I’d like to switch topics this week to the idea of starting a travel blog.
So many of our readers want one. But if you want to make money from your blog, you need to set it up the right way.
Let’s start by looking at a few healthy blogs worthy of emulation, and why:
Alex Baackes started blogging back in 2011 to document a two-month trip to Southeast Asia. Since then, she’s become determined to keep it going.
Her blog is packed with posts about her obsession with scuba diving and what it’s like to be in your 20s and living the dream. She’s a good writer and shares a lot of personal stuff as it connects to travel, so it’s a fun read.
Husband-and-wife team Daniel Noll and Audrey Scott are a great example of how to make the full-time travel lifestyle happen for two. They’ve been to more than 90 countries since they started blogging in 2001. And they specialize in trips that not everyone would take: travel to controversial countries or places experiencing upheaval, destinations that take travelers out of their comfort zones, activities that poke at our tightly controlled self-perceptions.
They seem willing to try anything, and that leads to compelling posts such as “A Maasai Circumcision After-Party” and “The Best Place to Smoke the Hubbly-Bubbly in Jordan.”
They often include videos and a terrific photo slideshow, too, which makes their experiences even more interesting to follow.
Originally from Cyprus, Mike Sowden has been blogging about his travels only since 2012. But in this short time, he has managed to amass quite a bit of information on his site.
His sense of humor keeps people engaged. But his posts are also short, easily navigable, and there are plenty of photos, maps, and hyperlinks, so he’s a good reference for people looking for fast and helpful travel information online.
All of these blogs are great and certainly easy enough for you to follow. But they’re gaining in popularity not because of what you see. My guess is that they’ve gained traction because of what you don’t see – the stuff that’s under the surface and that’s what I’d like to talk more about this week.
It’s the iceberg effect.
Only 20% of what makes successful people (and blogs) great is usually visible on the surface. The other 80% is hidden under the water. So stay tuned.
Tomorrow I’ll share an established blogger’s approach to gaining more readers – step one of what’s typically hiding under water.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Five Fun Ways To Get Paid To Travel: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]