With the millions of blogs on the internet right now, it’s no wonder people are closing their ears to the “you can make money blogging” conversation. Even when you niche down to a travel blog, there’s still a lot of doubt around making a living from it.
Monetizing a travel blog isn’t for the faint-hearted. As much as we want them to, results don’t happen overnight. It takes a solid strategy, passion, and persistence to make money.
With that being said, if you’re willing to leap, your blog can fill your pockets and your heart too. Before we outline actionable steps to manage your travel blog, let’s discuss the best time to launch a travel blog.
The Best Time to Launch a Travel Blog
You can absolutely launch your travel blog whenever you see fit. But honestly, the best time to explore the world and start a travel blog is right after college. This is because post-college is when we’re full of hope, aspirations, curiosity, and ambition.
Additionally, you probably won’t have the responsibility of kids, taking care of a spouse, or maintaining a household. So, you can travel freely, be spontaneous with your plans, and really immerse yourself in adventure.
Whenever you choose to launch your travel blog, be sure you’re able to give it everything you’ve got if you want the best chance at making some real money with it.
Now, let’s look at actionable steps you can take to manage your travel blog and actually make money with it.
Four Actionable Steps to Managing Your Travel Blog
One of the first things you should do before launching your blog and embarking on your travels is save money. As discussed above, the best time to launch your travel blog is right after college. However, right after college is typically when money is scarce.
It’s best to ensure your finances are in good standing before traveling. For instance, consider consolidating any student loan debt you have, pay off credit card balances, and make a plan for any other financial obligations while you travel.
Also, implement money-saving travel tips like booking in advance, staying in hostels, traveling during the off-season, and exploring lesser-known areas.
Ultimately, saving money before starting your blog and travel will help put you in the best position to pursue being a travel blogger full-time.
Here are three additional steps to manage and grow your travel blog successfully.
Determine your avenue for making money on your travel blog
First, determine how you will make money from your travel blog.
For example, are you going to use affiliate links on your site? Are you going to sell ad space on your blog? Can you offer travel-related services or sell merchandise on your site? Will you do product reviews in exchange for payment? Are you creating a private travel community where people pay for membership? What about becoming an influencer and getting paid that way?
Determine how you’re going to monetize your blog and organize the details of each avenue you choose to pursue.
Next, be sure to understand your audience’s content expectations so that people visit and engage with our blog.
Consistently deliver the content your audience expects
What kind of content would your audience want to see on your travel blog? Pay special attention to their content interests, needs, and desires if you want people to come back to your blog, interact with you, and take action that prompts payment from the above avenues.
Define your target audience and learn as much as you can about them and their content expectations. At the very least, know their favorite media types, what kind of content resonates most with them, and the travel-related topics they’re most interested in.
Then, create a content strategy to deliver these things consistently. Brainstorm topics and implement a content calendar to keep you organized.
It’s also an excellent idea to develop an effective social media strategy for your travel blog.
Develop an effective social media strategy
If you want to be a successful travel blogger, telling your story on social media is integral. Social media is a fantastic opportunity to promote your blog and stand out among all travel blogs out there. As you grow your following on social media, you can drive more traffic to your blog, maximize your reach, and connect with your audience in a much deeper way.
Be sure to choose the best social media platforms for travel bloggers, like Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and Pinterest. These platforms welcome stunning visual content, making them excellent for travel-related content. In addition, you must fully engage with your audience on your platforms and be genuine about building real relationships with your followers.
Ultimately, developing an effective social media strategy makes it easier to grow your personal brand, showcase your travel experiences, and share your expertise.
Conclusion
So, can you still make money with a travel blog? Our answer is an emphatic yes. Choose the best time to launch your travel blog, determine your avenues for making money, deliver on-point content, and lean into social media for the best chance at the big blogging bucks.
