If you are a travel enthusiast, you might have thought of starting a travel blog. And why not? Travel blogging is one of the most popular blog niches. Do you know that 80% of people refer to travel blogs before planning any trip? In this article, let us see how to start a travel blog.
There are various reasons to start a travel blog. Most people use blogging as a side-hustle. And we kid you not. Blogging is a profitable business. The most read blogs across the world belong to the travel and food niches.
Travel blogging can help you earn a good amount of money if you know the tactics. You can share your travel journeys and help others plan their trips, too. If you use social media, you can utilize it to start your own travel company. You can sell travel-related stuff online. And there is a lot more.
Generate ideas for your travel blog
Generating ideas for your travel blog beforehand is very necessary. It helps you have clarity on what you want to show online. Decide if you want to own a travel blog as a solo or family traveler. Deciding this will help you target your audience.
There are so many types of travelers worldwide. Luxury travellers, budget travellers, backpackers, etc.
Your main type will attract the same kind of audience. And so, it is essential to find out what category you belong to.
One of the common issues with bloggers is that they start but lack later. They lack confidence in finding what to write next. They find it challenging to decide the next topic. Hence, if you keep at least 4 to 5 blogs ready, you can maintain consistency.
Being relatable to the audience is the key to online success. If you want to grow your blog, we suggest you share your own travel experiences. Don’t try to exaggerate points. Don’t try to advertise something you have never tried. Be real and honest with your audience. When they can connect to a blog, they are more likely to be your regular readers.
Choose Blog Name
Let us now move on to another important topic. Your blog name is like your identity. It is the name through which your audience knows you. In today’s blogging world, people use creative names for their blogs. But that is not it.
SEO plays a crucial role in blog names. Most digital marketers believe that blog names that are related to their niche gain more traffic. If you are not a celebrity already, who knows you? How will people search for your name then? It makes sense, right?
Well, there is nothing wrong with using your own name as your blog name. But if you want to optimize your website really well, choose a name that suits your niche. Brainstorm the words that connect to the word “travel”. Use keyword finders to see what people are searching for. Get creative in combining all these names to get the perfect one.
Another way to decide on a blog name is to use words that define you or your travel category. Take your time, but choose a proper blog name.
Choose Blogging Platform
The next step is to choose a host for your blogging platform. This host is the company where you will start your website. There are many blogging platforms. Some of these have free plans, while others are paid.
Wix, WordPress, Blogger, SquareSpace, etc. are the ones widely used. The reason for selecting these blogging platforms is because they have ready-made templates. If you do not know coding, you will need everything ready-made. So, all you need to do is select what you like.
There are many other blogging platforms where you can host your website. These are third-party services that host your website. If you are a newbie, this may not be for you. Remember that some blogging platforms, like Wix, have various rates according to the category you choose.
You have options for monthly and annual bill payments. Though these, too, differ from one host to another, Blogging platforms should be chosen wisely. Your entire website depends on it.
Suggested Read: How To Protect WordPress Website From Malware
Register the Domain
Your next item on the checklist should be to register the domain. The domain is like an address. People use it to visit your website. Make sure your blog name is your domain. The domain depends on the category of the blog and country, too.
Let us say you reside in Australia. Your domain would be www.abc.au. If someone wants to start an educational blog, there domain would end with .edu.
You can use .com, .info, .co, etc. Once you visit the domain registration site, you will have options to choose from. Please note that domain registration rates differ for each company. Some may give you an offer for a period of one year. These plans are monthly and yearly.
Your next step is to enter the name you have decided on and check if that is available. Someone may already own the same name, and you may need to select a new one. So, it is better to keep at least three names ready. Once everything is set, purchase the domain by making the payment.
Buy a Web Hosting
You are almost done with the payment part. This is the last one. To buy web hosting, you need to compare a few points. A web host is a party that will store your files online and share your blog on the internet.
HostGator, BlueHost, and SiteGround are some of the web hosting providers. They have various plans and pricing. You can research this all online. Make sure to read a few customer reviews. It will help you to know what people like and dislike about the hosts.
You also need to check if the plans have all the features that you need for the blog. There is always an option to add more features, but it is better to check first. Then, you need to create an account on the web hosting platform. After registering, finish the verification process.
Then install your blogging platform on this host site. You will need no technical knowledge for all these tasks. These are one-click steps and can be done by anyone.
Pick a design for your blog
When it comes to the online world, creativity is the key to communication. So, while picking a design for your blog, be mindful. Don’t be biased toward any gender (unless needed). Because we are referring to travel blogs, these have no gender.
A human belonging to any gender or age-group may be your visitor. But if your travel blog is only for women or children, design accordingly. Focus on the colors, as they play a psychological role. Think about where you can place certain buttons, like language or a search bar.
Use the proper font, background, font color, etc. Keep editing until you think what looks best. See what is trending. You can check out other travel blogs for inspiration. Let your creativity flow. It is all through these efforts that people will be motivated to spend time on your website.
You can select the theme of your website from the available ones. You have the right to customize the colors, font, and background images as per your choice. Don’t try to overdo it on your website. Minimal is great.
Designing also includes placing navigation buttons properly. Make the website user-friendly. Don’t bombard the visitor with a lot of things at once. Let there be some space. Use elements that relate to your blog or the website.
Create a Logo
A blog is no less than a business these days; in fact, you should treat it like one. Therefore, you need a logo for your online business. Try to make something that relates to what you are going to blog about. For your travel blog, use elements that show travel. You can add a ship, an airplane, sea, beaches, etc.
Pictures speak a thousand words. Hence, leave no stone unturned while creating your logo. Experiment, try, and create the best. If you want, you can hire a professional graphic designer to make a logo.
Remember that this logo will be used across social media. This will serve as a brand logo for your blog. So, it has to be unique, attractive, and defining. Don’t try to settle for less. The Internet is full of inspiration. Put your heart into creating a unique design.
Set Up the Pages
On a website, pages with different requirements are necessary. Blog pages are going to be there, but there are a few more pages that you need. Here is what you will need an About page, a contact page, a privacy policy page, and a terms and conditions page.
If you offer some kind of service, then an additional page about the details should be there. Likewise, you can add pages that you think are needed. These pages are a great way to keep your content organized. Through all this information, your audience is aware of it all.
Your About page should be about you and your blog. This is a page to tell your audience who you are. You can elaborate on how you started traveling or why you started a travel page. Your contact page should mention your contact information so readers can contact you.
The privacy policy page is all about how you mention the data. It should tell the visitors what policies you consider and how. You need to add copyright details as well.
Publish Your First Blog Posts
If you are done with all the above steps, you have come a long way. Now is the time to publish your first blog post. By the time all the above steps occur, you should also be working on your writing simultaneously.
And when the necessary steps are done, let the world read your travel blog. Write concisely but captivatingly. A tip to write the best blog post, you ask? It is to write what you would love to read. Before imagining yourself as a writer, be a reader.
Coming back to your first blog post, add a catchy title. Use minimum words but be on point. You can find out the keywords that are trending and then create a title. Make the article as informative as possible. Also, don’t forget to add some images.
Include images of the place you are writing a travel blog about. If the images are downloaded, give credit to the respective photographer. If the images are clicked by you, make sure you add the copyright.
Promote your articles to Grow Your Audience
Once your website is live, it is time to show it to your friends. To gain early visitors, send your website link to friends and family. If you are on social media, create a post and let your followers know about your blog.
Add a relevant image and a clear caption to introduce your blog. Most bloggers believe that they drive traffic to their websites through social media. If you have better reach and engagement, your website will attract a lot of visitors.
One of the trending ways to grow an audience is to collaborate. You can collaborate with brands like travel agencies or travel luggage companies. You can also collaborate with other bloggers. You can allow guest posts on your website.
You may use email marketing, SEO or SMO, and online communities to create awareness about your travel blog.
Conclusion
Are you now ready to be a travel blogger? Because now you know how to start a travel blog. Let that travel enthusiast in you run a side-hustle. But be patient and consistent. It takes time to grow online. It takes time for the world to know about your blog.
Consistency is essential in anything you do. The same goes with travel blogs. Don’t get demotivated if you have less traffic. Stay consistent and determined toward your goal. Make the most of your travel diaries.
Contact Tectera who provide web design in Scarborough to develop a travel blog.
Editorial Staff at Tectera are experts on web design, SEO, Social media, App and Software.