The Ultimate a Successful Travel Blog

Forbes recently named me one of the Top 10 Travel Influencers, however, my journey is not an overnight success. I started my travel blog in 2012 and, after a lot of hard work and countless miles traveled, I now run one of the top female travel blogs in the world, bring in over seven figures annually, and have a team of six amazing women.

While you might not be pursuing travel blogging as a business or a full-time career, there are some key strategies that will help your website perform better and attract a larger audience faster. So, I’m sharing all my tips on how to start a travel blog with you.

Here’s my ultimate guide to starting a successful travel blog!

1. Establish Your Audience (Not a Niche)
2. Get Your Travel Blog Up and Running
   1. A Travel Blog Name
   2. Set Up Your Domain + Hosting
   3. Setting up Your Blog on WordPress
   4. Connecting Your Google Analytics
3. Customizing Your Site
   1. Branding + WordPress Themes
   2. Logo + Design
   3. User Experience
   4. Essential Plugins for Travel Blogs
4. Start Creating Content
   1. Set Up Your Main Pages
   2. Learn SEO Basics
   3. Create a Content Schedule
   4. Create Beautiful Images + Graphics
5. Join My Blogging Course
6. Bonus Step!

Step 1: Establish Your Audience (Not a Niche)

Before you can start a successful travel blog, you have to determine if there is an audience for it. The biggest question you may have on your mind is “Who will read my travel blog?”.

Some people start blogging for fun, and it slowly evolves into a business—and that’s awesome! But, if you’re trying to build a travel blog from the ground up with the potential to turn it into a business, you need to create a plan before you get started.

1. First Things First: Determine what you will write about. Not just “travel.” Dig deeper. There is a strategy to well-rounded content. For me, it’s a balance of travel guides, destination-based content, photography tips, and fashion & lifestyle posts. I also sprinkle in bits of my personality with my love for Harry Potter, In N Out, and scuba diving.
2. Next, determine how you will shape your content for your audience. Who is your target audience? For me, it’s 20 to 30-something women with a passion for travel and unique experiences. While my audience will undoubtedly deviate from this (I want everyone, including men, also to read my blog!), it’s essential to keep my target audience in mind at all times so that I create content they will love.
3. Then, research if there is already someone writing about the same thing (niche, topic, etc.). If so, ask yourself how you can do it differently or better. There are a lot of travel blogs out there, and you need to distinguish yourself.

When you’re creating a travel blog, it’s essential to think of your audience every step of the way. Write for yourself, but don’t forget to also write for your audience. If you have this figured out from the beginning, you’ll be able to create quality content from day one.

I balance my writing with helpful guides (like this one) and travel tips for my audience, with photography-driven content and personal writing for myself. I like to think I distinguish myself by putting quality content first. That includes professional graphic design and epic photography as something my audience has and always can expect from me.