How To Start Your Own Out-of-This-World Travel Blog in 7 Steps

Blogs are a great way to share your memories. Your loved ones want to learn more about your adventures, but so do others. Travel blogs create a record of where you’ve been and where you’re going. Gaining a readership and being able to express yourself to the world is one of the most exciting experiences you’ll have. So, why not start a travel blog, now?

Many people think that starting their own travel blog is difficult or time-consuming, but once you get the hang of it, blogging will come naturally. And having a travel blog will encourage you to get out there, explore, and have more fun!

Follow these steps and create a blog to share your experiences with the world.

1. Find the Perfect Blog Name

This can be trickier than you make realize. Naming a blog can be more difficult than naming your own child! You want a name that will last and grow with you, as you grow as a traveler and eventually become a travel expert. So, jessicasfirsttrip.com just won’t have the lasting power or authority you need.

Be original. You don’t want to copy off someone else because your blog will be unique to you. Not only that, you want to make waves, not ride someone else’s. With more and more people traveling, you want to make your blog your own.

This also applies to the words you use in your titles. Every travel blogger first starts with the idea of adventure or nomadic notions, but you’re different. What makes your travel different from everyone else’s? Find that and capitalize on it.

Avoid using numbers, odd characters, hyphens, or underscores. If a reader has trouble typing in your blog URL, they might just choose not to.

You also want your URL to be memorable. Which means lasting and easy to remember, so don’t go too complicated. Bounce ideas off your friends and family, see what they think. And don’t get married to your first good idea. Trust their honest feedback and know there’s another great idea right around the corner.

 

2. Find a Hosting Service for Your Website

Okay, so this is where many potential bloggers turn back, chicken out, throw in the towel. Don’t. You can easily find a hosting service to house your domain name and even help you setup your website. You will usually have to fork over a little money, but it’s often not more than one drink at the coffee shop per month.

Why do hosting services charge? It’s similar to the relationship between you and your landlord. We tend to forget that everything out there on the internet is comprised of data. This data has to physically live on a computer, somewhere. So, even though data is basically intangible, it has to be stored on a computer, therefore, you have to rent that computer space.

 

3. Build Your Blog

If your hosting service doesn’t have a template for you to use to build your actual website, you may want to use WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix. They have great step-by-step instructions and templates to choose from.

Keep the appearance of your blog simple and clean. This will make your content easy to find and read.

Get feedback from your boyfriend, family, or friends. Ask them if your website is easy to navigate and if they think it’s attractive. If your website seems cluttered, cut back. Sometimes when we first begin a blog, we want to share and explain everything. This isn’t necessary.

Don’t get carried away. You should have your blog for years to come, which means you have plenty of time to share your best memories with your audience over the years to come.

Don’t forget your About page. This is where you can tell readers about who you are, why your travels are worth reading about, and what you care about. It’s usually the first place visitors will go when they arrive at your blog.

 

4. Take the Dive and Write

Your first blog post is going to the hardest. That’s OK. Just write. I suggest you write about your most recent trip and the one you plan on taking next. Explain what your last trip meant to you, not just where you went and what you did, but why it mattered.

Fill your reader in on where you’re going next and what you need to do to get there. Have you booked your flight? Are you having trouble deciding on a hotel or which small town outside of Paris you’re going to stay at. Share this.

These details are part of why readers go to blogs. They want to know what decisions you’re making and connect to you as a person.

 

5. Choose a Few Great Photos

All successful blogs need photos. And readers expect high-quality bright photos. Make sure you take plenty of snapshots on your trips, but also find some great stock photos to include in your posts.

If it’s Valentine’s Day or if your anniversary is coming up, try using free stocks photos about love.Or if your spouse does the most romantic thing ever, but you didn’t take any pictures, add some color with a fabulous stock photo of a couple.

 

6. Share, Share, Share

When you first start your blog, make sure you promote yourself a bit. Blogging is not for the faint of heart, and in order to earn readers, you have to first convince them to visit your blog.

If you’re casually chatting with someone at the bakery or at the supermarket, mention that you have a blog, and you would love if they checked it out.

Post links to your blog on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Sharing includes reaching out to bloggers whose sites you appreciate. Start a conversation about where they get their inspiration. Ask them for feedback on your blog. This can start a great collaborative relationship.

 

7. Have Fun and Travel

Don’t travel just to write. Remember that you started your blog to share your joy with readers, you didn’t start your blog to travel. Check out some of the most beautiful places on our planet.

When you’re not traveling, you can still find the adventure in the day-to-day or share about upcoming trips.

You’re on the road to having a great blog. Be sure to capture the essence of who you are, where you’re going, and what you care about. Keep having fun and prepare for a lifetime of awesome memories your readers will appreciate.