Before I decided to leave my cubical life. I had been warned that blogging is hard and travel blogging is even harder. I didn’t think to much of it!
Just to be clear: My travel blog is only 6 months old! I am new at this, but these are the things I’ve learned in the past 6 months.
In the recent months I’ve received email from people asking about: How I started my blog? How much work is it? Do I get money from my blog? etc.
So if you’re thinking of starting a travel blog or any blog! Here are something things you should keep in mind before starting.
- It’s Time-Consuming
People, its like running your own business. You constantly have to be on top of what you’re selling. So of course it’s time-consuming. Constantly checking what the latest trends are. Managing and maintaining a blog is hard. Being aware of spam, and hackers, and designing the website is a whole other project. Especially if you aren’t a coder. Creating your brand when designing a website for your blog is hard work. Remember you want to be able to show who you’re trying to reach when you’re creating a website.
2. Content
I would say that content is 90% of the work. In order to create a ‘following’ (subscribers to your blog, and social media followers) you need to create good content. People who believe, agree with what you say. Having to keep up with content. Posting 1-2 times a week and trying to travel the world, while keeping up with weekly posts. -_- It requires discipline. A lot of what blogging and running your own business is about: discipline.
3. Social Media (the fun part)
This is a MONSTER. Social media can make you or break you. You need to be social! What do I mean? I mean, constantly being connected (or glued) to your phone. Always responding to comments and questions. Learning how to follow and unfollow. There is a method to the madness. It takes up most of your day. In fact, all of your day! It’s kind of rude when you’re out with friends and you’re constantly on your phone, but it is the lifestyle. If you plan to have a successful blog (whatever you’re blogging about) you need to be social.
4. Vblogging
For those of who do both blogging and vblogging, this is hard. Video Blogging requires time to edit the video, compress, and then upload. Uploading videos take the longest, especially when you are traveling. You need fast Wi-Fi to make it go faster. Which is not always reliable. Learning how to use software programs to edit your videos takes time. I use Final Cut Pro and it took me hours of YouTube ‘how to’ videos to get my first video live. FYI: Video blogging is much more effective. Most people love to see people, they don’t like to read too much.
5. Traveling
This is the best part about being a travel blogger! Plus, it’s the only reason you can actually be a travel blogger. Haha! It takes a lot of energy traveling and working at the same time. It’s very time-consuming, especially if you freelance too. Learning to manage both your blog, and clients can be stressful. As I mentioned earlier, it is about discipline and trying to stick with your own schedule or routine. For example, maybe sightseeing for 4 out of the 5 days you’re staying in a new city and spend one day catching up on blog posts.
Lastly,
6. Pitching (I like to call it hustling!)
Hustling? Well I mentioned before that having your own travel blog (or any blog) is like running your own business. I mean it is, it’s your own travel blog! So I call it hustling because it is the only way you get noticed. Working hard, introducing yourself through social media to people within your industry who have been around longer. Pitching your blog to companies, brands, hotels, tour operators, etc. It all takes time and courage! It’s like working in Sales. Sometimes the customer says ‘yes’ and sometimes they say ‘no’.
I believe being successful takes hard work (with maybe some luck, but mostly hard work). It doesn’t just happen over night. I don’t have a 9-5 job, but I carry a laptop with me everywhere I go. Literally! If am not on my laptop I am on my phone. I’m constantly learning from my mistakes. I work 7 days a week. I do not stop! But that is the sacrifice for wanted something so badly. I quit a full-time job to work for myself twice as hard and to be completely honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. 🙂
What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree? Are you thinking of starting your own blog? Need advice? Shoot me an email and I will be more than happy to help!
I agree… I agree… I agree again. It’s why it’s so important to be passionate about it. I’ll add that the social media part is also a monster which can kill you. It’s so easy to socialize… and realize.. that you also need to write! 😛 Haha!
That is so true! You honestly do forget when you’re tweeting/instragraming/ and facebooking (yes, I’ve made that all up!) all day everyday! haha Ps- you do need a life too, sometimes. 😉
Haha! I know… I am getting faith up sometimes when I see the number of new notifications… haha. It’s a good sign… but it’s so much work!