What Is a Travel Blog and How to Start One
If you’re wondering, “What is a travel blog?” you’re not alone. I had the same question a few years ago. Now, I run two travel blogs and get the same question from friends and family.
A travel blog is simply a blog that focuses on travel-related topics, like places to visit, where to stay, how to get there, what you’ll need for travel, best airports to use, and any unusual sub-niche you want to write about, like traveling in Europe with your dog.
I also frequently get the following question,
“How do you make money on a travel blog?”
Like most blogs, there are many different ways to monetize information people are searching for.
Travel bloggers can make money (you’d be surprised at how much) in several different ways.
The common ones are through affiliate links, sponsorships, ad networks, guided group tours, itinerary planning and support, and a healthy email list.
Those are just the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s get to the basics: how to start a travel blog, what a blog is, and how to make money from one.
What Is a Blog
Let’s break it down further to “What is a blog?”
My parents are still confused about what I do, so others may have similar questions about blogging.
A blog is a place to upload your content on a particular topic to one place on the internet designated by a domain name, i.e., www.lazygirlsguidetoseo.com.
A blogger is a person who creates content and then uploads it to a website with a URL onto a platform, usually WordPress. They publish content consistently.
If you blog, you know that Content is King. You build an audience based on your personality and the helpful content you produce.
A vlogger is similar, except their content consists mainly of videos. They usually use YouTube as their platform of choice.
What Is a Travel Blogger
A travel blogger is a person who consistently posts content about travel and travel-related topics on their travel blog.
Often, when you share with people what you do for a living after they ask the banal question, “What do you do for work?” If you reply, “I’m a blogger,” they think you aren’t a serious person, that you have no job, and that you sit around all day playing games.
Running a travel blog or any blog is a ton of work, even for a lazy girl.
Some bloggers make over a million dollars a year, like one of the most popular travel bloggers, Matthew Kepnes of Nomadic Matt fame. Matt focuses on budget travel; his stats show he earns serious income and employs over ten staff members. The Blonde Abroad does well, too.
Some recipe bloggers easily earn 250K a month and more.
High earners keep their income on the DL because they don’t want copycats.
In the blogging industry, the quieter a blogger is about their income, the more they usually make.
Be cautious about big claims. There are a lot of exaggerations and fakes online, just as there are in any business.
Now, when a casual acquaintance asks me what I do, I respond, “I run an online business.” Instead of “I blog,” “I’m a blogger,” or “I have a travel blog.”
An online business sounds more grown up, even though it’s the same damn thing!
What Is a Travel Blog
A travel blog is an online business where a blogger posts travel-related content regularly. Most travel blogs focus on places to visit, how to get there, and firsthand experiences of visiting a particular state, region, or country. Travel bloggers, for the most part, make money through ad networks and affiliates. However, there are many other ways to monetize a travel blog.
What Does a Travel Blog Focus On
Travel blogs can cover a wide range of content related to travel, from packing lists to destination guides.
Some of the most popular types of travel content you’ll find on blogs include:
Places you’ve visited
Travel bloggers focus primarily on trip recaps of the places they’ve visited.
Google favors firsthand experience and original photos as ranking factors so that travel blogging can be more challenging than other niches.
To make blogging about travel easier, blog about places you’ve been to, experiences you’ve had, where you ate, what you saw, what tours you liked, what tours you didn’t like, what experiences are worth checking out, and what experiences are overrated and can be skipped.
Whenever you travel, make sure to take a lot of photos.
Map out an awesome itinerary for your readers
Creating travel itineraries is a crucial part of being a travel blogger.
It helps readers plan their trips effectively while establishing you as an authoritative and trustworthy source of travel information.
Mapping an itinerary for your readers is another way to include great keywords in your content, like “the ultimate California road trip in seven days.”
Itineraries are also a lot of fun to write because they are highly structured and work well in a numbered list format. Once you have structured Day One, follow the same format for the following days.
Provide local travel tips
Including local travel tips only you know because you’ve been to the place you’re writing about is another great way to establish yourself as an authoritative and trustworthy source of travel information.
On my travel blogs, I include a yellow box with something like “travel tip,” “insider scoop,” or “local tip,” and then add something only a local would know.
When your readers glean information they can’t find anywhere else on the internet, they start to see you as an authority on the places you write about.
Hotel and tour reviews
Hotel and tour reviews make up the bulk of one of my travel blogs.
Tour reviews do better for me than hotel reviews, for some reason.
I monetized my first travel blog in 6 months. The affiliate income I made was all from tours.
You’d be surprised how much money travel bloggers can make by writing a tour review or by suggesting a list of tours in a particular area with affiliate links in a review.
It can be very lucrative.
Specific packing lists
Everyone loves a great packing list. Not only do I love reading great packing lists, but I also love writing them.
Packing lists also work well as a freebie opt-in to collect readers’ email addresses.
On my California blog, a packing list for Northern California contains drastically different items than one for visiting Southern California. That’s two packing lists right there that my audience needs.
Write as many packing lists as possible specific to different regions, times of year, holidays, etc.
Review travel gear
Product reviews are another way bloggers make money online through affiliate links.
Companies like Amazon offer affiliate programs, so you can sign up for their program and write travel-related reviews on any gear you can think of. The sky is the limit here, especially if your niche is camping, hiking, or travel photography.
The same can be said about travel-related credit cards. On your travel blog, you can dedicate a whole page to travel credit cards and how to maximize airline miles.
How to Start a Travel Blog
Have a game plan going in
I wish one of the two travel blogging courses I bought started with this as the #1 on the list of things to do before I even bought a hosting platform, niche down. And then, niche down further.
I recommend getting very specific about your niche because one of the most important tactics of best SEO practices is something called interlinking.
Interlinking is writing very specific, in-context text and linking it to other content across your posts. Links that connect your blog posts (interlinking) help your blog’s content rise in Google’s rankings.
A methodical interlinking strategy is the reason I was able to get over 10K page views in under six months on a brand-new travel site I built. I had a serious interlinking strategy.
It wasn’t a site I started years ago, on which I made many mistakes and then started ranking once I figured out SEO. It was a brand-new travel blog. It had no time to “cook” online; it had zero DA and no DR rating. I got it to over 10K very quickly, writing myself; I hadn’t hired any writers.
So, building a successful travel blog quickly and monetizing within six months is possible if you work on it.
Niche down, and then niche down further
Unless you can hire a team of writers, like Nate of The Travel Lemming, who travel to locations and write for you, niche down!
A determining factor in creating a successful travel blog is something called interlinking, as discussed above.
Interlinking between related posts is one way to get your content to rank on Google and is key to creating a successful travel blog. Or any blog in any niche.
In context links between posts is one reason to get niche-specific.
Writing about a town will be easier than writing about a large city, writing about a large city will be easier than writing about a whole state, writing about one state is easier than writing about all 50, writing about the US is easier than writing about traveling the world.
Narrow your niche and make it interesting. Think outside the box on this. How about combining your love of espresso and Italy? Traveling through Italy and writing about the best espresso you drank? Get specific.
Solo travel was a niche that did well five years ago but is now oversaturated. Think outside the box on this, but not too outside the box. It has to be relatable.
Choose a descriptive domain name
While it’s true that a domain name isn’t a determining factor in how successful your travel blog is, it’s important to choose a domain that makes sense.
Why not make it easy for people and brand your business from the jump?
Since Google’s Helpful Content Update (HCU) in September 2023, branding has become more important.
Here are two examples of travel blogs with great names: www.staynewengland.com and www.californiagirltravels.com. I don’t have to tell you what these sites are about; you can tell from their names.
If you write about France, why not have France in your domain name? If you write about traveling with pets, why not have pets, dogs, animals, or fur babies in the domain name?
You get the idea.
While the name isn’t a make-or-break factor, it’s indisputable that it’s all in a name.
Set up your blog
Don’t be scared of the technical part of blogging. If I could figure it out and teach SEO, you can, too. I’m the least technical person on the planet, a bit of a Luddite, and to date, I have built seven blogs — a couple for other people.
You first have to find an available domain. I use Bluehost domain finder for this. Go here ⍈.
After you choose an available travel blog name, it’s time to set up your site.
First, buy a hosting platform. Please don’t make the mistake I did, and go with Bluehost to host your business.
Nearly every newbie blogger chooses Bluehost because of its dominant name recognition in the industry. Bluehost is the cheapest but not the fastest hosting option.
If you are serious about earning money, go with Lyrical Host. You can check out my Lyrical Host Review here ⇲
👩💻 Get the best host for your blog Lyrical Host. Save 10% on Lyrical Host plans with code “LAZY10” here ⍈
I’ll explain why.
There’s something called “technical SEO.” Technical SEO involves user experience factors, such as making your website faster and easier to use on mobile devices.
Done right, technical SEO can boost your visibility in search results (get Lyrical Host).
You can make more affiliate income from travel blogging when you boost your visibility in search results.
You can make more affiliate income from travel blogging by boosting your visibility in search results.
— lazy girl
👩💻 Get the best host for your blog Lyrical Host. Save 10% on Lyrical Host plans with code “LAZY10” here ⍈
This means that the technical side of things has to be fast. It sounds high-tech and scary, but it is not!
Think about it this way: thanks to the internet, even adults now have short attention spans. Do you bounce from a page when it doesn’t load? I do! So make sure when someone lands on your page, they do not leave because your site loads slowly.
To do this, you need a fast hosting platform. Bluehost is cheap, but it’s not fast.
Pay a bit more, and you won’t be sorry. Because down the road, you won’t have to migrate your site to Lyrical like I had to do six months into travel blogging.
👩💻 Get the best host for your blog Lyrical Host. Save 10% on Lyrical Host plans with code “LAZY10” here ⍈
Neither of the travel blogging courses I took mentioned this; it would have saved me a lot of time and money had I just gone with Lyrical Host or BigScoots from the jump.
Migrate to BigScoots when your travel blog explodes, you start making six figures, and you have a lot more content.
Install WordPress
When you choose Lyrical Host to host your travel blog, you can install WordPress.org with a click of a button. It’s super easy.
Choose a theme
I use Kadence because it’s free, fast, and easy. Just click activate, and Kadence will load on WordPress.
Find keywords with Keysearch
While it’s true that you need to write what you know, especially when writing a travel blog, you also need a strategy behind it.
Yes, you have to want to write about a place, but you can’t just write what you want.
You have to find keywords that you can rank for first.
Keysearch is my most recommended and essential blogging tool. To blog cheaply, you need to pay for a hosting platform and a keyword research tool. That’s it!
Not only is Keysearch the cheapest tool, but it’s one of the best.
Sign up for the free plan for 30 days.
On the Keysearch Free Plan, you get five keyword searches per day.
That’s 150 total keywords for the month. That is a lot!
It will take you a while to write 150 posts using those keywords. Once you write 150 posts, sign up for the $17-a-month plan.
But you can get a lot of keywords in 30 days.
Write and publish, then repeat
Oh, boi, or girl. whatev. Here is the fun part. Write and publish, then write and publish again. Then, write and publish. Again.
I have an entire section about writing and the writing process.
You can copy my process or take some of it and create your own.
First, figure out what works best for you.
When it comes to producing a lot of content, I cut my teeth writing and publishing daily on Medium a few years ago, and it has formed my daily writing habit. That is all it is. A habit. A habit you create by doing it daily.
Writing is my most important task. I load my most important task during my power hours.
One’s power hours are determined by when you have the most energy during any given day.
Your power hours will be different from mine.
My power hours are from 6:30 am to 2:00 pm, when my energy is at its peak.
That is when I get my most challenging tasks completed.
For me, my most challenging tasks are the tasks that require my full attention: writing, editing, technical tasks for my blog, and email marketing — less taxing tasks, like, responding to silly emails and promoting my work on social media, I leave for later in the day when I have less energy.
When I have less energy in the afternoon, I concentrate on tasks that don’t require much energy.
Figure out what process will help you produce a lot of content to streamline blogging, and it won’t be as challenging.
Success in travel blogging is developing a process that works best for you.
FAQs:
In this section, you’ll find concise answers to common queries about embarking on and running a travel blog, from initiation to monetization.
What do you mean by a travel blog?
A travel blog serves as a platform where individuals can share their thoughts, experiences, and tips on travel. It can vary from a small, personal page to an extensive, advice-rich guidebook.
How do you write a travel blog?
Successful travel blogs start with firsthand experience. Audiences are savvy; they can tell when a travel blogger has yet to go to a place they are writing about. When it comes to travel blogging, the adage “write what you know” is relevant.
Write about the places you’ve been to the most. Produce this content first.
When you have yet to visit a destination, research it and write the most pertinent and up-to-date information you can find to inform your readers best. Then, be honest with your audience: “I haven’t been to Kauai yet, but it’s my first stop on my next trip to Hawaii, and here are the hotels I’m staying at and the restaurants I’m dying to try, I’ll write about it and share everything with you in my next blog post about Hawaii.” Something like that. The reader usually knows who is bs-ing and who is not.
What are the main features of a travel blog?
The main features of a travel blog are personal travel experiences interspersed with travel resources like the best hotel to stay in location X, the best travel insurance for digital nomads, or the best car rental insurance when traveling in Europe.
Nearly every travel blog has a page dedicated to travel resources like car rentals, travel insurance, and hotel options. The sky is the limit when it comes to travel; there are so many nuggets readers are looking for to educate them before they take a trip.
Many people find traveling to a new place intimidating, so they usually do at least some cursory research before traveling to an unfamiliar location.
Do travel bloggers make money?
Yes! Some travel bloggers earn significant income from ads on their sites. Higher traffic increases earnings, but having a well-designed blog is also crucial. A blogger like Nomadic Matt easily makes over 100K a month and probably closer to 250K monthly. Travel bloggers can make money on ads alone or through affiliate links, products, and courses. This is where the big money comes from.
Who is the richest travel blogger?
Based on traffic statistics using Ahrefs, Matthew Kepnes from Nomadic Matt, Dave and Deb of Planet D, and the Blonde Abroad are three of the most lucrative travel bloggers. They probably make at least 100K monthly income.
What is the average salary from a travel blogger?
Viator.com, the tour company I use to promote tours via my travel blogs, gathered some statistics from travel bloggers making a good monthly income from travel blogging. See below.
How can beginners start a travel blog?
You can start your travel blog by choosing a niche that suits your interests and setting up a website with a hosting service. Remember to select a unique domain name that will attract your potential readers. If you’re interested in selling your blog later down the road (you can sell a blog for the monthly income x 36), it’s best not to have your name in the title. You can sell a blog with a name in the URL; it’s just not as easy as if it were something less specific.
What are some common features of travel blogs?
Travel blogs often include destination guides, personal stories, packing lists, tips and hacks, photography, and videos to engage the audience.
What does being a travel blogger entail?
As a travel blogger, you create content based on your own travel experiences, give advice, and inspire others to explore new destinations. Blogging goes beyond just writing, as you’ll also manage your website, market your content, engage with your community, and keep up with the latest digital trends.
How do aspiring travel bloggers monetize their content?
To monetize your content, consider diversifying your income through avenues such as affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, selling digital products, and offering travel consulting services. Travel blogging can indeed be profitable, but it requires consistent effort and smart monetization strategies. Like any business, monetizing a blog takes work and long hours, especially in the beginning. Once your blog is accepted into an ad network, you’ll start making money in your sleep. 😊
What are effective strategies for writing engaging travel blog posts?
Engaging travel blog posts are often story-driven, featuring vivid descriptions and personal reflections. Utilize descriptive language to transport your readers, and always aim to provide value through your content — whether that’s through informative guides or powerful narratives.
How can someone create a travel blog focused on personal experiences for friends and family?
Creating a travel blog for personal experiences involves sharing stories in a more intimate manner. This can be achieved by providing detailed accounts of your travels, including personal anecdotes and photos that resonate with your friends and family.
This kind of blog is usually less about monetization and more about keeping a digital diary of your adventures.
Travel blogs that make money focus on the audience’s needs with helpful information like train schedules, what is the best tour to take, and personal experiences with an emphasis on what you learned to lower the pain point for your audience looking for travel information that will make their journeys easier when traveling.
To monetize a travel blog or any online business, focus on your audience’s needs and wants first.
👩💻 Get the best host for your blog Lyrical Host. Save 10% on Lyrical Host plans with code “LAZY10” here ⍈
Summary: Should You Start a Travel Blog
Starting a travel blog was one of the best things I’ve ever done for my sense of self. It combined my love of writing and travel and got me into blogging about other things, like creating an online business that helps others monetize blogging and work from home or anywhere they want to work.
You can make money from a travel blog.
It took me about six months of consistently writing and publishing on my travel blog before I started seeing affiliate income monthly from a little over 10K monthly pageviews.
I was surprised at how fast it happened. I did put in the work, but it was worth it.
The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Blogging
Lyrical Host — The fastest hosting platform with the best customer service. I use Lyrical for all three of my blogs. The customer service is amazing and responds within the hour. They never leave me hanging.
Keysearch — This is the best and cheapest Keyword Research Tool. I use it every single day. I would be lost without it. Keysearch may be the number one essential blogging tool.
Link Whisper — interlinking is an essential part of blogging. Link Whisper streamlines this very important but time-consuming practice.
Interact Quiz — the money is in the list. Creating quizzes for your blog is one of the fastest way to grow your email list.
Active Campaign — this is one of the best email marketing platform. I’ve also used Convertkit, but I find Active Campaign more intuitive when creating and sending email campaigns.
Short Pixel — This is a plugin that compresses your images at increasing site speed and load times, essential for ranking.
RankIQ — RankIQ helps bloggers and content creators optimize their posts for search engines by providing AI-driven keyword research and content analysis tools.
Jasper.ai — Increase your content output with AI. I use it every day. It streamlines my blogging process and allows me to create content for three sites.
WP Rocket — Use this caching plugin to speed up your site. If you have Lyrical, you don’t need it. Lyrical provides a free caching plugin with one of their three plans.
