Freelance writing and niche blogging tips #2 | Travel writing edition

I recently picked my freelance writing and blogging niche: nomadic family travel, with a side track to the digital nomad lifestyle (of course). This niche didn’t come as a big surprise. But then, what’s next? I follow several travel bloggers and freelance travel writers and am very inspired by their stories. They occasionally write about becoming (a better) freelance travel writer and blogger, and in this edition of my freelance writing and niche blogging tips I want to share some of the best tips for travel writing I found the last couple of weeks.

5 travel blog monetization mistakes

A few weeks ago, I joined the free travel blog monetization email course of Travel Blog Summit (I totally recommend that you sign up too!). One of their blog posts is about 5 travel blog monetization mistakes and it was a big eye opener for me.

It seems I’m making all of these 5 mistakes. Shame on me 🙁

But no worries, better to find out now when there is still plenty time to correct these mistakes. For starters, I need to set up a business plan for my different websites. They all have a different target audience, different perspectives and therefore they need a different monetization plan.

Tips for newbie travel bloggers: don’t do it for the money

This is a relatively old blog post from The Travel Hack and it’s filled with rather simple, general tips such as avoid spelling mistakes. Although a good reminder, it’s rather obvious. But there is also one very good tip for travel blogging: Don’t do it for the money…

This seems contradictory to the above paragraph about monetization, but the writer explains it very good. “There are so many guides about ‘how to make money from your blog’ when really they should be entitled, ‘How to use your blog as a portfolio to showcase your talents to find work to make money.’”

This is why I combine freelance writing with niche blogging. I can use my websites as a portfolio to attract new clients for freelance writing jobs, and if I make some money with my websites, that’s a big plus.

Why I Hate Some Travel Blog Posts

I found this from Voyager a tricky one to include in this post. It doesn’t really fit because it doesn’t include any tips or tricks. Also, I thought the tone of voice of the article is rather negative and I didn’t feel entirely comfortable with it. Why do I include it then? Because the writer does have a point. It’s good to have it out in the open and to think about it once in a while, to keep yourself sharp and focused. Just read it and you know what I mean!

How to be a better travel blogger: collaborate

You might think other travel bloggers are your competition and while I’m sometimes jealous of others (hey, I’m only human), I never see them as competition. Sally from Travel Blog Squad goes even further. She advises collaborating with other travel bloggers. “In this day and age, opportunities are all about networking so instead of being jealous of your competitors, why not collaborate with them to reach a wider audience and grow your blog.” I totally agree, so if you’re a fellow travel blogger, don’t be surprised if I reach out to you for guest blogging and the like!

Ultimate social media guide for bloggers: Pinterest tips for travel bloggers

As I mentioned in another freelance writing and niche blogging tips edition, I hate and love social media. Especially with Pinterest, I have a difficult relationship. I just don’t get it. So all tips about how to use Pinterest for travel blogging are welcome! Christina has lots of tips and tricks for a long list of social media platforms, but since I’m especially interested in Pinterest, here are some of her Pinterest tips for travel bloggers:

  • Use Pinterest Business (will do!)
  • Use Tailwind for scheduling pins (definitely the plan!)
  • Make vertical images with Canva (yes, check, I already do this, I’m not a complete Pinterest wimp!)
  • Use keyword-rich alt tags for your pinnable images (check again!)
  • Use invisible ninja pins (whut?! Oh I have so much to learn!)
  • Join sharing groups (that’s on my to-do list)
  • Make attractive covers for your boards (OK, I have to find out more about this…)

There are tons of more social media tips for travel bloggers in Christina’s blog post. I truly advise you to take a look, it will be worth it!

Are you a (newbie) travel blogger? Did you find these tips useful? If you have tips for travel writing, please let them know in the comments!

Comments 2

  1. Natalie January 9, 2017
    • Nanouk January 9, 2017

Leave a Reply