I’m well aware that I’m living the dream job existence as a full-time travel blogger and writer, visiting beautiful places, meeting inspiring people and in a position to persuade change towards more conscious travel. Every day I wake up feeling grateful that the past 7 years of consistent work and commitment, have brought me here and I never take it for granted and am constantly humbled by the environment that I work in and the exceptional talent with which I’m surrounded.
This in mind, Travelstart South Africa asked me to contribute to their post about “How To Become A Travel Blogger‘, which I was pleased to do. Included below.
‘In this digital age, we are all faced with the same reality at one point or another. That reality being, our reliance of having an online presence. Whether our online presence is used for fun, business, communication, research or reviews, we have all realised the many benefits the internet has to offer. The internet has also paved the way for the modern-day writer, the “Blogger”.
A blogger is defined as a person who keeps a Web log “blog” who publishes a regular record of their thoughts, opinions, or experiences which is shared on the internet for people to read.
The rise in the popularity of blogs comes from the credibility one gets from reading personal and relatable accounts of events, occurrences and fads resulting in a wealth of information relevant to the reader. Readers are now looking to blogs to stay on top of the latest tech updates, hippest new restaurants, trendiest fashion tips and so much more. Although one of the most rewarding investments one can make, making travel related decisions, can be rather stressful. This has been eliminated by the presence of Travel Bloggers who give a first-hand recollection of their travel tips, experiences, downfalls and adventures along their journey. The Travel Blogger is here to inspire and educate readers.’
Share Your Story. Start A Travel Blog.
Travelstart asked some of ‘South Africa’s Top Travel Bloggers’ to give some advice on How to Become a Travel Blogger, these are some of their top tips on getting started:
Di Brown – The Roaming Giraffe
Be prepared to work really hard for very little reward in the beginning. It takes time and effort to build a brand and an audience. Focus on what you are good at and learn new skills if required. Invest your time, money and effort into your blog if you are serious about it.
Ryan Enslin – My Lime Boots
Above and beyond absolutely everything, I say authenticity, authenticity, authenticity. You have to write stories that mean something to you, on one level or another. I try and infuse a sense of who I am into each and every story I write. If a place has special meaning to you, write about it and cover it. Share the things that touch your heart, because in turn they will touch a reader’s heart.
Heather Mason – 2 Summers
If you want to start a travel blog, you need to love more than just traveling. You must also love writing and photography, and be willing to work hard to craft highly visual, beautifully written posts. Quality words and images are what set the top bloggers apart from the rest.
Anje Rautenbach – Going Somewhere Slowly
Start a blog because you’re passionate about something, not because you want to make money from it, monetizing your blog is one endless long road. Passion trumps money. Find your own unique voice and be honest. Post regularly.
Dawn Jorgensen – The Incidental Tourist
Just do it, think of a name, register a domain and put up that profile pic and first post. Don’t be put off by the notion that you need to be travelling to exotic places and spending lots of money in order to have something valuable to contribute, we should all be tourists in our own backyards, sharing recommendations to our favourite attractions, beaches and restaurants, and that would make a good foundation for a travel blog even before you take that road trip.
Sara Essop – In Africa and Beyond
I’ve always been passionate about travelling and writing. In 2013, I decided to combine both my passions and start a travel blog. Which brings me to my first point – you have to be passionate about travel blogging before starting a travel blog. Don’t just do it for the rewards because although they do exist, it takes time to build a good reputation before you can reap the rewards.
Verushka Ramasami – SpiceGoddess
Write about your travel experiences by becoming a local explorer of your city and country first. Read, read and read some more. Find travel blogs from around the world to read. Blog because you are passionate and not with the aim of making money. This does not happen overnight.
Lauren Manuel McShane – The Travel Manuel
While content is king, instead of posting every day or even 3 times a week, rather post twice a week but ensure that the quality of your writing (grammar and storytelling) plus images are strong. People will stay longer on your site and keep coming back for helpful resources and strong posts.
Feeling inspired? Find the hottest tips to help you get started on your journey to becoming a fully fledged Travel Blogger.
Should you be considering a trip to the Middle East, take a look at the area specific Travel Planner: www.saudiarabiavisa.co.uk/travel-planner.html which contains essential information about each country in the region. Its focuses on Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries in the region which might also be useful to your readers.
Feature pic courtesy of Expertvagabond, one of my absolute favourite travel bloggers.
