If you’re thinking about starting a travel blog this year, there really is no time like the present.
Starting a travel blog offers a world of opportunities. Not only do you get to show off your creative skills, share knowledge with your audience, and provide travelers with valuable insights, but you also get the chance to grow your audience, build your brand and open doors to make money online.
Whatever it is that you have heard, now is still a great time to start a travel blog. It’s easy to listen to others (or even our own inner voice) and convince ourselves that “it’s too late” or “now isn’t the right time.” Well, I’m here to tell you that it IS the right time and it is certainly not too late!
The best time to have started a blog was 5 years ago, the second best time is today.
I’ve coached so many successful travel bloggers the past few years, and it’s such an underrated industry.
To offer some inspiration and help you take the leap, we have rounded up some of the main reasons why you should start a travel blog in 2024.
Introduction
When you look at the current trends in the travel blogging industry, the statistics are on your side.
In fact, over 80% of travel planning is done online, with that number expected to grow (Optin Monster). There also has been a considerable rise of niche travel content including solo outdoor adventure, luxury travel and family travel.
According to Statista, more and more people are using social media for travel inspiration.
So what does all this mean? It means that if you have a passion for adventure and all things travel, you enjoy sharing your story, and you are willing to put the work in, then it’s time for you to start a blog!
But while 2024 is a fantastic time to start a travel blog, we’d be a bit naive if we thought it was going to be all easy from here on.
Is travel blogging getting harder?
With the blogging market becoming more saturated and recent changes in search engine algorithms, it’s hard to deny the challenges.
With the average reader spending only 52 seconds on a blog post (Optin Monster), society’s decreasing attention spans are also something to consider when starting a blog.
Many people no longer have time to read pages of information, especially online. They want the information broken down into easy to read sections with plenty of visuals.
The travel landscape is always changing and the demand for unique content is high. Many of the more popular destinations revealed on travel blogs have become inundated with visitors.
What does that mean for travel bloggers? Well, this means people want something different. They want connections and unique cultural experiences. It also means that as a travel blogger, you have added responsibility for the places that you promote.
You need to stay on top of the trends and think outside the box more. It is also worth knowing that good quality content comes at a price and that price tag is always growing.
Now, don’t get me wrong, listing all these challenges isn’t intended to put you off. Instead, it’s supposed to equip you with the tools you need to become a successful travel blogger.
By knowing the challenges you can become better prepared. For example, if you know that people only spend a short amount of time reading blogs, then you’ll be able to make your blog visually appealing from the get-go. You’ll also know the importance of SEO and sharing your content across your social media platforms.
Essentially, to become a successful travel blogger, you need to know the challenges so that you can overcome them.
So let’s get into all the reasons why you should start your travel blog!
Is it too late to start a travel blog?
As with all things in life, it’s never too late! I’m a strong believer that if you want to do something (and you are committed to the work), then you should go for it!
As you can see from the stats above, when it comes to travel blogging, there is still so much potential. Despite the challenges, travel blogging remains a profitable and highly rewarding venture. You just have to go for it.
Opportunity to Monetize
In the last couple of years, it has become a lot easier for bloggers and travel influencers to make money from travel blogging.
Whether from affiliate links and sales or selling advertisements with tools like Google AdSense, there are plenty of ways to monetize your blog.
It is certainly no overnight task though as you do need to put in the effort to build your traffic, but essentially all this needs is patience, creativity, and a consistent blogging schedule.
I consistently make a few thousand dollars a month purely in passive income from my blog, through ads and affiliates!
For me, blogging is a hobby! Sharing my passions and travels with people from all over the world is something I absolutely adore.
As you start writing your travel blog, you might start to realize just how mind-opening it can be. So aside from the financial gains, blogging is actually great for the soul and makes me happy.
If you have a unique perspective to share, people will love to hear it!
Maybe you have an untapped niche or a particular area of expertise. Whatever is, the trick is to make it fun, useful and authentic.
Community Connection
If you’re a digital nomad looking to meet like minded people as you hop from place to place, then travel blogging is a great way to find them.
Starting a travel blog will connect you with other bloggers and entrepreneurs, who might even be in the same place as you. As online entrepreneurs, connection is key to our overall well-being and success.
Through my own blogging experience, I have connected with so many incredible people which has opened up many doors.
Remember; positive people inspire, empower, and encourage us to keep moving forward. Surround yourself with these people and you will succeed!
Affiliate Marketing
Another reason to start a travel blog in 2024 is that the power of affiliate marketing is only just being realized – and there’s still plenty of room for you!
Essentially, affiliate marketing enables you to earn commission by promoting the products and services of other brands. The amount you earn depends on the number of clicks and sales generated by your content. There are many affiliate marketing opportunities out there. It all starts with a good blog.
Diverse Monetization Streams
The great thing about blogging is that there is more than one way to make money. Alongside affiliate marketing, other options include advertising, selling your own products and services, and brand partnerships.
The trick is to create and provide helpful information and resources that add value and help grow your audience.
Remote Work Opportunities
Do you dream of working from wherever you want, whenever you want? Then you have your answer!
Blogging is just one of many ways to work remotely. Whether you’re using it to earn money or build your brand, blogging gives you the freedom to work on your own terms. Sounds good? It sure is!
Collaboration Opportunities
Like I said above, travel blogging can connect you to a whole community of like minded people and with that comes opportunities for collaboration.
Guest blogging, prize giveaways and social media takeovers are all great examples of how you can collaborate with other influencers.
Not only will it enable you to grow your reach, but it will also boost your credibility – an essential if you sell online products and services.
Personal Brand Building
When you’re first starting out, your brand is everything. A strong brand enables people to connect with your products and services. It tells them who you are and what makes you different. Blogging is a solid way to build brand awareness and increase your sales.
When you start a blog, make sure that every word, image and ad reflects your brand. Commit to promoting products and services that align with your values, and, most importantly, be your authentic self!
SEO Growth
Want your website to show up at the top of Google and other search engines? Meet SEO. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the way in which people find you online. Essentially, it helps you boost web traffic and generate leads.
When someone types a few keywords into a search engine, they are inundated with hundreds (if not thousands) of options. Most of the time, people only click on the first few options. In fact, less than 1% of users get to the second page of search results. That’s why you need to rank high.
One of the best ways to improve SEO rankings is through blogging. By using specific keywords in your blogs, you will increase visibility and boost traffic to your website. To do SEO successfully, undertake keyword research and plan each blog before writing it. Choose topics targeted to your audience, add alt text to all images and post regularly.
Global Audience Reach
In the digital age, we are lucky to have access to so many people. It is actually estimated that more than 409 million people view over 20 billion pages each month on WordPress (Optin Monster).
When you write a travel blog, you have the ability to reach people from every corner of the world. That’s because you are writing about places from all around the world. This means that there is plenty of opportunity for growth.
You just need to know how.
Conclusion
So, in answer to your question; “Should I start a travel blog this year?” Yes!
Whether you like to focus on the stats or draw up the pros and cons, it is clear that this year is going to be a great year for travel blogging.
The key to becoming a successful blogger is to do it and to do it often. By understanding the challenges and finding ways to overcome them, you have the ability to create a highly successful travel blog. Find your niche, have fun with it and focus on high quality content.
Before you do any more research or try to convince yourself otherwise, I want you to make a commitment to start your travel blog today. Yes, there are a lot of travel bloggers out there but there is still plenty of room for you!
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