Last Updated on Apr 8, 2020 by James W
Are you a fan of traveling? Would you like to turn this hobby into a full-time job? This surely sounds great, and many people have become travel bloggers in the recent years. What can be more fun than doing what you really love and having fun in the process, right? If you enjoy traveling so much that you want to make a career out of it, then give this idea some thoughts.
After all, it may sound like a fairy tale, but it’s really an occupation that can bring some good money and a lot of joy.
How to Start?
One of the first tips that expert travel bloggers give to beginners is to have decent savings set aside. Think of them as a budget for your startup, because, in essence, that’s what it is. You are the person who will be funding your own travel when you begin. The vast majority of people in this business had to be self-funded while they’ve built their blog and their audience. The period of self-funding, in most cases, takes a few months.
How much should you have to begin in this business? Well, different people say different things, so let’s review the essentials to give you some clue.
- A blogging for business course
Many bloggers who made big bucks began their own business by listening to experienced professionals. For example, take a look at “How To Select The Best Blogging Course For Business??? from Travel Muse or “The Business of Travel Blogging??? course from Nomadic Matt (the cost of this course is $267).
- Camera
Getting awesome photos from your travel adventures is something you want because you will use them to amaze your readers. While the budget is a personal consideration, it is commonly recommended to pick up a high capacity memory card (costs between $20 and $40), spare battery (up to $50), camera case (up to $200), and, of course, a camera.
If your budget is under $400, look at an action camera like GoPro or a compact point-and-shoot camera. For $800, on the other hand, you can purchase a better one; for example, this is just enough to afford awesome mirrorless and entry-level DSLR cameras. If you’re just beginning your way in this business, going over $800 might be totally unnecessary.
Here’s a guide to the best photography equipment for travel blogging from a well-known blogger The Blonde Abroad.
Well, that’s basically it. We’re not going to discuss the cost of the first ticket you buy because the number of possible destinations depends on your budget. However, it is worth mentioning that in addition to your personal pages on popular social media you should also hurry to set up a good-looking website.
How to Make Money?
A perfect way to begin in this business is by investing some savings you have. However, don’t worry if your savings are insufficient to cover all initial expenses (and don’t forget that you need to cover at least first several months for yourself before you begin making a profit!).
Here are some ways to make money with travel blogging.
Freelancing
If you’re already writing good articles on your blog and they are enjoyed by a wide audience, chances are you will be noticed by online publishers such as magazines, content producers, and newspapers. They are constantly searching for skilled contributors, so there is a good chance some of them will contact you with requests like “write my essay??? on various topics. You can receive great compensation for high-quality content, so it’s definitely worth trying.
Vlogging on YouTube
So, you have successfully started traveling and produced many articles describing your experience. Videos are a great way to add something more and help readers to be completely immersed in the content. In addition to taking pictures, make videos about the most interesting aspects of your experience.
Upload these videos to your YouTube channel to expand your audience. Eventually, you will be able to make money from the view count. Use this opportunity to advertise your business and include affiliate links and links to your blog.
Here are the top travel vloggers on YouTube for you to check out how it’s done.
Affiliate Links
We just mentioned them, and for a good reason: making affiliate recommendations to your audience in a non-salesy way can provide some financial support. Of course, it may not bring big bucks, but something to make sure you have the money for the ticket and accommodation for the next trip.
Here’s the list of the best travel affiliate programs for travel bloggers from ShoutMeLoud if you’re interested.
Sell Your Own Products
When you become a successful blogger with a huge audience, you’ll want to offer them your products to cover the expenses. For example, you can create your own travel guides to the places you’ve been and sell them as eBooks. If the readers find them interesting and useful, you can make some good money and reputation in your niche.
Wrapping Up
Now you know everything you need to begin your travel blogging business. Happy traveling!
Diana Clark once gave up her educator career for something she always dreamed about – writing. Diana is a freelance writer at Awriter. She discovers the world of digital nomads and believes that some day people will become location independent. Feel free to follow Diana on Twitter.
