Do you love travelling, and sharing your travel experiences on Instagram or Facebook? If you do, then it is definitely time for you to start a travel blog. Through a travel blog, you get the opportunity to share your experiences with 77% of internet users who enjoy reading blogs. If your blog does well enough, you can get featured in popular newspapers, or even earn a comfortable amount of money from it, which can help fund your trips.
As much as you can earn from your travel blog, let money not be your motivation. You might end up giving up because bloggers wait for months, some even years before earning their first coin from their blog. Start your travel blog with the aim of helping other travellers identify potential destinations through you while entertaining them at the same time. Keep reading to know how you can start your own travel blog.
1. Choose a Blog Name
Deciding what name to give to your travel blog may sound like an easy thing to do, but many bloggers go wrong on this first step. The moment you give your blog a name without putting much thought into it, then you are on your way to failing your blog.
The best blog names are short and memorable. You do not want your target readers to have to write down your blog name so that they can have a place to refer to the next time they want to read your blog from a different phone or computer.
Make it easy for them to memorize your blog name by using a short name, which is easy to spell. Brainstorm before you settle for a name and if possible ask for opinions and suggestions from friends.
When choosing a blog name for your travel blog consider your passion and your topics of interest. In this case, your travel blog name needs to revolve around your love for travelling. If possible, avoid using numbers or hyphens. Incorporating these into your blog name will give you a hard time when you try explaining to someone.
Marketing through word of mouth will not allow you to promote your blog easily if you use numbers, hyphens, and other complicated signs.
2. Search for a Web Host
So what is web hosting? Web hosting is not as complex as you think. For your blog to appear on the internet, you will need to find a host.
Hosts provide you with space, in which you reside in, and in that same manner, a web host will give or rent you a space on the internet where you will store your blog posts, photos, and any other data you will choose to present to your readers. Hosting is quite affordable and with hosts such as Aura Host, you receive quality service at an affordable rate.
We realize that you may have other options to choose from, but Aura Host will help you set up one of the best travel blogs. Their packages range from R 540 per year, which you will get in the bronze package, to R 3650 if you wish to choose their platinum package.
3. Install a Content Management System Like WordPress
You need to have a serious travel blog, despite the fact that you will mostly share fun posts with your readers. Even though you have the option of going with a free WordPress.Com blog account, avoid it, and let your WordPress account exist in your hosting company’s servers. Using the free WordPress puts your data at risk.
Avoid the free option and get exposure to custom themes, and an opportunity to sell or advertise on your travel blog.
4. Explore WordPress
If you do not know how to use WordPress, do not worry, because there are many channels for you to learn how to use WordPress. WordPress is the standard blogging platform. Since it has existed for years, many people are willing to teach you how to use it at a small fee.
Invest your time in understanding how to use all the features available on WordPress. If you cannot grasp everything, you will definitely grasp enough to help you navigate your way around the site.
With practice, you will get used to WordPress.
5. Set Up
So you now have a web host and you have installed WordPress, what next? Set up your blog. Choose a good professional theme for your blog.
While WordPress comes with standard themes, you should consider investing in a premiums theme design. If you cannot afford one at the initial stages of starting odd, you can save up for it and use a standard one, in the meantime.
Next, install plugins for your blog to possess additional features. Some plugins are free, but others you will need to purchase. WordPress gives you an option of downloading plugins from the dashboard.
You can install Yoast SEO, WP Rocket, Easy Social Share Buttons, and Imagify. All of these additions are important for you as a travel blog beginner as they will; protect your blog from scammers, optimize your posts, make social media sharing easy, optimize your media, and speed up your blog.
You will then create an About Page, which will generate the most traffic on your blog. Make sure you tell your readers who you are, and convince them to hit that follow button. Tell them about your background. Only write fun information, which relates to you personally on your About Page.
6. Write Your First Post
Your first post should focus on attracting readers and giving them the urge to visit your blog again. You can choose to write about anything, with the most common being informing the readers why you decided to start a travel blog.
You can accompany that with what plans you have for your next trip and some information about your last trip. Whatever you chose to write about, take your first step to practise learning how to format and publish posts on your blog.
You Are Now Ready to Start Your Travel Blog
Do not just post photos on Facebook, and Instagram, blog about it and let your experiences reach more people. Share your experiences and stand an opportunity to earn while at it. Even when it takes longer for you to make money from your travel blog, keep blogging, and help travellers all over the world discover beautiful places to explore.
Read more on our blog and give yourself the tips you need to get your blog started.
Related:
WordPress Website Design The Definitive Guide
10 Ways to Come Up with Creative Blog Names You’ll Love
How to Name a Blog (the Smart Way) in 2021
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