How To Be A Travel Blogger And Make Money In 2022
Do you feel a twinge of envy whenever you see posts from travel blogger raking in thousands of dollars and frolicking across the globe with tons of photos to show for it? What if we tell you that you can do that too?
Of course, making money from travel blogging takes more than packing your bags and getting a one-way ticket to your dream destination. If you want to be a travel blogger and make money in 2022, you need careful planning, some strategizing, and a little bit of luck.
Are you ready to find out how you can make your dream come to life? Keep reading to find out!
How to be a travel blogger and make money in 2022
If you are serious about becoming a full-time travel blogger and making a living out of it, you’re in for a ride. To put it in a nutshell, you need to build a high-quality blog with an intuitive design and informative content. From there, you can start increasing your audience and building a community. Once you’ve done this, you can start monetizing your content through affiliate links, sponsored posts, subscriptions, merch, and AdSense.
With 4.4 million blog posts published every single day across all platforms, how can you stand out? The trick is to find a niche for yourself. This essentially involves figuring out an area where you could comfortably call yourself a “genius.”
Below is a guide of travel-related niches you can explore, with bloggers who stand out in that niche.
| Niche | Blogger |
| Traveling with your kids | https://worldtravelfamily.com/ |
| Luxury travel | https://mrsoaroundtheworld.com/ |
| Budget travel | https://thebudgetmindedtraveler.com/ |
| Traveling with a 9-to-5 | https://www.9to5nomad.com/ |
| Traveling off the beaten path | https://againstthecompass.com/en/ |
| Travel fashion | https://www.theblondeabroad.com/ |
| Road trip travel | https://www.wandering-bird.com/ |
| Food travel | https://migrationology.com/ |
| Backpacking | https://www.thepinaysolobackpacker.com/ |
Once you’ve decided what type of blog you want to have, you can begin your journey to becoming a travel blogger and make money in 2022.
To make this article more actionable, we’ll divide it into two parts. The first one is to guide you on how to become a travel blogger, and the second part will teach you how to make money from your travel blog.
How to become a travel blogger: A step-by-step guide
Travel blogging doesn’t require much technical knowledge. However, you do need plenty of passion and dedication. If you have these two qualities and a laptop, you are good to go! Follow these steps to get started:
1. Study the industry
The best way to learn how to be a travel blogger and make money in 2022 is by observing how your role models do it.
Visit popular travel blogs and study their content. Find out what their strengths are, what posts resonate most with the readers, and how they are able to gain more followers. Then, use this information to your advantage.
2. Study the web
Great content will get you far, but keyword research and search engine optimization will get you further‒specifically the first search results page in Google. If you want to be a successful travel blogger, you need to do everything you can to make it easier for your potential readers to find you.
3. Know your audience
Before you start publishing your first post, you must know your audience. If you don’t have a clear picture of who you are writing for, you may end up wasting time and effort. Answer the following questions to get to know your audience better:
- What are their interests?
- What do they want to know about?
- How much is their travel budget?
- Are they planning to bring their kids along on their trip?
- What writing style resonates most with them?
- How do they behave online?
Answering these questions can help you understand how to tailor your content specifically to a group of people who will more likely relate with you.
4. Invest in your blog
Prepare to shell out money for your blog. After all, no reader would want to visit a travel blog that the author hasn’t invested in.
Whether it’s your domain, hosting, or theme, strive to make your travel blog the best it can be. This may also involve getting a designer to create your branding. Some of the websites where you can outsource design work include:
5. Start writing content
Congratulations, you’re now ready to be a full-time travel blogger! Well‒at least you’re 90% ready. To be able to make money from your blog, you must first start writing content.
You don’t have to already be a travel expert to come up with great content. Sharing your stories, tips, and opinion is the best way to start. After some time, you will be able to determine which of your posts are more successful.
Don’t get overwhelmed by all the new things you have to do. You can start by publishing one post a week. Slowly but surely, you will be able to increase your output.
6. Set goals
When starting a blog, you may be tempted to go for the big bucks. This will only set you up for failure. It is usually better to set realistic objectives.
Start with a modest goal, and work your way up. For example, you can start by aiming for 1,000 views in the first month. Once you achieve this, you can set your second milestone at 2,000 views.
If you are having a difficult time setting your goals, you can use tools such as Google Analytics to track your progress.
7. Leverage social media
Although the freedom of being a digital nomad can be rewarding, you still need to be productive to make money. To get even more out of social media, you can host a giveaway or a competition, or create aesthetically-pleasing infographics for your audience to share.
8. Build a mailing list
A mailing list is a great way to directly connect with your customers. It could also help increase your subscriber base, which means more money in the future.
You can start building your mailing list by creating an opt-in box on your blog. You can also offer freebies to entice visitors to sign up, such as a free eBook. To make this easier, you can use tools such as:
How to make money from your travel blog
If you’ve followed the steps above, you are now a fully-fledged travel blogger. Now, you have to figure out how to make money from your blog. Here are some ways to do it:
1. Network
You’re not alone in the blogging world, and you shouldn’t think that you are. Participate in online communities by commenting on other travel blogs, and starting a conversation with them. Some active travel groups on Facebook include:
Every time you meet a fellow travel blogger, or someone in the same industry, take the opportunity to connect. After all, there is a lot you can learn from one another.
Networking not only helps you learn a lot from the other travel bloggers. It could also open up opportunities to get paid trips and sponsorships.
2. Reach out to brands
This is one step you shouldn’t neglect. Brands are always looking for bloggers who can promote their products. And more often than not, they will pay you for your services.
Try contacting local, national, and international brands through their official email, or social media pages. This is always a good way to connect with established brands.
Of course, you probably won’t get a free trip‒or even a goody bag‒right of the bat. You need to have something that they would want in return. Explain why you are the best person to represent them. Perhaps, you can write a sponsored post about your experience, or create a video about your brand.
3. Sign up for AdSense
Google AdSense is a program where you can set up Google ads on your blog, and make money from your visitors. You get to choose which ads you want to show or hide on your blog, which means you still have full control over your content.
There is one caveat though. You won’t be able to make much money from AdSense until you have plenty of traffic. But once you finally get followers, you can make as much as $25,000 per month like the Delhi-based blogger Amit Agarwal.
Agarwal is not the only blogger that has found success with ads. Jon Dykstra from Fat Stacks made more than $1 million through display ads.
4. Join affiliate programs
Affiliate programs offer other opportunities to make money from your blog. There are tons of affiliate programs out there, and all you have to do is to sign up for them and start promoting their products.
Affiliate programs give you access to discount codes and links to different products. What you do with these codes and links is up to you. You could add them to your list of affiliate programs, or write a review about the product. Some of the best affiliate programs you can apply for include:
The trick to becoming a successful affiliate is to NEVER recommend products you don’t believe in.
5. Create products
If you have been in the travel blogging industry for a while, you could create your own products. For example, Practical Cash earns over $1,000 per month in profit thanks to his merch and graphic designs.
Your products could include an e-course, e-book, and an audiobook. You could also offer branded physical products such as t-shirts, mugs, and backpacks.
Of course, it isn’t enough to just create a product. You also have to sell it, using AdSense, Facebook ads, your mailing list, and social media channels for publicity and promotions.
6. Try consulting
Offering consultancy services is another way to make money from your blog. Companies are always looking to improve their customer experience. What better way to do it than to hire a travel blogger to help with their digital marketing?
You can create a consulting business, and use your blog to show how your expertise can help. Coaching and consulting can help you earn big bucks. For example, Nagina Abdullah has made more than $100,000 in a year for coaching her clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions asked by newbie travel bloggers:
1. How much do travel blogger earn on average?
The average salary of travel bloggers is $63,000 per year.
2. What is the most a travel blogger can earn per month?
Matt Kepnes from Nomadic Matt earns over $50,000 per month.
3. How do beginner bloggers make money?
Travel bloggers primarily make money through advertising and affiliate programs. They can also earn revenue through sponsorships.
4. What qualities make a good blogger?
A good travel blogger should have good writing skills, knowledge of the travel industry, and a good following on social media. They should also be passionate about traveling and have the capacity to work independently.
5. How do I succeed as a blogger in 2022?
Successful travel bloggers have a unique style, a niche audience, and valuable content.
Final thoughts
A large part of being a travel blogger and making money in 2022 is inspiring others with your story and making content that your audience wants to read. It is advisable to plan your blogging game plan early on and set clear goals so you know which direction you are moving.
When you start out, you may want to make money right away, but you need to take things slowly. Don’t rush things!
One other thing to remember: being a good writer is only one part of being a successful travel blogger. Help your readers with their problems, and you’ll always have an eager and receptive audience.
What are you most excited about in your pursuit to become a travel blogger and earn money from it? Let us know in the comments section below!
