How to Start a Travel Blog in 2023: Top Guide for Beginners

Hey Aileen, I like your weblog! I’ve been your follower for fairly some time and also you encourage me rather a lot! Right now, you impressed me to do one factor that I’ve been suspending for years and that’s methods to begin a journey weblog and even simply methods to begin a weblog of any type and lead a distant life-style like yours.
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I don’t need to spend an excessive amount of so I need to construct every part myself… however I don’t have any know-how or internet design expertise. Is this nonetheless doable?
– Lidia from Califorinia, USA

Yes, completely!

I get a variety of messages like this, and I get it. I actually do. Being a journey blogger is an incredible career that may allow anybody to journey the world AND even receives a commission for it.

I’ve been doing this full-time for greater than 5 years now, and generally, I nonetheless have to pinch myself to know that each one of it’s actual! I’ve really gained rather a lot from this journey weblog: financial independence, continuous travels to all 7 continents, notable press options, worldwide awards, and a lot extra. In reality, it’s due to these achievements that it has since been my mission to assist YOU expertise all of those too.

To date, there are a HUGE variety of articles on the market about methods to begin a journey weblog and I’m certain it’s fairly overwhelming for you. However, let me prevent time, effort, and cash with this detailed step-by-step information that’s simple to observe and simple to know! (There’s no have to get all anxious about any technical phrases and processes as a result of I’ve received your again!).

Plus, armed with my years of running a blog expertise and authority, in addition to my previous know-how of internet design and improvement, you’ll be able to positively belief me in serving to you launch the weblog of your desires from scratch!

NOTE: Truth be instructed, this information doesn’t solely apply to aspiring journey bloggers as a result of the steps under may apply to different kinds of life-style blogs that you just may need to begin: for artwork, magnificence, vogue, life-style, images, sports activities, tech, and many others.

SIDE NOTE: It could be a problem to do journey running a blog in case you are having a tough time determining how one can jumpstart a journey life-style. In case you could have this dilemma, don’t fret! The following articles will provide help to journey the world:
» How to Travel the World: 5 Steps to Start
» Best Travel Jobs to Make Money While Traveling
» How to Save Money for Travel

DISCLAIMER: Some of the hyperlinks talked about on this web page (comparable to BlueHost) are affiliate hyperlinks. This signifies that for those who click on and make a purchase order, I’ll obtain a small fee in return which is at NO additional price to you and which will even assist me run this weblog.
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As all the time, nonetheless, I solely advocate services and products that I belief and have personally used — and truthfully, I’d nonetheless advocate them even when I’m not an affiliate!

Now, with out additional ado, let’s begin!

Step 1: Find Your Target Audience and Specific Niche

I can guess what you’re considering…

“But isn’t journey already a distinct segment?“

Not actually. It’s an business, sure, however it’s NOT a distinct segment. In order to draw a very good viewers and construct a related neighborhood from the very begin, you would want to determine your self in a extra particular area of journey — a distinct segment.

Surely you’ll be able to speak about journey as an entire, however as a ‘newbie’, it doesn’t assist to market your self as somebody who’s educated about all features of journey. This gained’t positively appeal to anybody to your web site, as a result of they will simply go to greater trusted authority web sites like Lonely Planet or Nomadic Matt for journey ideas.

So what do you first have to do…? Place your self in a particular area of interest that may assist foster your development and construct your affect from the bottom up. To do that, I extremely advocate adopting this new idea known as Blue Ocean Strategy whereby you place your self in a ‘blue ocean’ moderately than a ‘red ocean’.

As you’ll be able to see, for those who’re in a ‘blue ocean’, there’s a deeper potential so that you can obtain speedy development since you are concentrating on a definite market house that’s untainted by competitors but nonetheless full of a variety of alternatives. So as a way to arrive at your very personal blue ocean, you’ll be able to take out a pen and paper and begin writing down some subjects or types of journey that you just’re occupied with — or are good at.

When you’re executed laying out all these concepts earlier than you, now you can observe these 3 steps to slender down your blue ocean:

1. First, discover a broad or widespread theme that you just need to deal with or discover a answer to in your journey weblog
   • (a goal market: e.g. folks trying to journey in a van)
2. Find a subset of that theme or goal market that you just need to specialise in
   • (a distinct segment: e.g. households within the USA trying to journey in a van on a finances)
3. This final step isn’t normally executed by most however it helps to think about the type of preferrred particular person that you just need to “serve” so that you’ve got a clearer thought of the viewers you need to goal. To discover this particular profile, merely think about a person with clear traits that you just need to cater to as depending on the area of interest you picked from step #2
   • (the perfect shopper/reader/viewers: a guardian within the USA trying to deliver the entire household to journey or dwell in a van indefinitely but sustainably on a finances as a way to keep away from excessive home rental or mortgage prices, and possibly even discover a option to make a dwelling whereas doing it comparable to by distant journey work)
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And that’s it! You’ve now pinpointed your blue ocean. Now, heed my subsequent recommendation: stick with it.
Why do I say this? Well, let’s say you began off with posts about finances journey for van life. After just a few months, you could have managed to construct a neighborhood that’s occupied with your content material — good job! But then abruptly, you launch articles about luxurious journey and an assortment of different subjects. With this state of affairs, there’s a excessive likelihood that you’ll lose a sure chunk of your viewers, and for those who proceed to be finicky about your subjects and your experience, you’ll proceed to lose numerous folks. Fast.

So hear me out on this. Save the grand mixture of journey ideas/articles/guides/and many others. when you get greater with a extra ‘entrenched’ viewers that’s occupied with you as a journey blogger or character.

As an added instance, let’s speak about my weblog. At the very begin, I positioned myself in a distinct segment for solo journey that targets 20 to 30-something people (particularly from third world international locations) that need to study methods to journey the world. When my weblog turned a longtime authority on the net, I began to deviate from this as I shared a greater diversity of journey subjects — whereas nonetheless making my area of interest the core or heart of all of it.

Other examples of area of interest journey blogs:

• The Blonde Abroad – focuses on solo feminine journey after quitting your 9-to-5
• Travel with Bender – focuses on around-the-world household journeys with youngsters
• Wandering Earl – focuses on finances journey and a everlasting nomadic life-style
• The Points Guy – focuses on hacks for journey factors and miles
• Will Travel for Vegan Food – focuses on touring the usA. as a vegan
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BOTTOM LINE: When you need to know methods to begin a journey weblog the appropriate manner, it is best to first be a character or an skilled in a particular sub-topic of journey with a focused viewers (i.e. your personal blue ocean). If, nonetheless, you aren’t assured sufficient about your journey information because you’re nonetheless new or nonetheless within the strategy of planning your journey, what you are able to do, on the very least, is to make sure that you could have a singular story that may make anybody occupied with following you. In a manner, simply put your self in your readers’ sneakers and discover out what is going to make them tick.

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Step 2: Brainstorm a Kickass Blog (Domain) Name

“…area whaaaaat?“

To put it into easy phrases, a website title is the distinctive ‘address’ of your weblog on the web. For occasion, this weblog’s area title is iAmAileen.com and it’ll stay to be my distinctive identifier for so long as I proceed to pay an annual payment.

Yes, a FEE. To be capable of get these .com names, you would need to pay — relaxation assured, for those who observe step 3 of this methods to begin a journey weblog information, you’ll get your area title for FREE!

So now that you’re conscious of the truth that a severe plan of beginning a journey weblog entails cash (in addition to exhausting work and dedication -wink-), if it’s simply going to be a passion or for those who’re not that motivated sufficient to do it earnestly, you’ll be able to all the time go totally free platforms like Tumblr, PhrasePress.com (totally different from PhrasePress.org), and Blogspot.

Just be reminded, nonetheless, that in these sorts of free-‘hosted’ blogs there are a number of disadvantages:

1. They are NOT good for search engine rankings – that means that your weblog gained’t be as seen on Google, Bing, Yahoo, and many others. as in comparison with those who’ve domains.
2. You usually are not allowed to promote advertisements in your websites (this equals to NO incomes alternatives for you); alternatively, these hosts can put advertisements in your web site which is of no profit to you.
3. They have restricted plugins and themes, or issues that it is advisable optimize and ‘prettify’ your weblog.
4. They usually are not versatile. You will NEVER be in full management; additionally, the platform can delete your web site at any time in the event that they assume it violates any of their web site phrases.
5. They usually are not basically ‘professional-looking’, so advertisers and types gained’t be so eager on partnering with you
6. They take a while to kind! Think: yourblogname.blogspot.com versus yourblogname.com – the second is best, proper?
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This is why it helps to have your personal area title and internet hosting as a result of it may give you a variety of advantages and prospects (for such an reasonably priced worth!) and it saves you the effort of doing transfers sooner or later (from free-hosted to self-hosted). So for those who’re part of the decided ones, let’s get you began in your superior journey weblog’s area title or title!

When brainstorming for concepts on journey weblog names, listed here are the highest issues that it is best to be aware of:

• Make certain that it’s simple to recollect — attempt to preserve it brief, too! Most of us have brief consideration spans anyway, so it’s a should to swiftly stand out from the group as a way to be firmly remembered. Also, folks need it quick and simple, that’s why it helps in case your title would NOT take greater than 2 seconds to kind. Other issues to be aware of:
  • Avoid hyphens or numbers since you danger folks typing it out wrongly after they unfold your weblog’s title by phrase of mouth
  • Avoid phrases that aren’t simply acknowledged or spelled by different folks (particularly phrases that aren’t in English, until after all, you need to focus solely on audiences in your house nation)
    • TIP: Try sharing your title along with your mother or grandparents; in the event that they’re having a tough time spelling it out, you’ll know you’re choosing the flawed title
  • Check if it’s good when mixed collectively. For instance, for those who decide a reputation like “Speed of Art” if it’s squished up as an internet site URL it should appear to be: www.speedofart.com — you wouldn’t need that, would you?
  • This would be the title that you’ll be introducing to others sooner or later so be certain that it’s one thing that you just like, love, and are pleased with
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TIP: Check out these 50 distinctive and uncommon journey phrases to get some inspiration!

• Try to make it associated to journey. Do NOT observe my instance until you’re actually cussed. (IRRELEVANT TRIVIA: I made a decision to stay with my weblog title, ‘I am Aileen’ since I nonetheless have that *humorous* lifelong purpose of creating ‘Aileen’ a widely known title worldwide that isn’t, in any manner, associated to the well-known assassin, Aileen Wuornos.) As such, be aware of the following pointers…
  • Try to be distinctive and authentic. Go and mess around with a mixture of phrases. Use a thesaurus if it is advisable! Mix it along with your title or nickname. Invent a phrase if it’s important to (however be certain that it’s a simple phrase). Examples of distinctive names: Just One Way Ticket and The Planet D
  • Avoid phrases like adventurous, backpacker, world, journey, nomad, or wander as a result of they’re used a LOT. They are even already taken by large journey bloggers like Adventurous Kate, Nomadic Matt, Wandering Earl, and many others. so that you have to keep away from this. Why? Because you need folks to recall YOU after they consider a phrase or phrase — absolutely for those who go for ‘Adventurous YourName’, you’ll make different folks consider the extra fashionable one (e.g. Adventurous Kate) as a substitute of you, and that might clearly do you no good.
  • You can positively go for Search engine optimization-friendly titles like ‘Solo Backpacker’, however then it’s so generic that folks can simply overlook your weblog.
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All in all, it’s necessary to have a travel-related title as a result of aside from the truth that it’s important to market your self as a journey weblog, you additionally must thoughts your weblog’s standing on search engines like google and yahoo and having a reputation that’s associated to journey along with your prime key phrases included will already assist your complete web site’s Search engine optimization.

What is Search engine optimization? It’s brief for ‘Search Engine Optimization’ and it’s an necessary facet that each web site proprietor ought to know of when studying methods to begin a journey weblog. After all, information of Search engine optimization will assist enhance the variety of guests in your web site, in addition to its visibility on search engines like google and yahoo like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and many others.
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If you need to study extra about this, you’ll be able to go to Moz or SearchEngineLand provided that they provide nice FREE programs for Search engine optimization learners such as you! For extra complete programs, examine Udemy.

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• Make it timeless; assume long run! Your title might be your model perpetually, so don’t tie your self with a present development or state of affairs that’s certain to fade away.
  • If you don’t intend to journey as a backpacker perpetually, don’t select a reputation that may counsel that, otherwise you’ll discover it a bit exhausting to attain with greater luxurious motels sooner or later.
  • Don’t provide you with one thing like ‘365 Days of Travel’ for those who plan to maintain your journey weblog for greater than a yr.
  • Don’t use ‘Teenage Traveler’ since, properly, you’re going to get previous… however then once more, it may be fairly charming, so it’s as much as you. Unless after all, you desire a area of interest that discusses teen journey ideas just for eternity to come back.
  • Consider that for those who put ‘The Philippine Nomad’ they may assume that you just’re simply targeting the Philippines — until that’s what your journey weblog is about.
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• Check its availability. Once you could have a reputation in thoughts after following the aforementioned steps that I’ve acknowledged on this information of methods to begin a journey weblog, it’s time to examine if it’s accessible as a .com deal with. To do that, merely go to Bluehost to examine.

NOTE: If you continue to don’t have a reputation in thoughts — it’s okay! Just proceed with step 3 under and determine in your weblog title later!

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Anyhow, in case your area title thought remains to be accessible as a website, subsequent, it is best to examine if it’s accessible throughout all social media channels to additionally be sure that the username just isn’t taken but. To do that with ease, use the web site KnowEm.

Try Googling your title too! Use citation marks (“your weblog title“) to see if somebody has already used your title phrase on one other web site, or if it’s associated to some shady web site or branding. If you’re within the USA and planning to register your weblog as a enterprise sooner or later, it’s a good suggestion to examine in case your title is trademarked. You can examine this by going right here.

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Step 3: Set Up Your Travel Blog’s Domain and Hosting

“Wait, what’s a internet hosting?“

A bunch or internet hosting is principally a service that it is advisable avail collectively along with your area as a way to reserve your spot on the web — it’s a spot that maintain’s all of your weblog’s knowledge, posts, images, and extra. This signifies that as soon as it’s related along with your area title and somebody sorts it out on their browsers, your internet hosting will work to rapidly show your weblog to whoever ‘known as‘ for it.

So the place are you able to get your internet hosting? There are a LOT of suppliers on the market.

For instance, I wager you could have heard of HostGator provided that it is without doubt one of the hottest internet hosting websites available in the market. BUT heed my recommendation: Don’t. Get. Them. I’ve been their buyer for years earlier than and I encountered far too many issues with their internet hosting plans: they droop my web site for no purpose and with no prior discover, the customer support takes too lengthy to answer, dwell chat was nearly like a ‘no chat available’ service, web site loading instances are sluggish regardless of the optimizations I make, and many others. It was the final straw after they suspended my account for the third time!

I then moved to SiteGround — and nope, that is NOT but the internet hosting supplier that I like to recommend as a result of I’ve had unhealthy experiences with them too. I made the error of following the recommendation of different bloggers to go for them; however it seems that although SiteGround has nice customer support, my web site nonetheless stored crashing! For months’ finish, I stored getting penalized for the excessive CPU utilization of my web site regardless of all of the optimizations in place. In a nutshell, they only held a low capability for the site visitors I used to be having on a plan that was speculated to deal with what it ought to.

From then on, I made it a degree to discover a higher host… and I gladly did!
I suppose it’s true that the third time is the allure as a result of I’m very contented with Bluehost! I completely advocate them to anybody. Why so?

• They provide high quality internet hosting for a VERY reasonably priced worth. Bluehost not often has downtimes. They have very good safety protocols in place and lightning-fast loading instances for web sites. Not to say that almost all established journey bloggers use them so that they’re fairly a trusted internet hosting community! What’s extra, they’re cheaper than most different fashionable internet hosting websites on the market.

Enjoy a 50% low cost for a primary plan in Bluehost at a price that begins at $3.95 (Php 175+) solely monthly! Are you excited but? Because I’m for you!

• They are user-friendly AND beginner-friendly. Their interface is ideal and clear. Additionally, they’ve a big and easy-to-understand information base filled with assets that may reply any query that you’ll have particularly whenever you’re first studying methods to begin a journey weblog. Otherwise…
• They have wonderful customer support. You can simply ask them something and they’re going to do their perfect to help you – ASAP. In reality, they’re probably the most responsive crew that I’ve ever encountered. They have a ’24/7 Live Chat’ characteristic too and I NEVER needed to await too lengthy.
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To get began with Bluehost, merely observe the steps within the following expandable part. (To open/view, click on the ‘+’ image under).

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Step 4: Install PhrasePress & Create Your Own Domain Email

“Is there a difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?”

Yes! In a nutshell, each are FREE BUT PhrasePress.org is one of the best platform to make use of when operating a self-hosted weblog (seek advice from step 2 of this methods to begin a journey weblog information as to why a PhrasePress.com-run web site is NOT preferrred).

There are different weblog platforms like Wix or Squarespace that different bloggers use — nonetheless, I do NOT advocate these. They usually are not as versatile, to not point out, it’s important to pay a payment as a way to use them! PhrasePress.org, alternatively, is FREE perpetually and utilized by many (most individuals who used Squarespace, for instance, transitioned to PhrasePress finally).

In reality, PhrasePress.org is utilized by large web sites like BBC, CNN, and New York Times! All it is advisable have as a way to set up and run it’s a area title and internet hosting — which you now have after registering with Bluehost.

Truth be instructed, Bluehost robotically installs PhrasePress.org whenever you signed up with them as your internet host — so sure, you don’t have to do something anymore. It’s that simple! (To entry your PhrasePress.org dashboard, the URL normally appears like this: yourblogname.com/wp-admin/. These particulars might be despatched to you by way of e mail by Bluehost, so don’t fear!)

PhrasePress is fairly easy and simple to make use of, however for those who want guides on methods to use and navigate your self by the pages of the interface, you’ll be able to all the time try FirstWeb siteGuide’s tutorial or learn by PhrasePress.org itself.
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You may try Bluehost’s PhrasePress information. Or if doubtful, be at liberty to strike up a dialog with their customer support crew by their chat characteristic!

BONUS: In order that can assist you appear to be knowledgeable and severe journey blogger, you would want your personal .com e mail and it’s fairly simple to set that up with Bluehost. Simply observe the steps talked about in Bluehost’s Email Management information.

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Step 5: Pick a Theme That Will Stand The Test of Time

“What’s a theme?”

A theme is principally the design and structure of your PhrasePress.org web site! In case you missed it in the course of the sign-up course of with Bluehost, there’s a web page the place you will get to decide on a theme on your web site for FREE! The superior factor about that is that you just don’t actually need to know HTML and CSS coding as a way to provide you with a pleasant web site design as a result of these themes have already got set templates you could simply edit.

To set up a theme on your web site, right here’s what the web page would appear to be on Bluehost. (To open/view the part under, click on the ‘+’ image).

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— and that’s it. Your web site ought to have a greater feel and appear now!

…Though if I’ll share a professional tip when studying methods to begin a journey weblog, despite the fact that you’ll be able to change your theme afterward, it’s a good suggestion to plan your long-term “branding” as early as now and select a theme that you’ll possible stick with for years to come back. I say this as a result of most web site these days use a factor known as ‘shortcode’ and for those who change themes, your web site and posts could find yourself breaking — thus requiring you to do a variety of work to replace these shortcodes when you determine to change themes.
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“So should I get a FREE theme or a paid theme?”

There’s nothing flawed with selecting a free theme on your weblog as a result of most beginning bloggers begin with a free theme after they realized methods to begin a journey weblog; after which, in a while, purchase a paid theme.

But hear me out: the large drawback that I see in utilizing a free theme is the (annoying) limitation on its modifying capabilities and design layouts. Not to say that since they’re free themes, the builders or the individuals who created these themes will NOT hassle to replace them — so if let’s say PhrasePress.org makes an enormous replace for safety and different capabilities, your theme will find yourself incompatible with this replace!

With all that stated, if you wish to save time and keep away from future complications, I counsel investing in a paid premium theme (normally begins at $30) that’s:

• Regularly up to date by its developer(s)
• Offers complete guides and buyer assist
• Tablet and mobile-responsive
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My web site presently makes use of the Divi theme from Elegant Themes. I’ve used a special theme earlier than this one — BUT I wanted I used Divi on the very begin as a result of it’s such an incredible theme with so many capabilities!

You can search by Google your self and you will note the constructive opinions and praises for Divi. Besides, it’s presently the preferred PhrasePress theme available in the market given its lengthy monitor file and efficiency. PLUS: the most important benefit to it…?

“Divi is an internet site constructing framework that makes it doable to design lovely web sites with out ever touching a single line of code and with out putting in and configuring dozens of disjointed plugins.
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It might be loved by design professionals and newcomers alike, giving anybody the facility to create spectacular designs with stunning ease and effectivity.”

So sure, it’s the right theme for newbies such as you who don’t have any background in HTML or CSS coding, thereby saving you cash from hiring an costly internet designer!

Anyhow, if you wish to discover totally different choices, under are among the different prime web sites when purchasing for paid or premium themes:

• Creative Market: An wonderful neighborhood of designers providing reasonably priced premium themes
• Theme Forest (or Envato): One of the most important marketplaces for PhrasePress themes

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Step 6: Customize Your Blog Theme and Design

“What else do I need to consider for branding?”

Theme

You will now have to edit the theme that you just put in in order that it matches the type of ‘look‘ that you’d need your journey weblog and pages to have. To customise your themes, most paid or premium themes may have a guidebook or checklist of tutorials. It’s necessary to learn this primary so that you just don’t get misplaced whenever you begin to do additional customizations.

The Divi theme I exploit, for instance, has a ton of assets that may assist information you in customizing your PhrasePress weblog, and it’s very useful! If, nonetheless, you’re pressed on time, you’ll be able to all the time get an online designer to do all of it for you. For this, you’ll be able to try Upwork and Fiverr for reasonably priced but proficient freelancers to rent.
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Colors, Logo, & Font

The subsequent step is to additional customise the tone or really feel of your web site — e.g. would you like it to really feel skilled or enjoyable, and many others.

To do that, first, it helps to find out your journey weblog’s colour palette. Limit this to 2 or three colours solely and make it possible for they’re NOT colours that damage the eyes when considered on the display screen (e.g. brilliant neon pink, and many others.). It’s necessary to find out this since it will likely be useful when creating your emblem, in addition to in sectioning textual content headings on your posts and pages.

Once you determine in your colours, proceed to create your weblog/model identifier or your emblem. If you need to create one by your self, there are 3 ways to do it:

1. Start studying Adobe Photoshop – for creating or modifying graphics, it’s useful to study it as early as now so you’ll be able to create your personal — which you’ll be doing LOTS of as you run your weblog (the one draw back is that it could possibly be time-consuming to study every part)
2. Use Canva – an incredible platform for designing and creating graphics even for those who’re a complete newbie (provided that they have already got set templates, and many others.)
3. Buy from Creative Market – select from an enormous variety of premade emblem templates you could simply edit (some will use Canva however some may should be edited on Photoshop)

Or would you like one other particular person’s assist? I’m a graphic designer myself, so I will help you out when I’ve the time. Otherwise, like I beforehand talked about, you’ll be able to seek advice from web sites like Fiverr that may provide a graphic service for as little as $5. There are some unhealthy designers however there are good ones too, and it’s simple to weed out those that don’t give high quality work for those who learn the opinions. If you need larger high quality work however don’t thoughts the value, you’ll be able to publish your job requirement to Upwork or 99 Designs.

Afterward, nonetheless in keeping with your design branding, (if it’s not already offered from a premade one) discover a font to make use of on your emblem and even for some textual content headings. Try to reduce this to 2 at most, and you should purchase these typefaces from Creative Market or Envato.
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PhrasePress Plugins

This is without doubt one of the the explanation why I like PhrasePress.org: their plugins. You can consider these as like apps that assist enhance your web site. After all, most themes don’t have ALL the capabilities or customizations that you just want so that you’ll positively be needing some plugins! But really, with Divi, I don’t have this downside as a result of it’s such an incredible theme. Hence, I don’t have a variety of plugins put in — which is nice as a result of, to ensure that your journey weblog to load quick, it is advisable have just a few plugins put in.

Therefore, when studying methods to begin a journey weblog correctly, listed here are the important plugins that it is advisable have which you’ll simply add to your weblog by going to your Dashboard: click on ‘Plugins > Add New‘. In the search box, type the plugin names below and click ‘Install‘ as needed (otherwise, if it’s a file, simply add the .zip folder after clicking ‘Upload Plugin‘ on the ‘Add New’ web page).

• Akismet – to guard your web site from spam feedback made by bots and spammers.
• Yoast Search engine optimization – to assist optimize your weblog’s rating for Google. If you ever need assistance, the creator’s web site has a number of tutorials that may provide help to handle your Search engine optimization higher.
• Google Analytics – to trace the expansion of your weblog. This is a vital factor so that you can arrange! Google Analytics (GA) is a strong software that helps measure and analyze your weblog’s site visitors and sooner or later, advertisers would want knowledge from this platform. So first, it is advisable register with GA after which set up this plugin to simply combine GA’s monitoring in your web site.
• WP Rocket – to hurry up your web site and assist it rank higher on Google. There are a variety of ‘caching’ plugins on the market however that is one of the best in the marketplace. This entails a variety of technical jargon (which I’ll clarify in additional element in my different posts in addition to in my Blogging Master Class) however it’s a vital plugin that it is advisable have particularly since Google now takes under consideration quick web page load instances for rating.
• WordFence – to assist safe your web site from hackers and malware. It has a FREE and paid model and the free model is sufficient to begin with.

TIP: Not precisely a plug-in however it helps to put in the Grammarly Chrome extension in order that it may seize any embarrassing typos and grammatical errors in all of your posts and pages!

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Step 7: Set Up Your Blog’s Main Pages

“What are the main travel blog pages?”

When studying methods to begin a journey weblog, don’t confuse PhrasePress pages with posts. These are each content material sorts however the distinction is that pages are the principle sections of your web site (e.g. about web page, weblog web page, contact web page, and many others.), whereas posts are the weblog articles which are organized chronologically and by class.

For this part, it is advisable set up the pages of your weblog as a way to enhance the navigation and consumer expertise. To provide you with concepts on one of the best pages that it is advisable have, you’ll be able to attempt your favourite web sites and collect some concepts. As a begin, under are the fundamental pages that it is advisable have:

• About – to introduce your self. Make it partaking and informative as a way to make folks need to observe you.
• Blog – to point out a abstract of all of your newest posts.
• Contact – to allow folks and even manufacturers to succeed in you.
• Privacy Policy – to guard your rights and affirm your safety from any liabilities as a web-based blogger (there are web sites like Termly that may assist generate a weblog disclaimer for you)
• Others – as you develop, you may want different pages like what my weblog has (instance: FAQ, Press, Travel Tips, Destinations, and many others.) and it’s completely as much as you in order for you these or not. You can get some useful concepts from my pages however please chorus from copying the structure and design wholly.
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Once you could have these pages arrange, don’t overlook to prepare them in your menu bar in order that your readers can simply navigate by the sections of your web site. To customise, simply go to your Dashboard and click on on ‘Appearance > Menus‘.

Other sections you could customise are the next…

• Footer. This is the underside a part of your web page and you are able to do no matter you need for this. Some folks merely go away it clean, whereas others embody their social media hyperlinks, e mail checklist sign-ups, and many others.
• Sidebar. Typically seems beside your weblog posts/articles so as to remind your readers about necessary elements of your weblog — it’s additionally nice for promotions (e.g. ads). To management the contents that may present right here, you simply must entry your widgets part at Appearance > Widgets. For this, you’ll be able to put your:
  • About – Make it temporary or catchy, after which embody your photograph together with a hyperlink that results in your about web page.
  • Social Links – Promote your social media accounts! You can select to point out large bins like this one by Facebook or you should utilize icons that might hyperlink to your account by utilizing a plugin like this.
  • Newsletter – Encourage folks to subscribe to your updates and retain an lively neighborhood, this may be made doable for those who create e mail lists from web sites like MailChimp or Convertkit (which I personally use if you wish to scale and earn out of your e mail checklist). After registration, these web sites even have plug-in widgets you could simply embody in your sidebar.
  • Popular Posts – to assist direct your readers to your different articles, obtain this plugin, and show its widget.

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Step 8: Secure Social Media Handles & Start an Email List

This is a crucial step when studying methods to begin a journey weblog! Sure, your weblog can develop by itself with the appropriate Search engine optimization techniques… BUT if you wish to amplify that development, you have to do promotions and begin being ‘social‘ on-line and set up your internet presence. So along with your weblog title, rapidly register on the massive social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

TIP: Keep the usernames the identical as your area title with no added dots, underscores or hyphens. I made you examine this beforehand in step #1 as a result of it’s positively simpler on your present and potential followers to search out your linked social profiles with only a fast recall of your title.
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Don’t observe my instance… I occurred to be too late on the Instagram hype that by the point I registered, somebody already had my username ‘iAmAileen’ so I ended up going for i_am_aileen — which is a problem to kind with the additional underscores!

“Now that I have “parked” myself in these social media accounts, does this imply that I should be lively on ALL platforms without delay?”

Not in any respect! Because for those who do, you’ll probably waste a lot time and effort juggling too many platforms without delay. While you’re nonetheless beginning on studying methods to begin a journey weblog, it’s necessary to place all of your efforts in a single or two social media platforms at first. To decide which social media channel to make use of…

• Find your power. Are you expert in creating images? If sure, Instagram and Pinterest could possibly be your bread and butter. Or are you moderately into movies? Focus on YouTube or Tiktok for now. Do you want to speak as a substitute and conduct interviews? Podcasts could possibly be the choice for you by signing up on Spotify or selling it by way of Facebook or Instagram LIVE/Reels.
  • If I’ll add one other tip, I like to recommend together with Pinterest in your technique as a result of it may drive loopy site visitors to your weblog! A software I personally use to schedule posts or pins is Tailwind (enroll with this hyperlink and you’ll earn a FREE month of use!).
• Find the place your viewers is at. As a starter blogger, it will likely be exhausting at first to search out this — however there are methods! Other than observing your competitors, you may also create a easy survey on your readers to ask what platform they sometimes use.
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“What is an email list?”

An e mail checklist collects the names and e mail addresses of people that gave you permission to ship them updates of your weblog. For them to sign-up to this checklist, you’ll be able to create a e-newsletter by web sites like MailChimp or Convertkit which each come FREE with a most variety of 2,000 subscribers — a fairly whole lot!

It is necessary to have an e mail checklist when studying methods to begin a journey weblog as a result of although there are social media channels, a majority of individuals nonetheless use emails and like to be notified by it. For this purpose, it is best to take the possibility and create one! Besides, it should assist rather a lot sooner or later every time you could have giveaways, contests, or merchandise to advertise since you may also monitor e mail opens, conversions, and extra! Plus, with Convertkit, you would even scale and do e mail automation to raised enhance your possibilities of incomes extra weblog cash by the promotion of your articles or affiliate hyperlinks.

Got greater than 2,000 subscribers? Convertkit is a LOT cheaper than Mailchimp if you wish to improve. You might even get a 30-day free trial earlier than doing the month-to-month funds. Another different is Aweber.

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Step 9: Create Engaging Content

“How can I create content that stands out from the rest?”

Some elements to contemplate as you discover ways to begin a journey weblog and market it…

First, create pillar classes and posts. It’s necessary to brainstorm about the principle subjects that you just plan to debate in your weblog as a way to provide you with about 3 guardian classes that you’ll use for your whole weblog posts (e.g. a guardian class of ‘Destinations’ and its sub-categories are the continents). After you set this up, it’s useful to provide you with ‘cornerstone’ fundamental weblog posts for every of those guardian classes as a way to additional develop your web site’s Search engine optimization, after which creating a number of sub-posts that hyperlink again to ‘support’ these fundamental weblog posts. (I’ll focus on this in additional element on my Blogging Master Class course).
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Learn primary Search engine optimization. I’ve already talked about and defined Search engine optimization within the earlier sections of this methods to begin a journey weblog information and I can not stress sufficient how necessary it’s! So please take the time to study this both by studying by Yoast’s guides or by studying by complete Search engine optimization programs.

EXAMPLE: If you apply Search engine optimization correctly, you’ll be able to take the primary spot on Google searches. For occasion, for those who kind “unusual travel words” on the search bar, you will see that my publish is ranked first.

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Create authentic and interesting content material as per a content material schedule. It all the time helps to plan forward and set out a posting schedule you could stick with. After all, it doesn’t solely preserve your readers up to date however it additionally helps your rank on Google (as it should notify the algorithm that you’re somebody who’s ‘current’ and posts often). I like to recommend posting no less than 3 instances per week; however finally, you’ll get a really feel of the variety of instances that it’s important to replace in addition to one of the best days to publish so this frequency can go larger or decrease (you’ll be able to seek advice from your Google Analytics knowledge for this). For occasion, some bloggers have marketed themselves as Thursdays-only and that’s fairly a intelligent option to preserve your readers coming again on a sure day.

TIP: If you’re operating out of concepts on what to publish, aside from observing the competitors, be certain that to take a look at traits. The web site AnswerThePublic can be nice for locating matter concepts after typing in a sure key phrase.

Quality is ALWAYS higher than amount. Tons of content material gained’t matter in any respect in the event that they’re not well-written, Search engine optimization-optimized, nor significant. So how are you going to make nice content material after you discover ways to begin a journey weblog? Through observe and analysis.
~ Keep writing and studying – you’ll finally discover your personal running a blog model and voice
~ Ask different folks’s opinion earlier than posting – it may be household or buddies
~ Try to see what the opposite large bloggers are doing – do NOT copy or plagiarize, simply draw inspiration from them!
Ultimately, simply deal with the subjects that you’d personally need to learn or find out about for those who had been to put your self within the sneakers of your readers.
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Get visible. Use enticing visuals to additional appeal to consideration — most particularly when posting on Instagram and pinning on Pinterest. Other than working in your photography expertise, you will get inventory images from Shutterstock or Unsplash.
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Promote your content material by social media. It helps to create a schedule or guidelines so you’re targeted on the social media sharing that it’s important to do after each new weblog publish (Later, for instance, is a superb Instagram scheduling software). You may even attempt approaching large Facebook journey pages to see if they’re open to permitting you to advertise your posts. If you be a part of the appropriate on-line communities too, you’ll be able to even meet fellow bloggers who’re keen to collaborate and even cross-promote!

READ: Best Facebook Groups Travelers & Travel Bloggers

Remember that success by your content material gained’t occur in a single day. After you discover ways to begin a journey weblog, it should take time and it is advisable have endurance earlier than you’ll be able to see vital change. Like most success tales, you have to have the dedication and drive to remain devoted to your trigger. Day by day, it actually entails a sure diploma of exhausting work and if you’ll find a balanced system for enhancing your weblog, the outcomes might be very rewarding.
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BONUS TIP. Try creating content material for greater web sites to achieve publicity and hyperlink backs to your web site. Other than tapping greater journey bloggers in the event that they’re occupied with visitor posts, you may also think about submitting content material to greater web sites like Thought Catalog, Matador Network or Huffington Post. Trust me on this one: for those who develop into very lively in pitching your distinctive story or expertise to large web sites like these, you’ll simply skyrocket to on-line fame! (It helps your Search engine optimization too!) To seek for extra web sites which are open to article submissions, simply seek for them by Google. Be aware although that there are web sites that may be powerful to ‘get into’ however it’s all the time price a attempt to get your title or face on the market.

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Step 10: Monetize Your Travel Blog and Reap the Rewards!

“I want to earn money after I learn how to start a travel blog! But just how exactly?”

Obviously, among the finest issues about proudly owning a journey weblog is the quite a few alternatives or methods for making a living — and remotely at that! I first began this weblog as a passion; however after redefining my model and streamlining my methods, it’s now producing me a 6-figure revenue passively… and sure, you are able to do this too!

However, it helps to notice that because you’re nonetheless beginning, it should take a while earlier than you achieve traction, authority and site visitors. Still, It doesn’t damage to begin early and among the finest methods to get cash as a beginner is thru:

Affiliate Sales. This lets you earn a fee in case your reader chooses to buy one other model’s services or products by your specialised hyperlinks — and it’s at no added price to them!. Since your weblog is about journey, attempt signing up for associated corporations or affiliate networks specifically…

TIP: Since you simply began to discover ways to begin a journey weblog, please don’t go overboard in monetizing your weblog, or else, a few of your readers might be postpone by let’s say, the gazillion of ads that you’ll be placing up in your web site. What are you able to do then? Take it sluggish, be choosy, and solely put up the type of advertisements that may greatest suit your viewers.

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Other methods. Over time, upon getting sufficient posts, begin to get a little bit of respectable site visitors, and have established authority, you can begin to do the next:

• Earn by Google AdSense for pay per clicks or Mediavine (minimal of fifty,000 pageviews) or AdThrive (minimal of 100,000 pageviews) for pay per views — principally, earn by ads!
  NOTE: If you give attention to doing journey vlogs (video running a blog), YouTube’s companion program works alongside Google AdSense for monetization, so just remember to allow that.
• Sell your personal advert house in your journey weblog
• Sell eBooks, session/teaching, or different digital services and products
• Sell your providers for social media promotions
• Do sponsored posts or paid opinions (on merchandise, providers, and many others.)
• Partner with manufacturers for paid collaborations, and many others.
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Regarding the final bullet, upon getting earned a very good quantity of readership (as evidenced by your web site’s stats and following) you should utilize this knowledge to pitch your weblog’s affect to tourism boards, motels, manufacturers and airways as a way to receives a commission initiatives. Be conscious although that this may be very powerful and that as a rule, you’ll obtain a reply that principally says NO to your proposition — however hey, what is going to you lose by that? Nothing!

You’ll simply really feel that tiny pang of disappointment that they didn’t such as you… and properly, you’ll be able to deal with that, proper? Besides, even when they are saying ‘no’ at first, you’re free to re-try once more after you develop your weblog additional and make your pitch higher (discover out what they’re in search of, state what you’ll be able to provide in return, and many others.)

There isn’t any magic quantity to understanding how large it’s important to be as a way to be eligible sufficient to pitch with manufacturers; however absolutely, month-to-month visits of 1,000 and a complete of 100 social media followers gained’t do the trick.
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Anyhow, what’s necessary as a way to ace a partnership or sponsorship is to point out that you’re bringing in VALUE — that you’ve got an engaged viewers, and that you’ve got a weblog that’s match for the model’s wants.

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Here are some ideas when contacting manufacturers:

• Sign up for the Gmail extension: Mailtrack! This notifies you every time somebody opens or clicks on a hyperlink in your e mail, and that helps rather a lot for monitoring. For one factor, it should assist you in estimating the time you could ship one other e mail follow-up. (For instance, because you clearly know that they opened your e mail, you’ll be able to attempt following up 3 days after they opened it; in any other case, in the event that they haven’t opened it in any respect, a very good rule is to observe up after per week the primary time you despatched it with a max variety of follow-ups at 3).
• Do your personal analysis. Find the suitable advertising and marketing or press contact on the web site (you may also use a Google Chrome plug-in like Hunter). If you’ll be able to’t discover the appropriate deal with, merely contact the generic deal with on the web site to ask for the proper e mail you could ship your message to (or ship them a message by way of their social media web page). You may merely write your proposal and ask them to ahead it to the appropriate particular person.
• Target manufacturers which are evidently involved about social media. It helps to companion with manufacturers which are lively on social media or which have partnered with bloggers earlier than. This provides you the peace of mind that they’re occupied with rising their on-line attain (which you’ll attempt to assist them with).
• Be convincing, direct, and sincere. Be clear about your request proper from the topic and first sentence of your e mail. Assure them on how one can develop their buyer base or on-line publicity. It’s principally about HOW you’ll be able to assist them, and never about how they will help you. If you could have a singular marketing campaign that you just assume you’ll be able to tailor properly to their product/service, then don’t be afraid to pitch it! If I’ll add, it additionally helps to have a media package to rapidly present your web site’s stats. (See media package examples right here).
  • If you’re not good with Photoshop, check out Canva.com which may be very simple to make use of even for those who’re not good with graphic design.

NOTE: Don’t go loopy! Don’t pitch to each firm that you recognize of. You nonetheless must make it possible for the corporate that you’re making an attempt to companion with is related to your weblog.

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BONUS: Join My Blogging Master Class Course

• Are you in search of extra in-depth recommendation and methods on methods to begin a journey weblog?
• Do you desire a detailed dialogue about my best-kept secrets and techniques and instruments for rising a weblog and producing a HUGE passive revenue?
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With my upcoming Blogging Master Class, you’ll achieve complete insights that may reply these two questions above — and extra!

Extra FAQ: About How to Start a Travel Blog