blog she had started 6 months before her departure.

As someone who suffers from anxiety, she launched the Overcome Travel Anxiety Course to help others overcome their fears and begin their adventures.

Website: www.neverendingfootsteps.com

Twitter: @NEFootsteps

Be My Travel Muse – Best Travel Blog for Empowering Women

This is Be My Travel Muse travel blog.

For Kristin Addis, a life following the normal path didn’t feel right for her.

After four years working in investment banking, she felt miserable, her creativity unable to shine.

Eventually, she plucked up the courage to quit her job, cancel her lease, say goodbye to loved ones, and jump on a flight to Bangkok.

Since then she’s hitchhiked solo across China, lead women’s adventure tours across the globe, and become a Buddhist nun for 10 days.

Her blog includes a section titled ‘Empowering Reads’, where the posts listed aim to inspire and empower solo female travelers to embark on an adventure of their own.

Website: www.bemytravelmuse.com

Instagram: @bemytravelmuse

HoneyTrek – Best Travel Blogs For Couples

This is HoneyTrek travel blog.

On 22nd January 2012, couple Anne and Mike Howard sold all their stuff to embark on a worldwide adventure.

Combining their skills from their previous careers in magazine editing and digital marketing, they set up their couples blog, HoneyTrek, to inspire others to travel.

Their website has been featured in media outlets, including USA Today and Lonely Planet.

Over their 9 years of traveling, they’ve stayed in accommodation ranging from 5-star resorts to camping tents.

However, they confess that their favorite type of lodging is glamping.

They love it so much that they wrote an entire Ultimate Glamping Guide book.

Website: www.honeytrek.com

Instagram: @honeytrek

Chubby Diaries – Best Travel Blog for Plus-Sized Travellers

This is Chubby Diaries travel blog.

Jeff Jenkins is an award-winning travel blogger, content creator, and speaker.

He started Chubby Diaries as an online community for plus-sized travelers who are passionate about seeing more of the world.

On his blog, he shares, amongst other things, plus-sized travel tips, destination advice, and food recommendations.

Website: www.chubbydiaries.com

Instagram: @chubbydiaries_

Hey Ciara – Best Travel Blog for Millenials

This is Hey Ciara travel blog.

After graduating from college , Ciara Johnson began working in corporate Human Resources.

However, 2 years later, she found herself miserable and unsatisfied with her professional life.

Wanting more from life, she decided to quit her job to begin traveling the world.

Her blog documents her travels, offering practical advice on tips on all things from studying abroad, to finding cheap flight deals, as she aims to inspire fellow millennials to follow their dreams.

Website: www.heyciara.com

Instagram: @hey_ciara

Another Escape – Best Environmentally-Conscious Outdoor Blog

This is Another Escape travel blog.

In 2012, founders Rachel Taylor and Jody Daunton created an independent media company, Another Escape.

Their mission is to encourage people to connect with the natural world and lead a more outdoor-oriented lifestyle, through both their physical journal and website.

The couple had originally saved the money they used for start-up costs to travel around the Balkans.

However, Jody injured his leg, ending up with a splintered tibia.

The surgery he underwent to repair it meant no walking for six months, meaning their planned travels could no longer go ahead.

Instead, they threw themselves into launching Another Escape.

Since the beginning of the business, nearly a decade ago, they have worked with Patagonia, and they recently celebrated being published and distributed in China.

Looking forwards, they’re committed to building a future based on sustainable, regenerative living.

Website: www.anotherescape.com

Instagram: @anotherescape

Cookiesound – Most Aesthetic Traveling Blog

This is CookieSound travel blog.

A mother-daughter travel photography team, Cookiesound documents the travels of Ulli and her daughter, Nisa.

Their adventure began soon after the birth of Nisa, with a twelve-month-long journey through Africa.

Between trips, they return to life in a small village just outside of Vienna.

Blog posts featuring travel tips and tales are interspersed with stunning photography.

Alongside their website, they run a photography company called Maier&Maier and are available for editorial and commercial assignments worldwide.

Website: http://www.cookiesound.com/

Instagram: @cookiesound

Jones Around the World – Best Travel Blog for Music Lovers

This is Jones Around The World travel blog.

South-California-born David Anderson realized his love of travel after a 7-week trip to Europe in 2009.

In the Spring of 2010, he decided to spend a semester abroad in Rome, Italy.

Since then, he’s traveled around the world, getting paid to attend Oktoberfest, toga parties in Greece, and the Cannes Film Festival in The French Riviera.

He has written extensively about music festivals on his blog, making his site the best travel blog for music lovers all over the world.

Website: www.jonesaroundtheworld.com

Instagram: @jonesaroundtheworld

Travel Freak – Best Travel Blog for Dreamers

This is Travel Freak travel blog.

When Jeremy graduated from college in 2009, it was in the middle of the financial recession.

A firm believer in living a fulfilling life, he realized that to live an extraordinary life, he needed to do something different.

It’s with this in mind that he left the US and bought a one-way ticket to Australia.

He started Travel Freak as a way to connect with other like-minded individuals, those who wanted to reject the status quo.

His advice has been featured in publications such as Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and Forbes.

On his blog, readers can find guidance on anything from travel insurance to RVs and campervans.

Website: www.travelfreak.com

Instagram: @travelfreak

Adventurous Kate – Most Influential Travel Blog

This is Adventurous Kate travel blog.

Kate McCulley was 26 when she quit her job to travel the world.

Her first stop was Southeast Asia, where she spent 6 months.

Here she worked to turn her travel blog into a full-time business.

From swimming in the freezing waters of Antarctica to fire-throwing with Vikings on the Shetland Islands, the past decade has been filled with adventures for Kate.

Her focus is inspiring women to travel, by rewriting the narrative around solo travel for females.

She has been featured in many major news outlets, and in 2017, Forbes named Adventurous Kate one of the top 10 most influential blogs.

Head over to her blog to find a whole array of resources dedicated to helping women travel the world safely.

Website: www.adventurouskate.com

Instagram: @adventurouskate

The Points Guy – Best Blog for Points and Miles Tips

This is The Points Guy travel blog.

Head over to The Points Guy to find all the latest tips and tricks on points, miles, airlines, and credit cards, so that you can learn how to travel the world without digging deep into your pockets.

Their beginners guide details how to use credit cards to earn points and miles, which can later be turned into airline savings.

They now have a staff of more than 100, with an expert team of 40 editors, reporters, and writers.

This website is the go-to place for those wanting to learn more about earning points and miles.

Website: www.thepointsguy.com

Instagram: @thepointsguy

The Travel Book – Best Eco-Conscious Travel Blog

This is The Travel Book travel blog.

Couple Karoline and Rasmus have previously traveled across the globe to far-flung exotic places, constantly adding to their climate footprint.

However, they realized that it was time for a change: the future had to be eco-friendly travel.

They started The Travel Book to inspire fellow travelers to travel using more environmentally friendly means, to lower the impact on the world around them.

On their blog, you can expect to find beautiful travel photography that will inspire you to get out and explore.

Website: www.thetravelbook.world

Instagram: @thetravelbook

Time Travel Turtle – Best Culture and History Travel Blog

This is Time Travel Turtle travel blog.

From running a student newsletter at school to working for a decade as a television and radio reporter, Michael Turtle has always been a storyteller.

Now he runs his blog, Time Travel Turtle, where his mission is to uncover places that you won’t find in guidebooks or brochures.

One of his favorite things to do is visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and there’s an entire section on his blog dedicated to this, where you can follow his progress.

Website: www.timetravelturtle.com

Instagram: @michaelturtle

Global Grasshoppers – Best Travel Blog for Travel Snobs

This is Global Grasshopper travel blog.

Global Grasshoppers is an award-winning blog, run by Becky Moore and her team.

They call themselves self-confessed travel snobs, who work together to discover the world’s most beautiful and unique places.

Their website offers guides to finding destinations away from crowds of tourists, where you can find unspoiled places.

Website: www.globalgrasshopper.com

Instagram: @globalgrasshopr

Ckanani – Best Blog for Luxury Travel

This is Ckanani travel blog.

San-Francisco-based Christie Sultemeier is a luxury travel blog writer and photographer, who runs the website Ckanani.

For those who prefer the finer things in life, then Christie’s website is your go-to place for all things luxury travel and lifestyle-related.

Her photos have a romantic, nostalgic feel to them, enticing you to visit the destinations she blogs about.

Website: www.ckanani.com

Instagram: @ckanani

 A Luxury Travel Blog – Best Blog for Wealthy Travel

This is A Luxury Travel blog.

Author of A Luxury Travel Blog, Dr. Paul Johnson, has worked in the travel industry for 30 years.

He focuses on up-market travel across the globe, recommending the best hotels, restaurants, and experiences for a taste of luxury.

He has been featured in many news outlets, from CNN to Enterprise Magazine.

Website: www.aluxurytravelblog.com

Instagram: @paulhjohnson

Breathing Travel – Best Travel Blog for Wellness

This is Breathing Travel blog.

At the age of 16, Carolin Pilligrath left her home in a small town in Germany and moved to Australia for a year for high school.

After this, she says, her life was never the same again.

Since then she has traveled extensively, documenting her adventures on her blog ‘Breathing Travel’.

With a section dedicated to Wellness and Yoga, her website is perfect for those seeking advice on yoga retreats, as well as recommendations for yoga gear and yoga teacher training classes.

Website: www.breathingtravel.com

Instagram: @breathingtravel

Charlie on Travel – Best Blog for Sustainable Travel

This is Charlie On Travel blog.

Charlie Marchant is a sustainable, UK travel blogger, who runs a website called Charlie on Travel.

She and her partner, Luke, are advocates for slow, eco-conscious, sustainable travel.

They love house sitting, claiming that it allows them to visit amazing neighborhoods that they never would’ve otherwise seen.

They offer green travel guides, sustainable travel guides, and house sitting advice, for those who also want to travel more responsibly.

Website: www.charlieontravel.com

Instagram: @charlieontravel

Earth’s Attractions – Best Blog for Travel Guides by Locals

This is Earth's Attractions travel blog.

Run by Violeta-Loredana Pascal and Liliana K, Earth’s Attractions is the best travel blog for those seeking advice from locals.

This website features insider travel itineraries, travel tips, and recommendations.

Check out their ‘food’ section for recipes for authentic dishes such as Australian pavlova and Hungarian goulash.

Website: www.earthsattractions.com

Instagram: @violeta.loredana

The Family Without Borders – Best Travel Blog for Families

This is The Family Without Borders travel blog.

Anna and Thomas met during an international conference for young journalists in Brussels in the early 2000s.

They started traveling together to different countries, before quickly realizing that they wanted to spend their lives together.

They now have two daughters, Hanna and Mila, and they document their travels on their family travel blog, The Family Without Borders.

Thomas and Hanna prove that it is possible to live an unconventional life, even with two young children in tow.

Website: www.thefamilywithoutborders.com

Instagram: @thefamilywithoutborders

Global Help Swap – Best Blog for Responsible Travel

This is Global Help Swap travel blog.

In 2009, after a year together, couple Karen and Paul decided to pack their bags and set off on an 18-month life-changing adventure.

Along the way they realized that they both had a deep desire to give back in some way, so they started Global Help Swap to promote volunteering.

However, they soon began to realize that an ugly and exploitative side existed in the world of travel and volunteering.

Eventually, their website took on a new mission: to promote responsible travel that enriches both the traveler and the destination.

Their website features guides and advice for volunteering and sustainable travel, helping others join their mission.

Website: www.globalhelpswap.com

Instagram: @globalhelpswap

Girl vs Globe – Best Blog for Foodies

This is Girl vs Globe travel blog.

Sabina, born in Pilsen in the Czech Republic, started her blog in 2014 when she was working during the night as a broadcast journalist.

With a 2-hour gap to fill around 2 am, she leaped and set up Girl vs Globe.

After she graduated university a year later, blogging became her full-time job, and she is now able to travel and write for a living.

For those who enjoy trying the different foods a destination has to offer, you’re in safe hands with Sabina.

For vegans visiting Glasgow, check out her Ultimate Vegan Glasgow Guide.

Website:www.girlvsglobe.com

Instagram: @girlvsglobe

The Opposite Travellers – Best Budget AND Luxury Travel Blog

This is The Opposite Travellers travel blog.

Rachel and Ryan are a travel-loving married couple, with two very different approaches to travel.

While Rachel loves traveling in style, Ryan prefers the basics.

Given that compromise is necessary for a healthy relationship, their blog documents both luxury excursions and adrenaline-filled adventures.

For those looking to strike the same balance, look no further than The Opposite Travellers.

Website: www.theoppositetravellers.com

Instagram: @theoppositetravellers

Explorista – Best Travel Blog for Entrepreneurs

This is Explorista travel blog.

Milou, the creator of Explorista, is a full-time travel blogger and digital nomad .

Her three main passions are travel, entrepreneurship, and helping women build location independent lives .

She is the founder of Female Digital Nomads, the largest online community for female nomads.

Head over to her blog to find tips and tricks on business, budgeting, and life as a digital nomad.

Website: www.explorista.net

Instagram: @explorista

WeSeekTravel – The Best Backpacking Travel Blog

WeSeekTravel - The Best Backpacking Travel Blog

Olly is an Australian adventure travel blogger who runs We Seek Travel.

He’s been living on the road full-time for nearly four years now documenting and photographing his epic adventures around the world.

On We Seek Travel, Olly publishes detailed destination guides with an emphasis on adventure travel.

From independent trekking in the Himalayas to island hopping guides in South East Asia, We Seek Travel is a go-to resource for tens of thousands of people every month.

If you’re looking to get inspired, Olly takes a fresh and unique approach to travel.

He dives deep and values experience above all else.

He’s fought Muay Thai in Thailand as a foreigner, solo bike-packed across New Zealand, sailed the east coast of Australia in a home-built yacht, and lived in a car in Icelandic winter.

Follow his journey and be inspired by his photography at We Seek Travel.

Website: https://www.weseektravel.com Instagram: @ollygaspar

Started by Charles Breitbart, TripTins is a site full of detailed travel itineraries and guides for countries all over the world. Charles started the site back in 2018 as a fun side project, writing about some recent trips he took. After having enough of the 9-5 life, he quit his job and went on a year of solo travel in 2019, visiting 20+ countries along the way. You can now find travel guides and itineraries for everything from hiking and waterfalls to cities and road trips (and everything in between).

Best Equipment for a Travel Blog

Set specific traveling rules

To create the best travel content, it’s important to invest in the best equipment.

We’ve put together a list of our recommendations for the best gear for travel bloggers:

  • Camera: Sony Alpha a6000: At just over $600, this option from Sony is a great option for travel bloggers. It boasts a quick focus, an efficient face detection program, and interchangeable lenses. For incredible photos at a good value price, look no further.
  • Drone: DJI Mavic Air 2: With a flight time of 34 minutes, you will have plenty of opportunities to get the shot you’re after. Two features, Spotlight 2.0 and ActiveTrack, keep subjects centered allowing you to capture the best of each travel experience.
  • Laptop: Apple Macbook Air Silver 13”: While not the cheapest option on the market, Apple products are popular for a reason. Lightweight, easy to use, and with a sleek design, the MacBook Air is perfect for those on the move.
  • External hard drive: WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard drive: This hard drive option from WD is small and lightweight, but packs a punch. It is password-protected, provides an automatic backup, and it is compatible with Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, Chrome OS, but can be reformatted for other operating systems.
  • Tripod: 3 Legged Thing Leo 2.0: This ultra-compact travel tripod folds down to just 45cm in length, yet has a payload capacity of 30kg and offers a maximum height of 146cm. The tri-mount plate allows for multiple devices, making it a great option for professional photographers.
  • Backpack: Nomatic Navigator Travel Backpack: This 32L backpack can hold up to 5 days worth of clothing, and a 17” laptop, making it a great carry-on luggage option. Composed of durable and water-resistant materials, it’s built with adventure in mind.

Best Travel Blogging Platforms

Keep a record of your adventures and share them with others using these amazing blogging platforms:

  • Track that Travel : This global travel blogging platform, launched in 2017, allows users to link their social media accounts and track their blog statistics.
  • Photler : This website is aimed at photographers, allowing them to create portfolios to showcase their travel photography.
  • Mapify : Previously called Atameo, Mapify is a platform where users can document their trips by uploading photos and sharing them with the community.
  • Travellerspoint : Travellerspoint brings together people who love to travel, allowing users to map out their upcoming travels, discuss traveling plans, create travel blogs, browse for a particular wiki travel guide, and book accommodation.
  • Medium : While Medium isn’t a website built specifically with travel in mind, it allows users to ‘write, read, and connect’. Check it out and discover a wide range of travel stories and articles.

Best Travel Blog Themes WordPress

There are 1000s of travel blogs hanging around on the internet.

To make yours stand out from the crowd, make sure to pick one of the best travel blog WordPress themes:

  • Maaya: This theme is easy to use, quick to load, and very aesthetically pleasing. Its style is best suited for those who document luxury travels. Best of all, there’s no coding required.
  • Travelogue: With a unique and elegant design, a Travelogue is a good option for those looking to showcase stunning travel photos.
  • Divi: A very popular theme among bloggers, Divi offers multiple ready-made layouts and unlimited customization options.
  • Vagabonds: With a nod to traveling in the name, this theme is a modern and stylish option for travel bloggers.
  • Elegant: Although simple, this theme is elegant and beautiful. Without unnecessary add ons, Elegant allows for the focus to be on your content.

Best Travel Blog Squarespace Template

Squarespace allows users to build beautiful websites relatively easily, without spending loads of money.

Here’s a selection of our favorite Squarespace templates:

  • Native: This template features a clean, minimalist design, which allows your great content to shine.
  • Skye: A great option for websites with multiple contributors, Skye allows you to display an author bio and photo at the end of each blog post, or in the sidebar. On top of that, the design is crisp and clean.
  • Haute Culture: Haute Culture is a template that prioritizes imagery. If you intend to start a blog to showcase your photography skills, this is the option for you.
  • Rivoli: This template design screams elegance and sophistication. It’s easy to use, yet looks highly professional.
  • Tudor: A great all-around choice for bloggers, Tudor features a modern, asymmetrical design.

Best Insight about Travel Blogs according to Reddit:

As someone who has been an avid reader of travel blogs for many years, I would suggest that you consider starting a travel blog only if you are actively traveling or have a genuine passion for a specific destination or aspect of traveling.

You might be interested to check those related posts as well:

  • 19 Best Travel Blogs Stats 2024 [Looking at Top Trends]
  • 25 Impressive Business Travelers Stats 2024 [Facts & Trends]
  • 500 Fantastic Travel Agency Names [and Ideas] 2024

Who are the most famous travel bloggers?

There are many popular travel bloggers, many of whom followed a similar path: they quit their jobs to embark on an adventure, and never looked back.

The most famous among these vagabonds are those who offer practical insights into life on the road, as well as tips and tricks for other travelers are Expert Vagabond, The Poor Traveller, Nomadic Matt, and The Blonde Abroad.

Who are the highest-earning travel bloggers?

For those at the top of their game, travel blogging can be very lucrative .

With revenue streams including incomes from sources such as affiliate links, sponsorship, adverts, and running courses, there are many ways that a travel blogger can rake in the cash.

The highest-paid among them include Nomadic Matt ($50K+ per month), Johnny Ward from OneStep4Ward ($20-25K per month), and Derek from Wandering Earl ($12K per month).

What are the most popular travel blog topics?

Travel blogs cover content ranging from destination guides to long-haul flight packing tips.

Some of the most popular blog topics include the following:

  • Tips for Booking Cheap Flights/Accommodation/Tours
  • Top 10 Best Beaches in [insert destination]
  • How to Become a Travel Writer
  • How to Save Money For Travel
  • 10 Travel Photography Tips
  • Packing List for [insert destination]
  • Advice for Solo Travelers/Family Travel//Travelling with Friends etc.
  • Tips for the Best Road Trip
  • 10 Tips for Submitting Work to Your Favourite Travel Magazine

We hope that our list of best travel blogs to follow in 2024 gives you the inspiration you’re after to pack your bags and embark on an adventure of your own.

Whether you’re traveling to a popular destination, or off the beaten track, our list of travel experts will have you covered with all the tips, tricks, and advice you need.

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Georgi Todorov is the founder of ThriveMyWay, a website dedicated to teaching successful digital marketing strategies. Georgi is regularly called upon by companies seeking to develop and enhance their SEO and link-building strategies in order to achieve hockey stick growth. When Georgi isn’t working, you can find him getting close to nature, learning online or traveling.

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Become a Travel Blogger: The Complete Guide

    2. Take part in guest posting. Another great way to promote your blog, especially in the early stages when you're building your brand and following, is to write for other travel blogs and digital publications. This will help you get your name out there and generate traffic back to your blog.

  2. 15 Secrets To Becoming A Successful Travel Blogger

    1: Create Useful Travel Content. Writing Your Travel Blog. Writing a diary of your travels for family & friends is easy, but other than them, no one else cares. If you want strangers to read your travel blog, you'll need to provide something more useful.

  3. How To Become a Travel Blogger (15 Expert Tips)

    Here are a few ways to make money and become a successful travel blogger: 1. Affiliate Marketing: This is by far our favourite earning method. Affiliate Marketing is when you share products on your website that you use and trust, and in turn, those companies pay you a commission when someone purchases their product.

  4. Travel Bloggers Jobs, Employment

    US -Remote. Remote in United States. Typically responds within 3 days. $75,000 - $95,000 a year. Full-time. Easily apply. Up to 30% travel required. Drives social media strategy to generate online following, including identifying power bloggers, creation and maintenance of a blog…. ·.

  5. Get paid to travel

    3. Put some thought into your design. First impressions are key - and this philosophy also applies to websites. Creating a strong design for your blog - one that's easy to navigate and understand - is important as this is one of your first chances to hook in a reader. And this is the travel industry: visuals are key.

  6. How to Become a Travel Blogger

    You absolutely can do travel blogging whilst having a day job or getting a degree. Many travel bloggers have a full time day job as well, it's more than possible to do both, and especially with the inconsistency of earning from a blog, it is a good option. Best of luck! Laurence. Reply. Shreya says. 24th August 2021 at 11:28 am.

  7. How To Become a Travel Blogger (and Get Paid)

    There is plenty of work to develop a blog and generate a high income. Below, you will find a free, step-by-step guide on how to start a travel blog and get paid. 1. Choose the Format of Your Future Blog. You need a platform on which you will share content and attract your audience.

  8. What Does a Travel Blogger Do?

    Travel Blogger Job Duties. Research and plan travel itineraries to diverse destinations, ensuring a mix of popular and off-the-beaten-path locations. Create engaging content, including blog posts, videos, and social media updates, documenting travel experiences and providing travel tips. Photograph landscapes, cultural events, and local cuisine ...

  9. What Is a Travel Blogger and How to Become One

    The primary qualifications for becoming a travel blogger are excellent writing, photography, and time management skills. Fulfilling the duties of a travel blogger requires understanding the blogging industry, your travel niche, and the business aspect of blogging, as well as finding ways to offer new and unique content and creating or promoting ...

  10. Every Travel Blogging Job for Lifestyle & Full-Time Writers

    Lifestyle travel bloggers blend travel experiences with daily life aspects while having a more permanent job (like a scuba diver instructor). Being a lifestyle travel blogger aims to inspire readers to infuse their daily routines with a bit of exploration. In contrast, full-time travel bloggers make travel and blogging their primary occupation.

  11. How to Be a Professional Travel Blogger

    To us, being a travel blogger was a career change, not a career break. We work hard, we have a plan, we are passionate about what we do, and we are willing to adapt when things don't work out. If you want to be a travel blogger, you'll definitely want to read How to Start a Travel Blog in 11 Easy Steps.

  12. Travel Blogger jobs

    The US base salary range for this full-time position is $134,000-$198,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations.

  13. Full Time Travel Blogger jobs

    Restaurant group nj. Hybrid work in Hoboken, NJ 07030. $20 - $23 an hour. Full-time. 20 to 40 hours per week. 8 hour shift + 4. Easily apply. Develop and maintain relationships with influencers, bloggers, and other social media experts. The ideal candidate will be responsible for developing engaging….

  14. 21 U.S. Travel Bloggers Worth Following

    21 U.S. Travel Bloggers Worth Following. By Leena Kollar on March 26, 2018. The Blonde Abroad. If being a travel blogger sounds like a dream job — well, it kind of is. Writers across America spend their days exploring fantastic sights in dozens of exotic countries, documenting what they experience and making a living as they go.

  15. $19-$59/hr Travel Blogger Jobs (NOW HIRING) Sep 2024

    How much do travel blogger jobs pay per hour? $19.23 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers. $16.83 - $20.67. 45% of jobs. $24.04 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers. $20.67 - $24.76. 38% of jobs.

  16. Remote Travel Blogger Jobs, Employment

    Remote in Washington State. $50,000 - $70,000 a year. Full-time. Easily apply. A love of travel and a passion for independent hotels, with the ability to travel 1 week / quarter on average. Be maniacally focused on your accounts' success.

  17. 37+ Best Travel Blogs and Bloggers [to Follow] in 2024

    Divi: A very popular theme among bloggers, Divi offers multiple ready-made layouts and unlimited customization options. Vagabonds: With a nod to traveling in the name, this theme is a modern and stylish option for travel bloggers. Elegant: Although simple, this theme is elegant and beautiful.

  18. Megan Starr

    ABOUT MEGAN. I began this blog in 2010, when I was looking to share my travels with the world. It was also a resource for those looking to move to Norway, my adopted home at the time.This blog focuses mostly on Scandinavia and the Nordics, the USA, Western Europe, and select other places that have inspired me around the world!. My mission is to help you plan your trip with my 100% human-made ...