How to be a travel blogger and make money

It often indicates a user profile. I really enjoy your writing style and this guide is a gentler introduction to some of the really heavy reading in the aforementioned reading list that seemed so daunting at first glance. I love your blog! I am much enthused. Reply to Kate.

Who can make money travel blogging?

In this article you will learn how to make money from a travel website in ; you will also better understand different methods of monetization, ve the Travelpayouts affiliate program. There is no exact method of calculating in advance how much money you will earn from your website. Some people think they will earn a lot if they have many visitors. There is a big difference in income because of the selected features in this business. Language and the sector will also affect your profits.

Monetization Methods & Tips for Getting Started

When I first got into travel blogging, the way to make money was by selling links and having niche websites with Google adwords ads. Thankfully it is much easier to monetize these days. There are ways to jump ahead, though. I discuss them in this post if you want to step back, take a read, and come back to see this follow up. In the video below I talk about the top ten things that you can do to make money from a blog, and this post includes all of the resources and links mentioned in the video. As mentioned in the video, these steps are listed in a logical order based on how established you are.

How do blogs make money?

When I first got into travel blogging, the way to make money was by selling links and having niche websites with Google adwords ads. Thankfully it is much easier to monetize these days. There are ways to jump ahead. I discuss them in this post if you want to step back, take a read, and come back to see this follow up. In the video below I talk about the top ten things that you can do to make money from a blog, and this post includes all of the resources and links mentioned in the video.

As mentioned in the video, these steps are listed in a logical order based on how established you are. Again this is a long game rather than a quick overnight money-maker. However if you do it right, your blog can become a real job, and a resource that helps others at the same time:. My biggest source of income during the first couple years of my blog was freelance writing roles.

It helps a lot when a publication can see that you have some reach yourself to help share the article and get more views, and the more that you grow the easier it will be to get opportunities that pay better. Writing articles not only helps with your bank account, but it gets you back links as well which is great for SEO!

Working for a more established blogger will help you understand how to become more effective with your own blog. These jobs mostly come from in-person networking. Or, try to just offer your services to a blogger you love.

My full-time assistant reached out several years ago and asked if she could intern for me. Also consider the Facebook groups and industry events:. The reason why I suggest getting into this early is because the pages that you put on your blog earlier will have more time to be indexed by Google.

This is a long game, and you may not see the results from the fruits of your labor for a year or two, but this can become incredibly worthwhile. It took a bit of time but it paid off.

This is always true for me. I never really know how a post I write will do until much later, so I just keep trying! You can become an affiliate for almost anything these days, so think outside the box. Here are a few great networks that I use:. The key is to only promote products that you truly love and use. To successfully market products to your audience, their trust always has to come. Check out this post for info on how to write a good affiliate post. At first it was hard to see my site with ads on it.

I was so used to it looking the way it had for years, ad-free. I personally use Mediavine. Photography is a big part of travel blogging. I spent quite a while learning my way around the camera and practicing with editing. These days, photography is a huge priority when I travel.

Most of my paid work actually comes to me through my Instagram! You can also sell stock photos online. Some people make a pretty good passive income this way. The rules are somewhat strict about what you can have in your photo, but if you are traveling and have a backlog anyway, it could be worth it.

People seem to be very dedicated to one or the other but not. If you make great videos and are consistent, building up an audience on YouTube and putting ads on them is a great way to develop an income stream.

For more on how to get started on the right foot, check out my review of the YouTube course that I used. Eventually, when you have built up your audience and social media channels, you may have paid opportunities come your way.

It might include product partnerships like mine with ZAGG or destinations like mine with Kyrgyzstanwherein you agree to a certain amount of deliverables in exchange for an all expenses paid trip and some cash. This sounds like the dream, and it is, but it only makes sense if the destination and the campaign really make sense with your brand, and if you are capable of delivering everything that you promise.

I rarely pitch, and I never really did. These opportunities tend to come directly to me. Work on building your audience, building historical data to prove that you are worth spending money on, and putting out amazing content, and the work will follow, trust me! It could be a coursea book or several, toursor a whole host of other options. The more creative you can get the better!

Your time is better spent building up an audience first, and marketing products to them later. There are not many travel bloggers who have a podcast, but this is another great way to make money and contribute something meaningful that is not already incredibly saturated. I believe this is actually a huge opportunity and if you can come up with something of quality that has not already been thought of, you can strike while the iron is hot. Public speaking is a great way to make money while also spreading awareness and establishing yourself as an authority.

Like the previous few suggestions, this is something that will make sense to pursue after you have established.

This is something I have not done a lot of, although I would love to get into it. None of what I listed will get you rich quickly, but it is sustainable, based on providing something to people that is honest and of real value, and can help you build a lasting business that survives the test of time.

Most of all, innovate. Stay on top of the curve, keep working hard, and come up with new and exciting ideas. Put your energy into the things that you can do better than anyone else, and the money will follow. Thanks for the encouraging words and advice. I have just started myself and find information like this invaluable! Great blog btw. This is a good honest insight Kristin. It is also too small to see any benefits yet from affiliate links. I am sure we all do regardless of industry.

This series has been a great read Kristin, and answered a lot of questions!! Thanks for putting it together so thoughtfully! Thank you so much for this series. This will definitely help my journey. I posted times per week in the beginning but have since had to go down to more like 1 due to other obligations. The quality is what matters most so focus on that and on living! This is arguably the most common question asked in the travel blogging community: how can I make some money from this? For me, though, travel blogging has been great for my career as a journalist — because I now know how to write for SEO and know the ins and outs of social media.

My point exactly. Thanks for this advice. I have been blogging for less than a year, and slowly finding my way. I never intended to do it to make money, more as a fun way to share my travel experiences and passion for finding great travel deals.

Do you use mailchimp or aweber, or which do you recommend? Especially when you have given links in the first few posts. Personal recommendations are awesome! Glad you have found the posts helpful and happy blogging and travels.

I have just started my own travel blog and right it is growing but slowly, I am trying to make only quality content but it can be hard for someone like me who is a crappy writer.

I think the most important thing is not to focus on making money, but to improve your writing at this point. Finally got to sit down and read this entire series, great information. Thank you for this guide and the many useful tips and links. I am currently working my ughas much overtime as I can physically handle and in how to be a travel blogger and make money little time I have left, I am researching everything from travel gear to social media marketing and lots in.

My head is swimming but I am learning So much each day. Thanks. I really enjoy your writing style and this guide is a gentler introduction to some of the really heavy reading in the aforementioned reading list that seemed so daunting at first glance. Hey Stuart, so glad that you find this helpful and an easy introduction.

Trying to get good content out. It seems to take forever. How long, in general, would you say it takes to grow a good audience all else being good? I agree with your point about having the passion for. I kinda wish there was 5 of me!! Now making money through traveling become so much easier than. Thanks for these tips, they are invaluable. I have a quick question. How do you put yourself out there but at the same time maintain some level of privacy and safety? I often worry myself when interacting with others on-line both ways, giving too much info on my end or asking too much info.

Thanks for your advice or if you have a link to where I can get more info on this, let me know.

5 Steps to Becoming a Travel Blogger

How much can you earn from a travel blog?

When executed correctly, affiliate marketing is a good thing for everyone involved. Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to make money from your travel blog because you only set it up once, and the income keeps coming in forever. Thanks for writing such informative information. How does your blog make an income? Is there a yearly International get together or conference? Most likely, there is an affiliate program for whatever you answered. I only half agree with you that launching a blog only to get free trips is not a good idea. Elise September 8, at am — Reply. If I work really really really hard at it, could that be a recipe for success? Reply to Roseanna. Hmm with Mediavine you can disable categories but not specific advertisers. Also consider the Facebook groups and industry events:. We love travel, we love writing about travel, we will continue to be travel bloggers. What do you need to start a Brand Ambassadorship? Most travel brands are interested in sponsored content being on a website or on Instagram. If your readers are staying on page because of the useful and engaging content you are providing, everyone is happy.