How to Become a Travel Blogger: 5 Secrets from Pro Travel Blogs

And If you want to become a travel blogger, you don’t just roam into the wild, we want to tell thrilling tales of places far away. That’s how a travel blogger is born.
But there’s a breed of travellers who arrive at travel writing through a different road. These folks are only into exploring the deepest, highest and wildest corners of the earth – no writing involved. And then they ask themselves,
And then they ask themselves, “Who’ll feed me on my epic journeys? How do I get a roof over my head on some nights?”
Thus, they arrive at the decision – “My passion is to travel, but now it’s writing too. I hope it pays for the travels and food bills.”
Those were my exact thoughts too until I really tried it.
Don’t even ask how different reality was from my plans until you read the whole post. Trust me, you’ll know.
So, let’s get on with the tips. And not just tips, because most people think you became a travel blogger coz you were bored killing time in office. We’re going to rub that doubt off here too.

Create content that people actually wants

The first step before you ask money from people is to give them something they value. And before that, people need to know you exist.
Now listen, writing a diary of your travels for family & friends is fine. But that’s not gonna bring around the unknown folks, the real business.
Whoever you’re trying to get to your blog, you’ll need to provide them something really useful.
And it won’t be hard for you since you’ll be perceived an expert at travelling. You can easily start putting up advice that people have trouble finding in this great generic mess of content.

Get it now? Value goes both ways. Your job as a travel blogger is to give people what they need. And they’ll respond with what you want as a value exchange – money.

Get into interesting activities and observe minute details

We all know which DJ played on which hill last night.
What we don’t know is the peculiar, interesting stuff.

You don’t talk about the physical beauty of last night’s venue. You focus on the experience as a whole and what it made you feel. Junta will eat it up like hotcakes.
The more details you dive into, the closer you get in becoming an authority on a niche subject. Since every second travel blogger is probably still talking about Kasol, you offer things which the travel blogging world lacks right now. And it’s only possible if you pay attention.

Get comfortable with revealing more personal stuff

As a travel blogger, you need to be willing put your life on display. Coz that’s what audiences crave. They feel connected when you expose layers of your life one after another.
There are a ton of examples on social media if you want to check out how it’s done. Pick any “influencer” on travel and adventure.
Finally, let’s say your experience with Social media has been cool until now. But believe me, in the super crowded space of travel bloggers, your personal quirks will help you stand out.

Social Media, Email, SEO

Once you fire up your blog, it’s time to become your own PR agent. From major media outlets to popular travel blogs, you need access to their audiences badly now.
Social media sharing should become your reflex as a travel blogger. Connect with celebs in your domain, ask for favours (without being creepy), and keep tabs on current events.
Once that’s done, learn SEO if you already haven’t. Blogging and SEO complete each other. So, a travel blogger makes Google his best friend and mentor, coz if Google can’t find your blog, you’re dead.
Lastly, build a freakin long Email list and deliver great stuff. This list will become your loyal audience. The ones who are truly yours and whom you can expect to buy your stuff. One thing I learned using emails frequently is – Email never was and never will be dead.
Oh, and you’ll also need to learn blog hosting, content management systems (CMS), and a few things about design e.g. logo design etc. 

Networking and help

Professional Networking is the first step towards pro blogging.
When you meet potential business partners, colleagues, and clients in person, you’ll be at an advantage over another travel blogger who hasn’t. So, attend conferences, summits and meetups to engage with the leaders as well as the audience in your field.
While you’re there, look for a potential partner, an employee, or simply an investor. That’s if you wanna grow more businesses from a blog.
It’s actually an inevitable progression. More business means more money means more freedom to travel. Logic!
And that’s it. Actually, each point is a sea in itself, so don’t think you’re a  travel blogger just yet. Go out now, figure out your love, give it everything and then follow this procedure to rock the job you’ve been dreaming about. Ciao!