It’s the last day of our Travel Blogging Expedition in Costa Rica and I can’t believe how fast it’s flown by! In one of our last sessions, Paula noted why blogs need photos. We’re a visual society and if your blog posts only have text, you’re probably going to put your readers to sleep. Or worse, cause them not to come back and read again at all. (And less followers means less profits for you.) So, even if you consider yourself more of a writer than a photographer as a blogger, here are three reasons why your blog needs photos: 1. Curiosity: Pictures catch people’s eye and make them want to read more. When you add a photo of a delicious plate of food, people want to stop and find out more about the recipe or restaurant. Or when you share a picture of a charming bed and breakfast, people want to know what it was like and exactly how to get there. This, for example, was the view from my office window this week. Not a bad view for a blogger, right? This picture (and this view) could just as well have been yours. 2. Connection: Photos connect us to experiences. Readers will relate the images you post on your blog with other experiences they’ve had or seen. And, in return, you’ll create a relationship with them. And, it’s all about creating those relationships! Does this photo make you think about your last beach vacation? How does it compare? Was the sand darker or lighter? The water greener or clearer? 3. Mobile-compatible: People are on the go! And with smartphones becoming more and more sophisticated every year, more and more people are accessing the Internet on their phone… meaning a large portion of your audience will be checking your blog on their phone. Pictures help break up the text and make your blog more fun to read, especially on a small phone. Hey, little guy! And, since smartphones have become so sophisticated these days, don’t be afraid to shoot with your phone camera either. You don’t need expensive, complicated equipment to create photos for your blog that your readers can enjoy. In fact, Paula takes all of her photos for her blog with her Samsung phone and it works just fine for her! Share on Facebook [Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up today here and we’ll send you a report, Get Paid to Travel as a Travel Writer, completely FREE.]
Why blogs need photos
by Jackie Gray | Jul 21, 2014