I’ve been blogging since 2014 and honestly, I have learned SO MUCH in that time.
If you are thinking about starting a travel blog, then there are some things that you need to know before you get started. I wish someone had told me these 10 things before I got started on my journey to create a blog I was truly proud of.
Think About How You Want To Monetise Your Blog
– Have a plan for how your blog will make money. While I know not everyone starts their blog to make money, if you’re looking for blogging tips, chances are you’re thinking of taking your blog to the next level. If this is not something that bothers you, then go ahead and skip this step! However, if it does matter, read on…
There are a few different ways that you can monetize your blog:
– Affiliate marketing (for example, if you want people to buy something through an affiliate program such as Amazon) or placing ads on your site.
– If you have a skill that you can offer services for (like copywriting, social media marketing, web design, etc.), start pitching your services to local businesses.
– Create an online course teaching people what you know about travelling.
– Sell products related to travel blogging (such as eBooks, templates/themes, or even physical products like the t-shirts I launched during the pandemic).
– Use your blog as a way to go on paid press trips
Be Clear On Who Your Target Audience Are
Know who your audience is. This might seem like common sense but many bloggers jump right into writing content without knowing who they want to reach with their message or what they want them to do after reading their posts (i.e., buy their product).
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It can be tough to do everything on your own, especially when it comes to social media and creating content. Ask friends and family for help getting started or look into hiring a social media manager or VA. Hiring a team has been one of the best things I have ever done and I honestly couldn’t run my business without them!
Patience, Patience, Patience
Be patient! Creating a successful blog doesn’t happen overnight – it takes hard work, dedication, and time. No matter how hard you work, it takes some time to build a following so be patient with yourself! Things didn’t start to increase for me until the last two years, which meant I spent six years ‘waiting’ for it to happen.
Consistency Is Key
Be consistent in your content creation! Post new blog posts at least once per week (or even twice) was what has worked best for me. Now don’t get me wrong, I have definitely let my blog slip in the past (COVID-19 I’m looking at you) but the times when I have been consistent are when my blog performed the best.
Be Confident, Your Content Is Great, I promise!
– Be confident in your content! I struggled with this the first few months of blogging. Not because my blog wasn’t good but because I had no idea what I was doing. If you’re not sure about something just ask your friends, family or someone who has experience blogging for advice! No one knows everything so don’t be afraid to ask.
Be True To Yourself
– I think a lot of bloggers forget that their blog is supposed to be for them. It’s easy to get caught up in the blogging world and what everyone else thinks about your content but it doesn’t matter, just do you!
Use Social Media To Accompany Your Blog, Not Replace It
– The more time you spend on social media the less time you have for your blog so my advice would be to use social media as a way of sharing your blog content. That way you are not spending all day on the computer and having very little time for yourself. Of course, you need to create content that will attract people who will be interested in your blog, so think about how you can balance the two without burning out.
If You Have BIG Goals, Think Long Term
– Blogging can be stressful, especially when it’s your full-time job so try to think long-term about what you want to achieve with blogging. Do you want to build a community around your blog and meet like-minded people? Do you want to learn new skills? Do you want to start your own business? If so, keep blogging even if it’s something that is only making very little money. It may take years but eventually, you will start to notice yourself progress.
Think Of Your Blog As A Business
– When I first started blogging I always loved the idea of making money through blogging but I never saw it as real work. If you don’t treat your blog like a business, no one else will either. This means creating a business plan, working on your branding and sticking to a schedule when it comes to working. When I FINALLY started doing this, things really started to change for me.
Finally, Invest In Yourself
One of my favourite things to do is invest in my business and learn new things. Whether it’s purchasing a course, hiring a coach or investing in software, I always try to find ways to improve my blog and business. Not only does this help me grow as a blogger but it helps keep me organised and on track.
Some of my favourite things I’ve invested in include Canva and ConvertKit.
So, there you have it! These are the things I wish I knew before I got started. Though, I wouldn’t change all the mistakes and lessons I learned along the way for the world.
